January Workshop Days 2006
Welcome from the CETL Director
I write with great pleasure to welcome you back to campus for the spring semester. I hope that you will find the panels, round table discussions, and workshops offered during these January Workshop Days to be entertaining, interesting, and useful.
The organization of these two days has been influenced by several presuppositions. The first is that laughter is not frivolous, but necessary -- particularly laughter that erupts from recognition of and surprise at that peculiar combination of brilliance and absurdity in which we academics, as a group, tend to specialize. The second is that marvelous and creative insights in terms of scholarship, teaching, and service may emerge from the mundane as well as from the extraordinary. The third presupposition is that the University’s students are best served when faculty and staff acknowledge a shared commitment to student learning and success and collaborate with honesty, integrity, and pleasure in service of that commitment.
I hope you will enjoy the sessions offered to you by your friends and colleagues and that your semester will be filled with good work and great reward.
With Warm Regards,
Frankie Condon, Director
The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Tuesday, January 17
9:00 – 10:30 Breakfast and Keynote Address
Atwood Ballroom
"Improbable Research and the Ig Nobel Prizes."
By Marc Abrahams
Marc Abrahams is editor and co-founder of the science humor magazine Annals of Improbable Research (AIR) and its web site, www.improbable.com. The magazine publishes articles that make people LAUGH, and then make them THINK.
Marc is the father and master of ceremonies of the Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony, honoring achievements that make people LAUGH, and then make THINK. The Prizes are handed out by genuine Nobel Laureates at a gala ceremony held each October at Harvard University and broadcast on National Public Radio and on the Internet.
The Washington Post called Marc "the nation's guru of academic grunge." The Journal of the American Medical Association called him "the Puck of Science." He has been called many other things.
In addition to editing the magazine, Marc writes a monthly newsletter called mini-AIR, a weekly column for the British newspaper The Guardian, the back-page column for the German magazine ZeitWissen, a monthly column for the otherwise staid Harvard Business Review, and a daily blog.
The magazine's editorial board of more than 50 distinguished scientists includes nine Nobel Laureates, IQ record holder Marilyn Vos Savant, and a convicted felon.
Marc also writes for other publications, on science, technology, medicine, and other topics. He was the back-page humor columnist for the late, lamented computer magazine Byte, wrote a monthly back-page humor column for the engineering magazine Design News, and has been a commentator for ABC-TV's World News Now and on public radio.
Marc is author of the books "The Ig Nobel Prizes 2" [published in September, 2005 by Dutton], "Why Chickens Prefer Beautiful Humans" [published in 2004 by Orion Books in London] and "The Ig Nobel Prizes" [2002]. He edited (and wrote much of) the science humor anthologies "The Best of Annals of Improbable Research" [1997], "Der Einfluss von Erdnussbutter auf die Erdrotation" [1999], "La Scienza Impossibile" [1999], and "Sex As a Heap of Malfunctioning Rubble (and other improbabilities)" [1994].
From 1990-1994, Marc was the editor of the Journal of Irreproducible Results. In 1994, after the magazine's publisher decided to abandon the magazine, the founders and entire editorial staff (1955-1994) of the Journal abandoned the publisher, and immediately created AIR.
He also frequently performs lectures that show both the funny side AND the importance of science, medicine, and technology. (Among these events: a series of live shows for National Science Week in the U.K.; a series of shows for Australia's National Science Week; and a large show at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.)
Marc graduated from Harvard College with a degree in applied mathematics. He subsequently spent several years developing optical character recognition computer systems (including a reading machine for the blind), and later founded Wisdom Simulators, Inc., a creator of educational software.
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:00 Concurrent Sessions A
Title
Electronic Classrooms
Location
MC102
Facilitators
Jeff Gallus and Doris Bolliger
Description
Last summer, SCSU enhanced the capabilities of approximately 100 classrooms on campus. Come to this session to see how the technology works and how you can use it in your classes.
Title
D2L QuickStart
Location
MC207
Facilitators
Karen Thoms and Steve Malikowski
Description
An orientation to Desire2Learn (D2L), MnSCU's online course management system. Participants will need to request a D2L course to work with prior to the workshop at: http://huskynet.stcloudstate.edu/d2l/courserequest.asp
Title
Making Students Whole: Exploring the Intersections of Students’ Academic and Social Lives
Location
Mississippi Room
Facilitators
Jane Olsen, Larry Christenson, Owen Zimpel, Shazad Ahmad, and Timothy Gardner
Description
This session will provide faculty and staff with an opportunity to explore together the overlapping and reciprocal relationship between students’ academic and social lives. Bringing insights from the Student Life and Development side of the house, the facilitators will lead a discussion of the ways in which students’ academic and social needs might be better met through understanding, collaboration, and cooperation across institutional borders.
Title
The Miner’s Canary Revisited
Location
Granite Room, Atwood
Facilitators
Margaret Villanueva, Luke Tripp, Michael Tripp
Description
This session will be continuation of the conversation begun during the CETL Book Talk on The Miner’s Canary by Lani Guinier and Gerald Torres. Book Talk participants are welcome to rejoin the conversation. All others are welcome as well.
Title
Conflict Management Strategies
Location
Oak Room, Atwood
Facilitators
Patty Aceves, Bob Inkster, Jeff Ringer, and others from the SCSU Mediation Program
Description
Starting with the premise that conflict occurs in every relationship and in every unit of the organization, we will share some strategies for managing conflict ethically and productively to avoid injuring each other, to clarify goals, and to strengthen relationships and increase effectiveness in your unit. In addition to providing handouts, we'll role-play a couple of typical conflict scenarios, and we'll save time to discuss particular questions that you have.
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch On Your Own
1:00 – 2:15 Concurrent Sessions B
Title
Refworks
Location
MC218
Facilitators
Kate Peterson and Plamen Miltenoff
Description
Learn how to import citations directly from library databases into Refworks and then automatically create a bibliography in a specific style (such as APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
Title
Introduction to Audience Response Systems
Location
MC207
Facilitators
Tom Hergert and Rich Josephson
Description
Learn where the new classroom response systems (clickers) are being installed and how you will be able to use them with your classes. (Note: installation of an Audience Response System will take place in the Fall of 06)
Title
Engaging Students: Research that Teaches
Location
Mississippi Room, Atwood
Facilitators
Julie Andzrejewski, Christopher Lehman, Tony Akubue, Kristian Twombley
Description
During this session, the facilitators will discuss how their research, composition, and/or performance intersects with and informs their teaching. Led by faculty who are active teacher/scholars, this session will provide opportunities for participants to consider the ways in which teaching, scholarship, and/or artistic production might be reciprocal and mutually sustaining labors.
2:15 – 2:30 Break
2:30 – 4:00 Concurrent Sessions C
Title
D2L Communications Techniques to Engage Students
Location
MC207
Facilitators
Doris Bolliger, Rich Josephson, and Steve Malikowski
Description
Introduction to utilizing D2L communications tools to enhance and engage students in face-to-face, hybrid, and online courses.
Title
D2L Integrating Electronic Library Resources
Location
MC218
Facilitators
Keith Ewing and Plamen Miltenoff
Description
This session with look at the integration of D2L with online SCSU library databases and other resources. We will look at methods of accessing this information for both on-campus and off-campus students.
1:00 – 3:00 Workshop I
Title
"There's this student in my office...Ways to Manage and Refer Students in Distress
Facilitators
Jayne Lokken, Stephen Jenkins, Icephine Johnson, Jeani Donnay, Owen Zimpel
Location
Lady Slipper Room
Description
Faculty are frequently approached by students with concerns that can seem overwhelming to both the professor and the student. These can include difficulties adjusting to college life, depression and loss of energy or motivation, intense worry and anxiety, difficulties in family life, relationship problems, changes in self-confidence and performance, and questions about direction and identity. This talk will address how to respond to and find resources for students who show up in your office in distress. This session will provide time for participants to discuss, respond, and ask questions of the facilitators.
1:00 – 5:00 Workshop II
Title
Community Anti-Racism Education Initiative Workshop
Facilitators
Debra Leigh, James Addington, Karen McKinney, Frankie Condon
Location
Cascade Room, Atwood
Description
Developed by the Minnesota Collaborative Anti-Racism
Initiative (MCARI) and co-facilitated by MCARI and CARE trainers, this workshop introduces participants to definitions, concepts, and strategies central to anti-racist institutional transformation.
Pre-registration required.
Wednesday, January 18
8:30 – 9:00 Continental Breakfast Buffet
Atwood Lobby
9:00 – 10:30 Concurrent Sessions D
Title
Learning from How Others Use D2L
Facilitators
Steve Malikowski and Mert Thompson
Location
MC207
Description
This workshop will show the results of a study conducted last year, which analyzed how SCSU faculty members use D2L. This study randomly selected 166 D2L course Web sites, which came from all of SCSU's colleges. Each college uses D2L in distinctly different ways. The D2L use for each of SCSU's colleges will be described, so participants in this workshop can compare their own D2L use to that of others in their college. This workshop will also facilitate large and small group conversations about how D2L can be help with familiar and new teaching strategies.
Title
Writing and Documenting Professional Development Reports
Facilitators
Frankie Condon
Location
Glacier Room, Atwood
Description
This hands-on workshop has been designed specifically for new faculty and faculty in their first five years at SCSU. This session will provide participants with principles and strategies for narrating progress in meeting professional development goals and for organizing supporting materials for accessibility, readability, and to maximize impact. Participants are encouraged to bring a copy of their Professional Development Plan with them to the session.
9:00 – 11:00 Workshop III
Title
Developing a Campus Response to the Needs of Returning Veterans
Facilitators
Jayne Lokken (Counseling and Psychological Services), Addie Turkowski (Career Services) and JoAnne Kane (Health Services)
Location
Lady Slipper Room, Atwood
Description
Chaplain John Morris, Minnesota National Guard, will join us for a discussion about students who are returning veterans and what they might need from us as a campus community. In addition to an overview of the issues facing returning veterans, some time will also be used to brainstorm ways to address veteran concerns at St. Cloud State University.
9:00 – 1:00 Workshop IV
Title
Community Anti-Racism Education Initiative Workshop
Facilitators
Debra Leigh, James Addington, Karen McKinney, Frankie Condon
Location
Mississippi, Atwood
Description
Developed by the Minnesota Collaborative Anti-Racism
Initiative (MCARI) and co-facilitated by MCARI and CARE trainers, this workshop introduces participants to definitions, concepts, and strategies central to anti-racist institutional transformation. Pre-registration required.
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:00 Concurrent Sessions E
Title
Wireless off-campus technologies
Location
MC218
Facilitators
Rich Josephson, Tom Hergert, Doris Bolliger, and Plamen Miltenoff
Description
Learn about available options to maintain communications with students in D2L courses when off campus (at meetings or conferences)
Title
MS Word - Collaborative Features
Location
MC206
Facilitators
Brad Grabham, Karen Thoms, and Steve Malikowski
Description
Do you need to collaborate with others to create proposals, reports or other lengthy documents? Do you need to respond to student papers that are submitted electronically via D2l or email? This session will demonstrate features you can use in Microsoft Word that make collaborative writing and commenting easy and efficient.
Title
Issues Forum for New and Junior Faculty
Location
Glacier Room, Atwood
Facilitator
Frankie Condon
Description
This session will provide an opportunity for new and junior faculty to meet and talk with one another about life and work at St. Cloud State University. In particular, this session has been designed to facilitate giving new and junior faculty an opportunity to identify issues of particular concern to them and to discuss strategies for developing institutional, college, and departmental responsiveness to the needs of new and junior faculty.
12:00 – 1:30 University Assessment Luncheon
Cascade Room
By Invitation Only
12:00 – 1:30 CETL Luncheon for New Faculty
Glacier Room
By Invitation Only
1:30 – 2:45 Concurrent Sessions F
Title
Pushing the Technology Envelope
Location
MC218
Facilitators
Plamen Miltenoff, Rich Josephson, and Tom Hergert
Description
We will look at the advantages and challenges with integrating new technologies such as MP3 lectures, Podcasts, streaming video in D2L courses.
Title
MS Excel - Grade book
Location
MC206
Facilitators
Brad Grabham and Steve Malikowski
Description
Do you want to keep a grade book that enables you to store students' scores and calculate percentages and grades? Perhaps you want to send periodic grade reports to students. This session will demonstrate the use of Microsoft Excel to accomplish these tasks.
Title
Students and Spiritual Seeking: Working with Students in Search of Faith
Location
Glacier Room, Atwood
Facilitators
Joseph Edelheit, Donald Neu, Oladele Gazal
Description
This session will be of particular interest to faculty who would like to know more in general about students’ spiritual lives. The facilitators will lead participants in considering how to be responsive in principled ways to the needs of students from diverse faith traditions.
Title
Service-Learning Grant Opportunities Through CETL
Location
Lady Slipper Room, Atwood
Facilitators
Frankie Condon and Christopher Bineham
Description
This session features information about a Service-Learning grant opportunity being piloted by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in collaboration with the SCSU Service-Learning Coordinator and Volunteer Connection. Participants will learn about the grants, about application processes and granting activities and requirements.
