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Course design focus of Winter Faculty Institute

4:44 p.m., Jan. 19, 2005--UD’s 2005 Winter Faculty Institute kicked off Jan. 5 with “Designing Courses for Significant Learning,” an exploration of new ways to teach by L. Dee Fink, president of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education--the largest organization for faculty development in the United States.

Seventy UD faculty as well as faculty teams from Delaware State University and Delaware Technical and Community College participated in the interactive, hands-on session on innovative course design. They discussed key components of integrated course design and considered aspects of instructional context, learning outcomes, learning activities and feedback and assessment.

Fink also is director of the Instructional Development Program at the University of Oklahoma. His self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning is available online at [http://cte.udel.edu/bestpract.htm]. The book also is available for loan from UD’s Center for Teaching Effectiveness library.

Three activities building on Fink’s keynote address are slated for January:

• WebCT workshops, Jan. 24-28;
• The PRESENT’s Jan. 28 open house; and
• WebCT “Exemplary Applications Contest.”

“WebCT: Beyond the Basics” workshops, a weeklong series set Jan. 24-28, are designed to help implement principles of effective course design and provide opportunities for further application and practice. Register at [http://present.smith.udel.edu/calendar/] before classes are filled.

UD’s final Winter Faculty Institute will highlight new and established technologies for learning. An open house at the PRESENT on Jan. 28 will feature:

• "Educational Technologies to Go"--A demonstration of portable technology for educators, such as tablet PCs, Apple iPods, hand-held video devices and personal digital assistants (PDAs), that will explore the promise and potential pitfalls of these technologies for learning (1-2 p.m.).
• "PRESENT Solutions"--Mix, mingle, munch and learn in an informal setting with other faculty and the PRESENT staff. Staff will provide informal demonstrations of class communication, course management, simulation and animation, multimedia creation and digital storytelling. Faculty will be on hand to answer questions about their use of technology to enhance learning. Light refreshments will be provided (2-4 p.m.).

Register for the open house at [http://present.smith.udel.edu/calendar/detail.php?classid=630].

The WebCT “Exemplary Application Contest” is a new event. Faculty are invited to submit examples of how they use WebCT to incorporate sound instructional design into course offerings. The winners will receive $500 in their professional development account. Watch UDaily for more information.

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