Dear Faculty Colleagues

The Center for Innovative Learning and Teaching of Touro’s Western Division is pleased to announce that we are offering an online ACUE (Association of College and University Educators) Course in Effective Teaching Practices designed to enhance our campus commitment to faculty and student success. A limited group of (33) faculty participants will be selected to complete the nationally-recognized Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).  The cost to participate in the program will be funded by the Provosts’ Offices at both Touro University Nevada (TUN) and Touro University California (TUC) with no cost to you or your department.

The Course consists of 25 modules that will be completed online with a cohort of other faculty and guided by facilitators from TUC and TUN. The modules include five units of study: Designing an Effective Course and Class, Establishing a Productive Learning Environment, Using Active Learning Techniques, Promoting Higher Order Thinking, and Assessing to Inform Instruction and Promote Learning.  You can learn more about the Course and the content of each module here: http://acue.org/course/

Attached and below is a tentative schedule for the ACUE Course at Touro Western Division. ACUE will kick off the program with an in-person Course Launch on Friday, August 3rd  from which participants will complete their first module. The Course will begin on August 6, 2018 and go through April 21, 2019 with coursetakers completing approximately one online module each week.  There will be four face-to-face sessions, each following a course block.
Participants will need to spend approximately two to three hours for each unit, which will be presented using Canvas. It is important that you are willing to make a commitment to completing this course, as there are others who are on a waiting list.

The Center for Innovative Learning and Teaching (CILT) enthusiastically supports this initiative and looks forward to recognizing participants at the end of the course via a pinning ceremony.

Participants will also receive a check for $500 upon completion of the course and a certificate in Effective College Instruction.

There may be some openings available for interested faculty.

If you are interested, please email me immediately so we can place you on a wait list.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Here is the current tentative schedule:

Touro University – Nevada and California
ACUE Course in Effective Teaching Practices
Proposed Course Sequence, 2018-19

Timeframe       Module  Unit    Meeting Topic
Aug 3, 1 – 4 p.m.        Course Launch – Motivating Your Students        2d      Orientation
BLOCK 1: Establishing a Productive Learning Environment
Aug 6 – Aug 12  Connecting with Your Students   2c      Supportive Learning Environments
Aug 13 – Aug 19 Promoting a Civil Learning Environment  2b
Aug 20 – Aug 26 Engaging Underprepared Students 2e
Aug 27 – Sep 2  Helping Students Persist in Their Studies       2f
Sep 3 – Sep 9   Embracing Diversity in the Classroom     2g
Sept 10 – Oct 7 Break or Makeup Weeks
BLOCK 2: Engaging Learners
Oct 8 – Oct 14  Planning an Effective Class Session     1e      Active Learning
Oct 15 – Oct 21 Delivering an Effective Lecture 3c
Oct 22 – Oct 28 Using Active Learning Techniques        3a, 3b
Oct 29 – Nov 11
(two weeks)     Planning and Facilitating Effective Class Discussions   3d, 3e
Nov 12 – Nov 18
Developing Self-Directed Learners       4e
Nov 19 – Dec 9  Break or Makeup Weeks           Celebrate!
BLOCK 3: Promoting Higher Order Thinking & Assessing Learning
Jan 14 – Jan 27 Leading the First Day of Class  2a      Higher Order Thinking
Jan 28 – Feb 3  Using Advanced Questioning Techniques   4a
Feb 4 – Feb 10  Using Concept Maps and Other Visualization Tools        4b
Feb 11 – Feb 17 Checking for Understanding      5d      Assessing Learning
Feb 18 – Feb 24 Providing Useful Feedback       5c
Feb 25 – Mar 3  Using Student Achievement and Feedback to Improve Your Teaching 5e
Mar 4 – 10      Break or Makeup Weeks
BLOCK 4: Designing Courses
Mar 11- Mar 24  Establishing Powerful Learning Outcomes 1a      Backward Design
Aligning Assessments with Course Outcomes       1b
Aligning Activities and Assignments with Course Outcomes        1c
Mar 25 – Apr 7  Preparing an Effective Syllabus 1d      Syllabus and Course Policies
Developing Fair, Consistent and Transparent Grading Practices    5a
Developing and Using Rubrics and Checklists      5b
Apr 8 – Apr 21  Makeup Weeks
TBD     Pinning Ceremony                Celebrate!
Course Ends – All reflections due by Apr 21

Thank you,

Yvonne M. Randall
Interim Associate Dean
College of Health and Human Services, Touro University Nevada

and

Jim O’Connor Ph.D.
Director, CILT

Attachment: ACUE-Course-ScheduleTouro_SuggestedCourseSequence_2018-19-3.docx