Academic Development Day
Once every semester, the College devotes a day to faculty discussions about relevant curricular issues and other faculty development activities. If you have a suggestion for an Academic Development Day breakout session or keynote, please contact us.
Fall 2010 Academic Development Day
"Learning to Write/Writing to Learn"
Tuesday, October 12
Martin Auditorium
This fall, David Fleming, Director of the University Writing Program at UMass-Amherst and an Associate Professor of English, will be kicking off our AD Day conversations with a keynote address on "Writing and Learning in College: What We Know from Research, What Works in the Classroom and on Campus."
Dr. Fleming brings with him a wealth of knowledge about writing pedagogies and writing in the disciplines, and his talk promises to help us all think about the ways we can contribute to improving student writing at Stonehill. You can read more about Dr. Fleming on his faculty profile page.
Full schedule:
8:30 Coffee and pastries
9:00 Welcome & Introductions
9:15 Keynote address & discussion
10:30 Break
10:45 Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Imagining the First-Year Writing Seminar (Martin 207)
Rob Rodgers (Political Science), John Golden (Foreign Languages), Scott Cohen (English)
Curious to learn more about what a first-year writing seminar might look like? Wondering if your discipline is suited for a first-year writing seminar course? Want some feedback on your own idea for a first-year writing seminar? Then come join this session for a conversation about what these "passion courses" could look like and what role they might play in our curriculum.
Teaching Writing in the Disciplines (Martin 204)
David Fleming (Director of the University Writing Program, UMass-Amherst), Todd Gernes (Director of General Education and the First Year Experience), Lincoln Craton (Psychology)
This breakout session will focus on the theories, strategies, and practices of integrating writing into discipline-based courses. Why do we do it? What are some of the most effective approaches? Is it possible, within the scope of an ordinary course to "cover" writing and "content"? Is there a place for informal or expressive writing in discipline-based courses? What is "writing to learn"? How do you design a sequenced writing assignment? Bring questions and join the conversation!
Responding to Student Writing: Efficiently and Effectively (Martin 205)
William Ewell (Political Science), Sue Mooney (Biology), Andrea Opitz (English)
Oftentimes the biggest obstacle to including writing instruction in our courses is the time required to give students feedback on their work. And, even then, we sometimes wonder how much impact our feedback actually has on improving student writing. In this session, faculty from three different disciplines will talk about their strategies for managing the demands of responding to student writing - as well as their approaches to making that feedback more meaningful to students. Please come ready to share your own strategies and ideas, as well.
Designing Effective Writing Assignments (Martin 206)
Amy Houston (History), Bob Dugan (Computer Science), Cheryl Schnitzer (Chemistry)
Sometimes the best writing instruction comes in the form of a well-crafted assignment. The types of questions we ask students to grapple with, the ways we structure the writing process, and the kinds of texts we ask them to produce can all have an impact on what students learn about writing. In this session, three faculty will discuss their own approaches to designing writing assignments and the lessons they've learned about how to make them more effective and meaningful. There will also be plenty of time for discussion and opportunities to share your own thoughts about assignment design.
12:30 - 3:30 Safe Zone Training (Science 140)
Faculty who have signed up to participate in the Safe Zone Training will have sandwiches provided for them in the Science Center.
12:00 Lunch (Martin Auditorium)
12:30 Thinking about the Future of Classroom Space at Stonehill
Over lunch, Katie Conboy will update us on some developments regarding classroom space on campus and invite your feedback on how we can insure that our classrooms continue to accommodate the wide range of inventive pedagogical approaches Stonehill faculty employ.
1:15 Break
1:30 Faculty Assembly (Martin Auditorium)
We will devote the first Faculty Assembly of the year to a discussion of a section of the Integrative Studies Proposal, which will renew and revise our current General Education Program. The focus will be on the sections that involve student writing (the proposed first year seminars and writing in the disciplines), and proposed structural changes in the existing program that will accommodate student writing (modifying the makeup of LCs and allowing students to take history and literature core courses in their first or second years). The goal of the assembly is to ensure that all faculty understand the proposal and that they have an opportunity to share what they like or question about it.
3:00 Learning Community "Match-Making" Wine & Cheese Reception (Garden Room)
We'll close out the day with an informal reception for anyone interested in developing a new Learning Community (whether for next year or further down the line). You'll have the chance to share your ideas for possible Learning Community topics and to connect with colleagues whose interests complement yours. Even if you've already "matched up" with a colleague around a potential new LC, come share your ideas with us. Current and past LC instructors are also welcome.