Events
- Great Teaching Round-up
- Leading from the middle
- fall conference for faculty leaders
- The Texas Network
"I think there is something more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren't enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision."
Events: Annual Convention 2012
Great Ideas For Teaching Students (GIFTS) Seminars
Friday, March 2, 8:00–9:15 a.m.
The Professional Development Committee has arranged for a number of the highly popular "GIFTS" sessions to be held at the TCCTA convention in San Antonio. These brief programs offer specific ideas for teaching and are designed to be of practical use to educators in all disciplines.
Each session will last approximately 10 minutes, allowing participants to sample a variety of useful teaching techniques.
Coordinator of the GIFTS Sessions is Essie Childers, Blinn College.
"A Fair to Remember: Student Presentations That Won’t Be Forgotten in 6 Months"
Presenter: Tiffany Harper, Collin College
How many “deer in the headlights” presentations have you sat through? How many times have you seen a student read every single last word they are going to say right off the screen? It’s painful to watch, and it can make student presentations an agonizing assignment. By changing the format of a presentation, we can encourage learning through a less formal and more conversational approach. I’ll explain how an old-fashioned fair can make presentations a useful and worthwhile assignment again.
"Clock Time"
Presenter: Jada Hill, Richland College
The Clock Time game and/or “interactive tool" can serve as a
- First day of class ‘icebreaker’ (a great way to get students to interact and learn about each other)
- A ‘review for a test/quiz’ tool (designating one student as the questioner and the other student as the answerer and vice versa)
- A ‘learn/study buddy’ assignment generator (meeting with your “1 o’clock appointment person” and sitting with them during a lecture(s) and/or class assignment(s) over certain material to be covered over several days)
So come on over and learn how “a simple clock can bring cooperative learning to your classroom “!
"Get Out of Jail Free"
Presenter: Pam Sawyer, Collin College
Giving students the power to determine when/if they need a break from an assignment, turns their work into an opportunity to use a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. This idea is linked to teaching students that they have the power to complete their own course work. In turn, this teaches them how to have a greater locus of control. This teaches students to think: "If I can't blame my lack of success on the instructor since he/she has given it to me, then I must be in control of my successes in college." In the end, they will get more work completed because you've allowed for one mishap that can be used at the student's discretion.
"Know-Learn-Connect: How to Push Students to Read, Reflect, and Connect to Course Content"
Presenter: Chad Mueller, Weatherford College
Do you find it difficult to get your students to read their assigned course readings? If so, come to this session and I will introduce you to a refreshing strategy, which encourages students to complete their assigned readings, reflect upon what they have learned, and identify how they personally relate to the course content.
"Learning Activity Menus: Motivating, Engaging, Meaningful and Learning at a Deeper Level Through Choice"
Presenter: Sheree Hilliard Talkington, Amarillo College
Come experience a chocolate rich hands on, mouth pleasing event! Active learning session demonstrates the value of conducting brief online assessment of adults and offering adult students a menu of learning activities. Project outcome when involving OTA students at Amarillo College included participant statements of motivation for, engagement in and more meaningful learning as well as learning at a greater depth.
"Let’s stay together: M.A.D. Dating"
Presenter: Marla Owens, North Central Texas College
This activity is based on the concept of “speeding dating” which pairs individuals together for a 5 – minute period to build a classroom culture of student engagement, collaboration, accountability and encouragement. The presentation will demonstrate how fun, interesting and light-hearted techniques can be applied in a developmental mathematic classroom to get all students involved and actively participating.
"Linked-Learning-Through Libguides"
Presenter: Landra Fowler, Southwest Texas Junior College
LibGuides are: web based, mini web pages, organizational tools, controlled settings, and linked resources. Attendees will learn about a campus resource, Linked-Learning-Through LibGuides, a tool that can aid students in developing skills for success. Joint efforts from across disciplines can utilize LibGuides by integrating (linking) instruction, library resources, departments, and classroom assignments to student engagement, faculty engagement, and campus involvement. This helpful tool provides a user friendly space where students can develop research, critical thinking, and critical reading skills.
The presentation will highlight the following areas:
- Promoting student learning through individualized curriculum resources.
- Personalized guides for creative thinkers – Guides designed for specific instructors, assignments or disciplines.
- Student engagement at your fingertips.
- Linking student learning through technology.
"Power-up Your PowerPoints"
Presenter: Diane Underwood, Southwest Texas Junior College
Want to WOW your students with PowerPoint Presentations that create an atmosphere of interest AND interactivity? This session will demonstrate several easy techniques that an instructor can use to make students sit up and take notice as the course material is delivered via PowerPoint. A few tweaks and your students can become actively involved in the learning process. So let’s “POWER-UP” your PowerPoints!
"Set the Stage for Learning"
Presenter: Pamela Tindel, Tyler Junior College
Providing students with an interactive activity when they first enter the classroom gets them focused on math and sets the stage for learning. Using short games similar to dominoes, students spend the first 10 minutes of each class reviewing concepts covered in previous class meetings. To retain student interest, these activities can be completed individually or in groups. Participants will be provided with math activities that cover several concepts including: Reducing Fractions, Area & Perimeter, Square Roots, Pythagorean Theorem, Signed Numbers, Order of Operations, and others.
"Test Prep in Lit"
Presenter: Dessie Davis, Odessa College
A strategy I have adopted in my lit classes is to let students debate/choose test formats (all essay vs. ___ number of objective and ___ number of essay, what type of objective and how many, etc.) and write the essay questions themselves. The first time, I warn students that “lazy” questions will lead to hard tests, and they have consistently submitted quality essay questions. Test format is based on a majority vote of the students in class the day of the review, and the discussion includes time limit, how it impacts number of questions, points per question, etc. A sample for the Romantic unit of my American Lit I class is, “Compare and contrast the offenses against slaves and women in ‘Declaration of Sentiments’ and ‘Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass’.”
"The Graphic Syllabus- Course Organization and Outcome Mappings"
Presenter: Amanda Chau, Blinn College
Concept mapping is a powerful tool that can be used to map out course organization and progression of learning outcomes in your syllabus. This GIFTS session will help you visually communicate the structure and connections of your course content and outcomes to your students. In addition, handouts and “free” technologies will be provided to help you create these maps.
"Tools for Building an Effective Essay"
Presenter: Marjorie Carol Gibson, Kilgore College
By wearing a carpenter’s tool belt filled with highlighters and different colored pens, the teacher facilitates by modeling for each student how to follow the directives for checking the blueprint/the essay. The goal is to have students read for important information as they check the content draft and to visually see the structure come together as if they were building a house.
"Understanding the Limitations for Careers Requiring State Licensing"
Presenter: Scott Donaldson and Malcolm Jackson, Tarrant County College—Northwest
Do you ever offer advice to students regarding technical programs? Are you familiar with the State requirements that each student must meet in order to be eligible? Frequently, we see ineligible students enrolled in technical programs who are not eligible for employment in the field. Often times, the student has been guided by professors, counselors, advising staff, or other college employees that are not familiar with the programs’ State requirements. This oversight can hinder or prevent a student from obtaining employment after college even with a certificate or degree. This presentation will provide helpful information about properly advising students interested in technical program certificates/careers. It will also provide helpful suggestions that we have utilized in the past that can be taken back to each college to help facilitate proper communication amongst the stakeholders.
"Using Visuals for Writing: How Pictures Can Help Students Write about Current Events"
Presenter: Reagan King, Southwest Texas Junior College
Participants will learn how to utilize pictures to teach the beginning stages of a writing assignment via the following hands-on process:
· View selected pictures.
· Answer critical thinking questions (in writing).
· Participate in a group discussion.
"Walk a Mile in Their Shoes…Sensitivity Training"
Presenter: Pamela George, Amarillo College
….be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and erring. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.
— Siddh?rtha Gautama
Have you ever honked at that elderly driver in front of you on the freeway? Have you ever had an impatient moment waiting for that physically handicapped person walking in front of you at the mall? Have you had to repeat what you were saying to that hearing impaired relative and got a bit irritated? Have you ever thought about what it might be like to BE elderly? Physically handicapped? Hearing impaired?
This sensitivity training helps to move you from sympathy to empathy!
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