Enhancing Teaching & Learning Conference march 5, 2022

Presenters' Abstracts

Session 1 (9-9:50am)

The Journey Continues, David J. Carter, MidAmerican Nazarene University

The continuing spread of the pandemic has psychological effects on many individuals. As an instructor of graduate students in counselor education for over 30 years, I have always believed that students enhance their education and worldview, not by reading about it, by immersing themselves in the culture from a Transactional Analysis Model (TAM). During the Pandemic these opportunities for engagement in the community has been severely limited, but we have been able to provide students with the ability to apply their academic and clinical counseling skills to the community through teletherapy and video presentations. This 50-minute interactive presentation will explore the role that Transactional Analysis and diverse approaches can play in reducing the stress and feelings of powerlessness experienced by students and their families specifically, and our diverse community in general. We will discuss the process of helping our schools and communities enhance their well-being and provide strategies that students, parents, and the community can utilize as reflective activities to increase resiliency and empowerment in an ever-changing world.

Speed Getting to Know Your Audience/You, Deany Goode, Metropolitan Community College - Penn Valley

For this exercise, I use a combination of speed dating and 10 of 36 Questions That Lead to Love developed by psychologist Arthur Aron, Ph.D. Initially, I used this exercise to facilitate persuasive rhetorical mode by classmates getting to know each other. Unexpectedly, students became a supportive cohesive team. Numbers were requested, pictures were taken, and study groups voluntarily formed. I have since used variations as a team-building exercise for other classes and colleagues both in person and virtually with similar results. With the continuing challenges of Covid, quarantine, and virtual work, teaching, and learning, students and faculty have an urgent need for community. These questions help the whole person cultivate interpersonal skills in building teams and leading others.

The Proliferation of Ah-Ha Moments, Cynthia Heddlesten, Metropolitan Community College - Blue River

Occasionally when we learn something it comes about in a profound way; this may cause a “jolt” reaction when the connection is made. Sometimes we refer to these moments as light bulb moments, sometimes ah-ha moments, and sometimes despite the impact they have on us we do not label them at all. But these moments are unique and stand out to us as something different from “normal” learning. This research project, conducted prior to and during the pandemic, looked to answer whether “Ah-ha!” moments generated in the classroom discussion can proliferate to other students in the class. Findings showed that “Ah-ha!” moments can proliferate and typically occur through personal connections, growth of knowledge, new knowledge, and emotional connection. The proliferation occurred more often without the “unpacking” of an instructor and instead was more often generated by organic discussion between students.

Session 2 (10-10:50am)

Creating Experiential Learning Opportunities in Any Course, Timothy Hanrahan, Park University

Research has shown that students, when allowed to apply the cognitive information they learn through meaningful experiences, connect deeper with the material, and enjoy the classroom experience more (Helmefalk & Eklund, 2018; Munge et al., 2018). When we take a deeper look at when experiential learning opportunities are used, they are typically reserved for higher level classes that include service learning and internships that lead to a high impact experience. However, when we look at the definition of experiential learning, the concept is not as difficult to integrate in all experiences. Seven years ago, I transitioned to the college classroom from my work in K-12 education. I observed many professionals very rooted to the tradition of teaching using lecture and other direct instructional methods as the only pedagogical approach to classroom learning. I wanted to challenge myself to have students involved in experiential learning and have that be the crux of all my courses. Now, I have identified a sequence based on Kolb’s Learning Cycle that will incorporate experiential learning in classes and help embed the objectives of a course by creating contacts in the community that I would like to share. This work is based on an article I wrote for Faculty Focus in 2020 based on a design I used in teaching over 7 years. This presentation can involve a step-by-step process of the article to allow a more “hands on/active learning” session for participants that are interested in trying this for themselves.

Participation Contracts: Creating Buy-in and Agency in Your Students' Participation Goals, Emily Morrow, Kansas City Kansas Community College

Traditional attendance and participation methods, such as tallying classes attended and speaking time in class, do not adequately assess the range of participation activities a student can perform. Additionally, these measures can have implicit bias as they are often based on professors' memories, which is subjective. Using Alanna Gillis' Participation as Skill Building model, the presenter will describe her experience with switching from a tally, “butts in the seat” attendance policy to a more interactive "participation contract" model where she asks students to set participation goals, assess their existing participation skills and habits, and pick habits and skills to develop.

Making Groups Work: Team-Based Approaches for Transforming Teaching and Learning in the College Classroom, Debra Olson-Morrison, Avila University

Much evidence exists supporting Team-Based Learning (TBL) approaches in college classrooms (Michaelson et al., 2004). The TBL model purports strong and effective learning experiences that foster individual and group accountability through: providing immediate feedback on learning tasks; fostering communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills; and developing interpersonal skills within a structured group process. This presentation will focus on the basics of TBL, such as developing long-term working groups, creating effective TBL educational activities, and using formative and summative assessments of student learning. The presenter will discuss ways they’ve successfully incorporated TBL into the classroom, and use specific examples on how they’ve incorporated the TBL model into existing courses. The presenter will also trouble-shoot potential challenges that arise from team-based learning groups.

Session 3 (12:30-1:20pm)

The Power of Communication, Charlsie Prosser and Michaela Prosser, Baker University

How do you promote service learning? In this interactive session we will share a variety of ways to grow an authentic commitment to serve communities both as a group and individually. You will have the opportunity to hear perspectives from a professor and a student about the value of lifelong service. Building and sustaining community partnerships, pandemic challenges, and required community service assignments will be highlighted, as well as student-led service projects by our School of Education Ambassadors leadership group. There will be time to brainstorm possible community service opportunities for your own personal and professional growth.

Building Community During COVID: Lessons During Transition to Blended and Online Learning, Leslie Jensby and Nikki Pauls DeSimone, Park University

During the Covid-19 pandemic, like many universities across the United States, one small, private, Midwestern university opted to significantly reduce on-campus instruction. The bachelor's and master's of social work programs committed to structured and long-lasting synchronous (Zoom) and asynchronous (online) learning for the first time in department history. Although students and faculty reported feeling “safe” from the pandemic, adjustments to this new model were challenging for engagement and creating community.

In order to explore and analyze methods for adapting to this change in the classroom environment, the programs used existing teaching evaluations and new open-ended surveys. In this workshop, the authors will present their findings, lessons learned, and pedagogical strategies for addressing community and engagement in online/hybrid platforms.

Transitioning to multiple teaching modalities in higher education in any profession can present challenges in maintaining student engagement. The presenters will discuss findings from program evaluation and explore skills, tools, and techniques to promote connectedness between faculty and students.

Zoom Resources

Zoom Test - https://zoom.us/test

Zoom System Requirements - https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-Requirements-for-PC-Mac-and-Linux

Zoom Technical Support - https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362003-Zoom-Video-Communications-Technical-Support