Presentation Date: Saturday August 1, 2009
  Presentation Time: 1:00 pm-4:30 pm

CPE Session 11

Radical Course Redesign: Embracing the Promises of Appreciative Learning

Presented By:

Marsha Huber, Otterbein College

Description: This session is for those who want to take an introspective look at what they're doing in their classes. The goal is to develop a course that not only fulfills your learning objectives, but is also motivating for your students.

First, this session will define appreciative learning. In appreciative learning, the professor rewards the students for both the learning process as well as their end products (e.g. tests, projects). Second, you will learn how to construct a promising syllabus, a concept developed by Kenneth Bain, author of "What the Best College Teachers Do." Third, you learn about constructivist theory that suggests that students learn best when they construct new knowledge. Finally, you will evaluate your course according to basic motivational theories. Drive theory purports that students are motivated by the rewards they receive. Since grading is a driver, directing what students do and learn, you will reflect on the way you grade and allocate points in your courses.

You will learn how to: (1) develop a promising syllabus, (2) contemplate developing constructivist-based assignments, (3) integrate the concept of appreciative learning into your course design, and (4) evalute your current reward system.

Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications
Program Level: Basic

Intended Audience: Faculty who want to improve their teaching effectiveness, faculty interested in changing the student culture in their classes, executives transitioning from the corporate world to the classroom, and graduate students.

Format/Structure: This session will be an interactive session with lecture and activities. Activity 1: Begin revisions to create a promising syllabus. The promises that you make and what your students need to do to fulfill them. Activity 2: You will learn about having your students construct knowledge. Activity 3: You will evaluate your syllabus for the motivational factors and reward system (grading). Can you change your grading scheme to better support your learning objectives?

Learning Objective: During the session, you will: (1)Understand what appreciative learning is, and how this can change the culture of your classes, (2)Learn how to design a "promising" syllabus, (3)Develop assignments that help students construct knowledge and appreciate learning, and (4) Revise your grading schemes to support your learning objectives, and (5) Write a plan of action of what you will change when you return back to your campus.

Prerequisites: none

Advanced Preparation Required: Bring your course syllabus.

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