Catalog

This catalog provides a list of trainings that the Center for Educational Excellence currently offers. Sign up for trainings below, whether for an individual staff or faculty or for a whole group!

If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please email us at [email protected]. We’re always on the hunt for new and innovative ideas!

Instructional Development and Course Design

Need Individualized Training? Book a Meeting with an Instructional Designer

Work with an instructional designer and receive individualized training. We are here for you. Click here to book your individual training.

Virtual or face-to-face

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Crafting and Managing Discussions to Foster an Online Learning Community

Learn the definition of Community and Inquiry and why it is important, yet challenging in an online learning environment. Then, knock down those barriers to success by learning how to craft engaging Discussion Board prompts and communicate explicit expectations that will encourage in-depth interactions and the use of higher-order thinking skills.

Virtual or face-to-face

Duration: 45 minutes

Formative Assessments as a Communication Tool

Communication in any course is crucial for student success; however, this holds particularly true in online courses. Without the organic discussion and student communication that often accompanies in-person courses, online courses can leave students feeling disconnected from their instructor. These formative assessment strategies will provide instructors an avenue for communicating with students as well as giving them necessary feedback on their learning, and they can even be utilized in face-to-face courses.

Virtual or face-to-face

Duration: 45 minutes

Rethinking the Quiz Tool: How to Create Formative Assessment Activities for Learning

The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning in order to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by student to improve their learning. The Canvas Quiz tool is often overlooked when developing formative assessment activities beyond the simple quiz. Learn how to utilize the Quiz tool to help drive your instruction and enhance your student’ learning.

Virtual or face-to-face

Duration: 45 minutes

Starting Backwards: An Introduction to Understanding by Design

Sometimes trying to figure out where to start when developing a course is like trying to answer the timeless chicken and egg question. While we may not be able to solve that problem, we can help you with developing a course or lesson with Understanding By Design (aka backward design). Backward design focuses on the end goals first to ensure students master the essential knowledge and skills of your course.

Virtual or face-to-face

Duration: 45 minutes

Instructional Development Opportunities

From faculty round tables concerning research-based teaching practices to feedback provided by award-winning faculty concerning face-to-face or online teaching environments, there are many opportunities to learn new tricks and ideas that will improve student engagement and learning in your courses. We are here for you.

If you have any ideas or needs related to teaching and learning, please contact Jim Gentry ([email protected]). We are always ready to discuss teaching and learning professional development.

Experiential Learning

Study Abroad Info Session for Faculty/Staff

Planning a Study Abroad  

Are you considering planning a Study Abroad? In this session, we will discuss the new application process (launched in 2022), tips for navigating the planning stage, and best-practices for your program. If you have not facilitated a Study Abroad at Tarleton after the COVID-related pause in travel, we highly recommend this session as a starting point to ensure alignment with new processes. 

Virtual or face-to-face 

45 minutes 

Virtual or face-to-face

Duration: 45 minutes

Implementing an Applied Learning Experience (ALE)

Applied Learning Experiences (ALEs) are academic, and non-academic, transformative learning experiences designed to engage students in active and reflective learning to further develop beyond-disciplinary skills and expand students’ perspectives. Providing these experiences through the ALE program also allows students to work toward earning a graduation cord. In this session, we will discuss the process for implementing an ALE, best practices for facilitating active reflection among students, and funding available for experiential learning activities. 

Virtual or face-to-face

Duration: 45 minutes

Community-Engaged Learning

Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CESL) Consultation: Project Design 

Service-learning is one of several high impact practices that engages students in an applied learning experience within the community, and critical reflection, deepening the connection to the curriculum and achievement of academic learning objectives and personal growth. 

The Center for Educational Excellence can help you: 

  • Brainstorm projects to meet academic learning objectives 
  • Identify and work with community partners 
  • Utilize GivePulse to recruit and manage volunteers 
  • Design and implement reflection activities 
  • Develop and disseminate engaged scholarship 

This session is for anyone interested in incorporating community engagement within their discipline or learning more about any of the individual components above. The session can include a general overview with examples of current Tarleton events and/or address specific initiatives and needs in a workshop format. 

Virtual or face-to-face 

45-60 minutes 

Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CESL) Consultation: GivePulse 

Tarleton has partnered with GivePulse, a civic engagement platform for matching, tracking, and assessing the community engagement of our students, faculty, and staff.  

This software helps us:  

  • recruit and manage our volunteers,  
  • meet the needs of our community,  
  • identify the causes we support and the skills we use to do so, and  
  • better understand, track, and report our collective community impact.  

This is especially important in meeting initiatives outlined in Tarleton’s strategic plan, Tarleton Forward 2030, and attaining Elective Carnegie Community Engagement Classification re-classification in 2026. 

In this session, we will discuss how you can use GivePulse to help facilitate your community engagement initiatives. The session can include a general overview with examples of current Tarleton events and/or address specific initiatives and needs in a workshop format. 

Virtual or face-to-face 

45-60 minutes 

Scholar Development

Building Your Scholarship Agenda

This session will be targeted at new faculty, and faculty that are creating new scholarship agendas. Tips and tricks for developing a sustainable, manageable, and successful scholarship agenda will be shared.

  • Face-to-Face or Asynchronous digitally
  • Duration: 30 minutes

Tools for Building an Effective Literature Review for Publications and Grants

In this session, we will cover a handful of tools that can help you generate an effective and holisitic literature review to be incorporated into publications and grants. Tools include but are not limited to ConnectedPapers, GoogleAlerts, and Reference Managers.

  • Face-to-Face or Asynchronous digitally
  • Duration: 30 minutes

Getting the Word Out About your Scholarship

Participate in the Tarleton Scholarly Impact Challenge and take your research to the next level! The Scholarly Impact Challenge is designed to showcase and raise your individual research profile.

  • Face-to-Face or Asynchronous digitally
  • Duration: 30 minutes

Systematic Reviews and How They Can Enhance Your Scholarship Profile

In this session, an introduction to the robust process of conducting a systematic review will be covered, in addition to a snapshot of software and resources that are available.

  • Face-to-Face or Asynchronous digitally
  • Duration: 30 minutes

Introduction to ICPSR

Faculty Scholar Development in the CEE  will provide a general information session about the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), and how you can use it for teaching, scholarship, and grant writing.

  • Face-to-Face or Asynchronous digitally
  • Duration: 30 minutes