‘About the CFT’
Farewell to Nancy Chick
Feb. 13, 2015—by Derek Bruff, CFT Director It is with mixed emotions that I share the news that Assistant Director Nancy Chick will be leaving the CFT in March to take a position at the University of Calgary. Nancy has been appointed University Chair of Teaching and Learning, and Academic Director of the Taylor Institute for Teaching...
From the Director: Teaching, Difference, and Power
Aug. 14, 2014—by Derek Bruff, CFT Director Several years ago, I read about a line of research in mathematics education that immediately captured my attention. The research indicated that reminding female students of their gender before they took a math exam tended to decrease their exam performance in a statistically significant way. The reminder could be very...
The Year in Review 2013-14
Jul. 15, 2014—by Derek Bruff, CFT Director Before we get too much closer to the start of the school year and all the orientations, workshops, and seminars the CFT has lined up for August, I wanted to take a moment and look back at the academic year we’ve just completed. My staff and I have prepared a...
Teaching at Vanderbilt: A Dean’s Perspective
May. 8, 2013—by CFT Director Derek Bruff Last Friday, the Center for Teaching and the Graduate School honored the achievements of the Vanderbilt teaching community at our annual Celebration of Teaching, held this year at the Commons Center. We expanded the event for 2013 to include a variety of panels and presentations throughout the day featuring successes,...
Announcing “Teaching & Learning Inquiry,” ISSOTL’s New Journal
Apr. 29, 2013—by CFT Director Derek Bruff I’m very pleased to share that news that the inaugural issue of Teaching & Learning Inquiry (TLI) is now available. This new journal “publishes insightful research, theory, commentary, and other scholarly works that document or facilitate investigations of teaching and learning in higher education.” TLI is the official journal of...
CFT Position Opening – Program Coordinator II
Apr. 19, 2013—We’re hiring! We’re looking for an Program Coordinator II, so if you’re interested, please submit your application, and if you know of someone who might be interested, please spread the word. The Program Coordinator II coordinates the Center for Teaching’s events and programs for graduate students and faculty, including orientations for new faculty and teaching...
CFT Hosts International Scholar Catherine Easton to Study Educational Technology
Dec. 12, 2012—by Derek Bruff, CFT Director This year the CFT is hosting a visiting scholar, Catherine Easton of Lancaster University in the UK, where she teaches law. Catherine is in the United States as part of the International Scholars Program of the UK’s Higher Education Academy (HEA). She will explore how classroom response systems (“clickers”) and...
Meet the CFT’s HASTAC Scholar Zoe LeBlanc
Nov. 13, 2012—This year the CFT is proud to sponsor history doctoral student Zoe LeBlanc as a HASTAC Scholar. HASTAC (Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory) is a global network of individuals and institutions that come together to share, collaborate, and learn through online forums, blogs, conferences, social media and other channels of communication. The HASTAC...
Remembering Jack Venable
Jul. 20, 2012—by Allison Pingree, former CFT Director (1998-2011) Jack Venable, who passed away earlier this week, was a true champion of the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching. He oversaw its creation within the College of Arts and Science in 1986, and later its transformation into a university-wide resource. Jack hired me in the spring of 1998. From...
New Book from CFT Assistant Director Nancy Chick on Signature Pedagogies
Mar. 12, 2012—by CFT Director Derek Bruff Exploring More Signature Pedagogies: Approaches to Teaching Disciplinary Habits of Mind (2012) just hit the stands a couple of weeks ago. This is big news at the CFT because the lead editor is Nancy Chick, our new Assistant Director. This book is the follow-up to Exploring Signature Pedagogies: Approaches to...