Faculty Workshops Initiative

About the Initiative

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching invites proposals from faculty to lead workshops and brown bag discussions for all Xavier faculty members during the 2006-2007 academic year. The Center will provide logistical support (e.g., create and distribute flyers, reserve rooms, photocopy materials) and award a modest honorarium.

We invite proposals on a broad range of topics, such as research, service, collegiality and, especially, teaching and learning. Proposals from groups of faculty are welcome.

In addition, we invite proposals for the following areas:

Teaching Katrina: If you have incorporated the hurricane and its aftermath in a course, you may present what you have done, along with what your students have accomplished, in either a workshop or brown bag discussion format.
Most Difficult Concept: In brown bag discussion format, please present a most difficult and commonly misunderstood concept in your discipline.

Definitions

Format	Examples	Options (day of the week, length)	General structure
Workshop	Problem-Based Learning Tools and Techniques for Improving Student Writing	Saturday: half-day (9-noon) Saturday: full-day (9-3) Weekday: one day, 1-3 hours Weekday: multi-day, 2-6 hours	More formal than a brown bag discussion. Typically includes time devoted to specific and different topics or tasks; interactive; may involve small group work; usually involves follow-up activity
Brown bag discussion	What Time Is It? Biological and Tenure Clocks The Day After Exam I	Weekday: 50-75 minutes	More informal than a workshop; conversational
Innovations in Teaching	Service Learning and Social Change Molecular Genetics and Student Learning	Weekday: 50 minutes	Informal; two presenters, each having 20 minutes to describe a particular teaching or learning problem, a solution or strategy to address the problem, and its impact; 10 minutes for discussion

Proposal Guidelines

Please submit 5 copies of a one- or two-page proposal that includes information about the following:

Title and length of time
Would you prefer to offer it during the school week or on a Saturday morning?
Is this a workshop, brown bag discussion, or an Innovations in Teaching presentation?
A description of the workshop, discussion, or presentation, including anticipated equipment or supplies.
The goal(s) of the workshop, discussion, or presentation
If you have any special knowledge or experience in the topic, please mention it.
Why do you think this topic may be of interest to Xavier faculty members?
If proposing a workshop, what follow-up activity do you plan to sustain or further promote the goals of the workshop? Note: Follow-up activity is optional.

Please send your proposal to the Center for the Advancement of Teaching, P.O. Box 73A or cat@xula.edu.

Members of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and CAT's Advisory Group will review proposals on a competitive basis. The review is not a blind review.

If you have any questions, contact contact David Lanoue at ext. 7477 or send an e-mail.

Deadline: July 21, 2006
Applicants will receive notification of the results in early August 2006.
A part of the July 2006 RFP Multipack.