The UT community is invited to attend an open house in the University Teaching Center Friday, March 28, from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in University Hall Room 5120.
“This will be a good opportunity for faculty to stop by and meet the team,” said Dr. Constance Shriner, associate provost for faculty development. “Visitors will learn about key programs and training available to help engage students and become more comfortable with using new technology.”
Brief remarks from Dr. Scott Scarborough, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, will be made at 10:30 a.m. Light refreshments will be served.
The University Teaching Center promotes excellence in teaching and learning and serves as a resource for all UT faculty.
“The University Teaching Center and the Office of Assessment, Accreditation and Program Review seek to create a culture that values and rewards activity that enhances instruction and student learning,” Shriner added.
The Office of Assessment, Accreditation and Program Review provides leadership and resources for accreditation, periodic academic program review, and student learning outcomes assessment across the University. It supports the University Assessment Committee in documenting the evaluation of student learning and helps Faculty Senate in the review of UT’s general education curriculum.
The University Teaching Center offers presentations, discussions and workshops focused on techniques and technologies for teaching. The center will help faculty utilize various technology tools, including the green screen studio where they can create their own instructional video, as well as a number of Apple devices and applications. The center also serves as a resource for faculty interested in teaching models such as the flipped or blended classroom.
In addition, the University Teaching Center coordinates the Student Observer Program, a unique opportunity designed to assist faculty with developing or improving their teaching. Student observers are carefully selected and trained undergraduate students who sit in on classes and work with the faculty to improve teaching. The observations serve as an excellent resource for instructors, providing valuable data to supplement student evaluations, according to Shriner.
Academic Classroom Services, which provides prompt, quality technical support, consultation and training for the classroom arena, and is an integral part of institutional support for teaching, is part of the center.
“I also want to highlight the University Teaching Center website,” Shriner said. “The site shares information about our programs and services, and includes a Carlson Library guide, a web resource featuring a variety of teaching resources, from articles and books to DVDs and more.”
Another key program the center has invested in is Go2Knowledge, a library of professional development webinars. Users can watch on their own or as a group, with more than 90 trainings in six categories: At-Risk Populations, Campus Safety, Organizational Development, Student Success, Teaching and Learning, and Technology. UT faculty and staff are able to watch these at no charge; details on accessing the webinars can be found at utoledo.edu/offices/provost/utc.
