Festive atmosphere filled The Dreamery at the inaugural Research Carnival

Festive atmosphere filled The Dreamery at the inaugural Research Carnival

On Wednesday, June 19, freshly popped popcorn, scores of balloons, and a red carpet welcomed attendees inside The Dreamery for the first-ever Research Carnival focused on teaching and learning with technology.

The event was organized and hosted by Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) in partnership with the Center for Excellence in Science Education, Institutional Review Board, Liberal Arts Teaching Group, Office of Information Security, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, and University Libraries.

“[Faculty] come to our research group with many questions about the process of teaching and learning scholarship. Because it tends to be different from the research to which they’re accustomed, many don’t know where to begin when they want to research what’s happening in their class,” said TLT’s faculty programs manager, Crystal Ramsay.

Teaching and learning scholarship (TLS) is understood as systematic investigation into subject matter related to teaching and learning. TLS projects can be smaller in scale, such as answering questions about the impact of specific teaching interventions during a particular semester of a course. They can also be more substantial, like an exploration of emerging technology’s impact on an entire discipline.

Ramsay and her team had a clear vision for how they intended to address the concerns related to TLS expressed by University faculty.

“We wanted to create an inviting, informal, and fun opportunity for faculty, and those who support their teaching mission, to meet with people in the Penn State community who could answer questions and support teaching and learning scholarship efforts,” she said.

By all metrics, it appears as though the Research Carnival hit its marks. Ultimately, 128 guests visited the carnival, and while formal feedback has yet to be collected, the initial reactions were overwhelmingly positive.

“We heard things like, ‘It was great to have these resources in one place,’ ‘Conversations were fun and partners were approachable,’ and ‘[We] got takeaways that can be put to use right away,'” noted Ramsay.

The Research Carnival took place over two months before the start of the fall semester, and it’s clear from the faculty turnout and volunteers who hosted the event that the University community is always striving to deliver the best possible experience for its students.

“[This event] was another reminder of how much people at Penn State really do care about the learning experiences of our students,” Ramsay said, in closing. “It’s great to be a part of a community that is committed to supporting their efforts.”

The inaugural Teaching and Learning with Technology Research Carnival will be held on June 19, 2019

The inaugural Teaching and Learning with Technology Research Carnival will be held on June 19, 2019

More than a decade ago, it was commonplace for an educator to ask students to read and memorize important course materials, and at the end of the semester, administer an exam to assess the retention of that knowledge. But how much did students actually remember after they left the classroom?

Penn State Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) collaborates with faculty to rethink the way courses are taught and explore how new technologies can be adapted to advance student learning.

Come for the fun games and prizes; stay for the informative discussions with faculty who have engaged in teaching and learning research. The Teaching and Learning with Technology Research Carnival will be held on June 19, 2019 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at The Dreamery, on the ground floor of the Shields Building.

This informal event will focus on answering questions from how to generate researchable questions to how innovative technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and data science can impact students’ learning experiences.

Participating carnival partners include: The Institutional Review Board (IRB), Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, Liberal Arts Teaching Group, Center for Excellence in Science Education, TLT Emerging Technologies Group, TLT Data-Empowered Learning Team, TLT Faculty Programs Team, University Libraries, and the Office of Information Security.

Attendance is free to all Penn State faculty and staff. Register for the 2019 Research Carnival today!

Faculty panel to examine active learning at Penn State

Faculty panel to examine active learning at Penn State

On Tuesday, October 9th, Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) will host a faculty panel discussion on shared active learning strategies and faculty use cases. Participants will have an opportunity to hear how the panel members approach using active learning with their students, can ask specific questions during the Q&A portion of the session, and network with colleagues.

The active learning faculty panel discussion will take place at 2:30 p.m. in The Dreamery located on the ground floor of Shields Building. Light refreshments will be offered. For those who cannot attend in person, the panel discussion will be available via Zoom: https://psu.zoom.us/j/231652323.

Pre-registration for the event is required. Register online by October 8th.

The faculty panel will include:

Dr. Daniel Foster
Associate Professor
Agricultural Teacher Educator

Dr. Laura Guertin
Professor
Earth Science

Dr. Matthew Beckman
Assistant Research Professor
Director of Undergraduate Programs
Department of Statistics