Learning by Design: April 16-18, 2008
Best Poster Award

Congratulations go to Prof. Michael Posner, Assistant Professor of Statistics, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Villanova University, for receiving the Best Poster Award at the 2008 Lilly-East Conference. The poster portrayed his scholarly work on “Proficiency-based assessment and re-assessment of learning objectives in an introductory statistics class.” The poster distinguished itself based on high quality of presentation and content (plus applicability to other disciplines):

• Graphical and textual presentation of the data was exceptional. Problem and implications were communicated in a relevant manner. Excellent work! Presents the merit of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) philosophy.
• I appreciate the use of statistics to analyze techniques in the teaching of statistics! The formative assessment techniques are transferable to any discipline.
• Clear organization, well-structured, enthusiastic verbal presentation, engaging presenter.
• I'm interested in the collection of the data, the use of the control group, and in general, the systematic approach in which the study was conducted.

The Best Poster Award consists of receiving a Fighting Blue Hen sculpture and a certificate for 50% reduction of next year’s conference registration for a colleague who has never participated in the Lilly-East Conference before.

Click here to view a PDF of Prof. Posner's poster.

Fighting Blue Hen Sculpture

Delaware’s association with the Blue Hen dates back more than 200 years to the Revolutionary War. At that time, a regiment of Kent County soldiers gained such a reputation for ferocity in battle that they were compared to the gamecocks the men kept for sporting amusement behind the lines. This particular breed was distinguished by its striking blue plumage and aggressive behavior. As UD’s athletic mascot, the name dates back to 1911, and in 1939 the Blue Hen was officially adopted as Delaware’s state bird.

The copper statue has been created by artists Dawn Mickel and John Gardini, and has been handcrafted in their studio in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Each piece is signed and numbered.