Faculty Prep Week
January 7-11, 2008
Faculty Prep Week offers hands-on sessions to support you as you prepare for the upcoming
semester. This semester’s Prep Week is the week before classes begin, from Monday,
January 7, to Friday, January 11. Tell your colleagues and invite them to come!
- All sessions are flexible and customized to attendees but please arrive
at the listed start time.
- All sessions are held at the ITDC, 301 South Main Street (just north of Jimmy John's).
- Prep Week is open to the ISU teaching community (tenured, tenure-track, NTT, AP, staff,
GAs, etc.).
- Remember to bring your course materials as indicated in the session description.
Schedule
Room 103B
|
Monday, 1/7
|
Tuesday, 1/8
|
Wednesday, 1/9
|
Thursday, 1/10
|
Friday, 1/11
|
9:00 am-11:00 am |
|
|
|
|
|
11:00 am-1:00 pm |
|
|
|
|
1:00 pm-2:00 pm |
|
|
|
|
2:00 pm-3:00 pm |
|
|
|
|
3:00 pm-4:00 pm |
|
|
|
|
Session Descriptions
- Upgrading to Blackboard CE6 from WebCT
4.1
- Become acquainted with new features and new ways to accomplish your WebCT tasks in Blackboard
CE6. We will discuss how existing courses could be migrated to the new system and how
it might affect your course. Most suitable for those who are currently using WebCT.
- Blackboard Intro
- Get introduced to Blackboard Learning System CE6 (a suite of web-based educational tools
to facilitate learning, communication and collaboration). You will have the opportunity
to experience CE6 both as a student and as an instructor/designer, and will get an overview
of Blackboard’s many features. This workshop is most suitable for those who
are new to WebCT or Blackboard.
- Blackboard Open Lab
- Come drop by to get answers to any questions in Blackboard. This session is an open
lab where you can work on your course with the help of Blackboard support staff.
- Getting the Most from the First Day of Class
- If you only have one chance to make a first impression, then the first day of class
is the only chance you get to give your students a positive first impression of your
course. In this workshop you'll get a chance to experience some activities designed to
get students actively involved in your course and your discipline—starting on the
very first day. We'll make sure you leave with a plan.
- Honing Your Syllabus
- A good syllabus is more than a list of topics or a schedule of assigned readings; it's
the window through which students get their first glimpse of your course. In this workshop
we'll help you create a "promising syllabus"--one that invites students to
meet high expectations through a serious commitment to learning on their part and a serious
commitment to teaching on yours. Bring a syllabus to work on.
- Learning in the Large Classroom
- There is no one right way to teach a large class. You must consider your own teaching
style, who your students are, and the goals of your course. Join us as we share ideas
and concerns with other experienced and non-experienced large class instructors, and
discover what may or may not work for you. Bring any specific questions and concerns
for your classroom.
- 7 Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education
- These “7 Principles” are anchored in decades of research about teaching,
learning, and the college experience, and are intended as a basis for improving teaching
effectiveness. Join us in using this detailed checklist as you assess your individual
teaching habits and determine for yourself how well your practices line up with the identified “good
practices”. Leave with a plan for change or at least enhanced confidence in your
teaching skills.
- Grading Writing: Time-saving Tips
- Grading student papers can take over your life if you let it, so don’t let it.
In this workshop we’ll explore a number of strategies for getting the most “bang
for your buck” when it comes to grading student papers. Learn to focus your efforts
in the ways most likely to result in student learning and better writing.
- Electronic Grade book
- Calculating grades by hand is time-consuming and prone to mistakes. We will overview
few options of electronic grade books, Blackboard and Excel and help you start with one
of the options. An electronic grade book has additional advantages: you can download
your student roster (and save a LOT of typing), you can tell students where they stand
without violating the FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) regulation. Bring
your syllabus and a flash drive to create and save your grade book.
