Faculty Development Day

Workshops from Spring 2009

Experiential Learning

First session
Janice Wardle, Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator – Business Division, Wilmington University

Learn how to implement “real-world” work or learning experience into your class. Resources and techniques will be discussed on how to coordinate the classroom experience with local and national companies or employers. Experiences and practices will be shared from Simulations, National Competitions, Guest Speakers and Class trips.

Implementing Group Work in the Classroom

First session
Bonnie Kirkpatrick, Instructional Designer – Instructional Technology, Wilmington University

Group work can be an effective method to motivate students, encourage active learning, and develop key critical-thinking, communication, and decision-making skills. But without careful planning and facilitation, group work can frustrate students and be perceived as busy work. This workshop will provide you with strategies to help implement group work successfully in your classroom and online. At the end of this workshop, students will:

• Differentiate between formal and informal groups
• Know and be able to use six grouping strategies (additional strategies will be provided in the resource packet distributed during the workshop).
• Know and be able to use three specific techniques that will enhance group work
• Know and be able to use a variety of assessment strategies

Motivation 101: Ideas on how to create a positive learning environment

Stephanie Narvell, Associate Professor & Program Coordinator – Business Division, Wilmington University

Part of being an effective instructor involves understanding how adults learn best. Compared to children and teens, adults have special needs and requirements as learners. Adult learning or andragogy as it has been termed is a relatively new area of study pioneered by Malcom Knowles. This workshop will discuss the characteristics of adult learners as well as the expectations of the instructors who teach adult learners online and in the classroom. Finally, a conversation about motivating adult learners will ensue. At the conclusion of this workshop, the participants will be able to:

• Explain the difference between Andragogy and Pedagogy
• Identify the characteristics of adult learners
• Determine the six factors that serve as a source of motivation for adult learning
• Discuss the three critical learning strategies for effective instructors

Download Workshop Files

“Learning Is NOT A Spectator Sport:” - Engaging Students In Their Own Learning

Michele Brewer, Adjunct Instructor and Adjunct Program Coordinator – Education Division, Wilmington University

Is your lecture dominating your classroom? Why not try some Active Learning techniques? Research overwhelmingly supports the claim that students learn best when they engage with course material and actively participate in their learning. Active learning shifts the focus from the instructor and delivery of course content to the student and active engagement with the material. This session will introduce you to the theory of Active Learning and provide you with some teaching strategies promoting active learning across all disciplines in the college classroom. So sit back…strike that…sit up and get ready to be engaged in learning!

Addressing Student Differences through Instructional Planning

Jennifer Spencer, Adjunct Instructor – Education Division, Wilmington University

While students come to many courses with the same prerequisites, they may not share the same level of understanding. Students, especially at WU, come to us with a wide variety of background knowledge and expertise. By assessing their prior knowledge both individually and as a group, instructors can adjust teaching styles in order to address student needs in a more efficient manner. This workshop will address ways to differentiate learning for individuals while keeping in mind group dynamics. A course syllabus will be used to model simple goal-setting that can be utilized in any course with any group of students. Management of student grades and communication will also be included. At the conclusion of this workshop, the participants will be able to:

• Perform Syllabus CPR!
• Recognize and explain the need for student and group goal-setting
• Maintain clear and concise communication with individual students in a variety of ways
• Organize student work for collection & return with respect for student confidentiality

Students in Crisis: Learn to Recognize the Signs

Catherine R. McKelvey, Director of Support and Outreach,
National Alliance on Mental Illness in Delaware

Entering college is a common “Rite of Passage” into adulthood. For many, it is a time of freedom, independence, new friends, and the promise of unending possibilities. For others, it is a time of stress, anxiety, high expectations, and feelings of uncertainty. College work requirements can be too much for some students to manage and can trigger serious mental health issues. This workshop will help you to recognize the signs of mental/emotional distress in students. This workshop will also explore ways that you, as a faculty member, can help these students access the mental health services that they need. Community resources will also be shared.

University Related Information for Use in Classroom

"Are Your Students Lost?"How the Student Success Center and Library can help.

Adrienne Johnson, Librarian and Assistant Professor - Wilmington University;
Peg Mitchell, Director Student Success Center - Wilmington University

An introduction to how the Student Success Center and Library can help your students succeed in the classroom. This workshop is open to faculty who teach at all locations, including distance learning. Topics covered will include:

• Student Success Center: online tutoring and face-to-face options, Early Alert, Success Seminars
• Library: Services available for all locations and distance learning, Research assistance, and Library Services for your classroom - Customized orientations, tutorials, and assessments

Download Workshop Files

Academic Writing Tips and APA Research Style

First session
Liz Slater, Adjunct Instructor - General Studies Division, Wilmington University

This workshop provides an overview of APA style and a review of general requirements for academic writing. Specific topics include manuscript formatting, essay writing, and the organization of research papers. A scaffold type model of an APA research paper will be provided.

Download Workshop Files

Campus Security

Dr. John (Jack) Cunningham, Director of Public Safety - Wilmington University;
Master Corporal James P.Warrick - Delaware State Police

This workshop is conducted by Master Corporal James P. Warrick of the Delaware State Police and University Director of Public Safety Jack Cunningham. Workshop attendees will be provided with an introduction the University’s tiered emergency warning system and response plan. Corporal Warrick will provide attendees with a thumbnail sketch of “Active Shooter” training being provided by the Delaware State Police throughout the state. Topics included will be the physiological responses to violence and an overview of possible actions during a violent scenario.

What’s new in the Library

James McCloskey, Director of Library - Wilmington University

• New Full Text Databases such as Business Source Premier, Education Research Complete, and Computers & Applied Sciences.
• New electronic reference sources including Value Line, Access Science, and Tests in Print.
• WorldCat.org is the world's largest combined library catalog, listing over 1 billion items in 10,000 libraries. WorldCat.org is the basis for the "Find in a Library" links in Google Book Search and other systems.
• Rapid delivery service of books and electronically-stored materials directly to your home or email account. If you need it for your class and you need it fast, this service is for you.
• Digital Dissertations allows you to search for and view all WC-sponsored dissertations online as well as view the first 24 pages of any dissertation from any other institution.
• New library staff to help you in Dover, Graduate Center, New Castle, and
  New Jersey.
• Copyright - what's all the hub-bub? Learn about fair-use and copyright in an educational institution.

Download Workshop Files

Understanding and Using Your IDEA Evaluation Results

Ernie Linsay, Director of Faculty Development & Support, Assistant Professor; Nina Campanicki, Manager of Adjunct Faculty Support Team, Faculty Development & Support - Wilmington University

What does the acronym “IDEA” stand for? What do all those numbers and tables in the report I receive really mean? What are “raw” and “adjusted” scores? How can the IDEA results help me improve my teaching effectiveness? This workshop will lift the fog that often surrounds the IDEA Evaluation process and results.

Download Workshop Files

Plagiarism – The Faculty Perspective: Detection & Prevention

James Bradley, Librarian and Assistant Professor – Library, Wilmington University

A number of studies indicate that students frequently are not aware of what constitutes plagiarism, other studies show what appears to be a consistent and deliberate pattern of cheating on exams and plagiarizing other’s works at educational institutions. Plagiarism can be accidental or deliberate, whichever the case, it is becoming a major problem and hot topic on campuses across America. This session will help educators to guide their students away from “accidental borrowing,” provide free methods to detect copied text, supply attendees with websites useful for educating students about plagiarism. Other topics include: Why students plagiarize, warning signs of possible plagiarism, and the main types of plagiarism.  

Download Workshop Files

Technology Use – Blackboard Tools for
Course Management

Electronic Grading – no spreadsheets required!

Second session
Joe Rapposelli, Instructional Technology Trainer - Instructional Technology,
Wilmington University

Note: Participant must be a Blackboard user with prior experience.

The Grade Center directly ties together all of the tools and features used in Blackboard to manage your course. Learn how to better organize your assignments, assessments and other course requirements using the Grade Center in Blackboard. This class will focus on the added features as well as the standard tools available within the new Blackboard Grade Center V8.

Blue Books to Online Assessment. Delivering Test and Surveys through Blackboard

First session
Meredith Weslowski, Online Instructional Technology Coordinator & Assistant Professor; MaryBeth Youse, Instructional Technologist & Adjunct Instructor – Wilmington University

Note: Participant must be a Blackboard user with prior experience.

Have a test you think can be delivered on the web and want to know how to load it into Blackboard? Want to survey your students online but are unsure how to do it? Web-delivery of tests and surveys through Blackboard is easier than you might think - especially with the use of additional software tools like Respondus. This session will cover the basics of delivering tests and surveys online and will introduce participants to Respondus for rapidly converting Word-format tests for upload into Blackboard.

Download Workshop Files

Learning Online: Options, Obstacles, and Opportunities

Second session
Sallie Reissman, Director of Instructional Technology & Assistant Professor –
Wilmington University

Note: Participant must be a Certified Online Instructor (completion of HOT)

Participants will discuss how online programs represent the WU mission of extending the resources of the university beyond its borders. The Distance Learning staff will share some of the new Web 2.0 technologies available to faculty and students in the online environment. Opportunities to share obstacles and options within the group will be provided.

Personal Track

Self Publishing

Second session
Mr. Mickey Turnbo, Associate Professor, ITAC Division - Wilmington University

This workshop will utilize “BookSmart” software and a company called “Blurb.com” to create a book of photographs with accompanying text. You act as your own publisher and Blurb.com is your printing company. In addition to the use of the software, you will learn how to acquire an ISBN number for your book and why that may be important. We’ll also talk about how Self Publishing can be used both personally and / or incorporated into a dynamic class project

Watercolor Painting

Second session
Ms. Sema Mellian, Adjunct Instructor, General Studies Division, Wilmington University

Watercolor with its simple teckniques that everyone will enjoy and understand the medium.The workshop will supply watercolor paper, paint and brushes. Sema will be demonstrating either a landscape or a still-life where every will follow. After completing your masterpiece, it will be put into a matted frame and ready to be displayed Enrollment limit: 15-18