Hello Colleagues!
We hope this posting finds you at a pleasant point in the term. Before thoughts turn to midterms and breaks, we invite you to join the next Teaching Circle themed “Student-owned laptops, smart phones, and clickers, friend or foe in the classroom” which will kick off Monday, October 4, 2021. Meet-ups will be biweekly via zoom at 12:00pm Mondays and are open to all. Jump in for lively, friendly explorations into the topic of maneuvering student owned computing devices in class and beyond. Add this to your calendar when you register here via Zoom shorturl.at/iwGV2
If interested, please read on and join us!
Teaching Circle: “Student-owned laptops, smart phones and clickers, friend or foe in the classroom”
Student devices have long been the topic of educators as potential for tools for experiential learning, student engagement, note taking and other course related activities. Problems surface when students are perceived as distracted or access to devices is not ubiquitous. Advances have been made on the access front with nearly all students having smart phones and with recent programs such as Clarkson’s summer 2021 Let’s Get Tech laptop initiative.
Are there emerging opportunities? Should we consider new methods to the old clicker model? Are students prepared to use their devices for class? Should instructors embrace methods that encourage use of student owned devices? Benefits and drawbacks?
Join circle facilitator Laura Perry to explore answers to these and other questions in a safe space to benefit student learning in our classrooms and beyond as we move forward. Teaching Circles are collaborative communities where members connect to share ideas and strategies.
We will meet:
Monday, October 4, 2021, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Monday, October 18, 2021, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Monday, November 1, 2021, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Monday, November 15, 2021, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Bring your lunch if you like!
Get Started:
Join Teaching Circles in Moodle and register for Zoom and add to your calendar.
Have Ideas?
When possible, we like to include faculty and staff in the planning and facilitation of sessions. Is there something relevant that you’d like to talk about? Is there a reading or talk that we might want to discuss? Experiences to share or problems to solve? Reach out to Alexander Cohen (acohen@clarkson.edu) and we’ll work to incorporate them into the Circle! If you have ideas for other, future Teaching Circles, likewise let him know!
Teaching Circles Overview:
The Institute for STEM Education and the Teaching Mentoring Program Committee are proud to sponsor Clarkson University’s Teaching Circles Program. First launched in Spring 2020, Teaching Circles are intended to host communities interested in sharing concerns and interests around topics of interest related to teaching and learning. Teaching circles are safe spaces in which colleagues (1) generate and share developments related to teaching, (2) ideate innovations or interventions designed to enhance student learning, (3) seek scholarly research and resources to inform and support implementation of trials.
Suggest a circle topic or start your own: Our aim is to grow the number of circles based on topics and interest from within the Clarkson community. You can help shape this program with your willingness to get involved. Suggest a topic, facilitate a circle or contribute suggestions. More on this in Moodle.
When applicable, teaching circles will contribute to Clarkson’s greater community of teaching and learning through presentations/publication of findings to colleagues.
Participation is open to any faculty, staff, and graduate teaching assistants, and is not restricted to STEM fields or instructional modality. Read below for more information. Contact us at teaching@clarkson.edu with any questions or reach out if you would like to pose a Teaching Circle topic.
What to expect:
- Each circle will be theme or topic focused and is guided by a facilitator or co-facilitators. Facilitators are responsible for organizing circle meetings, posting to the circle’s online forum, circle goal setting & check ins, facilitate discussions, arranging for outside expertise (speakers, guest contributors, etc) and encouraging members to contribute fully. Facilitators volunteer in this leadership role for professional development and exploration of topics of interest.
- Circle Rules:
· Join as many circles as you like
· Drop out of a circle at any time
· Participate actively
· Be respectful and inclusive
- Teaching circle members will engage in active discussion and contribution is encouraged. Circles meet via Zoom for bi-weekly discussions and will have a home in a Moodle course, as a platform for hosting/sharing resources, facilitating online discussion.
How to Join Teaching Circles:
Click to enroll in the Teaching Circles course in Moodle and complete the Choose a Teaching Circle activity.
For questions, contact a Teaching Mentoring Program Committee Member:
Alexander Cohen, acohen@clarkson.edu
Kathleen Kavanagh, kkavanag@clarkson.edu
Laura Perry, lperry@clarkson.edu
Christopher Robinson, crobinso@clarkson.edu