Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference
The Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference, informally known as the “Area Deans’ Conference,” began in 1998. The academic deans of seven area colleges and universities had begun meeting a few times a year to share information about issues that affected them all, irrespective of differences in mission, size, or philosophy.
The growing need to understand and use instructional technology led to a decision to sponsor a conference at which faculty from their institutions could share their work. The 1998 Teaching and Technology Conference, held on the Fort Wayne Ivy Tech campus, was so successful that the seven colleges and universities agreed to make the conference an annual event. Since 1999, it has been held on the Purdue Fort Wayne campus.
2024 Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference
The 27th Annual Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference will be held in person at Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday, February 16, 2024.
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- 2023 Conference
The 26th Annual Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference was held in person at Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday, February 17, 2023.
Registration Deadline: February 10th
Dr. Bob Gillette, Keynote & Plenary Speaker
Keynote Session: 8:35-9:45am
Keynote Title: The One Who Does the Work Does the Learning: How to Get Your Students to Come to Class Prepared
Plenary Session: 12:30-1:15pm
Plenary Title: Class Preparation Assignments in Larger Context of Learner-Centered Teaching
Speaker's handouts & presentation
Fort Wayne Self Assessment and Do's and Don'ts [PDF]
Dr. J. Robert (Bob) Gillette is an economics professor at the University of Kentucky. He teaches both large classes of over 400 students and small classes of 10 to 75 students, and both undergraduate classes and Master’s level classes. He has given over fifty presentations and workshops at universities, and regional and national conferences on topics ranging from presenting intellectually exciting lectures; to designing a learner-centered course using cooperative group projects, writing-across-the-curriculum principles, and advising and mentoring the student project groups; to how to get your students to come to class prepared, ready to learn. He has been honored with over twenty-five college and university teaching awards.
He received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Richmond and his Ph.D. in Economics from Texas A&M University. He has served on the advisory boards for economics textbooks for Addison-Wesley, John Wiley & Sons, McGraw-Hill Irwin, and Pearson Education, and has served as a reviewer, accuracy checker, and author of end-of-the-chapter questions and solutions on numerous textbooks. He has authored or co-authored economic studies for various public agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and the State of California, and for numerous private organizations and has given keynote addresses at national industry association meetings on leadership and on the economy.
Session Titles and Abstracts
- 10:00-10:45am: Session 1-A to Session 1-G
Session 1-A: Helping find the Why
PresentationAbstract:
We all find ourselves more willing to commit to a task if we believe in why we are doing it. This is applicable in all realms of our lives. This presentation will reflect on why we have assignments, projects, exams, etc. and how we are better able to engage our students in the work. There will be examples of how we have focused on engaging the students’ brains to help them internalize the why and get buy in for tasks that often seem tedious.
In health sciences we find that we must have documentation of repetitive practice and then evaluation of skills. This may be tempting for students to “pencil-whip” instead of holding one another accountable. So, it has become necessary to further emphasize the why. With students committed to the same goals as the instructors, it has become easier to manage the documentation. This doesn’t prevent poor student engagement, however, it does elevate most.
Jennifer Cole (Ivy Tech Community College)
Session 1-B: On the Spectrum: A Guide to Helping Autistic Students in the Classroom
PresentationAbstract:
Approximately 2.2 percent of the U.S. population has autism, the fastest growing development disability in the country (CDC, 2020), and 34.7 percent of students with autism attend college (Florida State University, 2021). It is obvious that higher education is no different than the national averages as more college students identify as autistic. However, it can be challenging to manage the needs of these students in the classroom. Florida State University (2021) reported that 39 percent of students with autism do not graduate college, a consideration that is attributed to the university’s and faculty’s lack of understanding for autism. To better serve students on the spectrum, this session will identify the differences of autistic students as well as explore strategies to help them in the classroom.
Dr. Alicia Wireman, Angela Williams (Indiana Tech)
Session 1-C: Yes, your students are cheating.
Presentation HandoutAbstract:
Not all of them, but students are cheating, to some degree, in each of your classes. While we feel like this cheating is worse now than ever, it isn’t. Students are cheating today for all the reasons students and humans have cheated for millennia. What has changed recently is the technology that can be used to cheat, as well as, easy access to individualized resources. As instructors we can quickly become oblivious to novel technological advances used to cheat. Fortunately, there are many course design strategies and class management philosophies that can be used together to mitigate cheating, both the cheating we know about and the cheating we cannot fathom yet. Beautifully, these strategies also support learning by increasing student engagement, purpose, and support. Please join us to discuss what cheating looks like in 2023, to learn why students are likely to cheat, and to explore a few ways to ease the most detrimental cheating in your classes.
Dr. Jeremy Rentz (Trine University)
Megan Tolin (Trine University)
Session 1-D: Loaded Language & Other Manipulative Methods: Teaching Critical Reading Skills for the Misinformation Age
PresentationAbstract:
Students have access to much material online these days, but how is the untrained reader to discern what is fact and what is fiction? Based on an activity Roberts and Steiner have previously used and now revised for the second iteration of their team-taught Human Rights course (IDIS 10605 - offered at PFW Spring 2023), this presentation teaches critical reading techniques applicable to many online sources that might fool the unprepared. While the topic of the presentation remains human rights violations in online media, the activity might be applicable to critical reading exercises across many courses. First, the presenters will teach tips for distinguishing between propaganda and information, and then participants will apply these tips to various media reports about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Just as a YouTube algorithm feeds viewers their own preferences and shapes what groups of similar viewers come to think, the language of news reports in one’s own language can create an informational bubble. Secondly, therefore, participants will read lines on the same issues from articles in other languages (original and English translations provided) to see how differently each language communicates the issues and to gain a broader perspective on the variety of renderings of the conflict.
Dr. Lee Roberts, Dr. Sherrie Steiner (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 1-E: Conversations between Students and Faculty: Making Room at the Table for Everyone
PresentationAbstract:
This session will present a panel of current university students and high school teachers to share their reflections, insights, and strategies for preparing high school students for successful transitions into college. Panelists and session participants be given the opportunity to reflect and craft their experience from wire. Our three-dimensional representation will lead us into a discussion about the student experience, participant expectations, and unconscious beliefs that underline what we do in the classroom. The goal of this presentation is to facilitate a deeper understanding of student needs through reflective analysis, clarify supports that have worked to prepare students for college, and bring to light strategies that empower students. Specific topics to be explored include compassion-based teaching, empathic teaching, and reimagining how we support students in our new normal. The session will include prompts and questions from a moderator. A chance for attendees to pose questions to the panelists will follow.
Dr. Elizabeth Christian (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Erin Brady (Bishop Dwenger School)
Greg Bierbaum (Leo High School)
André Centlivre (Purdue Fort Wayne, Sophomore)
Sydney Coyne (Purdue Fort Wayne, Junior)
Brock Fuller (Purdue Fort Wayne, Freshman)
Additional organizers of the presentation include: Purdue Fort Wayne Alliance Outreach Team: John LaMaster, Karol Dehr, Kevin Stoller, Yvonne Zubovic, Stephanie Van Dellen, Michelle Shawver, Xiaokai Jia.
Session 1-F: Integrating Service-Learning in Classrooms - Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
Service-learning (SL) is a relatively new learning framework compared to other learning models. Sometimes, SL is often described as an educational approach where students engage with the community to address relevant problems. However, this simple definition can mislead the adoption of SL in classrooms. For example, the literature often emphasizes the benefits of SL, but little is known about students’ experiences. To further complicate SL, time constraints and placement quality also impact the adoption of SL in the classroom. But how can we effectively adopt SL in our classrooms? On the one hand, this question can have distinct interpretations and applications in different disciplines. On the other hand, there are some core ideas that must exist across every discipline, such as reciprocity, community empowerment and engagement, agency, and mutual learning. The purpose of this session is to invite participants to think critically about how they can implement service-learning in their classrooms. This session will create a space for educators, policymakers, students, and stakeholders to contribute with ideas, suggestions, and experiences.
Dr. Claudio Freitas (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 1-G: Nurturing Student Persistence: Identifying Strategies to Boost Student Motivation and Engagement - Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
Within academia, considerable attention is given to matters concerning student retention, yet student persistence is often underappreciated or overlooked. Defined as student desire and action to complete a course of study in higher education from start to finish, persistence represents a critical facet of student success. Educators committed to ensuring students that students can realize their educational pursuits must endeavor to nurture student motivation, engagement, and sense of belonging in their courses and student interactions. In this round table discussion, the presenters seek to immerse attendees in a rigorous discourse on novel strategies to promote student persistence across a range of disciplines and degree programs. Presenters will share insights into strategies that have proven successful in their own programs and further stress the importance of inspiring students to achieve their educational and professional goals.
Dr. Courtney Lloyd, Dr. Joshua Fairbanks, Andrew Lehr (University of Saint Francis)
- 11:00-11:45am: Session 2-A to Session 2-G
Session 2-A: Everyone Has Limits: Accounting for Cognitive Load Theory in Instruction
PresentationAbstract:
We have an amazing capacity for learning. You can probably remember information or events from decades ago. However, we have limitations for processing new information in real-time. Our sensory memory is the first stop for incoming stimuli. Within a second, the sensory memory can register the stimulus and determine whether to discard it or send it on to our working memory. If the information makes it to this phase, it enters a log jam for processing and movement onto long-term memory. Our working memory is a bottleneck limiting our ability to learn. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) recognizes this issue with working memory and provides strategies to help account for and minimize the bottleneck. The three types of cognitive load—intrinsic, germane, and extraneous – have implications for teaching and learning. Intrinsic load is the innate difficulty of the subject matter, which is fixed. Germane load involves the organization of new information into schemas and is the only type of cognitive load that we want to increase. Extraneous load is the part of working memory used as students interact with instructional materials. This session will provide concrete ways to help faculty help students mitigate the impact of CLT and improve learning.
Melissa (Rasmussen) Bray (Manchester University)
Session 2-B: The Difference a Picture Makes - Infographics for Diverse Learners
Abstract:
“My mind works like Google for images. You put in a key word; it brings up pictures.” This quote by Dr. Temple Grandin, scientist, researcher, and neurodiverse advocate highlights the need for visual representations of knowledge and data, especially for neurodiverse students. Infographics are a powerful communication tool used in healthcare and public health, for example, to clearly present complex subjects so that, regardless of literacy level, diverse audiences can easily grasp the message being communicated. For example, infographics can motivate people to make changes (e.g., how to correctly wash their hands) or can provide an easier way to see patterns and trends in complex information (e.g., how respiratory droplets spread COVID-19; a genogram of family relationships and dynamics). Focusing on how to incorporate graphics into instruction (e.g., using PowerPoint presentations or software such as Canvas), and create assignments around information graphics and visual assessments, the presenters will briefly have a panel discussion on the graphic tools and presentations styles that they use in the classroom, including online teaching platforms, to engage students in learning. Examples of student work will also be displayed for participants to observe.
Dr. Amelia Clark, Dr. Michelle Fleig-Palmer Dr. Courtney Lloyd, Danielle Peterson (University of Saint Francis)
Session 2-C: Efficacy of Collaborative Exams
Abstract:
Traditional college exams are often underutilized as a learning tool. The design of this research was based on the cognitive learning theory of reciprocal determinism. In breaking the exam paradigm, personal and environmental factors that would normally inhibit engagement, theoretically are replaced by a new reinforcing stimulus that could lead to increased understanding. This study is intended to apply these ideas through a structured approach to collaborative exams. These exams were administered in introductory statistics courses over the course of seven semesters. The scores of collaborative test-takers have been found to be consistently higher than those of a control group in the same semester. Protocols for group assignment and assembly are discussed, along with measures to ensure individual accountability.
Dr. Garret Marshall (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 2-D: Increasing Student Engagement for Class Discussions
PresentationAbstract:
Our presentation is going to focus on strategies professors can do in class to increase engagement and participation during class discussions. We plan to share some strategies we have found to be successful and model these strategies during the presentation. One strategy involves getting students up out of their seat and standing somewhere else in the room, depending on their opinion of a specific topic. For example, Students can agree or disagree with a statement and stand on either side of the room. Then, they work together to build an argument and share their opinion with the other side. After both sides share their thoughts, students sit back down in their seats and reflect on the other opinion and we revisit to see if it changed anyone’s mind.
Another easy strategy is think-pair-share, which is widely used in k-12. This strategy includes asking a question to the class, then students have time to think about it, share their thoughts with another student, then share their thoughts with the class. We have found this to be really beneficial when we pose a question and no one wants to respond. During the sharing with a partner portion, we often walk around, listen, and tell a few groups we are going to have them share their thoughts with the class. Then they are prepared and the class discussion flows much better.
Chelsea Superczynski, Alecia Pfefferkorn (Trine University)
Session 2-E: Group work in a post-COVID world: What are the rules?
PresentationAbstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in modalities of education, forcing classrooms and classroom activities to change. Across modalities, group work may look and feel different to students. Their experiences in the different modalities may result in varying levels of satisfaction and performance. Are there significant differences in the ways students perceive group performance? What, as teachers, can we do to help ensure our students have satisfying and high performing group work experiences across modalities? Our research found the modalities in which groups work were not nearly as significant as having structured rules to follow within the group. To ensure positive student experiences in group work, regardless of modality, it is important for groups to be given rules or given the opportunity to establish group rules among themselves. Post-pandemic, these new and different modalities are here to stay. This change in modalities comes with its own challenges. However, our study indicates that modality may not be as important as the rules groups choose to implement. Particular types of rules are related to higher group performance and more satisfaction with group work.
Laney Blevins, Raphael Kwaning, Ting Hsuan Lee (Vivian), Lyzbeth Safoah King, Deborah Eyram Anornu (Purdue Fort Wayne, Grad Student)
Lindsay Butcher (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 2-F: Supporting students’ learning: A discussion on the role of technology in improving course letter grades earned - Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
Technology is a rapidly changing field that may be crucial for creating more effective programs that seek to support students’ learning. This round table will discuss the usefulness of incorporating technology, such as publisher-based software, into a college level course. Many traditional and nontraditional students face challenges when attempting to pass some high failure rate courses. Numerous studies have indicated that some learners do not seem to fully comprehend a portion of the course content, therefore keeping the learners from being successful. This discussion will include findings from research conducted for 12 financial accounting course sections utilizing CengageNow. Additionally, we will discuss how publisher-based software may be beneficial to implement in courses in other disciplines, since it proved to be effective in improving passing-rates for the financial accounting course. Furthermore, a discussion will ensue around one of the most popular pedagogical methodologies in which educators tailor their instructional approaches to accommodate learners with various learning styles.
Sam Koudsia (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 2-G: Everyone’s Involved - A discussion about engaging and retaining students - Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
For those interested in learning new strategies for their own classroom setting, this session is designed to be a starting point for discussion about how to improve learning, engagement, and retention for students in multiple class settings. Specifically, this session will look at techniques created to boost engagement in online, new student, in-person, and hands-on classes. The presenters will share tips utilized in their own classes to improve student interest and success. Some of the suggestions will cover discussion boards, community involvement, attendance, and skill development. Following the presenters’ experiences, there will be a time for further discussion among the entire room. This question-and-answer style discussion will give those interested a chance to ask for help in improving their own classes or sharing their own best practices. Essentially, this session is a way to learn from peers and to find new approaches to classroom management.
Abigail Larrison, Kelli Kreider, Leigh Ann Routh, Dawn Hammond (Ivy Tech Community College)
- 1:30-2:15pm: Session 3-A to Session 3-F
Session 3-A: “Preparing Professors for International Students”
PresentationAbstract:
Instructors may have noticed that the number of international students on campus has been rising slowly but steadily. While many of these students speak English fluently already and may be indistinguishable from American students in the way they dress, their different cultural backgrounds may influence how they perceive the world and how they communicate, which may clash with American cultural beliefs and communication styles. For instance, their expectations of what a good teacher looks like and does, may be very different from what Americans believe “good teaching” is. Papers might also be structured differently in their countries (argument first or evidence first?). Presentation styles may be vastly different. In general, differences in verbal and non-verbal communication due to cultural and linguistic backgrounds can potentially lead to miscommunication or even communication breakdown. In my presentation, I highlight cultural differences and potential pitfalls with the hope that instructors will develop enough cultural awareness so that they can cope with future communication issues/culture shock on their own.
Dr. Suin Roberts (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 3-B: Improving Student Success and Completion in Online College Algebra – A Pilot Discussion
PresentationAbstract:
Online mathematics courses can be particularly challenging courses, often with low success rates and high withdrawal rates. The presenter will share details of an IvyOnline pilot used at Ivy Tech Community College for the Fall 2022 semester for all sections of online College Algebra. We took a multi-tiered approach to impact student success, which included student outreach and communication along with adding weekly live lectures. We tracked student assignment outcomes and completion rates on a weekly basis, as well as tracking withdrawals and final course outcomes.
Debbie Youse (Ivy Tech Community College)
Session 3-C: Improving Knowledge Retention and Students’ Engagement Through Daily Quizzes in Calculus Courses
Abstract:
The knowledge retention is a major outcome in successfully completing a course at any level. While there are many pre- and post-factors pertaining to knowledge gain, students’ preparation plays a major role in the teaching-learning process. Lack of students’ preparation could create a major distraction to an in-class lecture since it is a common practice to connect one topic from a former lecture to latter. If the students are not prepared or do not remember what they have learned in the previous lecture, the instructor may need to spend a considerable amount of time going over the same topic sacrificing a considerable amount of time for something unnecessary.
As a remedy we seek whether administering a quiz at the first 2-5 minutes of every lecture that only covers the materials learned in the previous lecture would make any significant difference in knowledge retention. Some of the outcomes are immediate. Students switched from spending time on cellphones to reviewing course materials before the lecture and they are more prepared to answer questions than questioning themselves. In addition, students’ performance has significantly improved compared to a course without such practices.
Dr. Udita Katugampola (Indiana Tech)
Session 3-D: Creating a Significant Circle to Discuss the Links Between Identity and Practice in the College Classroom
Abstract:
For hands-on experience and active learning, participants will be invited to create a significant circle and engage by discussing their insights related to cultural and social identity in their teaching practice. They will additionally be supported to apply ways in which the significant circle can be implemented in the college classroom across disciplines. This presentation will focus on making one’s own circle and using this approach as a tool with college students. The circle allows the learner to share their lived experience, individuality and reflect on how identity relates to current learning, future life visions and career endeavors. Participants will consider examples from student work which implemented the concepts of funds of identity by creating the circle with children in field placements in local elementary schools. Moreover, college students can create their own significant circle in the college classroom to discuss their lived experience, identity and the links to personal and professional inspiration towards their purpose. This method benefits college students considering their personal uniqueness that they bring to the college classroom and their future life and career choices. The practice is based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory which considers knowledge constructed through the lens of artifacts, cultural practice, social worlds and historically collected over time (Esteban-Guitart & Moll, 2014).
Dr. Julia Smith (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 3-E: Maximizing Engagement – Mixed Modality Connections
PresentationAbstract:
The purpose of this presentation is to review some of the challenges and successes learned from piloting a Mixed Modality Teaching course in the Fall 2022 semester. We will also review a conversational platform tool called Yellowdig that was also piloted in the Fall 2022 semester that has been transformational in connecting students in a radically different way from the traditional discussion boards.
One section of the BUS 20401 course was completely restructured to accommodate the Mixed Modality Teaching style. The classroom was completely re-designed with up-to-date technology and with a non-traditional seating floor plan. Online students joined the FTF students through Zoom, which allowed them to seamlessly participate in the in-class activities, which included a group informal report project and a presentation.
I also piloted the Yellowdig platform in my BUS 20002. It completed changed my thinking on how discussions can be more than “a once-and-done assignment” to an ongoing, connection tool to engage students. Successful student responses have prompted me to implement the Yellowdig in the BUS 20401 Mixed Modality Teaching course in Spring 2023.
Cynthia Wilson, Angela Miller (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Session 3-F: Trauma-Informed Pedagogy: What Educators Need to Know - Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
In trauma research, the term “ubiquitous” is used when discussing the pervasiveness of trauma exposure (Hess & Bradley, 2020; Hess 2020; Blackburn, 2019; Schwab, 2010). Hess and Bradley (2020) suggest that understanding how it manifests should be crucial for educators, including an awareness that damaging experiences may affect more students than not in the average classroom.
Discussion will begin with sharing collective understanding of foundational information on the initial research in the field of the impact of trauma on individuals and the focus on the ultimate physiological changes to the human body. Additionally, the behavioral, environmental, and sociocultural aspects of traumatic experience on learners will be shared and how they typically manifest in the classroom with relevant real world examples.
Trauma-informed pedagogy has been suggested as a way to counterbalance the negative consequences of trauma in learners (Oehlberg, 2008) and Trauma-informed approaches have now come to the attention of schools and educators (Thomas, Crosby, & Vanderhaar, 2019). Participants will discuss their own current practices and identify areas of improvement to implement trauma informed strategies in the classroom to best support students that have been impacted by truama. Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with peers to share successful best practices from their own experiences. Ultimately, participants will discuss the possibility of systemic change using a flexible framework to create a trauma sensitive environment either at a department level or an institution wide approach.
Dr. Casey Collins (Purdue Fort Wayne)
Alison Todd (Trine University)
- 10:00-10:45am: Session 1-A to Session 1-G
- 2022 Conference
The 25th Annual Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference was held in person at Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday, February 18, 2022.
Dr. Terrence J. Doyle, Keynote & Plenary Speaker
Dr. B. Michael Doyle, Plenary Speaker
Keynote Session: 8:35-9:45am
Plenary Session: 12:30-1:15pm
Terry Doyle is an author, educational consultant and professor emeritus of reading at Ferris State University where he worked for 38 years. He spent from 1998 to spring of 2009 as the Senior Instructor for Faculty Development and Coordinator of the New to Ferris Faculty Transition Program for the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning at Ferris State University.
Terry has presented over seventy-five workshops on teaching and learning topics at regional, national and international conferences and has work with faculty on one hundred and seventy different colleges and universities around the world over the past ten years. His presentations focus on ways to assist higher education faculty in becoming learner centered teachers and how faculty can apply new findings from neuroscience, biology and cognitive science in their teaching to improve students’ learning.
Session Titles and Abstracts
- 10:00-10:45am: Session 1-A to Session 1-G
Session 1-A: Sharing First-Year Perspectives: Listening to Student and Teacher Voices
PresentationAbstract:
Transitioning from a high school environment to higher education can be difficult for many students, even in the best of times. The current climate and situations we all face have increased the stress and the ability of many first-year students to navigate this new and complex world in their attempt to be academically successful. Research from the Education Data Initiative reports that 30% of college freshmen will end up dropping out before their sophomore year begins. This staggering statistic reveals the relevance of this phenomenon that we as higher education faculty must face, especially those who teach this student demographic. Listening to student voices and their concerns should be paramount to all educators if we are to positively affect this attrition rate. This timely panel discussion will bring together the shared experiences of FY college students, high school faculty, and college faculty who teach those students. We will share our collective experiences and insights with the audience, inviting an interactive and open discussion on the challenges and successes students face as they transition from high school to college.
Karol Dehr, John LaMaster, Kevin Stoller, Dr. Yvonne Zubovic (Purdue University Fort Wayne)
Jeanine Tietz (Northrop High School)
Joe Urschel (Columbia City High School)
Greg Bierbaum (Leo High School)
Thaylea Pierce, Saniya Carr (Purdue University Fort Wayne - Student)
Session 1-B: “Professor, can you help me?” Remediation Strategies for Struggling Students
PresentationAbstract:
Despite expert employment of active learning strategies and review of the learning outcomes tested on the exam, a few students performed poorly. With clear knowledge gaps, it’s undoubtedly in the students’ best interest to re-study the material, engage with the educator, and demonstrate mastery of the material. Within academia, this process is known as student remediation. Remediation approaches are highly varied and applicable to any discipline. They offer educators an opportunity to personalize their teaching approaches to the needs of floundering students and provide students additional opportunities for learning, comprehension, and retention. Within this interactive presentation, student remediation strategies from both the literature and anecdotal experiences will be considered. Participants will actively explore the utility of audits, oral reviews, and deliberate practice to their own courses. Student perceptions of remediation strategies employed in the Physician Assistant Program at the University of Saint Francis will also be shared to offer student insights into the remediation process.
Dr. Courtney Lloyd, Dr. Joshua Fairbanks (University of Saint Francis)
Session 1-C: “Everything I Needed To Know I Learned in Kindergarten”
PresentationAbstract:
STEM classes bring immense benefits as widely diverse students register for these courses. Students bring large differences in preparation, understanding ability, temperament, social status, wealth, support, and culture. When these multifactorial elements come together, a professor is faced with difficult challenges to be fair while also maintaining the integrity of the course. As professors in the Life Sciences, we approach these challenges with enthusiasm because this diversity is a microcosm and a benefit of our work as scientists.
In order to meet the learning challenges of a diverse learner pool, we introduce our college level interpretation of the skills referenced in the Robert Fulghum poem, “All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” This poem illustrates at least six academic values that we bring to this session. With the ongoing challenges due to COVID-19, our examples will include active learning pedagogies that break down learning barriers, generate student agency, and illustrate abstract concepts more fully for those students lost in the margins. Our approaches to increase student engagement will provide participants with concrete examples of success for all students in the classroom.
Dr. Julie Good, Amy Shank (Indiana Tech)
Session 1-D: Invigorating Assessments with Interactive Quizzes
PresentationAbstract:
The literature is clear that active learning and promotion of metacognition in classrooms improves student experiences. However, many courses still use traditional pencil and paper exams which do not capture the active learning environment or reflect future career experiences. Traditional exams are also known to trigger anxiety in students (Chapell et al, 2005 https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.97.2.268) and can reinforce/increase achievement gaps of students from educationally or economically disadvantaged backgrounds (Smeding et al, 2013 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0071678). To address these issues, the Interactive Quiz format was developed. Interactive Quizzes are the combination of hands-on activities and student reflections to evaluate their understanding of large concepts and relationships. For example, in marine biology students were given a habitat and feed strategy for a fish which they then had to use to design appropriate external morphologies. This required students to apply their knowledge of anatomical features with behavior and environmental constraints to design the ideal fish form. This session will feature an overview of how Interactive Quizzes can be implemented, student feedback on Interactive Quizzes, and time for participants to brainstorm Interactive Quizzes for their own classes.
Dr. Jennifer Robison (Manchester University)
Session 1-E: Cognitive Skills and Learning Preferences: The Role of Awareness in Student Success
PresentationAbstract:
Spatial ability is the capacity to comprehend three-dimensional structures, positional relationships, and to mentally manipulate these structures and relationships to correctly predict the outcome. The skill of being able to mentally manipulate objects in three dimensions is useful for coursework or professions that require extensive knowledge of three-dimensional relationships. This is especially true when these relationships are not easily visualized, as is the case in the study of human anatomy, an important component of rehabilitation science curricula. In this presentation, we discuss the results and implications of our investigation into the relationships between anatomy course grades, learning preferences, and spatial abilities of graduate healthcare students from two fields of study. The spatial abilities of doctoral students in physical therapy and occupational therapy programs reflect consistently reported trends for gender and anatomy performance. Physical therapy students demonstrated higher spatial ability scores compared to occupational therapy students which could be the result of differential life experiences or academic preparation. This interactive presentation will demonstrate that awareness of such relationships has important implications for teaching, learning, success, and retention.
Dr. Ryan Dombkowski, Dr. Thomas Ruediger, Dr. Max Baumgartner (Trine University)
Session 1-F: Implementing Vygotsky’s Social Learning Theory in a Post-lockdown College Classroom – Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
It is evident to educators that, in the past year, online learning and social distancing has taken its toll on students’ interpersonal skills, especially when it comes to using them for learning purposes. Not only are interpersonal skills integral to education, as illustrated in Vygotsky’s theory of social learning, but these skills are also paramount to students’ post-college success. While Covid restrictions are still a part of our lives, they won’t always be. How can we develop (or maintain) students’ social skills while teaching content at the same time? This round table will be an opportunity for educators to brainstorm some ideas to implement now, or put in the back pocket, ready to pull out later.
Renee Jandorf (Indiana Tech)
Session 1-G: An Innovation Supernova in Teaching During the Pandemic – Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
March, 2020; a month that will go down in infamy. Our lives changed; many hoped only for the short-term others feared forever. Leadership, by modern convention, was practiced by example, by walking (wandering) around (MBWA), by face-to-face dialogue, ... Virtual leadership wasn’t new in 2020, yet it was minimally practiced and avoided by many.
Although we were in the digital era with a plethora of online educational platforms, conventional teaching—pure in-classroom lecturing and pure hands-on laboratories—endured. Change was incremental. Then the disrupter—SARS-CoV-2—arrived.
Interestingly, the resulting pandemic released an innovation supernova in some areas of higher education. If sustainable it could be powerful—think Copernicus. Yet, the “return to normal” mentality is attractive, lazy but attractive. In cosmology the seeds of change had been laid in the third century BC, yet it took another 18 centuries before Nicolaus Copernicus disrupted conventional thinking.
Technical education will always include “hands-on”, but novel virtual elements can be included. That blend will vary, but will profoundly enhance knowledge transfer as we move further into the digital era. Or will we allow a lazy mentality to dominate and will teachers just “return to normal? Leaders, you are needed now more than ever.
Dr. Darrel Kesler (Ivy Tech Community College)
- 11:00-11:45am: Session 2-A to Session 2-G
Session 2-A: Cultivate Connections to Improve Student Learning
Presentation Handout Slides with responses
Abstract:
Do your students trust you? To deliver accurate content? To assign worthwhile assignments and projects? To have their best learning interest at heart? If you answered “wholeheartedly,” great job, your students are likely learning a lot in your classes due to the relationships you have fostered. If one or more of your answers were “maybe” or “I don’t know,” it might be time to think about how you can improve your connections with the students in your class.
How many students does Jane or John (any individual student) trust in your class? To ask for help in the classroom? To ask for help outside of class via email or text? To work with on homework regularly? To complete a large, heavily weighted class project? The answer is likely far less than you assume. This lack of trust between students can hinder in-class discussion, group work, and group projects, cornerstone strategies in many of our teaching toolboxes.
As course leaders and organizers, it is our responsibility to help build trust in the classroom and the online learning environment by developing relationships. Join us to discuss cultivating instructor-to-student and student-to-student connections in the collegiate setting.
Dr. Jeremy Rentz (Trine University)
Session 2-B: Preventing Academic Misconduct: The Role of Teachers
Abstract:
Academic misconduct has come a long way from the days when students used to hide tiny notes in their clothing or make minutiae jottings on their bodies. Today, there is an increased use of James Bond-esque hi-tech products to beat the invigilators. Systems and technology to counter cheating are also evolving, but not at fast-enough speeds to outdo motivated cheaters. For example, even the advanced Artificial Intelligence algorithms of Turnitin and SafeAssign become useless when students employ the services of numerous ghostwriting websites to submit original work on their assignments. In this session, we will critique the prevalent ‘reactive’ systems within universities that tend to focus only on the detection of academic misconduct and appropriate disciplining of the offenders. I will share findings from my research that provide insights into the motivations of cheating behavior. Based on these insights, we will brainstorm and evaluate the merits of different ‘proactive’ alternatives that instructors can adopt in their teaching to develop a culture of integrity amongst their student population.
Dr. Paresh Mishra (Purdue University Fort Wayne)
Session 2-C: Empathy, Gender, and Learning in Higher Education
Abstract:
Empathy is markedly lacking in our society, decreasing in our traditional college student population (Konrath, O’Brien, and Hsing), and is a prerequisite to any real step toward social justice. As educators, we need to more actively consider whether empathy enhancement ought to be one of our learning objectives. And, how can this growth in empathy be measured?
Further, much research has shown that women have a greater capacity for or report engaging in empathy more than men (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, and Tarule; Billington, Baron-Cohen, and Wheelwright; Gilligan). Associating empathy with women, however, is problematic. In part through its feminization, empathy has been devalued by our society.
Drawing upon both primary and secondary research, the presenter will share research on empathy and its connections to gender and learning. The presenter will also provide some examples of empathy support and growth in her literature courses. After discussion of these findings and cases, session attendees will engage in a discussion to work through difficult questions about how to best teach empathy and how to make its value apparent.
Dr. Cortney Robbins (Indiana Tech)
Session 2-D: Dream Teams: Developing and optimizing teamwork skills in project-based courses
PresentationAbstract:
The science of teams is vast and spans both the educational and organizational psychology literatures. Within the pharmacy education literature, studies have typically examined teamwork perceptions or effectiveness within one course or one academic year. Similar to other skills, developing a teamwork mentality requires continuous practice and engagement in teams on various activities and projects. This session will present on how teamwork has been intentionally integrated and assessed across one pharmacy program’s didactic curriculum in three project-based courses and provide strategies to optimize teamwork among students. A brief summary of relevant teamwork models will also be presented. Strategies to develop and optimize teamwork will be discussed, including team formation, team contracts, peer evaluations, and formative and summative assessments. Preliminary data will be presented based on end-of-semester course evaluations. Audience members will get an opportunity to share their own experiences with student teamwork and work together to brainstorm some potential plans for incorporating teamwork-based activities in a course.
Dr. Marwa Noureldin, Dr. Kathryn Marwitz (Manchester University)
Session 2-E: From the LockerRoom to the ClassRoom: Helping College Student-Athletes Reach Success
Abstract:
This interactive session is designed to provide attendees with a unique perspective of assisting and serving student-athletes. Many student-athletes enroll in college, focusing solely on athletics and not exactly understanding the interconnectedness of education and sports. Also, some student-athletes have trouble building meaningful relationships outside of their sports community, thus challenging their campus integration. In this interactive session, attendees will have a paradigm shift by learning the mindset/profile of student-athletes, how to help them identify barriers, and lastly, how to genuinely form a connected relationship with these students.
Dr. Ron Lewis (University of Saint Francis)
Mara Youngbauer (Manchester University)
Session 2-F: Should Educators Shift from Student-Centered to Learning-Centered Teaching?: A Discussion on Culturally Relevant Pedagogies and the “Amazonification” of Education in the United States – Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
The assertive push for student-centered teaching as the epitome of excellence has limited the diversity of philosophies of education within schools and teacher education programs. It is assumed that student-centered teaching is the “best” or good practice and a teaching-centered approach is bad practice. However, these are simplistic views of teaching that reflect the values of Western countries, such as the United States. The population of the United States continues to grow more diverse as non-dominant beliefs, languages, and cultures continue to permeate k-12 and college classrooms. Reconciling these polarized views on teaching is necessary in providing culturally relevant and holistic education to diverse groups of students. This, I propose, is possible through a learning-centered approach toward education. Using preliminary research and examples from my teaching, I will begin by presenting a definition and comparison of student-centered and learning-centered education. Participants will then be split in small groups to discuss a set of questions. Lastly, as a whole group we will come up with a summary of our views on this topic and action steps for our own practice. By exploring learning-centered teaching, educators can come together to question, trial, and share ideas for creating a culturally responsive classroom.
Mary Encabo (Purdue University Fort Wayne)
Session 2-G: Don’t Do It Alone: Leveraging Campus Resources for Student Success – Roundtable Discussion
Abstract:
Over the past two years, the Teaching and Learning Services department (TLS) and the Lee and Jim Vann Library (library) at the University of Saint Francis have developed a strategic partnership to cross-promote their expertise and resources to better serve the needs of students and faculty. The collaboration between TLS and the library has led to the following achievements that will be discussed: seamless integration of library resources into the LMS to meet students at their point of need, co-creation of a faculty newsletter to promote departmental services and best practice pedagogical strategies, collaboration on copyright solutions, serving as a connection between faculty and library materials during course design. The partnership between TLS and the library has had a positive impact on faculty and student success while also elevating the presence of both departments on campus. As campus budgets tighten, the teamwork between TLS and the library can serve as a blueprint on how to leverage limited resources for the biggest impact.
Kerri Killion-Mueller, Dr. Godwin Haruna, Amber Pavlina, Dr. Nathalie Rouamba, Will Wells (University of Saint Francis)
- 1:30-2:15pm: Session 3-A to Session 3-E
Session 3-A: Building and Delivering an Online Course: Student, Faculty, Course Developer Perspectives
Abstract:
In this interactive presentation we discuss the process of transforming an emergency remote online course (EROC) developed in response to COVID into an 8-week online course in accord with good practices. The presentation includes the perspective of the instructor, the online course designer, and two students that first took the EROC and later worked in an independent study to evaluate the 8- week course. The students use the University of New Mexico Online Course Standards Rubric as well as their own online learning experiences to evaluate the redesigned EROC course. Each participant will present their perspective on the process and the course as well as lessons learned. We highlight those issues most important to the instructor, the course designer, and the students in engaging online courses. In this way, we explore online course development and delivery from the perspective of teachers, designers, and students. We then will guide the group in discussion of how we believe these perspectives and experiences can lead to better course development, delivery, and student engagement. We further will argue that this process, working collaboratively with the instructor, a course designer, and students can be replicated and improve online course experiences.
Dr. Shannon Bischoff, Nathan Jarboe, Alyssa Sherman (Purdue University Fort Wayne)
Dr. Eric de Araujo (Purdue University)
Session 3-B: Teaching the Students We Have: Pedagogy, Praxis, Cognitive Bandwidth, and Systemic Inequities
Presentation Full NotesAbstract:
Students in the 21st century arrive to college or university academically underprepared and/or psychologically drained. Concurrently experiencing the initial effects of the climate change crisis, the devastation of the (seemingly) ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, social unrest, and economic instability, they have little left to give. Higher education practitioners must utilize a holistic approach that recognizes the recursive dynamic between historical and contemporary systemic inequities and their impacts on current crises. An intersectional cognitive bandwidth framework integrates the reflexive best practices of critical pedagogy and student-centered outreach, alongside practical recommendations to bolster student resilience. In this presentation we will cover the basic terminology related to cognitive bandwidth and systemic inequities, learn the ways in which systemic inequities impact college success, retention, and completion, explore application of pedagogical, interpersonal, programmatic and collaborative approaches to addressing systemic inequities that affect student persistence, and lastly share resources for ongoing professional development in building inclusive spaces that make room for cognitive bandwidth recovery.
Kim Myers, Paula Ashe (Purdue University Fort Wayne)
Session 3-C: Exploring Neurodiversity through Improvisational Theatre
Abstract:
This interactive presentation will feature the Mirror Lake Players, a local improvisational group comprised of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. A sub-group of the University of Saint Francis Jesters performing arts program, the Mirror Lake Players will engage conference attendees in a 30-minute series of improvisational theater games. Time before and after the 30-minute improvisation will be spent introducing the group and answering questions.
This Neurodiversity Awareness Education Project will use improvisation to create opportunities for attendees and people with IDD to interact on a level playing field. Improvisational theatre games foster basic life skills, such as choice-making, problem solving, adaptability and support. The social interaction and risk-taking build relationships while developing trust in self, others and the creative process. The inherent elements of play, humor and laughter increase motivation and reduce stress.
Allison Ballard, Diane Gaby (University of Saint Francis)
Session 3-D: Gen Z-ers: Meeting the Needs of this Innovative Population
Abstract:
Today’s students are demanding more innovative approaches to learning. In 2015, Wildness, a market research firm, concluded that Gen Z-ers do not want to consume entertainment—they want to create it. In fact, 80% of Gen Z-ers claimed that finding themselves creatively is important (Kleinschmit, 2019). While creativity in higher education is not a new concept, Alencar, Fleith, and Pereira (2017) claimed that faculty have struggled to encourage and integrate more innovative pedagogical approaches. It may be difficult for such faculty to integrate new teaching methods in the classroom, especially when it has been so varied from the norm.
Therefore, it is imperative to understand various educational strategies that can be implemented in the classroom that will encourage student creativity. This presentation will introduce a variety of creative alternatives so that students can still apply the concepts of the course in more innovative ways. Professors spend a significant amount of time designing the course, so it is important to develop activities that will allow the content to remain in the students’ minds after the 16 weeks. Meeting the creative needs of the Gen Z population, the college students of today, is the only way to do this.
Dr. Alicia Wireman (Indiana Tech)
Session 3-E: Increasing Student Satisfaction in an Online General Education Class
Abstract:
At University of Saint Francis, the traditional introduction to visual arts course (aka “art appreciation”) historically had very low student satisfaction ratings regardless of modality or instructor. When art historians were tasked with developing an online-only version of the course, we were concerned that students’ general dissatisfaction with online courses would compound their dislike of art appreciation. In working with professional instructional designers, we implemented some changes to the content and structure of the course. Using more interactive assignments, incorporating new media such as podcasts, and drawing explicit connections between humanities subject matter and fields such as nursing and business were all strategies that fostered success. After running several sections of the class over 4 semesters, student evaluation statistics and comments indicate that student satisfaction with this class is greatly improved over past iterations of the course. This presentation will outline the strategies we used to rethink the content and assignment design of the course to increase student satisfaction.
Dr. Elizabeth Kuebier-Wolf (University of Saint Francis)
- 2021 Conference
The 24th Annual Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference was held as a virtual conference on Friday, February 19, 2021.
James Lang, Keynote Speaker - 9:00-10:30am
James M. Lang is a Professor of English and the Director of the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence at Assumption College in Worcester, MA. He is the author of five books, the most recent of which are Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It (Basic Books, 2020), Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning (Jossey-Bass, 2016) and Cheating Lessons: Learning from Academic Dishonesty (Harvard University Press, 2013), and On Course: A Week-by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of College Teaching (Harvard UP, 2008).
A dynamic and highly sought-after public speaker, he has delivered conference keynotes or conducted workshops on teaching for faculty at more than a hundred colleges or universities in the United States and abroad. He has consulted with the United Nations on a multi-year project to develop teaching materials in ethics and integrity for high school and college faculty.
Session Titles and Abstracts
10:45-11:30am: Session 1-A to Session 1-H
11:45-12:30pm: Session 2-A to Session 2-H
**Available Materials to Download or View
- **Session 1-A. Beyond Engagement: Empowering Undergraduate Learners Through Agency
Presentation
(Michelle Blank, Trine University)
Aaah- the world is out of control! That may be the sentiment many of us have had throughout this past year, both in our lives and in our classrooms. Imagine feeling that lack of control regularly, with regards to your own learning. YIKES! According to learning science research, this is where many of our students are. They have been conditioned to be compliant and follow the rules; not to engage in true learning, not to take risks, and certainly not to fail. What if we changed that? What if we built on the active learning strategies we’ve all been implementing in recent years and actually empowered our students as adult learners with agency to make decisions and motivation that comes from creating? In this session we’ll explore the learning science behind empowerment and agency and consider the variety of ways learners can become empowered. Then the real work starts. We’ll dig into some of our own courses and brainstorm, maybe even start designing, strategies to intentionally build empowerment into our classes. Just a small disclaimer…this session isn’t going to give you any methods to make teaching easier, but it will empower you to make your students more successful.
- Session 1-B. Is there a need to address content and academic language barriers for international students? A study of perspectives from both teachers and students
(Renee Jandorf, Indiana Tech)
Is there a need to address content and academic language (CAV)barriers to help international students succeed? When immersed in an English-speaking learning environment, English language learners (ELLs), face a challenge of acquiring not just new content material, but also new content vocabulary. Furthermore, implementing academic language to communicate, especially in writing, is also an obstacle for ELLs. As a result, learning new concepts and communicating academically is more challenging than it would be if they were studying in their native language. Do international students perceive that their learning is inhibited due to language barriers specifically pertaining to CAV? In a technical university with a high percentage of international students, do instructors perceive challenges teaching content material due to these language barriers? Ultimately, is there a need to address CAV at the university level? To answer these questions, surveys were distributed to all instructors and international students at Indiana Tech. The results of these surveys and some ideas for solutions are discussed in this presentation.
- Session 1-C. "Your Criteria Are Ridiculous": Students Say the Darndest Things
(Dr. Sarah LeBlanc, Purdue Fort Wayne, Dr. Mary Lahman, Manchester University)
There is thinking you are a good teacher and you have good ideas; then there is the reality of seeing end of the semester evaluations that counter one’s positive thoughts. In this session, we offer attendees basic skills and ideas on how to collect and apply feedback from students throughout the semester instead of waiting until just the end of the semester. Secondly, we explain and will have participants practice ways of incorporating the autoethnographic technique of self-reflection into their evaluations of class sessions, activities, assignments, and approaches to assist in their teaching growth and documentation. Finally, we will provide suggestions how to look back and code all of the reflections. By the end of the session, attendees will acquire the skills they need to document their teaching through reflections from students and from themselves.
- Session 1-D. Due Dates: Deadlines or Guidelines? (Roundtable Discussion)
(Michelle Parker, Purdue Fort Wayne)
How should courses be structured when it comes to due dates. Should due dates be strictly enforced to build time management skills in our students and set them up for success in future courses and the workforce? Should we allow students to turn in work whenever they complete it so that students have a greater chance of success in our course? If late work is turned in, should we deduct points from it for being late? What strategies do professors use to encourage students do timely work? Are there some classes where it is important that late work is accepted? Discussion on should be we stricter with due dates or should we be more relaxed. Also discussion on what strategies teachers use to encourage on time submissions of homework and how to build time management skills in students.
- **Session 1-E. The Course Syllabus: Does Layout Affect Students Grades?
Download PowerPoint
(Daniel Boylan, Purdue Fort Wayne)
The syllabus is one of the most important items in a classroom. This article answers the question: Can syllabus organization affect student grades in a class? For colleges and universities, the syllabus acts as a contract between students and the professors about expectations for the course. If a syllabus is set up in an understandable and easily accessible form, research has shown that students follow it more accurately. However, studies show there are differences between faculty and student expectations about the important syllabus components. A preliminary focus group of student-athletes indicated that students want information related to contacting the instructor, course assignments including a tentative schedule and course grading to be near the beginning of the syllabus. Building from this result, the focal study found that the information put into the syllabus and the layout of the syllabus did affect student grades. While a limitation of this research was a lack of previous research about the impact of syllabus organization on student grades, this study begins to contribute to our understanding of how syllabus organization influences student grades.
- Session 1-F. Preparing Students for a Diverse World: It Starts with You
(Dr. Paul Porter, Danielle Peterson, Dr. Michelle Fleig-Palmer, Dr. Nathalie Rouamba, University of Saint Francis)
The diversification of college students has created a reality in which educators must teach the skills necessary to effectively engage in diverse spaces, while also utilizing their own cultural competence to create learning environments that are conducive to all learners. To this end, significant attention is paid to the use of culturally responsive teaching and inclusive classroom practices as critical to successful pedagogy.
This interactive session uses cultural humility as a theoretical lens to discuss how culturally responsive teaching techniques and inclusive practices are employed in both face-to-face and virtual classrooms. Through an analysis of case studies, the presenters will draw upon their experiences working with international students, providing services as a clinical social worker, and teaching healthcare students to illustrate how to role model cultural humility, and creatively use literature. Through increasing cultural competencies, instructors ensure an inclusive learning environment and help their students prepare for a diverse world in their chosen professions.
- Session 1-G. Designing and Facilitating Successful Blended & Online Learning Experiences
(Megan Tolin, Trine University)
This session will provide instructors with five concrete ideas on how they can better design and facilitate their blended/hybrid and online learning environments. The ideas presented are grounded in the idea of “teaching from the LMS” in order to streamline student workflow and instructor workload. By examining design and pedagogical choices in tandem, instructors are afforded the opportunity to make conscious decisions as to how they create and facilitate technology-rich learning experiences. As an example, one suggestion is to examine how course content is “chunked.” Instructors who consider cognitive load and user experience chunk their content accordingly, creating a more student-friendly learning space. The session will also provide suggestions for increasing instructor and student social presence. By purposefully incorporating opportunities for student-to-student interaction and student-to-teacher interaction, instructors create a more engaging learning environment. Higher levels of student engagement and interaction can increase student satisfaction and persistence.
- Session 1-H. Meme Me: Incorporating Reverse Image Search and Online Resources Like Google Scholar and Internet Archive to Enhance Information Literacy in Classroom Instruction
(Jade Kastel, Purdue Fort Wayne)
This session introduces attendees to supplementary resources to enhance teaching, learning, and research that are enjoyable, fun to implement, and useful for information literacy. Reverse image search, Google Scholar, The Internet Archive, The Library of Congress resources, and Indiana’s Inspire Database Collection are free resources suited for research, instruction, and fact checking. Attendees will experience the pros and cons of these platforms and how to wield them for ultimate success in the classroom. These online resources are trusted sources that are worth the initial time and energy to master. An investment in their proficiencies will prove useful in instruction, research, daily interaction with information on social media, and in the case of a reverse image search, being on the cutting edge of a tool that is just coming into its prime. This session will provide suggestions for pairing these tools with critical thinking and deductive reasoning to make quick, educated judgements and draw informed information literacy conclusions.
- Session 2-A. Crisis Conscious Teaching
(Dr. Yvonne Zubovic, Dr. Marcia Dixson, Isabel Nunez, Rachel Ramsey, Purdue Fort Wayne)
In this session participants will learn about key components that should be considered while teaching during a crisis. They will also exchange suggestions for how to address these four key components in their own classes. The presenters reviewed the research on trauma-informed pedagogy and on teaching during or after a crisis (e.g., mass shootings, 9-11, and Hurricane Katrina) to look for common themes. After investigating the effect of trauma and/or crisis on individuals, the implications for teaching and student learning were explored. Four key areas that educators should address were identified from the literature: connectedness, empowerment, cognitive overload, and the use of assignments related to the crisis. The rationale for why each of these is crucial for student learning during a crisis was identified. In addition, the potential impact of each on educators was considered. The presenters then investigated pedagogical practices associated with each of these key components and suggested strategies for implementing the best practices into the classroom. Each strategy was considered under a variety of modalities, such as face-to-face, synchronous online and asynchronous online formats. The strategies can be adapted across a variety of disciplines
- **Session 2-B. Talk Less, Teach More
Presentation
(Dr. Jeremy Rentz, Trine University)
Sounds too good to be true, but the one who does the work is the one who does the learning. Too often, however, the professor is the one doing most of the work in the classroom. But it does not have to be this way. There are many situations and scenarios where we can get out of the way and let students learn through discovery, interaction, and discussion. Figuring things out on your own can be a powerful learning experience, particularly with the expert in the room to guide and correct. Setting up learning scenarios for students takes a shift in thought, from a focus on content delivery to lesson planner, activity facilitator, and provider of feedback. Fortunately, there are many great examples and strategies available to help us get out of the way, often using your original lesson plans, lectures, or PPT as a guide.
During this session, we will highlight many ways Talk Less, Teach More can be implemented in your classes, providing as many tangible examples as possible. We will also discuss the different times and places the strategies might work best and strategies for motivating the students to do the work while in class.
- Session 2-C. A Recipe for Rubrics: Process Steps for Validity and Reliability in Rubric Formation for Accreditation or Program Alignment Purposes
(Mistie L. Potts, Dr. Stacy Stetzel, Manchester University)
Since Popham’s (1997) seminal work outlining rubric criteria and structure, rubrics have been a familiar term in educational assessment, though interpretations and forms vary greatly. To meet the demands for accountability and accreditation, rubrics are increasingly present or mandated in higher education (Dawson, 2017; Middaugh, 2010). We agree that cohesive assessment and curriculum design are essential for effective instruction. Yet, with limited funding and personnel, smaller institutions may struggle to dedicate the necessary time and faculty resources to rubric development. Through our experiences, a practical and succinct process for revising rubrics and establishing rubric validity and reliability has emerged. We provide tools and examples which may be generalizable to other educational settings while balancing faculty or administrative tasks. We bring participants along in the journey of validation using an inquiry-based model and interactive techniques. Participants will experience a simulated data collection activity and identify practical ways to implement rubric reliability and validity processes in their own settings
- Session 2-D. Hyflex, Developmental Students, and “Sorry Professor, I’m doing my laundry.” (Roundtable Discussion)
(Linda M. Valley, Indiana Tech)
This session will look to identify the characteristics of developmental students, the challenges the hyflex platform presents for them, and ways to design and implement overall support. These students are in college-level courses across the university and are struggling to know what decisions to make and when. All students can benefit from instructors considering the peripheral needs of underprepared or 1st generation students if we are intentional in addressing them. We will look at 1) the personal and academic practices students need to develop and 2) how we can integrate them through classroom practices, pedagogy, and curriculum in any discipline.
- Session 2-E. Engaging Pre-Service ELL Teachers: Innovating Field Placements through the English Language Partners Program During Emergency Remote Teaching
(Mary Elizabeth Encabo, Dr. Shannon T. Bischoff , Purdue Fort Wayne)
As a response to restrictions on field placement experiences, 2 Purdue Fort Wayne TENL/TESOL faculty leveraged existing partnerships with universities in Myanmar to create virtual classrooms to meet the field placement needs of pre-service ELL teachers. The English Language Partners (ELP) Program involved 22 college students who each taught 10-12 non-native English speakers from Myanmar in weekly virtual English classes. In this interactive session, we describe the process of developing the program, the impact on the students, and how the program will be incorporated into future courses at Purdue Fort Wayne. The program illustrates how innovation can arise in times of crises, transform institutional practices in a positive way, and deepen and sustain already existing international partnerships. Crucially, the program models for pre-service ELL teachers how technology can be used to enhance learning in the U.S. and abroad. Through the power of entrepreneurial thinking, both faculty and college students have increased their level of engagement with their learning and taken advantage of new learning opportunities while overcoming setbacks and limitations that have been presented by this pandemic.
- Session 2-F. Improving Student Interactions with Primary Literature Using Single-Slide Presentations
(Jennifer Robison, Cassie Gohn, Manchester University)
Interacting with peer-reviewed literature is a skill undergraduates need to develop to be successful in STEM. The highly technical and densely packed information is intimidating to students resulting in struggles to engage with and learn from literature. This semester long activity was designed to provide students with low risk, guided practice in analyzing and summarizing primary literature. Multiple times across the semester, student groups presented on different articles selected by the instructor to match concepts with current research. Students were provided a single slide template containing space for background, methods, results, and application. The limited space of a single slide pushed students to summarize the literature succinctly. In the pilot study (BIOL363 Cellular Biology, 9 students), students indicated in a post-semester survey that this process allowed them to connect classroom material with real world applications, made them think more critically about the literature, and was an engaging way to interact with the literature.
- **Session 2-G. Teaching Paperless - Using Microsoft OneNote for Course Instruction and Student Questions
Presentation
(Debbie Youse, Ivy Tech)
One of the challenges of online and virtual courses that are STEM based is how to present material that is often best shown written by hand, such as math equations and graphs. I will present how I have replaced the use of paper and whiteboards in my teaching by using OneNote. I will also show and discuss some options for students to show me their work to support their answers by using OneNote or also Word or PowerPoint. All these tools work best with a touch screen device or tablet & pen, but all can still be utilized with just a regular computer or laptop.
- Session 2-H. Teaching in the time of Covid: The urgent need to “pivot” towards our students
(Worth Weller, Purdue Fort Wayne)
Although universities are successfully adjusting to the disruption of Covid-19, our students still face vast uncertainties. As we “pivot” towards increased online education and hybrid models, it is our obligation to examine the consequences for our students of our new strategies, reports Scott (2020) in the article “Education during COVID‐19: pivots and consequences.” Equally urgent, researchers from a Brazilian dentistry school write that stress factors related to the pandemic will likely have “problematic and lasting effects” (Silva et al., 2020).
With these warnings in mind, I maintain it is our obligation to “pivot” towards our students in an attempt to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on their learning. As the pandemic continues to unfold, our students clearly need extra attention to help them meet course learning goals. However, instructors don’t always have extra time.
Relying on my own lengthy experience teaching online, I intend to facilitate a discussion of best practices to provide personalized attention to our students without crashing our own workloads. Current academic literature as well as my own survey data will be presented to open the discussion, then we will break into virtual groups using Google Meet and Google Jamboard to brainstorm and compile our solutions.
- 2020 Conference
The 23rd Annual Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference was held on Friday, February 21, 2020, at the Purdue Fort Wayne International Ballroom.
Charles Blaich, Keynote Speaker
Charles Blaich directs the Center of Inquiry at Wabash College and the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS). Blaich taught for nearly 20 years at the University of Connecticut, Eastern Illinois University, and Wabash College before taking on his current work. Blaich collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa, University of Michigan, Miami University, and ACT to design and implement the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education. In 2011, Blaich became director of the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium, a 135-institution collaborative that shares data to improve student learning, equity, and student success.
Blaich’s most recent publications include Clear and Organized Teaching: Simple in Concept, But Hard in Practice; The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: New Challenges to Using Evidence to Improve Student Learning; and Engaging with Diversity: How Positive and Negative Diversity Interactions Influence Students' Cognitive Outcomes.
Kathleen Wise, Keynote Speaker
Kathleen Wise is the associate director of the Center of Inquiry at Wabash College and the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS). Wise earned her undergraduate degree from Yale University and her MBA from the University of Chicago. Wise joined the Center of Inquiry in 2004 and has worked with well over 100 colleges and universities to evaluate programs, offices, and institutional assessment plans and improve student learning, equity, and student success. She also taught a business/entrepreneurship program at Wabash College.
Her most recent publications include Clear and Organized Teaching: Simple in Concept, But Hard in Practice; Approaching Big Survey Data One Byte at a Time; and Engaging with Diversity: How Positive and Negative Diversity Interactions Influence Students' Cognitive Outcomes.
Session Titles and Abstracts
- Key note session: "The Long and Short of the Many Benefits of Good Teaching"
The Long and Short of the Many Benefits of Good Teaching
Duration: 50 minutes
In this session, we will review our findings from two national studies on the positive impact of good teaching for college students. Our quantitative and qualitative research focuses both on the impact of good teaching for students while they are in college as well as the impact of good teaching one, five, and ten years after students graduate. Finally, we will review the research on the connection between good teaching and high-impact practices.
- Plenary session: "The Road to Good Teaching is Paved with Good Intentions"
The Road to Good Teaching is Paved with Good Intentions
Duration: 45 minutes
What is it about good teaching that makes it effective? There’s a great deal of research on the link between good teaching practices and the cognitive mechanisms that support learning. What’s less well-known is the affective component of learning and teaching. In this session, we will review the results of hundreds of interviews that we’ve conducted with students about how they experience and interpret the intentions of their teachers based on the pedagogies and practices that teachers use. We will also discuss how these interpretations shape student learning.
- Session A. Helping Students Increase Cognitive Complexity: Constructivist and Phenomenological Methods
(Dr. Brett D. Wilkinson, Purdue Fort Wayne)
Student growth beyond a rigid, dualistic mindset involves expanding mental models via differentiated complexity, a hallmark feature of constructivist teaching methods. However, developing an adaptive, relativistic mindset requires integrative complexity using phenomenological methods. The presenter will demonstrate instructional methods that examine the integrative relationship between abstract concepts and lived experience.
Download Powerpoint - Session B. A Student Perspective: Restructuring Education to be more Creative and Interdisciplinary
(Dr. Alicia Wireman, Maxwell Craft, Dustan Herendeen, Indiana Tech)
Finding innovative ways to assess students is challenging, and students may get bored with the monotony of assignments. Therefore, this presentation will include students sharing their own perspectives on how professors can give students a say in how they are assessed while simultaneously maintaining the course objectives.
- Session C. Multiple Choice Questions for Subject Matter Novices, an Application of Small Teaching
(Dr. Gary Greene, Trine University)
Presents an application of James Lang’s Small Teaching that focuses on using multiple-choice questions to limit student cognitive load while practicing retrieval and learning new topics. The presentation applies the method described to teach the audience. The presentation provides multi-discipline examples. Participants are guided through developing their own examples.
Download Powerpoint - Session D. Addressing Student Anxiety in the Classroom: Implementing Evidence-Base Strategies of Mindfulness, Relationship-Building, and Resiliency
(Dr. Sonia R. Strevy, Jennifer Mays, Renee M. Hammond, Patty Rinker, Amber Yoder, Elizabeth Gray, Dr. Mary Spath, University of Saint Francis)
Presenters include the anxiety study research team, the faculty involved in the classroom pilot, and two students who participated in the course. We will introduce the evidence-based framework which includes mindfulness, relationship-building and resiliency, and have students share their experiences as members of the course where the interventions were piloted.
Download Powerpoint - Session E. Assessment in Diversity in STEM Classrooms
(Amy Shank, Dr. Julie Davis Good, Indiana Tech)
Diverse student populations bring numerous challenges to class, notably lack of preparation, differential ability, understanding/ESL, and cultural differences. As STEM professors, we use positive approaches through relationship-based education to fill the gaps. Case studies illustrate our approach to student success in the midst of diversity.
- Session G. What does Cognitive Science Say about The Curse of Knowledge?
(Shari Benyousky, Purdue Fort Wayne)
This presentation explores the importance of understanding and anticipating classroom and student audience’s point of view and what the newest research into cognitive science tells us about the curse of pre-knowledge.
Download Powerpoint - Session H. Applying an Online Tool to Improve Communication in Courses and Projects
(Dr. Zesheng Chen, Dr. Chao Chen, Purdue Fort Wayne)
In this presentation, we will discuss how an online tool, Slack, helps improve communication in courses and projects, and thus enhances students’ learning. Moreover, we will show the assessment on students’ perception about applying Slack, as well as comments or feedback about the impact of Slack on their learning.
Download Powerpoint - Session I. A 360 Degree Graduate Course Assessment Methodology to SLO Mastery
(Dr. Clifford Buttram, Jr., University of Saint Francis)
This presentation will focus on the implementation of a 360-degree instructor and student assessment of graduate course SLO mastery within the 8-week modality. The approached focus is to format the course assessment twice in 8 weeks to capture the student’s analysis of the instructor’s methodology and synthesis in achieving SLO mastery. Conversely, the focus also allows the instructor to assess the student’s progression and evaluation of achieving SLO mastery.
Download Powerpoint - Session J. Best Practices in Service-Learning: Impacting Student Success
(Dr. Caitlin Krouse, Dr. Paul Schmidt, University of Saint Francis)
Attendees will learn about research that supports service-learning and its positive impact on student success. We will discuss best-practices for implementing service-learning into coursework and share examples of this experiential learning. Faculty will see that service-learning can be added to any course, including undergraduate and graduate courses, online learning environments, and all disciplines.
Download Powerpoint - Session K. But I’m Really Tired and Hungry Right Now: Listening Behavior in the College Classroom
(Dr. Mary Lahman, Dr. Susan Klein, Manchester University)
Presenters share the results of their teaching and learning research that crosses academic discipline and level. Exploring the extent to which an awareness of the automatic thinking processes affects student ability to listen in the college classroom, they found students could make choices to improve their ability to listen in classrooms across academic disciplines and levels.
Download Powerpoint - Session L. The Challenges and Rewards of Educating White Students about Racism: Experiences and Reflections of an African American Professor at a Predominantly White Institution
(Dr. Alicia Dailey, Manchester University)
The session will begin with a brief literature review of the challenges that African American faculty at predominantly white institutions face. Next, the presentation will cover challenges and choices that one professor has faced in the classroom and community. Last, changes in some white students’ thinking and behavior are presented.
Download Powerpoint - Session M. Put the Hammer Down and Build Your Teaching Toolbox
(Dr. Jeremy A. Rentz, Trine University)
Start expanding your teaching toolbox by experiencing and practicing intentional questions during this session. Centered on retrieval practice, intentional questions break up your class and engage students with course content to improve student learning.
Download Powerpoint - Session N. Unlocking Grit and Growth Mindset in a Graduate Curriculum
(Joshua Fairbanks, Dr. Courtney Lloyd, University of Saint Francis)
After being introduced to the concepts of ‘grit and mindset’ and the research detailing the role of these traits in developing critical thinking skills, participants will collaboratively discuss ideas as to how best to monitor and measure these attributes in their students and incorporate this research into their program curricula.
Download Powerpoint - Session O. How to Increase Student Self Efficacy, Persistence and Success through Assessment and Self-Reflection in a College Preparedness Course for Adult Learners
(Nicole Scott, Dr. Courtney Shull, Indiana Tech)
This interactive session will discuss the importance of self–assessments and holistic wellness in an academic success course for new adult students. Attendees will learn how to engage adult students through course work with the desired outcome of an increase in self-efficacy, persistence and academic performance in subsequent courses.
Download Powerpoint - Session P. Use TACtivity, Technology and Reflections to Engage Students and Enhance learning
(Dr. Yun Su, Indiana Tech)
This presentation shares using TACtivity, Kahoot, Geogebra, First Day Questionnaire, and exam wrapper to increase learning, build engagement, establish relationships, and collaborate. This is hands-on, interactive experience to share tools, reflections, tips, and lessons learned from my classrooms.
Download Powerpoint - Session R. Engaging “Drew”: Slow thinking for deep learning
(Michelle Blank, Trine University)
Venture into the field of learning science as we explore techniques (methods, ways, means) to stimulate learning by employing strategies that move learners past the quick answer. Through the application of concrete examples and elaboration we’ll design learning opportunities for engaged note-making, test preparation, and inclass learner practice.
Download Powerpoint - Session S. Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors Associated with First-Year Student Outcomes
(Dr. Monica L. Heller, Dr. Mike Martynowicz, University of Saint Francis)
This presentation shares data from a study of the Fall 2019 first-year student cohort at the University of Saint Francis. Emphasis was placed on measuring student well-being and academic outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress, sleep, substance use, motivation, self-efficacy, cognitive self-regulation, GPA) at the beginning and end of the semester.
- Session T. Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Practical Tips and Reflections
(Dr. Cortney Robbins, Kayla Crecelius, Michael Dunne Steece, Indiana Tech)
This interactive session will provide a framework and practical tips for creating and managing an inclusive classroom. Examples, reflections, and feedback will be used to demonstrate effective methods of inclusion, as well as ways to promote and encourage an inclusive classroom environment.
Download Powerpoint - Session U. The Servant Professor
(Dr. Scott Liebhauser, Indiana Tech)
The goal of this presentation is to promote servant leadership in the classroom with the goal of building trust with students. As a basis, I will be using my own career and classroom experiences while leaning on the academic works of Robert Greenleaf (The Servant as Leader) as well as Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner (The Leadership Challenge).
Download Powerpoint - Session V. Increasing Student Engagement with Challenge-based Learning—[Smart] Hackathons
(Lucy L. La Hurreau, Kris Roberts, Dr. Darrel J.Kesler, Ivy Tech)
Hackathons are an informal method of learning. They tap into one’s competitive and inquisitive natures, provide incentives to advance technical skills, and enhance “soft skills.” Students at Ivy Tech are proof of the value of participating. Data demonstrate that they are now far more equipped for work in industry.
Download Powerpoint
- 2019 Conference
The 22nd Annual Fort Wayne Teaching and Learning Conference was held on Friday, February 22, 2019, at the Purdue Fort Wayne International Ballroom. Here is the conference information:
- Call for Proposals [PDF]
- Proposal Submission Questions [PDF]
- Proposal Submissions Here
- Registration
- Agenda [PDF]
- Program [PDF]
- Feedback Survey
- Presentation [PPTX]
Richard Ruhrold, Keynote Speaker
Richard Ruhrold earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 1986 from the University of Michigan. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of Indiana. Ruhrold currently serves as senior vice president for clinical operations and chief psychologist at the Otis R. Bowen Center. The Bowen Center is a large comprehensive mental health center employing over 1,200 staff and serving over 30,000 clients across an 18-county region of northern Indiana. Ruhrold has worked in community mental health for over 30 years and has been in continuous clinical practice for 37.
He is a national board-certified fellow and trainer in clinical hypnotherapy. His areas of specialization include early childhood trauma, complex trauma, and the development of trauma-informed systems for effective community intervention with high-risk youth and their families. He also practices and provides professional training on topics related to the relationship of trauma to mental illness, substance use and chronic disease, chronic disease management and health behavior change. He has been well received for his many professional seminars and educational presentations in Indiana and across the region.
Participating Colleges and Universities
Marcia Dixson, Ph. D.
Professor of Communication and Associate Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning,
[email protected]
Rula Mourad, Ph. D.
Professor, Department Chair, and Director for Center of Teaching and Learning
[email protected]
Kathryn L. Davis, Ph. D.
Associate Professor of Chemistry
[email protected]
Tanner Babb, Ph. D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
[email protected]
Courtney C. Shull, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Science
[email protected]
Jeremy Rentz, Ph. D.
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
[email protected] - 10:00-10:45am: Session 1-A to Session 1-G
