The 3rd Annual Celebration of Student Learning

On Wednesday, March 4th the Center for Teaching & Learning hosted the 3rd Annual Celebration of Student Learning. The event allowed us to showcase various creative ways in which mini-grant recipients, both individual faculty members and entire departments, utilized CTL mini-grant funding to enhance assessment and student learning initiatives in their respective fields.

Rachel Ritterbusch, Heidi Dobish, Anne Legreid, Momodou Darboe and Reza Mirdamadi gave presentations and answered questions related to how mini-grant funding was utilized and the direct benefits which resulted.

Ritterbusch attended the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) conference in Orlando, FL to learn more about content standards, proficiency levels, and Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA) in her discipline of French language instruction.  By attending this conference, Ritterbusch gained insight into new initiatives for language reform and the ability to give better constructive feedback to students, ultimately helping them become better students of French.

Heidi Dobish and other members of the PSYCH department used a mini-grant award to hold an off-campus assessment retreat at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) outside of Shepherdstown. This retreat gave the department an opportunity to strengthen their departmental brochures, mission statement, and assessment plan. Their aim was to better align the goals of the department with those of the nationally recognized American Psychology Association (APA). The changes they were able to enact during this retreat will benefit Psychology majors and advisees and better prepare the department for future APA accreditation visits and with Shepherd’s own updated mission.

Dr. Legreid realized as soon as she came to Shepherd the need for updated maps and resources for use in Geography courses. A mini-grant from CTL allowed her to purchase current maps, globes and other materials and her presentation on the importance of having such resources was both educational and entertaining.

Dr. Darboe acquired a mini-grant for a similar purpose for the Anthropology 399 course in need of a human skeleton to study. While this course was not offered this past semester as had been planned, it will be offered in the future and the skeleton purchased can also be of use to other departments such as biology. Having this skeleton as a resource for anthropology courses will give a competitive edge to students studying forensic anthropology or those pursuing a degree with a concentration in Criminal Justice.

The CSME department is the recipient of a NASA grant which allows them to better prepare their majors and encourage undergraduate research. Additional funding of $3000 from a CTL grant enabled the department to further this project by providing supplies and faculty stipends to those working directly with students on research projects. Dr. Mirdamadi and his department have also been able to create a “Center for Undergraduate Research” within the CSME department and have found that the scholarships, grants and proposals awarded to Shepherd students have been profoundly beneficial to their development as CSME majors.

Those interested in applying for a CTL mini-grant during the 2009/2010 academic year are encouraged to learn more by visiting our website. Applicants should apply early, as funding is limited. Proposals that demonstrate that funding will directly benefit student learning and/or departmental assessment initiatives are given first priority. All requests are reviewed by the Assessment Task Force.