Early Bird

Only two weeks left to register for the Tri-Institutional Faculty Forum

The Center for Teaching, Learning and Design's flagship spring event on March 15 brings local and national education experts to your doorstep.

By Jeff Loats

February 4, 2019

The second annual Tri-Institutional Faculty Forum will convene March 15 from 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Tivoli Turnhalle. Building on last year’s successes, this year’s event will feature a keynote by Stephen Chew, professor and chair of psychology at Samford University in Alabama; presentations by a local expert from each institution; and Q&A sessions with the presenters and a student panel.

“Teaching is more than presenting content clearly and coherently,” Chew said. “Teaching is about demonstrating the value of that knowledge, explaining how to remember it and use it appropriately, and laying the foundation for continued learning. Little of that will happen if students don’t trust the teacher.”

That perspective forms the foundation of Chew’s keynote speech, “The Importance of Building Student Trust.” Chew defines student trust as the student’s belief that the teacher is competent, will act with integrity and in ways that are beneficial to the student’s success and development, and stresses that all three components have to be present. In his talk, Chew will explain how trust is different from other aspects of the student mindset, describe research on the impact of student trust on student learning behaviors, and explore the importance of developing trust — especially for vulnerable students.

MSU Denver’s local expert, Todd Reimer, Ph.D., professor of secondary education, will present on de-grading the classroom. Specifically, sharing practices to shift students’ motivation from extrinsic to intrinsic goals, from a fixed to a growth mindset. These practices succeed by changing how we communicate with students about their performance and by modifying assessments to produce meaningful, actionable feedback rather than simply a grade.

The Community College of Denver’s local expert, Fleur Ferro, professor of biology, will present on the flipped classroom and the importance of trust in this model. Trust between instructors and students becomes even more important when the format of a course breaks with tradition. Navigating the hazards on the road to an effective flipped classroom is possible only with a shared sense of safety and collaboration.

The University of Colorado Denver’s local expert, Lindsey Hamilton, Ph.D., director, Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, will present on why metacognition is so important and effective –  specifically, the neurological perspective that supports the use of metacognitive activities in teaching and learning across all disciplines.

Q&A sessions with all four presenters and a panel of students will cap the event.

March 15

8:15 a.m.–2 p.m.

Tivoli Turnhalle

The event is free, and continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Space is limited. Register today.