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Facilitating and Enhancing Learning:
Awareness, Application, and Advocacy
Introduction
The goal of the National Faculty Center is to promote learner-centered
education (LCE) as one means of facilitating success for the diverse learners
enrolled on our campuses today. The University
Teaching Center at The University of Arizona hosts a week-long Institute
in Tucson, Arizona each year in the Spring. The themes of this institute are Awareness,
Application, and Advocacy
of learner-centered education. The institute is designed as a unique,
thought-provoking experience that emphasizes content and process so as to
create lasting excitement about learning-centered teaching and to model
its practical implementation. As part of its participation in the Institute,
each institution's team will be expected to plan, carry out, and report
the results of a project at their institution that is designed to facilitate
broader use of learner-centered strategies on their campus.
The 2005 Institute is organized to achieve three goals:
- To enhance the understanding of the core elements that influence successful
learning by all students, with particular focus on those with disabilities.
- To provide specific information on theories, pedagogies, and innovative
instructional strategies that will aid participants in providing all
learners with equitable access to learning.
- To catalyze institutional change by empowering participants to advocate
for practices that will make campuses and classrooms user-friendly for
diverse learners.
The 2005 Institute of the National Faculty Center
The Institute will be held from May 1-5, 2005 at The
Westward Look in Tucson, Arizona. Ten institutions from around the United States will attending, each bringing
a team of six participants. Each team will comprise a mix of faculty,
teaching assistants, administrators, program coordinators, and a student.
Upon completion of the Institute, participants will be able to:
- Describe types of learning diversity and discuss the impact of this
diversity on the instructional process. [Awareness]
- Explain the limitations of a traditional 'content-delivery' model
in creating engaging learning experiences for diverse learners. [Awareness]
- Discuss empirical evidence and research about instructional techniques
that facilitate learning. [Awareness]
- Identify challenges to designing learner-centered instructional environments.
[Awareness]
- Apply evidence-based strategies in their classrooms. [Application]
- Design practical solutions to overcoming barriers to equitable access
and learner-centered education. [Application]
- Promote learner-centered education to colleagues in higher education.
[Advocacy]
- Use the resources and the community of professionals created through
the NFC Institute to advocate and implement learner-centered teaching.
[Advocacy]
Institute Curriculum
Three philosophies underlie the structure of the institute curriculum.
Learner-centered education and
constructivism ground our belief
that learning should be facilitated through processes that make content
accessible and meaningful and that allow students to construct their own
learning. Evidence-based teaching and learning
strategies emphasize the value of techniques that have been
empirically demonstrated to be effective for diverse learners. Both the
content and the methods of content delivery in all institute activities
will be based on these three philosophies. The Institute curriculum will
be structured as pre-institute
activities, daily
activities (view
detailed agenda) at the Institute, and ongoing
collaboration through follow-up projects after the Institute.
Materials
A carefully reviewed selection of books, journal articles, sample lesson
plans, instructional activity templates, and videotapes will be incorporated
into the curriculum and made available to participants in a variety of
formats. NFC staff will design and routinely update interactive materials
and online learning tools for use by participants before and after the
Institute.
Participant Institution Obligations
Project Obligations
Participating teams are expected to carry out projects at their institutions
to transfer the skills acquired from participation in the Institute to
their academic communities. These projects should be designed to favorably
impact campus climate and to reduce barriers to the success of students
with disabilities. The NFC staff will assist participants in formulating
achievable goals for these projects. Participating institutions are expected
to maintain ongoing communication with the NFC staff and report campus
activities related to their team's project or other initiatives relevant
to the mission of the National Faculty Center.
Financial Obligations
The congressional award for the creation of the NFC provides substantial
financial support for individuals from participating institutions. This
support covers:
- All program content/resources and learning materials (print and digital
media)
- Transportation between Tucson International Airport and the Westward
Look Resort
- Registration fees for the Institute and most meals
- Resort accommodations for participants during the Institute at the
Westward Look Resort (http://www.westwardlook.com/)
in Tucson, Arizona
The National Faculty Center will not cover the cost of:
- Transportation to and from Tucson, Arizona.
- 2 dinners during the institute
- Accommodations, meals, or travel for family members or others who
may accompany participants to Tucson
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