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Teaching Circles

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Teaching Circles are small groups of faculty from various disciplines who come together to discuss matters related to teaching and learning. Members meet every other week to dive deeply into a topic as well as develop relationships with faculty across campus. The discussion is centered around one focal book (provided free of charge to participants) which guides the conversation. Members serve as informal “discussion leaders” each week but the conversation is typically guided by the group at large.

If you would like to join a teaching circle this semester, please click on the link included in the teaching circle descriptions below to register or reserve a book by September 23. If you do not register by this date, you may not be guaranteed a copy of the book/material during the first few weeks of the teaching circle.

We always accept suggestions for future teaching and learning books to read!

For fall semester 2019, four teaching circles will be offered.

Facilitating Seven Ways of Learning

How do you match your teaching goals to your students’ distinct ways of learning? Research on learning clearly demonstrates that learning is not one thing, but many. This teaching circle will focus on seven different ways of learning, teaching strategies, and how a focused and purposeful selection of learning activities improves student performance and the overall teaching experience. Participants in this teaching circle will read and discuss the book: “Facilitating Seven Ways of Learning” (books provided by the FRC) written by Davis and Arend. Discussions in this teaching circle will provide participants with a basis for evaluating teaching and learning methodologies with the goal of pushing beyond the “seven ways” to adapt or adopt further strategies. Members serve as informal “discussion leaders” each week but the conversation is typically guided by the group at large.

Click here to register: 7 Ways of Learning or visit the following link: https://forms.gle/LjrAFupV5zC8PgLA6

The schedule for this circle is:

September 25, 11:00-12:00
October 2, 11:00 – 12:00
October 23, 11:00 – 12:00
November 6, 11:00 – 12:00
November 20, 11:00 – 12:00
December 4, 11:00 – 12:00
December 11, 11:00 – 12:00

My Biggest Problem with Online Teaching is….

Are you thinking about creating a hybrid or online version of an already existing course? Do you have experience teaching online but are looking for solutions to common challenges in online teaching and learning? The FRC will sponsor one teaching circle which will focus on issues in online teaching and course design applicable to both online and hybrid settings. Topics to be covered include effective writing assessment, online feedback, myths regarding student technology skills, online student engagement and facilitation of online discussions. Discussions in this teaching circle will be based on a series of six 40 to 60-minute webinars from Magna Commons focusing on student engagement and teaching solutions for online and hybrid environments. Access to webinar series, handouts, and additional support resources will be provided by the FRC. Members serve as informal “discussion leaders” each week but the conversation is typically guided by the group at large.

Click here to register: Online & Hybrid Teaching Circle or visit the following page: https://forms.gle/3Ap7PGmw6xST74rE6

The schedule for this circle is:

September 25, 11:00-12:00
October 2, 11:00 – 12:00
October 23, 11:00 – 12:00
November 6, 11:00 – 12:00
November 20, 11:00 – 12:00
December 4, 11:00 – 12:00
December 11, 11:00 – 12:00

Transforming Study Abroad

International programs challenge our students in unique ways and encourage personal growth as they transition from students into global citizens. Are you interested in designing or redesigning a study abroad experience and don’t know where to begin? This teaching circle will be devoted to discovering ways of creating meaningful study abroad experiences across several disciplines. Participants in this teaching circle will read and discuss N. Doerr’s book: “Transforming Study Abroad” (e-books provided by the FRC). Discussions in this teaching circle will focus on initial design as well as re-design of study abroad courses, allowing participants to reflect on culture, the global and the national, immersion, self-transformation and most importantly, how to incorporate these notions into a successful study abroad experience. Members serve as informal “discussion leaders” each week but the conversation is typically guided by the group at large.

Click here to register: Study Abroad Teaching Circle or visit the following link: https://forms.gle/rZ2VdWpgfGtpVH9k8

The schedule for this circle is:

September 25, 11:00-12:00
October 2, 11:00 – 12:00
October 23, 11:00 – 12:00
November 6, 11:00 – 12:00
November 20, 11:00 – 12:00
December 4, 11:00 – 12:00
December 11, 11:00 – 12:00

Using Digital Humanities in the Classroom

One of the richest and fastest-growing areas for teaching, research, and scholarship in the humanities is in what has become known as the Digital Humanities. The Faculty Resource Center (with the School of Humanities and Global Studies) would like to invite you to join a Teaching Circle devoted to Ramapo’s Digital Humanities Initiative. Are you interested in incorporating digital tools, digital methods, or technology into your humanities courses? Participants in this teaching circle will read and discuss the following book: “Using Digital Humanities in the Classroom: A Practical Introduction for Teachers, Lecturers, and Students” by Battershill and Ross (books provided by the FRC). Participants in this Teaching Circle will discuss methods of integrating digital technologies, experiential learning, and visual communication into humanities courses. Members serve as informal “discussion leaders” each week but the conversation is typically guided by the group at large.

Click here to register: Digital Humanities Teaching Circle or visit the following link: https://forms.gle/oRLkCqTfdXRayyPU8

The schedule for this circle is:

Initial Meeting September 25, 11:00-12:00
Additional meetings TBA