Join these highly interactive sessions to engage in a series of cross-disciplinary dialogues about the teaching and learning throughout Penn State's general education curriculum. Each session will feature the work of different Penn State faculty members and/or students. Even if you aren't teaching general education courses (yet), you are welcome to join us for inspiration, conversation, and community. These events are a collaboration of the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and the Office for General Education.
September 29, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Guest presenter: Martha J. Strickland, Associate Professor of Education, Penn State Harrisburg
Title: Differently Curious: Exploring Curiosity and Its GenEd Implications
Synopsis: Curiosity plays a pivotal role in fostering effective learning and productivity. We must ask ourselves: do our students possess a sense of curiosity? If so, what sparks their curiosity? And, importantly, how can we actively cultivate and harness their curiosity? In this session, we will delve into these inquiries, drawing insights from a comprehensive multidisciplinary multicampus study recently conducted at Penn State. This study spanned STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences General Education courses, offering valuable perspectives on nurturing curiosity within our student community.
To register: https://forms.office.com/r/skBxGijcyP
With registration, the Zoom link will be provided via your PSU email 48 hours prior to the event. You will need to be authenticated as a PSU user to enter the Zoom room.
October 20, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Guest presenter: Alicia Drais-Parrillo, Teaching Professor, Psychology Department, Penn State University Park
Title: What do students want and perceive in syllabi?
Synopsis: The current study is part of a larger project to understand the impact of curricular changes and DEI efforts within college courses. As we attempt to connect observable student outcomes to these modifications, it seemed self-evident that we also gather stakeholder perceptions. We surveyed undergraduate students about their engagement with syllabi in general (e.g., when/if they read syllabi, what they want to know about a course) and their perceptions of specific sample syllabi. Analyses of approximately 300 survey responses suggest that our DEI efforts are not being perceived equally among students, which ultimately may affect student motivation and outcomes.
To register: https://forms.office.com/r/VY3VSmkc05
With registration, the Zoom link will be provided via your PSU email 48 hours prior to the event. You will need to be authenticated as a PSU user to enter the Zoom room.