Unlock the full potential of SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) beyond satisfying academic curiosity. Engaging in SoTL not only enhances your teaching practice and effectiveness, benefiting your students, but it also strengthens your PTR documentation by showcasing your commitment to continual improvement. Moreover, SoTL offers accessible research opportunities without the heavy financial demands of traditional research.

Join this workshop to explore key aspects such as topic identification, study design, and data collection planning, empowering you to integrate scholarly inquiry into your teaching.

Register - https://fins.uconn.edu/secure_inst/workshops/workshop_view.php?ser=3216

Online discussions are used to build dynamic learning communities, to synthesize key concepts, and to promote critical thinking skills. Join us as we discuss tips for writing engaging prompts and successfully facilitating asynchronous discussion forums. We will be sharing examples from a number of different disciplines.

By the end of this webinar, participants should be able to:
* Discuss the benefits of using asynchronous discussion forums.
* Discuss strategies for writing engaging prompts.
* Identify examples of engaging discussion prompts across disciplines.
* Discuss tips for facilitating discussion forums.
* Discuss grading of online discussions.

Please note: The focus of this webinar is asynchronous online discussions.

Register - https://fins.uconn.edu/secure_inst/workshops/workshop_view.php?ser=3196

Undergraduate programs identified their learning objectives, mapped courses and assessment measures to these objectives, and developed the assessment plans for reporting and reflecting on student learning. As programs implement their assessment plan, some programs identify challenges, whether that is the objectives not representing the program as well as expected or the courses do not map strongly to the objectives or course assessments do not measure the objectives or the plan is not feasible or sustainable. In this interactive session, Diego Valente will discuss strategies for giving your objectives, maps, assessment alignments, data collection, and assessment process a refresh based on the program’s experience. Attendees will be encouraged to share their own experiences in order to strategize how to address challenges.

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, maintaining an effective and relevant assessment plan is crucial for ensuring program quality and student success. This one-hour workshop, led by Senior Academic Program Assessment Fellow expert Diego Valente, offers a comprehensive approach to refreshing your academic program’s assessment strategy. Many undergraduate programs have established learning objectives, mapped courses, and developed assessment plans. However, as these plans are implemented, challenges often emerge:

- Learning objectives may no longer accurately represent the program

- Course mappings may reveal weak alignments with objectives

- Assessment measures may inadequately capture student learning

- Plans may prove unsustainable or impractical in practice

This interactive session will equip participants with practical strategies to address these common issues and revitalize their assessment plans. Key topics include:

• Re-evaluating and refining program learning objectives

• Strengthening course-to-objective mapping

• Aligning assessments with learning objectives

• Enhancing data collection methods

• Streamlining the assessment process for sustainability

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Identify areas for improvement in their current assessment plans
2. Apply strategies to realign learning objectives with program goals
3. Develop more effective course-to-objective mappings
4. Design assessments that accurately measure intended learning outcomes
5. Implement efficient and sustainable assessment processes

Whether you’re facing specific assessment hurdles or simply seeking to enhance your program’s evaluation methods, this workshop offers valuable insights and practical solutions for giving your assessment plan the refresh it needs. Join us to ensure your academic program’s assessment strategy remains robust, relevant, and aligned with your educational goals.

Registration link: https://fins.uconn.edu/secure_inst/workshops/workshop_view.php?ser=3263

Are you planning on offering a hybrid or blended course? This webinar will provide an introduction to how UConn defines hybrid and blended course modalities. We will discuss the benefits, challenges, and elements of quality found in hybrid and blended courses. In addition, we will provide some resources and tools for you to get started with your hybrid or blended course.

A webinar link will be sent to participants a few days before the event. You will benefit the most from this webinar if you attend using a computer rather than a mobile device or connecting via telephone.

Register - https://fins.uconn.edu/secure_inst/workshops/workshop_view.php?ser=3217

This session will discuss the accommodations process for students with disabilities, student and instructor rights and responsibilities, and student versus employment accommodations. The information shared will be relevant to both graduate students and Graduate Assistants who serve in a teaching/instructor role. Time will be available at the end of the session for participant questions.

FACILITATOR:

• Jennifer Lucia, Senior Associate Director, Center for Students with Disabilities

See more about all Timely Topics offered by The Graduate School.

Please register to receive a Webex link for this event.

Are you interested in learning about flipped classroom approaches? This webinar will introduce you to the topic of designing a flipped course. We will describe the reasons for wanting to flip a course, explain how this delivery approach will benefit you and your students, and identify specific pedagogical challenges. Also, we will highlight some of the tools and methods available for creating a flipped course.

By the end of this webinar, participants should be able to:

* Describe the characteristics of a flipped class/course.
* Explain how flipping a course can benefit you and your students.
* Identify specific challenges to take into account as you flip a course.
* Plan a flipped lesson.
* Recognize the tools and resources available for flipping courses.

Register - https://fins.uconn.edu/secure_inst/workshops/workshop_view.php?ser=3220

Special topics in facilitating class discussions
November 15, 12:15 – 1:15
Online, link will be sent to registered participants
Presenters: Tina Huey, Rachel Prunier, CETL – Faculty Development

Please join CETL staff for a facilitated session to share your experiences and questions. Session will be capped at 20 and will not be recorded. Suggestions will be provided for:

• Determining whether or not to have a discussion, and how long it should be
• Designing your class to activate student voice
• Supporting equitable participation
• Navigating difficult moments

This is an interactive session.

Register - https://fins.uconn.edu/secure_inst/workshops/workshop_view.php?ser=3268

Key performance indicators (KPI) are holistic measures of student success. They are quantifiable measures aligned with an academic program’s mission and priority. To date, undergraduate programs have identified or are finalizing key performance indicators as part of the assessment process. In this interactive session, Diego Valente will discuss defining key performance indicators, determining if the KPI aligns with the program’s priorities, determining if and how to impact change, identifying ways to gather or locate the data, and considering ways to look at data from a DEI perspective. Attendees will be encouraged to share their own experiences in order to strategize how to address challenges.

In the pursuit of academic excellence and student achievement, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have emerged as critical tools for measuring and driving student success. This workshop, led by Senior Academic Program Assessment Fellow Diego Valente, offers a deep dive into the world of KPIs in program assessment. As undergraduate programs across the university reflect on or finalize their KPIs, this session will allow participants explore the intricate process of defining, aligning, and leveraging KPIs to enhance program outcomes and student success. Key topics will include:

• Defining robust and meaningful Key Performance Indicators

• Aligning KPIs with program missions and strategic priorities

• Strategies for impacting change through KPI-driven insights

• Approaches to data collection and analysis

• Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) perspectives in KPI assessment

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Craft precise and impactful KPIs tailored to their program’s unique context
2. Evaluate the alignment between KPIs and program priorities
3. Develop action plans for driving positive change based on KPI data
4. Implement effective strategies for gathering and analyzing relevant data
5. Apply a DEI lens to KPI interpretation and utilization

Attendees are encouraged to share their experiences, challenges, and successes. Whether you’re refining existing KPIs or starting from scratch, this workshop offers valuable tools and techniques to enhance your program’s assessment process and drive student success.

Registration link: https://fins.uconn.edu/secure_inst/workshops/workshop_view.php?ser=3262