Upcoming Workshop Application Deadlines

published Feb 7, 2014 1:12pm
There are a number of professional development workshops with impending application deadlines.

Teaching at Scale: Effective Strategies for Higher Order Learning in Large, Very-large, and Massive Courses (Cutting Edge)
Virtual workshop: April 7-18, 2014
Application deadline: February 15, 2014
New approaches and instructional technologies are changing the way many of us teach our classes. A key feature is scalability: the ability to teach increasing numbers of students at the same time. Large lecture classes, online learning, blended instruction, adaptive learning systems, and MOOCs all require scaling of instruction. We scale in our classes for reasons of efficiency - it is more cost effective to reach many than one - but we then face the challenge of optimizing the learning experience. In the geosciences, we have educational ideals that include field based, researched-based, and seminar formats. How do these ideals scale up into highly effective learning experiences that develop sophisticated geoscience thinking? This workshop focuses on techniques that improve the large scale teaching experience so that they are effective for instructors and rewarding for students.

Innovative Approaches to Teaching Sedimentary Geology, Geomorphology, and Paleontology (Cutting Edge)
June 16-20, 2014 - University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
Application deadline: February 17, 2014
This workshop will bring together faculty who teach courses in sedimentary geology, geomorphology, paleontology, marine geology, and paleoclimatology to address questions of how to teach these disciplines most effectively at the undergraduate level. It follows on previous successful On the Cutting Edge "Teaching XYZ" workshops that address the individual disciplines themselves but that focus especially on the intersections and synergies among and between disciplines.

Early Career Geoscience Faculty: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career (Cutting Edge)
June 22-26, 2014 with an optional trip to NSF on June 27, 2014 - University of Maryland, College Park
Application deadline: March 1, 2014
Join us for a multi-day workshop in a stimulating and resource-rich environment where you will participate in sessions on topics including effective teaching strategies, course design, establishing a research program in a new setting, working with research students, balancing professional and personal responsibilities, and time management.

Undergraduate Research in Earth Science Classes: Engaging Students in the First Two Years (Cutting Edge)
August 10-13, 2014 - Montana State University
Application deadline: March 1, 2014
This workshop is designed to explore the many ways that authentic research experiences can be embedded in introductory Earth Science courses. This follows the recent recommendations from the President's Council of Advisors on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics: Advocate and provide support for replacing standard laboratory courses with discovery-based research courses. Access to Earth data, information technology, instrumentation, field experiences and new understanding of how students learn provide unprecedented opportunities for students to engage authentic research at early stages in their careers. Please share your experiences in promoting student research in the first two years in your own courses and departments.

Teaching about Risk and Resilience: Sea Level Rise, Flooding, and Earthquakes (InTeGrate)
May 14-16, 2014, Florida Atlantic University
Application deadline: March 1, 2014
This workshop will bring together educators and researchers from many disciplines, community leaders, planners, policymakers, insurers and other business interests, along with others from civil society to share best practices in education to help students to understand needs of different stakeholders and to prepare students for careers related to hazard mitigation and adaptation.

Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences (a workshop for graduate students, post-docs, and others) (Cutting Edge)
June 30-July 3, 2014, University of Pittsburgh
Application deadline: March 3, 2014
This workshop is designed specifically for graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and others who are interested in pursuing academic careers in the geosciences. Faculty members and administrators will provide guidance and information that will help participants to be stronger candidates for academic positions and to succeed in academic jobs. Session topics focus on becoming both a successful teacher and researcher. Each participant will develop or revise a plan for the next career stage and will take home ideas to improve teaching immediately.