FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
STEPHENVILLE, Texas—The Center for Instructional Innovation at Tarleton State University recently celebrated another successful year for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) program and the 15th annual Excellence in Teaching Conference.
The Center for Instructional Innovation hosted a Poster Presentation Evening in January for members of Cohort 4 for the SoTL program. The eight participants successfully completed a year-long, in-depth classroom research project focused on innovative teaching strategies and student learning.
Five of the eight have already submitted research for conference presentations.
As part of SoTL, faculty are provided with a structured program providing guidance and resources to help them complete a comprehensive classroom research project culminating with an artifact to submit for a conference presentation or article publication.
“SoTL helped me navigate the research process and understand how to design a study around my teaching,” said Dr. Cessna Winslow, assistant professor of communications studies. “The CII staff, along with the support of the Faculty Fellows, helped clarify what was previously a daunting and overwhelming task. I am excited about research and looking forward to presenting my study, and the prospect of getting it published.”
The SoTL program continues with Cohort 5 starting in March.
The annual Excellence in Teaching Conference, held earlier this month, featured 17 faculty-led sessions chosen through a rigorous selection process. Faculty from Tarleton and Tarrant County College were among the presenters.
“Celebrating the 15th year of the conference, we decided to increase the prestige of the event by implementing a blind, peer review of proposals,” said Dr. Kelley Shaffer, director of the Center for Instructional Innovation at Tarleton. “This allowed us to focus on really good presentations that would draw a larger audience, and I believe we accomplished this.”
The luncheon keynote address, “A Focus on First-Generation Student Success,” was from Dr. Edward Burger, president of Southwestern University.
For more information, contact Dr. Kelley Shaffer at 254-968-9050 or via e-mail at [email protected]
Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven educational experience, marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. Offering degree programs in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian and online to more than 13,000 students, Tarleton engages with communities through real-world learning experiences to address societal needs while maintaining its core values of integrity, leadership, tradition, civility, excellence and service.
#
Contact: Phil Riddle, News and Information Specialist
817-484-4415
[email protected]
