GVSU Initiatives: Teaching Innovation Workshops
An afternoon with concurrent sessions led by faculty and staff; topics include engaging students in first-year courses, community-based teaching, global learning, among others
Tuesday, August 18, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Lake Ontario Hall Room 168
Tours of the GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project, Luce St., will be held from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
12 - 1 p.m.
Light Lunch & Networking
1 - 1:50 p.m.
Prepare Your Students for Civic Engagement: A GVSU Interactive Readiness Tool
Melissa Baker-Boosamra, Community Service Learning Center Justin Melick, Information Technology
Justin Pettibone, Liberal Studies
Danielle Lake, Liberal Studies
This session will showcase a new, GVSU interactive module developed to better prepare students for civic engage- ment. Opportunities to both use this module in your own classroom and to get involved in the design of future modules will be provided. Time will also be devoted to brainstorming the value and use of this module, future modules, and best practices in civic engagement. Come and discover new resources while weighing in on the design of future GVSU projects!
Motivating and engaging students in introductory courses with gameful design thinking and technology
Szymon Machajewski, Computing & Information Systems
Introductory courses sometimes focus on memorization. They can be boring to the advanced students or to many poorly prepared students. Gamification engenders emotion, which leads to greater focus. Applying gameful thinking to the design of introductory course activities has the potential to increase attendance, participation, and engagement.
2 - 2:50 p.m.
Integrating a Sustainable Community Partnership into Teaching and Research: Lessons from the Engaged Department Initiative
Elizabeth Arnold, Anthropology
Russell Rhoads, Anthropology
Katie Vriesman, Volunteer Coordinator, Bethany Refugee & Immigrant Services
The Engaged Department Initiative is premised on the idea that teaching and student learning are enhanced by engaging students in activities with local and international partners. At this Roundtable, conversations will address how faculty can plan and improve engagement activities in their courses to enhance a “curriculum” for student learning. The session will address challenges, as well as innovations for community engagement, such as Design Thinking, internships, and action research. Participants can expect to take away practical knowledge and resources to systematically chart an immediate way forward.
Engaging first-year students that would rather not
Thomas Pentecost, Chemistry
What do you do with students in your first-year course that would really rather not be there? There are ways to engage and get them to adopt a deep learning approach. This session will describe things done to engage students in a large- first-year chemistry course at GVSU. These actions were developed after reading the research literature about teaching and learning. A synopsis of the research I found useful will be provided.
3 - 3:50 p.m.
Inclusive Innovations in the Classroom: Shared Strategies from the Knapsack Institute '
Danielle DeMuth, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Rachel Peterson, Liberal Studies
Michael Wambach, Allied Health
Faculty who have attended the Knapsack Institute on privilege, oppression, and social justice pedagogy at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs will discuss their experiences at the Institute as they relate to teaching and learning. These Knapsack graduates will also share teaching innovations they have incorporated as a result of their participation and help attendees strategize for their own classes.
Community as Classroom – a Global Heath Strategy tested by GVSU Faculty and Students
Azizur Molla, Public Health
This presentation discusses strategies to involve students in community based research and service as part of their course work. It also examines how community health project contributes to achieve ‘Healthy People 2020’ objectives. It discusses a brief history of community health and also the nature of community health. Healthy People 2020 0bjective topic areas are discussed in respect to the topics that are linked with community based research project conducted in the U.S., Bangladesh, Ghana, and Haiti. The presentation also described how an interdisciplinary approach can be more effective in conducting such study and in achieving better research outcome. The findings will be useful for faculty, students and other stakeholders like community health personnel and scholars.
3 - 5 p.m.
Literally a Field Trip: GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project Luce St. Site Tour
Kelly Parker, Environmental Studies, Philosophy and Liberal Studies
Sarah King, Liberal Studies
Yumiko Jakobcic, Office of Sustainability Practices
Come for a tour and learn about a place-based learning environment for faculty, staff, and students. A van will be available at Lake Ontario Hall for those interested in visiting the Luce St. site.