New Year, New Horizons: Empowering Educators Friday, January 5 Conference Schedule

Friday, January 5
8 am – 8:20 am
Welcome to NEW Year, New Horizons: Empowering Educators (L) 

Open Forum 
Join us for an open forum to welcome you to New Year, New Horizons: Empowering Educators. 
Moderators: Neely Ann Sheucraft, Associate Professor, Communication Studies and Fellow, Teaching center and Kurstin Bush, Asst. Prof. of Education and Teaching Fellow

Friday, January 5, 2024
8:30 am – 9:20 am
Just what is a CRTP, anyway? (L, E, S, CRTP, ACUE)
 
Presentation
This presentation will take a look at what defines a Culturally Responsive Teaching Practice, some qualities teachers can develop to enhance CRTP effectiveness, and some Communication Theory to contextualize Culturally Responsive Teaching as a meaning-making practice. 
Presenter: Harlan Pease 
Recording of Presentation

Friday, January 5
9:30 am – 10:20 am
How Can I Help Students Persist in Their Studies? (L, E, A, D, S, CRTP, ACUE)
Presentation
I will share how I set myself and my students up for success at the beginning of the semester using D2L News and scheduling. Let’s face it, the more I prep the course the smoother it runs and the more on top of things I appear. I will also discuss emails and how to automate emails for students who may be struggling or excelling in the course. Some emails just need to be personal but others can still be impactful as automated emails.
Presenter: Rachel Lewis, Instructor of Biology
Recording of Presentation

Friday, January 5
10:30 am – 11:20 am
Outlining Meaningful Expectations for Respectful Dialogue: A Roadway to Cultural Awareness (L, E, A, S, CRTP, ACUE)
Presentation
In this presentation, I will talk about the importance of ensuring that our Syllabi set the tone for diversity and inclusion. I will share several successful examples of times when I have clearly outlined relevant expectations for respectful dialogue before discussing difficult cultural topics in my beginning Spanish classes. Through these examples, I will demonstrate how this approach has led to respectful and fruitful conversations that promote cultural awareness. This presentation is most applicable to the School of Arts and Humanities.
Presenter: Belkis Barrios, PhD.
Recording of Presentation

Friday, January 5
11:30 am – 1 pm New Faculty Orientation January Lunch Meeting – S-208, S-Building, White Bridge Road Campus
This orientation is limited to new full-time faculty. Invited attendees received a calendar invitation from Dr. Roberts.

Coordinator: Dr. Sarah Roberts

Friday, January 5
1 pm – 1:50 pm
SCALE-ing Up: Navigating Changing Landscapes and Avoiding Blindsides for Long-Term Success (L, E, A, D, S, CRTP, ACUE)
Presentation 

For higher education professionals in the ever-evolving landscape of academia, it is crucial to embrace change while staying dedicated to delivering student-centric teaching. Overlooking blindspots can have detrimental effects, including poor decision-making, reduced efficiency, and missed opportunities for growth. 

To support your pursuit of excellence, let’s explore the SCALE framework—an invaluable resource for not only adapting to change but flourishing within it. Through this framework, you will gain insights into Strategic Leadership, Communication, Adaptability, Learning and Evaluation, and Endurance. By leveraging these pillars, you can become a transformative leader and cultivate a thriving educational organization. 

While blindspots are inevitable, failure is not. Joining Breanna on a journey to SCALE will empower you to foster teamwork, tackle challenges, and make necessary adjustments along the way. This exceptional opportunity will inspire you to become a catalyst for change and innovation in your field, leaving you hungry for further growth and impact. 
Presenter: Breanna Waller, LPN, MBA Healthcare Administration 
Recording of Presentation

Friday, January 5
2 pm – 2:50 pm
Creating Choice and Student Agency in the Online Classroom  (L, E, S, CRTP)
 
Presentation
Permitting students to actively shape their learning and prioritizing student agency fosters a sense of ownership in their courses. Moreover, it allows students the opportunity to gain a deeper investment in their own education. For students to gain this agency in a course, substantive choices have to be provided by the instructor. These choices will guide what students learn as well as outline the steps they must take to get there. This can be taken a step further by allowing students to be part of the choice making process. One way these choices can be implemented in online courses is through the Release Conditions tool in D2L. This tool allows instructors to create a type of learning pathway that focuses on creating student choice and can be used to build student agencies throughout the learning process.
Presenter: Hannah Hurdle, Instructional Designer, Office of Online Learning 
Recording of Presentation