Pew FTLC has moved  to 068 James H. Zumberge Hall. Our beautiful suite faces the pond. Feel free to drop by and visit or browse our expanded library.

Our content has been rearranged and expanded. Teaching resources have been expanded, particularly in the areas of online/hybrid teaching, collaborative learning, the national conversation around teaching and learning, and course design frameworks. Other pages are still being improved, so more to come later this semester.

With the Fall semester behind you, if your schedule permits participation in a mentoring group, it is not too late! We have openings for First Year Faculty Mentoring Communities, which meet approximately twice a month. Faculty members in years 2-7 are welcome to join Faculty-2-Faculty Mentoring groups, which meet once per month. Contact Patty Stow Bolea at boleap@gvsu.edu to inquire.

Would you like a great excuse to read and discuss a topic of interest related to teaching and learning with colleagues? Join one of the following Winter 2015 Book Discussion Groups. To sign up, email us at ftlc@gvsu.edu, indicating which group is of interest. Teaching Circles will begin meeting in mid- to late-January, so please RSVP promptly.

Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning
Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel, 2014

Meetings: Thursdays, 1-2:30 pm: 1/29, 2/19, 3/19, 4/9 in 068 JHZ

How can we help our students become more productive learners and adopt evidence-based study habits? In this Teaching Circle, we will discuss the research findings regarding learning and memory presented in Make it Stick and share implications and applications. This book uniquely combines cognitive psychology research, storytelling, and practical suggestions for students and instructors. Facilitator: Christine Rener, Pew FTLC

The Learning Portfolio: Reflective Practice for Improving Student Learning, 2nd ed.
John Zubizarreta, 2009

Meeting Location and Times: TBD

Learning portfolios are a highly effective way to track student learning and having students reflect on what they include helps to make them both more cognizant of their own development and more responsible for their own learning. Participants will examine examples of portfolios currently used in programs at Grand Valley and consider the development and implementation of their own. Facilitators: Regina Smith and Janel Pettes Guikema, Modern Languages and Literatures

Do Babies Matter? Gender and Family in the Ivory Tower
Mary Ann Mason, Nicholas H. Wolfinger, Marc Goulden, 2013

Meeting Location and Times: Allendale, TBD

The text offers a comprehensive examination of the relationship between family formation and the academic careers of men and women.  It includes concrete strategies for providing a family-friendly environment at every career stage.  Participants will use the text as a guide for further discussion of practices and policies at GVSU. Facilitators: Gretchen Galbraith, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Ellen Schendel, Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Kathleen Underwood, Women and Gender Studies

Contemplative Practices in Higher Education: Powerful Methods to Transform Teaching and Learning
Daniel Barbezat and Mirabai Bush, 2013

Meeting Location and Times: TBD

The application of mindfulness and other contemplative practices to the teaching and learning process has myriad benefits. In this book that has been described as an “instant classic,” a theoretical background for contemplative practices in higher education is presented, followed by examples of a wide range of practices being used in classrooms around the country. These practices include deep listening, reading and writing, contemplative movement, compassion, and mindful awareness, all presented with sample guidelines and assignments. We used this text in a multi-day faculty retreat last year and have received many requests to offer additional opportunities to explore this topic further. Facilitator: TBD

Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time
Linda Nilson, 2014

Meeting Location and Times: Pew Grand Rapids Campus, Thursday afternoon, TBD

In this hot-off-the-press book by a leading teaching and learning expert, a novel approach to testing and grading is presented. Nilson’s approach focuses on clarifying student expectations, increasing student motivation, and upholding rigor. Those interested in competency-based courses will find this book of particular interest. This teaching circle will focus on graduate education. Facilitator: Jody Vogelzang, Public Health

Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning
José Bowen, 2012

Meeting Location and Times: Pew Grand Rapids Campus, Tuesday mornings, TBD

Despite the provocative title, this book describes a cycle of learning that maximized in-class interactions as well as the use of lo-fi technology before and after class to reinforce learning. If you are interested in the “flipped classroom” approach, this book is an excellent read. Bowen’s approach is grounded in research-based principles about how people learn and balances well the theoretical and the practical. In this Teaching Circle, we will walk through his model and discuss a variety of ways in which to implement his suggestions - both in and out of the classroom. Facilitator: Christine Rener, Pew FTLC

“Community as Classroom” Community-based Learning as Justice-oriented Education
Friday, January 16, 10 – 11:30 am, University Club, Room 107C, Richard M. DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

Are we teaching students to tackle systemic issues or to simply fulfill hours for a class? How do we help students understand social justice and long-term partnerships while engaging in (short-term) community-based learning? Join us to explore these questions and discuss solutions with a panel of current GVSU students and faculty and community partners. Participants will leave with an increased understanding of "justice learning," an approach to community-based learning from a social justice perspective, as well as an increased knowledge of the potential tensions that exist in community-based learning and exploration of tools to address these tensions.

“Community as Classroom” Partnership Showcase
Friday, January 30, 10 am – 1 pm, 
Multi-Purpose Room LIB 030,    Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons, Allendale Campus

The showcase promises to provide a lively forum for exchanging ideas and engaging in conversation with a diverse array of community partners and Grand Valley faculty, staff, and students who are actively involved in community-based projects. Stop by at anytime, enjoy a free catered lunch, and learn about current community-based teaching and research initiatives. 

An AWE Approach: Acting as Cultural Navigators, Working Across Divisions, Ensuring Student Success
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, Ohio State University
Wednesday, February 4, 9 am – noon
2250 Russell H. Kirkhof Center, Allendale Campus

You are invited to the first in a new series of professional development opportunities, focusing on student success. Dr. Terrell Strayhorn is the director of the Center for Higher Education Enterprise and professor of Higher Education in the Department of Educational Studies within the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. In this presentation, Dr. Strayhorn will describe what it means to become a “cultural navigator” committed to increasing the odds for student success. He also will describe meaningful ways faculty, staff, students, and student services professionals can develop meaningful partnerships that are student-centered, encourage ownership of student success for all, and provide momentum to ensure student success at Grand Valley State University. Please RSVP here.

We recently launched a new Strong Start Initiative, led by Kurt Ellenberger in the Pew FTLC. The Initiative got off to a “strong start" (pun intended) last semester as the Strong Start Faculty Learning Community studied some of the scholarship that has been done on first-year student success while at the same time delving into Grand Valley’s solutions and challenges in developing systems to promote and assist with first-year student success. The Faculty Learning Community drafted a set of survey questions to gather information about local attitudes and perceptions regarding first-year students. Look for your survey invite soon.

The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) takes the scholarly teaching process to the next level, involving systematic study of teaching methods and/or student learning and then public dissemination of findings. Throughout the semester, these mailings will highlight SoTL activities taking place at GVSU. For now, we invite you to review our new website collection of SoTL resources and consider attending or presentation at the following conference. The sixth annual Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Academy will be held at the University of Findlay in Ohio, May 18-19, 2015. Proposals are being accepted until February 28.