New Faculty Seminar

The New Faculty Seminar is meant to continue the discussions begun at New Faculty Orientation about teaching and the other professional obligations of new faculty at Stonehill -- as well as to provide new faculty a "safe" place for discussing their experiences (good and bad) throughout the year.

Although each seminar will focus on a specific topic, there will also be time at each meeting for more general discussion of participants' recent classroom experiences and any questions or concerns.

All seminars will be held in the Duffy 114 conference room (114C) from 11:30-12:45 unless otherwise announced. Lunch will be provided, so we'll appreciate your RSVP before each seminar to give us a sense of what numbers to expect.

Seminar topics are chosen based on the interests expressed by that year's new faculty.

2009-2010 Seminar Schedule

The following is a proposed schedule and is open for revision as the seminar progresses. If you have suggestions for improving on this plan, please let Stacy know.

Engaging Students Through Discussion

Monday, Oct 5

For our first seminar, we'll discuss the role discussion can play in student learning: How can we create situations in which students want to engage in discussion? What can I do when all I get is silence? What other options are there for encouraging active, rather than passive, learning from our students? What options are there for evaluating students' participation in discussion?
Suggested reading: "Week 4: In the Classroom: Discussions" in On Course
Guests: Chris Ives (Religious Studies)

Assessing Teaching for Yourself and Others

Monday, Nov 2

In November, we'll talk about the formative and summative aspects of teaching assessment and discuss strategies for taking some control of the teaching evaluation process: How do student evaluations work at Stonehill -- and how do they "count"? How can I collect feedback to help me improve my teaching? What can I do now to start making the case for my teaching effectiveness? How can a teaching portfolio help me represent my teaching to others?
Suggested reading: "Week 13: Student Ratings and Evaluations" in On Course

Evaluating Student Learning

Monday, Dec 7

With the end of the semester drawing near, we'll use our December meeting to talk about evaluating your students' learning and other challenges related to grading: How do we design tests and other assignments so that they match with our learning goals for a class? What alternatives are there to assessing learning aside from tests and essays?
Suggested reading: "Week 6: Assignments and Grading" in On Course
Guests: Marilena Hall (Chemistry)

Student Collaboration and Motivation

Monday, Feb 1

To kick of spring semester, we'll devote our February seminar to a discussion of how collaborative projects and activities can increase student motivation and thus improve learning. We'll discuss a range of collaborative possibilities -- from brief, in-class activities to longer-term, group research projects -- and share tips for encouraging equal participation among students and for grading collaborative assignments.
Suggested Reading:  "Week 5: In the Classroom: Teaching with Small Groups" in On Course
Guests: John Lanci (Religious Studies) and Sue Mooney (Biology)

How People Learn

Monday, Mar 1

Understanding some of the basics of learning theory can help you be more deliberate in planning your classes. In March we'll review some research into the biology of learning and discuss what it means when we talk about "learning styles" and how to accommodate them.
Suggested Reading: "Week 7: Students as Learners" in On Course
Guests: Sharon Raymos-Goyette (Biology) and John McCoy (Psychology)

Teaching with Technology

Monday, Apr 12

In April, we'll talk about how technology can aid students' learning in your classes. We'll talk both about general principles for pedagogically effective ways of using technology and about some specific technologies in use at Stonehill. If there's time, we'll also discuss the growing number of "Web 2.0" and other online tools that can be adapted for classroom use.
Suggested Reading: "Week 2: Teaching with Technology" in On Course
Guests: Mary Joan Leith (Religious Studies) and Juan Carlos Martin (Foreign Languages)

The Art of Advising

Monday, May 3

Our final seminar will look ahead to next year, when many of you will be taking on formal student advising duties for the first time at Stonehill. During this session we'll cover some of the basics of how advising works at Stonehill -- and the resources available to advisors -- and share ideas for how you and your students can make the most of your advising relationships.
Guests: Dick Grant (Academic Services) and Heather Heerman (Career Services)