Learning at Play: A One-day Symposium on Games for Learning and Social Change
Oct. 18, 2019—Games, both analog and digital, can immerse players in other worlds and give them experiences that help them see their own worlds in new ways. Play, structured or otherwise, can create opportunities to reflect, grow, and learn. During this one-day symposium, we will explore the ways that games and simulations can be used to foster...
Vandy Vox Wraps a Second Season!
Oct. 15, 2019—This podcast showcases the best of student-produced audio at Vanderbilt University. Each episode features student work from a curricular or co-curricular project, including audio documentaries, radio dramas, spokenword essays, and ongoing podcasts. Listen to all the episodes at vandyvox.com. . .
Teaching Innovations at Vanderbilt: John Bradley and Teaching Writing
Oct. 14, 2019—By Faith Rovenolt, CFT undergraduate intern Talking with Dr. John Bradley, director of the Writing Studio, helped me name critical lessons about writing that that I’ve realized firsthand as a Vanderbilt student here. I think teachers and students like me can benefit from both the abstract approaches and the concrete tools Bradley uses to foster...
Faculty Workshop: Supporting Effective Teaching in a Department
Oct. 11, 2019—How can academic leaders support a department or school’s teaching mission? In this session led by staff from the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching, participants will consider the ways that faculty members can refine their teaching skills over time as part of their ongoing professional development. Participants will also explore structures and resources that can be...
CFT Thanks Open Classroom Hosts!
Oct. 10, 2019—On September 9-13 , classes taught by some of the most well-respected and awarded teachers across Vanderbilt’s many disciplines opened their classroom doors to faculty and graduate students. We sincerely want to thank the many hosts (listed below) who participated in the event for their exemplary teaching and for being willing to serve as sage...
Proposals for University Courses Due November 22nd
Oct. 9, 2019—by Derek Bruff, CFT Director I am excited to announce that the Center for Teaching is the new home for Vanderbilt’s University Courses program. This program was launched by the Provost’s office in 2016 to encourage and support “cross college” teaching, one of the cornerstones of the Vanderbilt Academic Strategic Plan. Over the last three...
Crowdsourcing ideas for student engagement and for dealing with student challenges
Oct. 1, 2019—by Cynthia J. Brame, CFT Associate Director One of the most persistent questions that faculty face is how to engage our students productively, both in and out of the classroom. In some settings this is easier than others: when students are taking elective courses in their area of interest, the road is often smoother than...
Teaching Innovations at Vanderbilt: Garrett Tate, Lily Claiborne, and student analysis of real-world data
Sep. 30, 2019—By Faith Rovenolt, CFT undergraduate intern It’s pretty hard to not find volcanoes exciting. That’s part of the reason why I think a new active learning activity in EES-1510: The Dynamic Earth: Introduction to Geological Sciences, is so cool. The other reason I think it’s amazing is that it represents a great example of an...
CFT Thanks Our Teaching Affiliates!
Sep. 20, 2019—L to R: Amanda Brockman (Sociology), Laura Carter-Stone (Teaching & Learning), Emma Guiberson (Chemistry), Ethan Joll (Biomedical Engineering), Cait Kirby (Biological Sciences), Kelley Knowles (Psychology), Nazirah Mohd Khairi (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), Jose Luis de Ramon Ruiz (Spanish and Portuguese), Aaron Stevens (Physics and Astronomy), Nadejda Webb (English) Every August, the Center for Teaching...
Graduate Student/Postdoc Workshop: Teaching 101
Sep. 19, 2019—Have you been thrust into an instructional role for which you feel unprepared? Are you a multi-semester teacher who wants a refresher on some of the basics? Regardless of your teaching experience, this workshop will provide practical, concrete guidance on the mechanics of teaching and classroom presence, with an eye towards small tweaks and adjustments...