CTE

Teaching Symposium, Fall 2006

14th Annual Teaching Effectiveness Symposium

Held: Monday, August 14, 2006
Room 241, Umphrey Lee, 8:00 a.m.

"Removing Barriers to Learning"

8:00-8:30

Continental breakfast

8:30- 8:45

Welcoming Remarks: Ron Wetherington, Director, CTE

8:45-9:30

Plenary session: Making the Transition to Higher Learning
Bad habits and the lack of good habits comprise part of the intellectual baggage students bring to the university. We often expect that they should be readily capable, if not eager, to make the transition to higher learning. In fact, making the transition is more difficult than we may realize. Here we explore some ways to ease students into the rigors of the academic challenge.
Presenters: Roy Heller, Theology; Marciem Bazell, Music; Michael Householder, English

9:30-9:40

Break

9:40-10:45

Breakout Session I, See list below

10:45-11:15

Break - Visit Campus Resource Representatives

11:15-12:20

Breakout Session II, See list below

12:20- 1:45

Lunch: Karcher Auditorium--Provost Tom Tunks Golden Moment: Joe Kobylka

2:00

Guided Library Tours (Optional: See registration page.)

 

BREAKOUT SESSIONS I & II (choose one for each)


A. Overcoming Faulty Paradigms
Students rely on past knowledge to integrate future knowledge. If that past knowledge is faulty, they may never actually integrate new information, although they may regurgitate it on exams. Such faulty knowledge is most evident in the sciences, but it is just as common in history, social studies, and other subjects. How can we discover what they think they know, how valid that knowledge is, and how do we help students correct invalid paradigms? (Ron Wetherington, Anthropology & CTE)

B. Setting the Bar
Are SMU classes hard enough? The average SAT score of entering students has risen significantly, yet we still face broadly varying levels of preparation and ability. We will discuss why our best students want challenging classes and what they (and we) suggest can be done to raise the academic bar. Grade inflation, student culture, and faculty expectations will be considered, along with concrete tips for upholding equity in the classroom. (Melissa Dowling, History, and David Doyle, Honors Program)

C. Fostering Intellectual Life on Campus
Intellectual pursuit may be a passion for us, but sadly many students seem to think learning ends at the exit sign. How can we inspire students to look beyond coursework and develop self-directed intellectual interests? We will discuss ways to incite discourse and techniques to activate student interest in pursuing knowledge. Share tips and tricks to enliven discussions and ignite the intellect. (Bill Bridge, Law, and Owen Lynch, CCPA)

D. Creating Effective Research Projects
Research projects requiring analysis of multiple sources—in and out of the library—teach students the research process: how to search for relevant information and how to synthesize what they discover. Successful research assignments familiarize students with the selection of appropriate sources and guide them in assembling focused papers and presentations. We will discuss ways to craft research prompts and guidelines to promote efficacious topic selections and clarify expectations. (Mark Chancey, Religious Studies, and Rebecca Graff, CUL)

[Previous Teaching Symposia]