Friday @ the Center
October 30, 2009
Faculty Book Circle
A new faculty book circle is forming to discuss Globalization, Spirituality and Justice, by Daniel Groody. Meetings will be held on Tuesdays, at 4 p.m., on Nov. 17, Jan. 26, Feb. 16, Mar. 9, Apr. 27, and May 11. Walter Brueggemann says, “In breath-taking scope, Daniel Groody has done what we might think impossible, to write something fresh, demanding, and generative on the theme of justice. Groody explores the issues of poverty and globalization in convincing ways with the precision of social analysis and the richness of Ignatian spirituality.” If you are interested in joining this book circle and can commit to attending at least four of the meetings, please contact Anna Miller to register and receive a free copy of the book.
Best Teaching Idea
Each spring, the Faculty Development Committee and the Center sponsor a Best Teaching Idea competition, first selecting five finalists from among the submissions, and then naming the Best Teaching Idea for the year. During the rest of this quarter, F@C will feature last year’s finalists, in the hope that you may find an inspirational gem for your own pedagogical efforts. Movie versions of the Final Five can be seen on SPU’s iTunes U, under Course Content.
This week, we highlight Hunter Close’s “Physics Interview Project”: This practice aims to help undergraduate physics learning assistants (LAs) develop listening and teaching skills, as well inspire them to pursue teaching K-12 physical science as a profession. Each Physics LA interviews a SPU student about a physics related question, with the goal of understanding how the student thinks something works rather than the goal of explaining how something does work. The LAs then transcribe part of the interview and write a reflection on what they’ve learned about the process of asking probing questions. The LAs thus learn how teaching is more effective when you do not begin by teaching an idea but instead by finding out in some detail how students are thinking.
Lincoln and Leadership
Speaking of iTunesU, this year’s Day of Common Learning afternoon seminars and the plenary address on Abraham Lincoln and Transformational Leadership are now available on the SPU site. All sessions appear in audio, with four sessions and the plenary also available in movie format. Check out the ones you missed.
Global Learning, Scholarship, and Service: Update Your Entry
Last year, as part of the Global Education Initiative, the Center compiled a master list of what SPU faculty have been doing in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service, with respect to global issues. We’d like to include your latest activities, so check out the Faculty Global Involvement list found on our Center Star page and send any updates to Anna Miller by Dec. 1.
Happy Teaching,
Susan Susan VanZanten |
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