Transparency in Learning and Teaching Workshop

From the Transparency in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education web site:

A national study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, funded by TG Philanthropy, demonstrated that transparency around academic work enhances students' success at statistically significant levels, with even greater benefits for historically underserved students (with a medium-to-large sized magnitude of effect) [Winkelmes et al., Peer Review 2016]. Students who receive transparent instruction about the purposes, tasks and criteria for their academic work report gains in three areas that are important predictors of students’ success:

  • academic confidence,
  • sense of belonging, and
  • mastery of the skills that employers value most when hiring.

Important studies have already connected academic confidence and sense of belonging with students’ greater persistence and higher grades [Walton and Cohen, Science 2011; Aronson, Fried, Good, 2002].

At this hands-on workshop, participants will learn about the idea of transparency in learning and teaching and will then critique one of their own assignments to evaluate how transparent it is and to determine what can be changed to improve transparency. The session will have two components. We ask that everyone attend at least the first part:

  • During the first half (approx. 45 minutes), attendees will learn about what transparency in learning and teaching is and how it works to help improve student learning and engagement.

  • During the second half, attendees will work in small groups to assess their own course materials and to identify what changes can be made to make those materials more transparent.

All attendees need to bring either a syllabus or an assignment sheet/instructions to this workshop. Please feel free to bring both, if you are interested.

Note: As this will be a hands-on workshop in which participants review and critique one another's course materials, it is essential that every attendee bring either one syllabus or one assignment sheet/instructions to this workshop.

To register: cat@xula.edu

Tags: transparency, assignments, syllabi
Format: hands-on
Event ID: 01555


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