Penn State University

Events

Teach to Reach with Universal Design for Learning
Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, Associate Research Professor, and Lauraine Hawkins, Assistant Professor, Biology, Penn State Mont Alto
Monday, 10/2/2023 to Tuesday, 10/31/2023
Canvas

Image of Mary Ann TobinImage of Lauraine Hawkins

In this four-week, entirely asynchronous online course, participants draw upon their own teaching or learning design experience and their existing, basic understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to generate and respond to discussions, create an instructional activity inspired by UDL, and provide feedback on their peers’ activities.

The course is open to faculty of any rank or status, teaching assistants, post-doctoral instructors, and members of the learning design community with existing teaching or learning design experience and a basic understanding of UDL. Visit https://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/teachtoreach for eligibility requirements.

To register, complete our enrollment survey at https://tinyurl.com/RegisterTTR. Participants will be notified via email approximately one week prior to the start of the course.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Grading Differently: Rethinking How and Why We Do Classroom Assessment 
Facilitated by Laura Cruz, Research Professor
Thursday, 10/5/2023, 10:35 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Via Zoom

Have you ever wondered why we grade the way we do in higher education? In this interactive workshop (based on data collected across Penn State), you will explore emerging alternatives to conventional grading schema. Discover why practices such as specification (spec) grading, mastery grading, and contract grading have become increasingly popular practices in many higher education domains.

Registration will close one hour before the event starts.

Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Writing Your DEI Statement
Facilitated by Beate Brunow, Associate Research Professor
Tuesday, 10/10/2023, 10:35 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Via Zoom

Image of Beate Brunow

Search committees for faculty positions often ask applicants to provide a statement describing their contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In this interactive workshop, participants will reflect on their own role and their contributions to advancing DEI, and we’ll explore useful frameworks for conceptualizing and writing DEI statements.

Registration will close one hour before the event starts.

Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Preparing a Teaching Philosophy Statement for the Job Market
Facilitated by Chas Brua, Associate Research Professor and Deena Levy, Associate Research Professor
Wednesday, 10/11/2023, 10:10 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.
Via Zoom

In this interactive workshop, participants will explore strategies for writing a teaching philosophy statement that effectively communicates their goals, practices, and evidence of effectiveness. We will also analyze the strengths and weaknesses of some actual teaching philosophy statements. 

Registration will close one hour before the event starts.

Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Going Public with Teaching and Learning Scholarship  
Facilitated by Laura Cruz, Research Professor and John Elia, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Friday, 10/13/2023, Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Via Zoom

Did you know that as a graduate student you can publish scholarship related to your teaching practice? In this interactive session, we will identify potential audience(s) and explore publication strategies for your teaching and learning scholarship (TLS). Under the guidance of an experienced journal editor, you will learn more about the range of available outlets for taking your work public and identify a target journal for a project you develop.

Registration will close one hour before the event starts. Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Written Assignments in the Age of AI
Facilitated by Beate Brunow, Associate Research Professor, and Larkin Hood, Associate Research Professor
Tuesday, 10/17/2023, Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Image of Beate BrunowImage of Larkin Hood

With generative AI like ChatGPT in ongoing development, what does this mean for our writing assignments? In this session, we'll consider what AI can/can't do well with writing and consider the implications this has for your assignments. We'll discuss how to communicate with students about generative AI and how we can adjust our prompts/assignments accordingly.

This closed/custom event is for members of the requesting group. If you would like to schedule a similar event for your group, please contact SITE@psu.edu.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Accessibility & Belonging
Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, Associate Research Professor & Instructional Consultant, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and Jennifer Wagner, Instructional Designer and Accessibility Specialist, Penn State Altoona
Tuesday, 10/17/2023, Noon - 1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom

Image of Mary Ann Tobin

Students who believe they belong in college are more apt to succeed than those who don’t. This interactive webinar focuses on the intersections of accessibility and belonging.

Participants will discover the foundational role of accessibility in fostering a sense of belonging, and they'll learn best pedagogical practices for making their courses more accessible.

Registration will close one hour before the event starts.

Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Preparing to TA Effectively
Facilitated by Chas Brua, Associate Research Professor
Tuesday, 10/17/2023, 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Image of Chas Brua

This facilitated conversation with a self-organized group of graduate students will focus both on general advice related to TA responsibilities and specific resources and approaches useful in the students' discipline.

This closed/custom event is for members of the requesting group. If you would like to schedule a similar event for your group, please contact SITE@psu.edu.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Teaching a Course When You're Not (Yet) an Expert in the Content
Facilitated by Chas Brua, Associate Research Professor and Shannon McClellan Brooks, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Wednesday, 10/18/2023, 10:10 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.
Via Zoom

Teaching a course for the first time can make anyone nervous. This is especially true when you're not yet an expert in the content that you're teaching. In this interactive workshop, you'll learn practical tips for preparing without overpreparing; bolstering your confidence and communication skills; and using your "newcomer" knowledge to help your students learn.

Registration will close one hour before the event starts. Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Written Assignments in the Age of AI (Graduate Students)
Facilitated by Beate Brunow, Associate Research Professor, and Shannon McClellan Brooks, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Thursday, 10/19/2023, 10:35 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Via Zoom

Image of Beate Brunow

With generative AI like ChatGPT in ongoing development, what does this mean for our writing assignments? In this session, we'll consider what AI can/can't do well with writing and consider the implications this has for your assignments. We'll discuss how to communicate with students about generative AI and how we can adjust our prompts/assignments accordingly. 

Registration will close one hour before the event starts. Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Teaching Community: Teaching Multilingual Students at Penn State
Facilitated by Beate Brunow Associate Research Professor and Chas Brua Associate Research Professor and Meredith Doran Associate Teaching Professor
Thursday, 10/19/2023, 12:15 - 1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom

Join the October meeting of our Teaching Community about teaching multilingual students. This group meets monthly and provides an opportunity for instructors to share resources and ideas and to develop a better understanding of the experiences of multilingual students in our courses.

Registration will close one hour before the workshop begins.

Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least 30 minutes before the event begins.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

How to Be a Reflective Teacher
Facilitated by Deena Levy, Associate Research Professor, Beate Brunow, Associate Research Professor, and John Elia, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Tuesday, 10/24/2023, 10:35 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Via Zoom

Do you find it difficult to engage in reflection or don't know where to start? In this interactive workshop, participants will consider the role of reflection at different moments before, during, and after the semester. We will discuss how our own beliefs about teaching, experiences in our classrooms, and feedback we receive from students and peers can serve as rich sources for reflection, self-assessment, and personal and professional growth. You will leave with strategies you can use to engage in the reflective process. Please join us.

Registration will close one hour before the event starts. Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

Why Don't They Read? Supporting Student Reading In and Out of Class
Facilitated by Larkin Hood, Associate Research Professor, and Shannon McClellan Brooks, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Thursday, 10/26/2023, 10:35 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Via Zoom

Many instructors report frustration with student reading (or a lack thereof). In this session, we'll consider factors that can affect students' reading habits in our courses, and we'll discuss ways to support student reading through accountability, structure, and support.

Registration will close one hour before the event starts.

Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least one hour before the event.                             

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.  

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