Introduction to Lesson Study, by Bill Cerbin, CATL Director, and Bryan Kopp, Writing Programs Coordinator
Thursday, February 7, 2:15-3:15 p.m., 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday, February 8, 1:30-2:30 p.m., 3212 Centennial Hall

Lesson study is a type of classroom inquiry in which several instructors jointly design, teach, observe, analyze and refine a single class
lesson in one of their courses. The goals are to better understand how students learn and to use that information to improve teaching. In
this session you will learn about basic lesson study practices and about how you can become involved in doing lesson study with fellow teachers. To see recent examples of lesson studies by UW-L instructors go to http://www.uwlax.edu/catl/lsp/.   

Writing and Critical Thinking: A Case Study, presented by Bryan Kopp, Writing Programs Coordinator and Darci Thoune, English
Thursday, February 14, 2:15-3:30 p.m., 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday, February 15, 1:30-2:45 p.m., 3212 Centennial Hall

Why do some students transform their knowledge when they write while others seem to be just “filling in the blanks”?   This session will highlight findings from a study of how three UW-L students responded to a writing assignment on the concept of sustainability.  One
student reported that she “learned a lot but her ideas didn’t change”. How is this possible?  This session will share some answers and
explore pedagogical implications for teachers across the disciplines.  Participants will watch video clips of actual student performances
and discuss strategies for promoting critical thinking in writing assignments.

Beyond Google: Advanced Search Strategies to Enhance Your Teaching and Scholarship
presented by Brian Udermann, Director of Online Education, and Jen Snook, Instructional Designer
Thursday, February 21, 9:30-10:15 a.m., 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday, February 22, 1:30-2:15 p.m., 3212 Centennial Hall

Google is a very powerful search engine and currently dominates the number of Internet searches conducted (roughly 70%).  However,
Google might not always be the best choice when you consider the range of Internet search tools available.  There are hundreds of
alternative search engines that can be used when trying to find information electronically.  This session will explore sites that can be
used to perform blind comparisons on the three top search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing), search for videos, and search for
discipline-specific information (Science, Arts, etc.).  We will even explore a search engine that contributes to your charity of choice for
every search you conduct.  Bring your laptop or iPad as we will actively be conducting searches during this session.

Backward Design, by Kristin Koepke and Jen Snook, Instructional Designers
Thursday, February 28, 2:15-4:15 p.m., 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday, March 1, 1:30p-3:30 p.m., 3212 Centennial Hall

Backward design is an innovative and enlightening way to think about course design and redesign. In this workshop, participants will
learn about the three phases of backward design:  (1) identify desired results, (2) determine acceptable evidence, and (3) plan learning experiences and instruction. Critical questions and activities will be presented to help attendees consider each phase of backward design
in their course revision process.

Designing and Managing Collaborative Assignments, by Deb Hoskins, Inclusive Excellence Coordinator and Bryan Kopp, Writing Programs Coord.
Thursday, March 7, 2:30-3:30pm , 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday, March 8, 1:30-2:30 p.m.,  3212 Centennial Hall

Studies suggest that collaborative work enhances learning for all students, helps students develop competence in interacting with others
who are not like themselves, and teaches students the collaborative skills they need to succeed in most contemporary workplaces.  But research also indicates that assignments that require students to work together over time only yields such benefits when they are very
well designed and managed.  In this workshop, you will learn some principles for designing and managing collaborative assignments, and
then delve into the complexities of implementation as you lay out a plan for an assignment in one of your courses.  

Tools for Program Level Assessment, by Patrick Barlow, Assessment Coordinator
Thursday, March 14, 2:30-3:30 p.m., 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday, March 15, 1:30-2:30 p.m., 3212 Centennial Hall

Assessment of learning at the course level, while challenging, is often a clearer task than when looking at the learning within an entire program.  This complexity may be dealt with through the design of a process and selection of tools/data streams that facilitate the effort
and provide meaningful results.  This session will explore the general process of conducting assessment at the program level and
highlight options for tools or procedures to help collect data for programmatic improvement.  Those tasked with coordinating
assessment within their department are highly encouraged to attend.  

Twitter as an Assessment Tool, by Jen Snook, Instructional Designer
Thursday, March 28, 2:15-3:15 p.m., 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday, March 29, 1:30-2:30 p.m., 3212 Centennial Hall

Twitter is a very popular social media site that allows for microblogging, with posts that are limited to 140 characters. This type of
message creation can have an interesting impact when used in the classroom to collect information on student progress & understanding
of course concepts.  This session will present a few ways in which Twitter can be used in a Classroom Assessment Technique.

Using the Inclusive Excellence Inventory, by Deb Hoskins, Inclusive Excellence Coordinator
Thursday, April 25, 2:30-3:30pm, 161 Wing Technology Center
Friday April 26, 1:30-2:30pm, 3212 Centennial Hall

Inclusive Excellence is a sprawling concept, and many instructors have difficulty getting a handle on what they might do to be part of it.  
Deb Hoskins and Bill Cerbin have developed an online inventory of practices relevant to instructors’ roles that can help individuals gauge strengths and weaknesses, define goals, and develop a professional development plan that will benefit students.  The inventory is
grounded in educational research that demonstrates the efficacy of a variety of practices. Respondents can receive an individual-level
report related to important IE goals. Department-level reports are also available to facilitate collaboration and strategic planning.  In
this session, you will learn how to take and to use the IE Inventory.