Center for Teaching and Learning Blog

“Flipped” Approaches for Hands-On Labs

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Join Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association (ECEDHA) and Quanser for the following, complimentary Webinar:

Webinar: Making sense out of the “flipped” campus with new approaches to hands-on labs

The so-called “flipped” campus prescribes that mechanical details of engineering concepts be learned independently while classroom experience be focused on application of core concepts.  This webinar presents the case that modern interpretations of traditional undergraduate labs offer a great opportunity for schools to efficiently flip their classrooms and trigger improvements in education and research. Register today for Making sense out of the “flipped’ campus with new approaches to hands-on labs to gain a better understanding of the following:

  • New technologies that are helping institutions to make on-campus labs more relevant and engaging
  • How the flipped classroom offers opportunities to reconcile traditional concepts such as modeling and analysis with practical hands-on experiences
  • How “lab-thinking” can extend into the dorm room further enriching the flipped experience for students

Date/Time: November 12, 2013 11:00 am PT / 2:00 pm ET

To Register: Registration is required. Click here to register.

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Blended Learning Grant Program – Applications Due Soon

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Michigan Tech’s Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning is soliciting proposals from instructional teams (instructors and staff) for $1k, $5k and $10k blended learning grants. These grants are available through the Blended Learning Grant Program, established through the generous gift of William G. Jackson, a Michigan Tech alum.

The due dates to apply are quickly approaching:

  • Oct 31, 2013 Intent to apply entry is due:  Fill out this form to be added to a Canvas course where materials will be collected.
  • Nov 3, 2013 Grant applications are due at 11:59 pm.

Refer to Blended Learning Grant Program for details. Questions about proposals can be directed to Mike Meyer at mrmeyer@mtu.edu.

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Teaching Innovation Anyone? Funding to Attend AAC&U Events

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AAC&U, an organization that is a strong proponent of liberal learning and teaching innovation, is sponsoring three upcoming meetings for faculty. AAC&U (who brought us LEAP, essential learning outcomes, VALUE rubrics, etc.) hosts conferences that are consistently excellent and provide great opportunities for faculty to learn what other colleges and universities are doing.

For STEM faculty:
Transforming STEM Education – Oct 31-Nov2 in San Diego

For HASS faculty:
AAC&U Annual Meeting – January 22-24 in Washington DC
General Education and Assessment – Feb 27-March 1 in Portland

Funding is available for one or two faculty per conference, preferably faculty who are serving on university councils (Gen Ed, Assessment), departmental curriculum or assessment committees, or other leadership positions. Faculty, who attend, are expected to report back to the General Education and/or Assessment Councils as well as their departments regarding what they learned and could be considered for discussion or implementation at Michigan Tech.

Interested faculty should contact Christa Walck directly at cwalck@mtu.edu. Registration will be arranged through the Provost’s office to take advantage of our AAC&U membership.

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More October Events

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Coffee Chat – Blended Learning at Tech: Over the next two years, the Jackson grant will put $100,000 in the hands of departments and faculty to build classes that blend face to face and online formats in innovative and strategic ways. Come to discuss what “strategic” means for Tech, ask questions about your potential proposal, or learn more about how blended courses might work. Click here to register.

Lunch n Learn – Classroom Spaces: Many on campus have invested significant time and resources in designing unique learning environments. Watch pre-session videos that describe how some instructors are using unusual spaces and review plans for new spaces. Then, meet on October 21, with faculty of your choice at a luncheon to discuss what kinds of spaces we should be building in the future. Click here to register.
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October Events

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Speaker and Luncheon – Blended Learning IP: At the request of the University Senate, Chuck Valauskas, a lawyer from the Chicago firm Valauskas Corder LLC, will visit on October 2 to speak on legal issues surrounding the ownership and use of university class materials developed by faculty and staff. Chuck has spoken internationally on this subject and currently works with more than 32 universities in this rapidly changing field. Chuck’s visit is made possible through a gift by William G. Jackson; don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn from his expertise! Click here to register.

Apple iPad Workshops: On Tuesday, October 8, Lisa Wyka and Dave Pugh from Apple Education will lead hands-on workshops to share new ways that iPads and MacBooks are being used in higher education. Devices will be available! Both the beginner’s session (9-11:30am) and advanced session (1-3:30pm) have limited seating, so register soon!

Lunch n Learn – Classroom Spaces: Many on campus have invested significant time and resources in designing unique learning environments. Watch pre-session videos that describe how some instructors are using unusual spaces and review plans for new spaces. Then, meet on October 21, with faculty of your choice at a luncheon to discuss what kinds of spaces we should be building in the future. Click here to register.
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Late September and Early October Events

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Coffee Chat – Assessment at Tech: Assessment is a process that supports the continuous improvement of curricular and other university systems intended to help students achieve University Student Learning Goals.  It is an increasingly important part of our responsibility as teachers.  This chat is an opportunity for instructors to ask questions about Michigan Tech’s intentional approach to assessment, discuss progress, explore challenges and learn about resources to support student learning. The Coffee Chat is on Tuesday, September 24 from 3:30-4:30pm. Click here to register.

Speaker and Luncheon – Blended Learning IP: At the request of the University Senate, Chuck Valauskas, a lawyer from the Chicago firm Valauskas Corder LLC, will visit on October 2 to speak on legal issues surrounding the ownership and use of university class materials developed by faculty and staff.  Chuck has spoken internationally on this subject and currently works with more than 32 universities in this rapidly changing field.  Chuck’s visit is made possible through a gift by William G. Jackson; don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn from his expertise! Click here to register.

Apple iPad Workshops: On Tuesday, October 8, Lisa Wyka and Dave Pugh from Apple Education will lead hands-on workshops to share new ways that iPads and MacBooks are being used in higher education.  Devices will be available! Both the beginner’s session (9-11:30am) and advanced session (1-3:30pm) have limited seating, so register soon!
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September’s Video Luncheon & Assessment Coffee Chat

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Lunch and Learn – The Versatility of Video: The explosion of hand held mobile devices with cameras provides powerful opportunities for both instructors and students to communicate using videos.  In this session, we’ll compose a video discussion and look at several ways videos can be effectively used as part of a course. The only pre-work for this session is that participants should arrive prepared to summarize in 60 seconds or less ONE (high or low tech!) teaching technique that they’ve found works well for them. Luncheon Workshop is Monday, September 16 from noon-1 pm. Click here to register

Coffee Chat – Assessment at Tech: Assessment is a process that supports the continuous improvement of curricular and other university systems intended to help students achieve University Student Learning Goals.  It is an increasingly important part of our responsibility as teachers.  This chat is an opportunity for instructors to ask questions about Michigan Tech’s intentional approach to assessment, discuss progress, explore challenges and learn about resources to support student learning. The Coffee Chat is on Tuesday, September 24 from 3:30-4:30pm. Click here to register
Center for Teaching and Learning
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Alumni Gift Funds Center Initiatives

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This month William G. Jackson, a Michigan Tech alumnus and the president of CableAmerica, presented the Center with a generous $1 million donation. This gift will fund many instructional support initiatives, which have the potential to transform student learning at Michigan Tech.

With this gift the Center, now named the William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning, will bring together a full suite of technological tools to upgrade teaching, learning, learning assessment and student assessment of teaching. Plans include $435,000 for classroom technologies that will allow faculty to easily bring more content into the classroom and record classes for later student review. An additional $395,000 will be devoted to meeting faculty needs: providing staff to help with course development; creating an online system to evaluate student learning; providing tablet computers for experimentation and practice; initiating a new master’s program in educational technology; and supporting awards, travel, lectures and training related to the new learning technologies. A secure testing center for standardized tests, such as the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, will also be installed at a cost of $170,000.

William G. Jackson has a long-standing affinity with Michigan Tech, evident in the guidance, resources and support he has extended to the University over the years. Jackson, of Scottsdale, Arizona, graduated from Michigan Tech in 1958 with a BS in Electrical Engineering and is a member of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Academy. In 1999, he and his wife, Gloria, established the William G. and Gloria J. Jackson Endowed Scholarship. Jackson has received the Board of Control Silver Medal and Michigan Tech’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

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Upcoming Events

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During the fall and spring semesters, faculty and instructional staff will be invited approximately monthly to either a lunchtime workshop or coffee chat on a topic of current interest.  eLearning workshops are also available year round to help you use technology to enhance your courses. These events provide an opportunity to network with faculty from other departments, learn new instructional strategies and tools, and become aware of instructional policy changes.  Please contact us with ideas and suggestions for future events.

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