TFSC Virtual Winter Teaching Symposium Scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 6

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James Lang, professor of English and director of the D'Amour Center for Teaching Excellence at Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

In the classroom, little changes can make a big difference. Join us on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, to hear noted educator James Lang talk about "Small Teaching: From Minor Changes to Major Learning." 

Noted educator, author, and faculty development expert James Lang will be the keynote speaker at the Teaching and Faculty Support Center's 2021 Winter Teaching Symposium to be held via Zoom from 9-11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Lang is a professor of English and the director of the D'Amour Center for Teaching Excellence at Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He writes a monthly column on teaching and learning for the Chronicle of Higher Education and is the author of five books, including 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 form Academic Dishonesty (Harvard University Press, 2013).

Lang's keynote presentation, "Small Teaching: From Minor Changes to Major Learning," will focus on research from the learning sciences and a variety of educational settings that suggest a small number of key principles that can improve learning in almost any type of college course, from traditional lectures to flipped classrooms, face-to-face or online. His presentation will introduce some of these key principles, offer practical suggestions for implementation, and guide faculty participants to consider how these principles and practices can be incorporated into their courses.

Winter Teaching Symposium participants will also be able to participate in one of five breakout sessions on a variety of topics. Topics and presenters include:

• COVID 19 Facts and Myths: Knowledge is Power ... and Safety, Huda Sharif, M.D., medical director, Pat Walker Health Center
• Look Alive! Tips for Engaging Students in the Physical and/or Virtual Classroom, Samantha Robinson, teaching assistant professor, Mathematical Sciences
• Students These Days!  Lori Lander, assistant vice chancellor for campus life; Mary Margaret Hui, assistant director for first-generation student support; Trevor Francis, director of student success
• Teaching as Storytelling, Robert "Bob" Kienzle, UA alumnus and senior consultant, Knowmium
• Getting to know the NEW Blackboard: A Sneak Peek¸ The TIPS Team: Shelly Walters, associate director of instructional design and support services; Kathryn Zawisza, director of academic technology and innovation; and Chris Bray, Blackboard administrator, IT Services

Click here to RSVP for the Virtual Winter Teaching Symposium. We will send the zoom link and information for joining the presentation the day before the event. The link will open at 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 6, and the program will begin at 9 a.m. Plan to join early and spend a few minutes catching up with your colleagues. We look forward to seeing you on Jan. 6!