SPIG Minutes for Friday, April 16th, 2004

10-11 AM

Attendants: Dr. Elizabeth Barron, Bart Everson, Michelle Falgoust, Lanny Foss, Susan Fredine, David Lanoue, and Todd Stanislav.

The minutes of the 4-2-04 meeting were reviewed, amended, and approved.

Todd made reference to a question that Lanny raised at the last meeting (and is noted in the minutes) concerning the future of teaching in K-12 and higher education. Todd asked the group members if they wished to devote time in a future meeting to more carefully and thoroughly consider how teaching in K-12 and higher education may or will change in the future. The members agreed to devote time to this in the near future.

There was a brief discussion about the history and purpose of Xavier's Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable (TLTR). Dr. Barron mentioned the original purpose of TLTR, as a national movement, was for it to serve as a campus support group that focuses on how technology could change teaching in positive ways.

Todd gave an update on the consultants. Cheryl Hilinski, at The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning, has arranged for two consultants - Jack Rossman and Jane Miller - to work with us. Todd mentioned that the consultants, who may be available as early as May for a site visit, will work with the Strategic Planning and Implementation Group, as concerns its efforts to do strategic planning, and with the Center staff concerning the Center's assessment practices. The group noted that the consultants may be able to help us by:

Lanny spoke briefly about ways in which consultants were used in the recent strategic planning work of the College of Pharmacy.

The group then returned its attention to the suggestions that were made at the previous meeting on how to frame the work or program of the Center. There was support for relating the Center's work or program to the intellectual work of faculty in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. With regard to scholarship, there was some discussion about the breadth of scholarship. Dr. Barron suggested that it be limited to pedagogical scholarship because of (a) the limited institutional financial resources to back the Center's support of a broader range of scholarly activity, (b) the Center for Undergraduate Research's (CUR) mission, and (c) lack of external funding to back the Center's support of a broader range of scholarly activity. Todd acknowledged that, as important as it is to define the scope of support that the Center provides to scholarly work on campus, it is equally important to have a clear understanding of why the scope has been defined as it is. He noted that, currently, external grant support has provided a means to support a broader range of scholarship beyond pedagogical scholarship per se. Sue and Bart both suggested that a reference to the Center's support of faculty scholarship be phrased in a way that places emphasis on pedagogical research and on scholarship that involves students.

Regarding the Center's support of faculty use of technology, Dr. Barron suggested that the Center continue to be involved in this; she noted that external funding is still available for this.

Regarding service learning, Lanny noted that, as with CUR (regarding scholarship) and the Division of Education (regarding K-12 activities), it will be important for the Center to communicate effectively with the office that coordinates service learning activities. Bart noted that that there is not a unit on campus that focuses on faculty service.

David would like to know more about ways in which the Center could or should relate to CUR, the Division of Education, and Service Learning office. Bart suggested that a representative from CUR attend a future meeting.

— Minutes respectfully submitted by Michelle Falgoust,
Administrative Assistant in the Center for the Advancement of Teaching

See also: SPIG