Professional Development Certificate Program
The Professional Development Certificate Program is a professional development program offered for faculty at all levels. It is an intensive, year-long series of workshops designed to give both new and experienced instructors (full-time, part-time, tenure track and adjunct) a forum to discuss and think about some of the persistent major issues surrounding teaching and learning (including learning theory, diversity, assessment, classroom management and practice). Combining the philosophies of life-long learning and the reflective practitioner, this program is dedicated to the idea that all instructors, regardless of status or experience, have something to contribute to such discussions, and all have something to learn. Participants are expected to use the experiences and material from the workshops in whatever way best suits their own professional development objectives.
The Professional Development Certificate has five required workshops. The core workshops are centered on themes related to Classroom Management, Learning Theory and Pedagogy. These areas were selected as topics for core workshops because they seem to represent long-standing areas of difficulty, controversy, and change within the teaching profession. Classroom management issues have always presented a challenge for teachers at all levels of experience, and ideas about how people learn are experiencing almost constant revision in the discipline of education studies. Ideas about diversity and technology and their place in teaching have seen a great deal of change, innovation, and adjustment within the profession. By tapping the experience and expertise of CSUF faculty in different disciplines and interest areas as well as experts, these workshops expose participants to both new and long-established thinking and techniques to be used in the pursuit of excellence in teaching.
Participants are not required to participate in all workshops. But those who wish to receive a certificate must commit to completing the program. The TLT Certificate requires completion of the five core workshops. Credit for completed workshops can be carried over from year to year.
The Certificate itself provides evidence of a significant commitment by the faculty member to improve their own teaching and to make a difference for their students. This may be important evidence for faculty who are seeking Tenure and/or Promotion or for those who have other annual goals related to professional development.
Fall 2008 Workshops
in UC202
Motivating the Learner (Bohlin)
Wednesday, September 24, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM &
Thursday, September 25, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (repeated)
UC202
This workshop will discuss strategies that are effective in motivating student toward learning. Research has shown that these methods help to facilitate a strong instrinsic motivation. Time will be provided to help participants plan ways to apply them to their own classrooms.
Assessing Student Learning (Harding & Arenz)
Tuesday, October 21, 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM &
Wednesday, October 22, 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM(repeated)
UC202
Facilitating Critical Thinking (Fine)
Monday, September 29, 9:00 AM- 11:00 AM &
Thursday, October 2, 1:30 PM- 3:30 PM (repeated)
UC 202
Critical thinking, defined as the deliberate use of skills and strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome, can be learned in ways that promote transfer to novel contexts. This workshop will provide an overview of undergraduate student learning and instruction relative to critical thinking. The challenges confronting those who seek to engage students in critical thinking and ways in which certain skills can be facilitated will be examined
Approaches to Teaching
Tuesday, October 14, 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM &
Wednesday, October 15, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (repeated)
UC 202
This workshop will explore methods that facilitate quality learning for everyone. These widely varied strategies are relatively simple to implement and can make a positive difference in student learning
Enhancing Active Learning in the Classroom (Fine)
Monday, October 27, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Thursday, October 30, 1:30 PM- 3:30 PM (repeated)
UC202
This workshop will focus on strategies for increasing student involvement and making the material come alive in the classroom. Teamwork and project-based learning will be included in the focus of discussions of effective strategies