Events

Shared Competencies Professional Development Series Link

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will offer three professional development tracks to help faculty prepare for the University’s self-study and reaccreditation process in 2026-27 by incorporating the shared competencies into the curriculum. Each track will also support faculty seeking to incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility principles in their course and curriculum design.

All sessions will be offered on Zoom and will consist of a kick-off signature class and two working sessions aimed at putting principles into practice. By the end of the track the faculty person will have created a deliverable: a redesigned syllabus reflecting best practices in equity-minded pedagogy, a signature assignment, and feedback rubrics embedded in Blackboard. Space is limited. The Professional Development Tracks include:

Designing Equity-Minded and Aligned Syllabi
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Clear course design benefits instructors and students. Intentionally aligning shared competencies and course objectives reduces conversations about why a particular assignment or learning task. Students experience increased learning benefits, are more likely to persist, and are more likely to develop growth mindset when instructors engage in equity-minded and aligned course design. Noting shared competencies can help students to see alignment of courses with curricula Transparent teaching and learning methods explicitly focus on how students learn course content; why we manipulate their learning experiences in particular ways; and how students will use this learning in their lives after university. Thinking through the reasons for your course design can further stimulate imagination and innovation, returning or increasing the joy of teaching.

• January 13, 2022, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Kickoff featuring Mary-Ann Winkelmes, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Brandeis University.
• February 16, 2022, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Working Session 1
• March 23, 2022, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Working Session 2

Giving Game-changing Feedback on Student Work
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Feedback on student work can feel challenging, frustrating, and downright repetitive. Students don’t always know what to do with the feedback we give, and assessments can turn into test-of-ability-to-recall rather than assessments of skill achievement, shared competencies, or learning experiences. Challenge your scholarly teaching muscles as we work together on giving clear feedback that points to learning actions for students and reducing anxiety around assessments.

• February 4, 2022, 12:00-1:30 p.m. Kickoff, “Rubric Roadmap – Focus on Teaching and Learning”
• February 10, 2022, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Working Session 1, “Build Your Rubric in Blackboard with Michael Morrison”
• March 31, 2022, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Working Session 2, “Ungrading with Martha Diede”

Transforming an Assignment into a Signature Assignment
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Capstone or signature assignments can help both instructors and students to think concretely about the application of in-class learning and shared competencies to life outside of the classroom and in real-world learning environments. Signature assignments can reinforce and amplify deep learning, offer significant ways to engage, give learners the opportunity to create work that is unique to them, and change class structures to welcome all students.

• March 4, 2022, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Kickoff featuring Natasha Jankowski, Ph.D., former director of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment.
• April 1, 2022, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Working Session 1
• April 29, 2022, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Working Session 2

2021 – 2022
Brave Space Coffee Hour: A Time to Discuss Higher Education Topics with Faculty Colleagues Link

You are invited to attend Brave Space Coffee Hour. In these Zoom-based sessions, you can discuss topics relevant to higher education professionals as you practice discussion facilitation techniques and research-based strategies for co-creating knowledge in inclusive classrooms. Please bring your thoughts and a cup of your favorite tea or coffee.

Each month, we will post a topic to inspire discussion. We have a growing list of timely topics, chosen to elicit thoughtful dialogue, however, Brave Space discussions tend to be far-ranging in nature. This is by design, to encourage academic discourse.

All fall 2021 sessions have been completed. Please check back for information on future sessions.