Hello from CETL,
We are nearing the end of the 2005-2006 academic year here at Minnesota State University. It has been an exciting and stimulating year for CETL. We continue to develop new programs for faculty and find so many faculty willing to explore new ways to teach and learn. Our Faculty Teaching Certificate Program I will conclude soon with presentations by participants to one another on a project developed for the classroom during the year. Both Certificate I and II groups will attend a final celebration lunch on May 10th where President Davenport will hand out certificates of completion of the program. We expect nearly all who started the program in August to receive a certificate--just under 70 in the Certificate I Program and about 20 in Certificate II.
The mentor program with 29 new faculty being mentored by 29 tenured faculty will conclude with a lunch on May 2nd. Vice President Scott Olson will thank both mentors and mentees for their work this year. The program is in place to help new faculty make important connections to the university.
Our new program this year for department chairs was a great success. Over 20 department chairs attended monthly sessions to discuss issues and work on an agenda for the chairs spring meeting. Much information was shared at these sessions and a new approach to the two annual chairs meeting was developed.
We will also see the end of the online Classroom Assessment Techniques learning community which included 15 faculty who received the book of the same name and worked through classroom activities.
The Feminist Learning Community, a grant from IFO for two years, will complete its work this month. This group of 15 faculty have met each month during the school year for the past two years. A special thanks to Nancy Fitzsimons for facilitating this group.
We had two wonderful all day conferences on teaching and learning at MSU this year. Thanks to all the faculty who supported these events.
As we complete our fourth year in CETL we thank all of our dedicated faculty who continue to put teaching and learning high on the list of what is important at the university. No teacher is perfect but we can all continue to improve and try to get better. That is happening at Minnesota State University!
Sincerely,
Stewart Ross
Director, CETL
