Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

2007-2008 Discussion Topics

Fall 2007:

October 25, 2007 - Teaching Academy Discussion Series: Dr. John Delamater, Professor of Sociology, facilitated a discussion for implementing real changes in the classroom that improve teaching and learning.

November 29, 2007 - Teaching Academy Discussion Series:“How to help students be successful in college.  Observations on an unfolding journey or what I've learned so far experimenting in my classroom. ” Dr. Henriques discussed different strategies that he has implemented in his Introductory Psychology classes, some of which worked and some which didn’t, along with directions for future inquiry.

Spring 2008:

January 31, 2008- Teaching Academy Discussion with Barb Ingham: "Technology in Education: Friend or Foe, " from 3:30-5:00 in 350 Bascom. The discussion, sometimes heated, surrounds the debate over the presence of technology in higher education. This discussion began by previewing 2 short videos: A Vision of Students Today and Academia 2.0.  Then moved into a discussion around five important questions introduced (but not answered) in these videos: Are students today different than 20 years ago? Is education trapped? Is academia still relevant? Can you get a meaningful educational experience online? Is online education destined to replace the classroom lecture?

February 21, 2008 - Teaching Academy Discussion with Sarah McDaniel, Ron Cramer, Renee Schuh and Maddy Covelli: "Today’s Wired Students: Learning Preferences and Teaching Tips" from 3:30-5:00 in 220 Ingraham. This discussion focused on the characteristics of today’s undergraduates – wired, “NetGen,” Millenials, multitaskers, etc ... – that get a lot of press. What does the research tell us about today’s students and their expectations for technology in the classroom? What are the implications of these characteristics and expectations for teaching and learning on college campuses?

In this session, we reviewed some research on today’s undergraduates and explored
the perceived generation gap, nationally and at UW Madison. We discussed considerations for working effectively with this student population, explored our assumptions about student skills, and presented some practical strategies for creating engaging and supportive learning experiences for all students.

March 27, 2008 - Teaching Academy Discussion with Paula Jarzemsky, Jayne McGrath and Diana Girdley: "Using Technology to Improve Teaching: Lessons from Clinical Skills Training," from 3:30-5:00 in the Health Sciences Learning Center room 1203. In its 2003 document, Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality, the Institute of Medicine asserted that doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals are not being educated to provide the highest quality and safest care possible. Educators must ensure that students learn to work as part of interdisciplinary teams and utilize information technology, so as to deliver care that is patient-centered, evidence-based, and focused on quality improvement. Colleagues from the School of Nursing described recent innovations in teaching within laboratory, clinical and classroom settings. They also shared their inspiration and outcomes associated with efforts to: 1) implement clinical simulation in the nursing skills lab; 2) pilot the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) as a clinical reference tool and 3) examine self-reported knowledge, skill and use of informatics competencies among undergraduate nursing students.