2018-19 - Speaker Series
ITE brings speakers to campus that are nationally recognized for their work in higher education.
For the 2018-19 academic year we anticipate bringing 2-3 speakers to campus.
Spring 2019
Title: Active Learning in the Classroom: Overcoming barriers and planning for action
Time: Wednesday. January 30th, 2:30 to 4:00 PM
Location: CKB G116
Presenter: Dr. Cynthia Finelli, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Associate Professor of Education, and Director of Engineering Education Research at University of Michigan.
Abstract: There is ample evidence about the positive benefits of active learning and other student-centered teaching, yet lecture continues to be the prevailing pedagogy in most undergraduate engineering classrooms. Dr. Finelli is engaged in research to answer questions such as: What barriers inhibit instructor adoption of student-centered teaching in undergraduate engineering classes? What are actionable ways to overcome those barriers? Is student resistance to active learning a legitimate concern, and, if so, what strategies might instructors use to address it? Dr. Finelli will present research findings to answer some of these questions and participants will develop a plan of action to apply the research findings to their own teaching.
About the Speaker: Dr. Cynthia Finelli is Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Associate Professor of Education, and Director of Engineering Education Research at University of Michigan. Her research areas include increasing faculty adoption of evidence-based instruction, studying the impact of the classroom space on teaching and learning, and using instructional technology to improve student learning and engagement. She recently led an international initiative to develop a taxonomy for the field of engineering education research. Dr. Finelli is a Fellow of the American Society of Engineering Education, Deputy Editor for the Journal of Engineering Education, Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Education, and past chair of the Educational Research and Methods Division of ASEE. She founded the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching in Engineering at University of Michigan in 2003 and served as its Director for 12 years. Dr. Finelli earned the B.S.E., M.S.E., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from University of Michigan.
Fall 2018
Title: The Evolution of Effective Teaching and Learning: We Ain’t Where We Used to Be.
Time: Wednesday. November 14th 2:30 to 4:00 PM
Location: CKB G-08
Presenter: Dr. Kevin Barnes, Assistant Professor of Education at Caldwell University & Dr. John Hannum, Assistant Professor of Education at Caldwell University.
Abstract: The composition of the current generation of college and university students continues to evolve, as technology becomes more and more pervasive in the classroom environment. It is, therefore, reasonable to conclude that the process of teaching must evolve to meet the dynamic needs of current learners. Is it further reasonable to conclude that, “We teach what we learned,” and “We teach how we learned?” How does one reconcile the latter with our developing understanding of millennial learning? Some teaching strategies continue to be universal. Others- not so much! This interactive conversation will attempt to put dinosaur strategies to rest, while reestablishing the tried and true dynamics of pedagogy. Their presentation will allow both professors to share their experiences as observers and researchers of both effective and ineffective teaching strategies!
Title: Street-fighting Mathematics for Better Teaching and Thinking
Time: Friday, Sept, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Location: Cullimore Lecture Hall II
Presenter: Dr. Sanjoy Mahajan, Associate Professor of Applied Science and Engineering at Olin College of Engineering.
Description: With traditional science and mathematics teaching, students struggle with fundamental concepts. For example, they cannot reason with graphs and have no feel for physical magnitudes. Their instincts remain Aristotelian: In their gut, they believe that force is proportional to velocity. With such handicaps in intuition and reasoning, students can
learn only by rote. I'll describe these difficulties using mathematical and physical examples, and illustrate how street-fighting mathematics and science---the art of insight and approximation---can improve our thinking and teaching, the better to handle the complexity of the world.