Center for Teaching and Learning Blog

Lunch and Learn: Integrated Communication – March 28

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The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) will hold a Lunch and Learn entitled “Integrated Communication” on Thursday, March 28 from noon-1.  During the next academic year, Michigan Tech will focus on assessing and improving the way communication is taught, both in general education and across all disciplines.

“Students will be able to communicate effectively, orally, in writing and in new media, to a wide variety of audiences.” – University Learning Goal #5

First, you will watch short videos of faculty and students initiating this effort, and select your lunch partners for further conversation.   Then, hear tips from programs that have already started this process, and learn about resources available!

To ensure an accurate count for lunch, register for this workshop at RSVP by Monday, March 25 or contact CTL at 487-2046. Once your register, you will receive an email confirmation that will give you the location and a reminder about the date and time.

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February Coffee Chat: Interactions Unlimited

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Thursday, Feb 21 from 3-4 PM in the library’s East Reading Room

Connected students are more likely to be retained.  This munch and learn session, in collaboration with Nilufer Onder’s NSF funded ENGAGE project, will help faculty explore ways to better connect with students.   Four speakers will initiate faculty discussions about connections in the classroom, through research, in career discussions, and in other small but effective ways.

Coffee and light refreshments will be provided to those who register by Monday 2/18. Please register by calling 487-2046, or click here to register online.

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January Lunch and Learn

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The first 2013 luncheon workshop, “Great Groups,” will be held from noon to 12:55 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 24. Lunch will be provided to those who register by Monday, Jan. 21. Click here to register.

Michigan Tech instructors use a wide variety of pedagogical and technological approaches to help motivate and guide student groups to learn interactively.  In this workshop, you will get time-saving ideas and gather best practices from eLearning staff and experienced faculty! Prior to the event, we will provide you with short videos of faculty describing their most effective techniques. You will have the opportunity to discuss your favorite topics from these videos during the luncheon.

To ensure an accurate count for lunch, register for this workshop at RSVP by Monday, Jan. 21, or contact CTL at 487-2046. Once your register, you will receive an email confirmation, which will give you the location and a reminder about the date and time.

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Workshop Blitz & Computerized Testing Center

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Workshops

To help prepare for spring semester, the Center for Teaching and Learning will hold a total of eight faculty workshops during the week of January 7 -11.  This workshop blitz includes not only sessions targeting best practices in Canvas, but also use of clickers and video.  Faculty can sign up directly from the CTL Website.

Testing Center

The computerized testing center in Rekhi Hall is now scheduling spring term exams for any interested faculty.  The 40 seat center requires instructors to provide their own proctors but has been used for courses with up to 200 students, who take the exam in groups.  The CTL will help faculty understand the process and can help faculty draw  from a wide variety of question types (even essay and calculation questions) to build exams.   A meeting of all those interested in using the center will be scheduled during the week of Jan. 8.   Interested faculty should contact Mike Meyer (487-2046, or mrmeyer@mtu.edu) by Jan. 8 to be included in this conversation.

Walk-In Hours

CTL walk-in hours will be held as usual throughout the break EXCEPT on scheduled holidays AND December 27 and 28.   We are located on the second floor of the library and encourage you to stop in and let us help you get ready for next semester!
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December Lunch and Learn

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The final fall-semester luncheon workshop, “Active Learning, Low-Tech Style,” will be held from noon to 12:55 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 6. Lunch will be provided to those who register by Monday, Dec. 3.

To address the concern that pure lectures result in low student retention, many instructors are exposing students to content outside of class and reserving class time for exercises, discussions and interaction. In this workshop, you’ll explore some low-tech ways to stimulate and guide these activities, even in large classes.

To ensure an accurate count for lunch, register for this workshop at RSVP, or contact CTL at 487-2046. Once your register, you will receive an email confirmation that will give you the location and a reminder about the date and time.

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Welcome

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Welcome to the website for the Center for Teaching and Learning.  You will notice that this site also contains information about eLearning at Michigan Tech and support resources for the Canvas Learning Management System. The eLearning staff joined the Center this July in order to offer coordinated instructional support to Michigan Tech faculty and instructional staff.

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Register Now for the Next Lunch and Learn: A Blended Learning Buffet – October 25

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The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) will hold a Lunch and Learn entitled “A Blended Learning Buffet” on Thursday, 10/25 from noon-1.    Blended learning involves the use of technology to augment interaction in the face to face classroom.  Attendees will be asked to watch a series of short videos explaining five blended learning techniques currently being used by several Michigan Tech faculty members, then select a few of them for further discussion with those experts.  Facilitators and topics for the session include:

Will Cantrell and Claudio Mazzoleni (Physics) – Just in Time Teaching
Joel Neves (VPA) – Computerized Testing
Paul Charlesworth  (Chemistry) and Todd King (Mathematics) –   Flipped Classroom
Linda Wanless (Sch of Tech) – Virtual Office Hours
Mike Meyer (CTL/Physics) – Discussion Boards

All instructional staff are encouraged to register no later than Monday, 10/22 .

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New Workshop: Using iclickers in Your Classroom

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i>clicker is a classroom response system that is used widely in higher education.
The i>clicker system is designed to keep students focused on learning, not the technology, and to support active pedagogical approaches, such as Mazur’s Peer Instruction. i>clickers are now supported through the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Center staff are offering a new workshop to help instructors use this technology in their classrooms.  After attending this workshop, you will be able to:

  • Download i<clicker software and adjust i>clicker settings
  • Draw from pedagogical best practices for i>clicker use as a means to enhance learning and engagement
  • Guide students to register, setup and use i>clicker remotes
  • Download i>clicker data into Excel and Canvas

Refer to our workshop registration page for more information.

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Upcoming Lunch and Learn Workshop

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The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is conducting a workshop, “Canvas Cleanup: Best Practices in the New Learning Management System,” from noon to 12:55 p.m., on Thursday, Sept. 20. Lunch will be provided to those who register by Monday, Sept. 17.

In this interactive session, we will provide time-saving ideas, best practices, answers to common questions, and other Canvas resources from eLearning staff and experienced faculty.

To ensure an accurate count for lunch, register for this workshop by contacting CTL at 487-2046 or visiting Workshops to register by email. Once your register, you will receive an email confirmation that will give you the location and a reminder about the date and time.

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Designing Courses in Canvas

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This video provides an overview of some design options, for easy and useful course building in Canvas. Here is what Instructure says:  “There are several approaches to course design and layout in Instructure Canvas. This presentation by Kevin Reeve of Utah State University demonstrates several of these using modules, calendar, assignments and pages as the focus for each course design. He also discusses pros and cons and has participants discuss and share their insights.”

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