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Upcoming Events at CAT

 

 

 

SPRING 2013

 

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT) seeks to promote continued interest and excellence in the scholarship of teaching at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. In partnership and with full support of other leading centers on campus and the greater college community, CAT works to promote the continuing education and professional development of the John Jay faculty by sponsoring seminars, colloquia, research initiatives, individual coaching, and training programs that focus on the practice and scholarship of teaching. These programs allow faculty to discuss “best practices” and to learn about new modalities of assessment, pedagogical strategy, and technologies to enhance their role as scholars and educators and, in turn, facilitate a culture of engaged learning and applied scholarship on campus.

 

CENTER ACTIVITIES, SPRING 2013


DEAR COLLEAGUES,

 

WELCOME BACK!

 

By scrolling to the bottom of this page, you can see all of CAT’s seminars for the Spring 2013 semester.

This term, we have decided to group the majority of our seminars into themes. Many of them will be introduced to you on Faculty Development Day, which takes place on Friday, January 25th. These streams include:

 

  1. Addressing Student Engagement

    This spring, CAT will be expanding its efforts to address some of the concerns raised by our results on the latest National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Our goal hope is to address these concerns from a pedagogical standpoint with faculty insight and perspective

    Many of you might already be familiar with the survey, which has been administered at the college in the past. (See previous results from     NSSE surveys here, at http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/09_Benchmark_Report_Short.pdf. A thorough explanation of the survey, along with an FAQ, is available here.)

    There are     five specific benchmarks addressed in the NSSE survey. CAT has chosen three benchmarks that we—as faculty—can directly address via pedagogical techniques adopted in our teaching. Seminars and colloquia, many of which will be led by faculty, will address the following NSSE benchmarks:

    1. Active & Collaborative Learning: The extent to which students collaborate with others, think about what they are learning in different settings, and are intensely involved in their academic work.
    Highlights from our seminars this term include team-based learning, with professors working as coaches with students in learning communities; techniques to step away from lecturing; and technologies to remind students of course topics outside of class.


    2. Student-Faculty Interaction: The degree to which students interact with faculty inside and outside of the classroom.
    Highlights of how we will tackle this in the Spring Semester include
    Exploring virtual office hours; voice commenting on student papers to engage all learners; and fostering meaningful relationships with students enrolled in online courses.

    3. Enriching Educational Experiences: The degree to which students engage in learning experiences outside the classroom and/or outside of required academic work.

  2. The Adjunct Initiative
    This Spring, CAT will continue to address the quality-of-life issues raised by adjunct faculty members. In addition, we will offer seminars on pedagogical technique, which are helpful to the adjunct faculty member, who often faces a unique set of challenges. Highlights this semester include seminars on efficiency, maximizing office hours, virtual office hours, and ways to build relationships with students despite having limited hours on campus. We will also have seminars on evaluation, and the concerns specific to the adjunct community.

  3. Continuing Faculty Development & Recognizing Faculty Achievement
    Colloquia Led by Faculty, Designed to Encourage Innovative Teaching Technique & Continued Interest in Creative Pedagogy

 

 

This year, we are proud to announce a new edition of our eHandbook. Here, faculty can find helpful tips on everything from how to find the Printshop to how to handle issues of academic integrity to best practices in online teaching. This is a collaborative process, and we are open to your thoughts and suggestions, which we will be collecting until March 1st. Please email your feedback to CAT@jjay.cuny.edu.


As always, please call upon us for guidance on syllabi, curriculum scaffolding, course or teaching concerns, pre-evaluations, rubric creation, teaching-tech queries, or just stop by to say hello.


Here’s to a productive spring term,


Jess Kovler
Director
Center for the Advancement of Teaching

 

 

 

TENTATIVE CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(Items subject to change. Calendar of events with exact dates to be emailed at the beginning of each month.)
Please RSVP to JKovler@jjay.cuny.edu

JANUARY


January 14th
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
333-T
Intersession Meeting of the Adjunct Workgroup Committee on External Affairs
Meeting to discuss eHandbook, ListServ, & semester planning

January 14th
2:00-3:30 PM
333-T
Intersession Meeting of the Adjunct Workgroup Committee on Logistical Affairs
Follow-up reports on space, planning, security, library, & semester planning

January 17th
9:00AM-5:00 PM

333-T
CAT OPEN OFFICE HOURS
Suggested Focus: New Year’s Resolutions in the Classrooms: Revamping that Class You’ve Been Meaning to Update, A Hands-On Approach
To avoid waiting, feel free to email CAT@jjay.cuny.edu for an appointment.

 

January 18th
10:00AM-4:00 PM
333-T
Grant-Recipient Appointments

Tuesday, January 22nd

10:00 AM-3:00 PM
333-T

John Jay Teaching 101: An Intensive Workshop
Are you new to teaching at John Jay, CUNY, or at the college level? Join us for this intensive nuts-and-bolts workshop. Learn the basics of designing a syllabus, setting reasonable expectations, and creating reasonable and creative assignments. This will be followed by a short discussion of implementing simple classroom management techniques.

Note: This cohort will meet every two weeks for the first few months of the term, pursuant to need, and will continue via one-on-one meetings.
Advance Registration Required: CAT@jjay.cuny.edu

 

January 23rd
10:00AM-2:00PM

L2.85 

Orientation for New Adjunct Faculty


Wednesday, January 23rd
3:00-6:00 PM
Faculty Dining Room
EVENING Workshop for Faculty Members:
The Model Syllabus, Curriculum Building, Effective Assignments, Effective Assessments
Tuesday: Incorporating Learning Outcomes into Syllabi, Appropriate Assignments, Evaluative Benchmarks
Wednesday: Tools of Assessment, Team-Based Learning, Innovative Teaching Methods
Thursday: Syllabus Draft I, Peer-Assessment, Discussion, Draft II

In this intensive workshop, faculty will work on developing their syllabi for the spring term as well as incorporating their department’s learning objectives. In addition, we will cover appropriate assignments and evaluative benchmarks. We will also discuss tools of assessment and innovative teaching methods e.g. team-based learning for statistics 101, incorporating documentary analysis and visual culture/interpretation across the curriculum. We will also discuss changing modes of assessment.

Attendance at each night not required, however, advance registration is required: CAT@jjay.cuny.edu.

 

 

**January 25th: Faculty Development Day
Focus on moving away from lecturing via team-based learning, student engagement, and the debate over abandoning technology in favor of “20th-century techniques.”

 

January 30th: Meeting of 2012-13 Full-Time Cohort
5:00 PM
Faculty Dining Room
As part of the 2012-13 Full-Time Cohort Initiative, CAT will host a “Welcome Back” meeting for our 12 new faculty members.

 

FEBRUARY
February 1st
Community Hour
333-T
How to Prepare a Formal Proposal to Submit to John Jay’s IRB
Facilitated by Tom Kucharski, with participation by CAT Grant Recipients
At this information session, we welcome faculty and their research assistants at all stages of their research, as well as staff responsible for IRB submissions. We will consult with you on a specific protocol and answer general questions about the IRB submission process. Please come to the session with the materials pertinent to your research or to your specific questions and concerns.
Advance Registration Required. Please also email information about your project to CAT@jjay.cuny.edu.

 


February 6th
Community Hour
Provost’s Conference Room (620-T)
Adjunct Committee Planning Session

 

February 6th

7:30 PM
333-T
Student Advisory Board Meeting


February 19
Community Hour
333-T
How to Become Part of John Jay Online—Drafting an Online Class—Best Strategies for Online Teaching
Teaching a Course Online is becoming part of college culture, as we’ve seen in our own degree programs, and at places like Harvard and MIT, where anyone can audit courses for free. But there are technological hurdles, along with best principles and pedagogical techniques one needs to consider. Join Director of John Jay Online Feng Wang as he introduces us to John Jay Online, the comprehensive infrastructure for digital learning.

February 20th
Community Hour

333-T

Faculty Advisory Board Meeting

February 21st

Integrating and Scaffolding Information Literacy Skills in Assignments

Facilitator: Marta Bladek

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

February 25th

 

The New General Education Curriculum: An Overview

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

 

Making the Best of Student Papers

Facilitator: Betsy Gitter

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

 

**February 26

Developing Assignments to Meet General Education Learning Goals

Facilitator: Andrea Balis

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

5 PM
333-T
Repeat Session: How to Become Part of John Jay Online—Drafting an Online Class—Pedagogical Strategies

February 27th

Addressing the Writing Outcome in General Education Courses

Facilitator: Tara Pauliny

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

 

 

MARCH

March 4th

Teaching with Learning Outcomes for General Education

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

 March 5

Reading across the Curriculum

Facilitator: Christopher Davis

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

 

 

 

 

Effective Feedback for Writing Assignments

Facilitator: Tara Pauliny

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

March 6th

Integrating Critical Reasoning Skills across the Curriculum

Facilitator: James DiGiovanna

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

March 7th

Making the Best of Student Papers

Facilitator: Betsy Gitter

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

March 11th

Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Academic Success

Facilitator: Nancy Velazquez-Torres

Time:1:30PM-2:50PM


**March 12th
Community Hour
333-T
Does Technology Make Teaching Better? A 20th Century Approach to Teaching
In this follow-up session from FDD, we will discuss the merits of teaching our students old-fashioned note-taking. Many of students’ potential careers will require the use of pad and pencil or merely skills of observation. There are various styles of note-taking (Cornell style, for example), and we can explore teaching them to our students. Many students find that writing notes by hand helps them to better retain information.

The New General Education Curriculum: An Overview

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 1:30-2:50PM

 **March 13
Community Hour
333-T
Building A Class Beyond the Institution: A Conversation with the Office of Community Outreach and Service-Learning

Integrating and Scaffolding Information Literacy Skills in Assignments

Facilitator: Marta Bladek

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

March 14th

Assessing Oral Communication Skills

Facilitator: Dara Byrne

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

 

 

**March 19
Community Hour
333-T
How to Help Underprepared Students in the Classroom via TBL

 **March 19
7:30-8:30 AM (Coffee Hour) & REPEAT: 4:30-5:15 PM
Adjunct Initiative
Student Creativity Week: Showcase Your Students’ Talents, & How Your Mentoring Can Receive Recognition

 

 

 

Drop in for a cup of coffee before class to discuss Student Creativity Week, a spring event at John Jay. Students usually present research they’ve worked on with faculty. In this conversation, we’ll talk about projects you can work on one-on-one with a student, the process, time commitment, etc., and how you can help to enrich a student’s college experience. At the same time, we’ll discuss your development as a scholar and a member of the John Jay community.

March 19th

Addressing the Writing Outcome in General Education Courses

Facilitator: Tara Pauliny

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

 **March 20
Community Hour
333-T
Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Academic Success

Effective Feedback for Writing Assignments

Facilitator: Tara Pauliny

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

 

 

 

 

March 21st

Developing Assignments to Meet General Education Learning Goals

Facilitator: Andrea Balis

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

**March 27
Community Hour
333-T
Scaffolding Assignments to Promote Learning

APRIL

**April 2

Community Hour
333-T
Using Voice-Commenting on Papers: How-To and Why To Do It:
Does this Save Time? Will Students Pay Attention to Our Comments?

 **April 8
Community Hour
Facebooking and TBL
Learn How You Can Teach Through Facebook, How Students can Teach One Another, and the Powers of Student-to-Student Tutoring

 

Integrating Critical Reasoning Skills across the Curriculum

Facilitator: James DiGiovanna

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

April 9
Community Hour
333-T
Student-Faculty Advisory Board Meeting

The New General Education Curriculum: An Overview

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

Making the Best of Student Papers

Facilitator: Betsy Gitter

Time: 2:50-4:05PM

April 10th

Reading across the Curriculum

Facilitator: Christopher Davis

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

Teaching with Learning Outcomes for General Education

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

April 11

Assessing Oral Communication Skills

Facilitator: Dara Byrne

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

Addressing the Writing Outcome in General Education Courses

Facilitator: Tara Pauliny

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

April 16th

Integrating and Scaffolding Information Literacy Skills in Assignments (FYS)

Facilitator: Marta Bladek

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

Community Hour
Location TBD
Helping Students Struggling in the Sciences: Do they Really Have to Drop The Class?

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER:
Dr. Iona Black, former Yale College Professor of Chemistry and Current Consultant in Pedagogy for the Massachusetts Community College System
Join Dr. Black for a discussion on how every type of student can find success in the sciences—it’s just a matter of trying a bevy of pedagogical techniques. From students across the LD spectrum to underprepared students, to those with a fear of the lab to future Rhodes scholars, Dr. Black has taught them all, and done so successfully. Join us in this enjoyable and helpful roundtable.

April 17th

Developing Curriculum at the 100, 200, 300, 400 and Capstone Levels

Facilitator: Nancy Velazquez-Torres

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Academic Success

Facilitator: Nancy Velazquez-Torres

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

April 18th

Effective Feedback for Writing Assignments

Facilitator: Tara Pauliny

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

April 22nd

Developing Assignments to Meet General Education Learning Goals

Facilitator: Andrea Balis

Time: 1:30Pm-2:50PM

April 24
Community Hour
333-T

Teaching with Learning Outcomes for General Education

 **April 23
Community Hour & Repeat Evening Session (5:30-6:15)
Keeping Students OUT of the Dark: Appropriate Rubrics
With classes ending in a week, make sure your students understand final paper requirements. Also, review productive strategies for end-of-semester term-conferences.

 MAY

May 1st

Developing Curriculum at the 100, 200, 300, 400 and Capstone Levels

Facilitator: Nancy Velazquez-Torres

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

Teaching with Learning Outcomes for General Education

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

May 2nd

Culturally Responsive Teaching and Student Academic Success

Facilitator: Nancy Velazquez-Torres

Time: 2:50PM-4:05PM

May 6th

Reading across the Curriculum

Facilitator: Christopher Davis

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

May 8th

The New General Education Curriculum: An Overview

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 1:30-2:50PM

 May 10th
CUE Conference

 May 10th
Presentation of SAB “Report” to Faculty Members
Honors Lounge
Invited Members of the Faculty & Staff to Attend

May 20th

Progress Reports from CAT Scholars-in-Residence and Faculty Fellows

 JUNE

June 4th

Developing Curriculum at the 100, 200, 300, 400 and Capstone Levels

Facilitator: Nancy Velazquez-Torres

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM

June 6th

The New General Education Curriculum: An Overview

Facilitator: Anne Lopes

Time: 1:30PM-2:50PM