The second annual Provost’s Teaching and Learning Symposium, held in late September, 2015, marks a continued effort to spur student learning and pedagogical innovation and assessment through collaborations with faculty and staff.
The symposium, supported by the Hrabowski Innovation Fund initiative which acknowledges faculty and staff creativity and innovation in education, brought together nearly 100 faculty, staff, and graduate students to explore ways the UMBC community is actively engaging students in and out of the classroom through the implementation of creative ideas, technologies, and curricula.
Conversations in various breakout sessions were led by faculty and staff involved in existing programs and initiatives designed to positively change student learning outcomes and assessment. Some of the new ideas addressed during the half-day event included teaching hybrid courses, understanding the value of applied learning, and creating customized direct measures to evaluate student learning. Participants also heard from the Hrabowski Innovation Fund 2013-14 winners, who provided an overview of their grant programs and shared updates on their progress.
This year’s symposium also featured “SpeedGeeking,” a fast-paced, creative way for attendees to share a useful or innovative idea in small group conversations. Poster presentations were also available, where participants could review, in greater detail, many of the existing grant programs established from the Hrabowski Innovation Fund.
The event concluded with an open group dialogue with Dr. Hrabowski, where he shared his thoughts on the work of the institution and the importance of challenging ourselves, and our colleagues and partners, to continue developing innovative ways to advance higher education.
The Provost’s Teaching and Learning Symposium is organized by the Faculty Development Center, which supports faculty and instructors in their teaching role by providing a comprehensive program of services and resources.
Faculty and staff interested in sharing ideas for creative sessions for future symposiums should contact Linda Hodges at lhodges@umbc.edu.
