Discussion Groups

Discussion groups are one-semester long gatherings to foster campus dialogue through viewing and discussing short, informative videos or books.

If you have an idea for a Discussion Group, or would like more information about work groups, contact CETL or stop by Old Library 1142.

Learning Communities - Spring 2012

CETL Global Learning Community
Maximizing the Student Work Experience

Book Groups - Spring 2012

Student Success in College
What the Best College Teachers Do
Why So Few?

Video Groups - Spring 2012
TED Video Club

CETL Global Learning Community

CETL is recruiting participants for a learning community to investigate what global learning is and how to incorporate it into your curriculum. Global learning is a major goal of the UWEC Strategic Plan and this group will utilize ongoing campus efforts to define and implement it in our teaching. The book "Educating Global Citizens in Colleges and Universities" by Peter Stearns will be used to frame the conversations. Participants will learn about efforts on campus to define global learning using a rubric and to assess the state of global learning. In addition, educators experienced in teaching global issues will discuss their experiences with the group.

Meetings: The learning community will meet on Fridays, 10 to 11:00 a.m., in CETL OL1142, April 20 - May 18. Each participant will receive a copy of "Educating Global Citizens in Colleges and Universities".

Facilitators: Carlos Garcia and Bob Eierman will coordinate the learning community with assistance from Rama Yelkur.

Maximizing the Student Work Experience Learning Community

UW-Eau Claire recognizes integrative learning—making connections between life experiences and curricular and co-curricular experiences on and beyond campus—as a valuable component of liberal education. Student employment is an important piece of the academic experience that often influences retention decisions, career choices and social relationships. This learning community will focus on realizing the potential of student employment to enhance student learning.

Interested supervisors and mentors of on-campus student employees are invited to review the literature, share philosophies and discuss strategies for maximizing the educational value of student work experiences. Topics may include:

Recognizing the role of supervisors as educators
Connecting work experiences to academic learning goals
Developing strategies to enhance the integrative learning value of work experiences
Developing and coordinating shared student employee training

Other topics may be identified based on the interests of the learning community.

Meetings: Thursdays, 3 - 4 p.m. during spring semester, beginning the third week of classes.

Facilitators: Kathy Sahlhoff, Director, Financial Aid; and Jill Markgraf, Associate Professor, Library Sciences

More information: Please contact Kathy Sahlhoff, 836-3373, or Jill Markgraf, 836-5357

To register: E-mail your name and department to cetl@uwec.edu, call 836-2385 or drop in to OL 1142.

Student Success in College Book Discussion Group

This book provides a rich description of policies, programs, and practices that a diverse set of institutions have developed to enhance student achievement. These activities are shown to benefit student learning and educational effectiveness. Based on the Documenting Effective Educational Practice (DEEP) project from the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University, this book provides concrete examples from twenty institutions that can serve other colleges and universities as they strive to create a success-oriented campus culture and learning environment.

This book will be of interest to educators who enjoy pondering institutional change and what they can do in their day-to-day work to move things ahead. Student Success in College, Kuh, George, et al, Jossy Bass, San Francisco, 2005/2010.

Meetings: Thursdays, 3 - 4:00 p.m., in CETL, OL 1142, during spring semester.

Facilitator: Dr. Robert Eierman, Director, CETL

More information: Please contact Robert Eierman, 836-2385.

To register: E-mail your name and department to cetl@uwec.edu, call 836-2385 or drop in to OL 1142.

What the Best College Teachers Do Book Discussion Group

What makes a great teacher great? Who are the professors students remember long after graduation? This book, the conclusion of a fifteen-year study of nearly one hundred college teachers in a wide variety of fields and universities, offers valuable answers for all educators.

The short answer is--it's not what teachers do, it's what they understand. Lesson plans and lecture notes matter less than the special way teachers comprehend the subject and value human learning. Whether historians or physicists, in El Paso or St. Paul, the best teachers know their subjects inside and out--but they also know how to engage and challenge students and to provoke impassioned responses. Most of all, they believe two things fervently: that teaching matters and that students can learn.

In stories both humorous and touching, Bain describes examples of ingenuity and compassion, of students' discoveries of new ideas and the depth of their own potential. What the Best College Teachers Do is a treasure trove of insight and inspiration for first-year teachers and seasoned educators. What the Best College Teachers Do, Bain, Ken, Harvard Press, Cambridge, MA, 2004.

Meetings: Mondays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. during the spring semester in CETL, OL1142.

Facilitator: Dr. Robert Eierman, Director, CETL

More information: Please contact Robert Eierman, 836-2385.

To register: E-mail your name and department to cetl@uwec.edu, call 836-2385 or drop in to OL 1142.

Why So Few? Book Discussion Group

This NSF-funded AAUW study reports on the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. Though strides have been made increasing the number of women in STEM, inequities remain. The report discusses research findings on the impact of cultural and environmental stereotypes and biases in the classroom and workplace, and suggests practical solutions to create a more positive environment to encourage more women to enter sciences.

Meetings: Fridays, 3 - 4:00 p.m. during spring semester in CETL, OL1142.

Facilitators: Dr. Robert Eierman, Director, CETL; and, Lois Helland, Senior Lecturer, Biology

More information: Please contact Robert Eierman, 836-2385 or Lois Helland, 836-5068.

To register: E-mail your name and department to cetl@uwec.edu, call 836-2385 or drop in to OL 1142.

TED Video Discussion Group

Don't have time for a traditional book group but still want stimulating discussion about a wide variety of topics? Consider the TED Video Club. Similar to a book group, this group of educators meets bi-weekly to discuss thought-provoking presentations found on TED.com. Apart from viewing one or two short TED videos, no preparation or follow-up is required for this group. The benefits of participation range from having a refreshing one-hour break in a busy schedule to finding exciting discussion material to use in the classroom.

Videos Discussed:

Facilitator: Eric Jennings, Instruction and Outreach Librarian, Library Services

More information: Contact Eric Jennings, 836-3858.

To register:E-mail your name and department to cetl@uwec.edu, call 836-2385 or drop in to OL 1142.

To register for any of these programs contact CETL, CETL@uwec.edu, 715-836-2385, or stop by OL 1142. Click this link to go to CETL Programs page.