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Ohio University: Center for Teaching & Learning Agenda

  • Date: Thursday, June 18,
  • Time: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
  • Location: Faculty Commons / Alden Library
  • Contact: Dr. Laurie Hatch (740.597.2700)

The mini-conference addressed a range of issues concerning teaching, learning, and the increasing diversity that our students — and we as teachers — experience in the classroom, the workplace, and the global community. Mini-conference sessions included effective ways to incorporate multiculturalism and globalization into the curriculum and classroom.

The mini-conference agenda is shown below, including links to workshop handouts and resources.

8:30 – 9:00 | Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 9:15 | Welcome/ Introduction

  • Laurie Hatch, Director, Center for Teaching & Learning and Professor of Sociology

9:15 – 11:00 | Keynote Session:

Diversity and Higher Education: Preparing Students to Make a World of Difference

  • Mark Orbe, Professor of Communication & Diversity, Western Michigan University; Dr. Orbe will be introduced by Dr. Stacey Brinkley.

Description: “Higher” forms of educations are thwarted unless diverse perspectives are centralized with the learning experience. As educators, it is our responsibility to prepare students for a future whereby global issues will continue to have local significance. This keynote will provide a foundation for such work, and include several experiential opportunities for participants to come to understand what this means for their particular pedagogical areas. Through the sharing of promising practices, faculty members will be able to learn how colleagues negotiate the challenges of incorporating issues of multicultural education and globalization in the classroom.

Resources:

11:15 – 12N

Who Are We? OU in Multicultural Context: OU Demographics – Students, Faculty, Staff

  • Joni Wadley, Associate Director for Academic & Student Assessment, Office of Institutional Research

Group Discussion

  • Dan Weiner, Executive Director, Center for International Studies and Professor of Geography, Facilitator

Resources:

12N – 1:15 | Lunch and Discussion

Food for Thought

1:30 – 2:45 | Concurrent Workshop

Select one. Workshops are also offered from 3:00 – 4:15 pm.

  1. Engaging “Taboo Topics” in the Classroom: The Power of Dialogic Moments
    • Mark Orbe, Professor of Communication and Diversity, Western Michigan University

    Description: In many contexts, issues related to diversity – race, sexuality, spirituality, disability, politics and the like – constitute “taboo topics” that are seen as volatile and divisive, and consequently damaging to a productive learning environment. This session will provide participants with an opportunity to reflect on how engaging taboo topics in the classroom can serve as a means to address multiple cultural and global perspectives. In particular, participants will learn the shortcomings of discussion/debate and the benefits the come with creating a classroom culture where dialogue emerges along heightened levels of learning.

    Resources:

  2. Addressing Assumptions about Multicultural and Global Issues: Creating Effective Course Materials and Activities
    • Susanne Dietzel, Director, Women's Center
    • Yeong Kim, Associate Professor of Geography
    • Edna Wangui, Assistant Professor of Geography
    • Laurie Hatch, Director, CTL and Professor of Sociology

    Description: How do we effectively address incorrect information or stereotypes that students may hold regarding different groups, regions of the world or global issues? Session co-facilitators and participants will share strategies for identifying and addressing students' assumptions about multicultural and global issues. Course materials will be shared, including sample assignments and activities intended to help challenge students' (and others') commonly-held assumptions.

    Resources:

  3. Multimodal Approaches to Enhance Interaction in a Multicultural Classroom
    • David Matthews, Director, Academic Technologies and Associate Professor of Interior Architecture
    • Mike Roy, Assistant Director, Web & Multimedia, Academic Technologies

    Description: This session offers an overview of issues and practices to promote multicultural communication with technology. Participants will be provided examples of the use of specific technologies in delivering course content in multimodal methods.

    Resources:

3:00 – 4:15 | Concurrent Workshop

Select one. Workshops are also offered from 1:30 – 2:45 pm.

  1. Engaging “Taboo Topics” in the Classroom: The Power of Dialogic Moments
    • Mark Orbe, Professor of Communication and Diversity, Western Michigan University

    Description: In many contexts, issues related to diversity – race, sexuality, spirituality, disability, politics and the like – constitute “taboo topics” that are seen as volatile and divisive, and consequently damaging to a productive learning environment. This session will provide participants with an opportunity to reflect on how engaging taboo topics in the classroom can serve as a means to address multiple cultural and global perspectives. In particular, participants will learn the shortcomings of discussion/debate and the benefits the come with creating a classroom culture where dialogue emerges along heightened levels of learning.

    Resources:

  2. Addressing Assumptions about Multicultural and Global Issues: Creating Effective Course Materials and Activities
    • Susanne Dietzel, Director, Women's Center
    • Yeong Kim, Associate Professor of Geography
    • Edna Wangui, Assistant Professor of Geography
    • Laurie Hatch, Director, CTL and Professor of Sociology

    Description: How do we effectively address incorrect information or stereotypes that students may hold regarding different groups, regions of the world or global issues? Session co-facilitators and participants will share strategies for identifying and addressing students' assumptions about multicultural and global issues. Course materials will be shared, including sample assignments and activities intended to help challenge students' (and others') commonly-held assumptions.

    Resources:

  3. Multimodal Approaches to Enhance Interaction in a Multicultural Classroom
    • David Matthews, Director, Academic Technologies and Associate Professor of Interior Architecture
    • Mike Roy, Assistant Director, Web & Multimedia, Academic Technologies

    Description: This session offers an overview of issues and practices to promote multicultural communication with technology. Participants will be provided examples of the use of specific technologies in delivering course content in multimodal methods

    Resources:

4:15 – 5:00 | Wrap-up Session and Reception

Workshop Themes & Emerging Issues

Central themes and issues from the afternoon workshop will be addressed, including a discussion of suggested “Next Steps” for Ohio University. Refreshments will be served.