CTL HomepageFaculty ResourcesWorkshop CalendarWorkshops/HandoutsNew Faculty OrientationBlackboard for FacultyBlackboard Tutorials for FacultyBlackboard for StudentsVU Blackboard Login

Teaching Transformation Academy

The Teaching Transformation Academy consists of a series of workshops designed to expose faculty to:

  • the latest in pedagogical strategies
  • sound instructional design processes
  • the effective use of technology in the teaching process

The TTA is a voluntary effort and approximately 40% of VU's faculty have attended.

See the list of TTA graduates by clicking here.

TTA Resources:

TTA Reading List - http://quality-instruction.blogspot.com/2007/06/reading-list.html

Session 01 – Transformation, Effective Teaching and Quality Instruction (PEDAGOGY)
The focus is developing a personal understanding of effective teaching. How does each individual faculty member define effective teaching and quality instruction? Reflecting on the aspects of learner-centered teaching, faculty members will engage in a discussion on their own teaching styles, learning styles and the impact on the teaching environment. This session will highlight best practices and implementing these practices into their unique classrooms, whether face-to-face, fully online, or a hybrid classroom.

Session 02 – Basics of Blackboard Course Management System (TECHNOLOGY)
Most courses will explore the use and integration of a course management system or learning management system. For many, this is a new experience, both as teacher and student. This session will provide an overview and practical hands-on application to explore and create some of the basic elements of an technologically supplemented or supported class. The focus will be introduction to the basic facets of Blackboard, and skill exploration.

Session 03 – Teaching and Learning Styles (PEDAGOGY)
Understanding the myriad of teaching and learning styles can be somewhat daunting for even the most seasoned faculty member. Much of the intuitive approaches to teaching have success. The focus of this session will include a reflective and interactive discussion on both teaching and learning styles. As part of understanding and determining the impact of teaching styles on learning and learning styles on teaching, faculty will be introduced to the role of technology in teaching and learning.

Session 04 – Course Development and Concept Mapping/Outlining (PEDAGOGY, COURSE DESIGN)
Realizing that while all courses may have similar elements, all courses differ from one another. Faculty will discuss and examine the course structure and lesson structure. Identifying curricular elements and their place in course and lesson structure, faculty will focus on the development of a course, or the modification of a course, for different delivery modalities (face-to-face, fully online, or hybrid). This session will focus on concept mapping or outlining as a strategy to enhance course or lesson design. Using web based applications or other technological applications, instructional units will be mapped or outlined and these outlines will be used to identify depth and breadth of coverage.

Session 05 – Active Learning and Course Materials (PEDAGOGY)
Developing a sense and understanding of active learning is important. Using this understanding to focus, direct and redirect teaching will create an environment where all students have the same potential to learn. Active learning is, and should, be a primary method for teaching AND learning. This session will focus on modeling active learning, and a variety of active learning techniques. Creating course materials that support and enhance active learning will be discussed and examined.

Session 06 – Digital Learning Assets and PowerPoint Presentation Software (TECHNOLOGY)
The assets available for learning are growing as fast as technological changes. To understand the differences in digital audio, digital video and digital file formats is important to begin integrating these assets into the classroom. Faculty will explore and be introduced to the digital assets available and instructional strategies to incorporate and integrate these assets into their classroom. The focus will include presentation software (currently Microsoft PowerPoint 2007) introduction and basic skill development.

Session 07 – Assessment Strategies and Techniques (PEDAGOGY, COURSE DESIGN)
Assessment and evaluation are integral elements in the classroom. Expanding the variety of assessment strategies provides faculty with different methods of determining or measuring the depth and breadth of student learning. This session will focus on reviewing a variety of assessment strategies. Faculty will participate in multiple assessments and reflect on each assessment. This session will seek to integrate assessment into the classroom and use assessment to determine both student performance and teaching effectiveness.

Session 08 – Advanced Blackboard Features (TECHNOLOGY)
This session will explore the advanced features of Blackboard. Providing hands-on experience, faculty will create and manipulate many of the advanced features not addressed in the previous Blackboard session. The focus of this session is on introduction to and exploration of Blackboard features and skill reinforcement and development.

Session 09 – Desktop Audio and Video (TECHNOLOGY)
The uses of audio and video will be the focus of this session. Using readily accessible desktop software or web based software, faculty will create audio files and video files to be used in their classroom. This session will include a discussion and examination of both audio and video files in teaching and learning. Faculty will be introduced to and develop skills necessary for creating, basic editing and distributing digital or desktop audio and video files.

Session 10 – Synchronous and Asynchronous Communication (TECHNOLOGY)
Current technological applications provide seemingly immediate, continuous and rich communication venues between teacher and student. Supplementing traditional email or discussion forums, new synchronous and asynchronous communication tools are providing access anywhere, anytime and anyplace. This session will focus on introducing and exploring the new emerging communication tools, and provide opportunities for discussion on the nature of contemporary communication in teaching and learning.

Session 11 – Classroom Management (COURSE DESIGN)
Contemporary classroom management strategies are changing with changes in classroom technology, refinement and identification of teaching and learning styles and curricular expectations. How the classroom is managed depends not only on the type of classroom (face-to-face, fully online, or hybrid), the type of technologies used, but also on the learning outcomes. This session will focus on a discussion of the dynamic classroom management strategies necessary for all types of classrooms.

Session 12 – Delivering Online Content (COURSE DESIGN)
Contemporary course content should be delivered using the variety of technological means available. No longer is curricular content only text and images. Digital content can be delivered to students and updated and dynamically changed. Content becomes more current than traditional means. This session will focus on determining the most appropriate method to deliver content, whether face-to-face, fully online or in a blended or hybrid environment. Faculty will explore and be introduced to several emerging technologies that may be used to deliver content.

Session 13 – Learning Environments and Spaces (PEDAGOGY)
In the contemporary focus on learning and teaching, the physical or traditional perceptions of the classroom shift. The dynamic model of learning can occur with no regard to place or time. Resources that once were available at a unique location are now available and accessible as digital resources. This session will focus on examining and reflecting on the changes and shifts for teaching in different environments or spaces.

Session 14 – Final Reflection (PEDAGOGY)
What has been transformed? How have the participants been transformed? What are their plans for implementation and integration of the academy into practice? This session will celebrate the accomplishments of the participants and challenge them to continue their transformation.

 

News
Video
Majors A-Z
Campus Map
Phone Directory
Sitemap

H1N1 Vaccination Clinic for VU Students is Nov. 3

November 2, 2009

VINCENNES, IND. - An H1N1 vaccination clinic will be offered to Vincennes University students on Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until all vaccine is given) in VU’s Beckes Student Union, Fort Sackville Room 1.

“We have a limited number of vaccinations and we must follow the priority guidelines set by the Center for Disease Control and the Indiana State Board of Health for administration of the vaccine.  We will be offering additional H1N1 vaccination clinics as soon as we receive additional doses from the County Board of Health,” said Peggy Milligan, coordinator of the VU Student Health Center.

Recommended initial priority groups include:  

  • pregnant women,
  • household/caregivers of babies under 6 months of age,
  • healthcare and emergency medical services personnel,
  • persons aged 6 months to 24 years, persons aged 25-64 who have high-risk medical conditions.

For more information, please contact Duane Chattin, Director of Public Information, at 812-888-4164 or dchattin@vinu.edu

Top

Thompson's 29 Lead VU Past SEI at JeffCo Tip-Off Classic; Buis Named All-American

November 1, 2009

HILLSBORO, Mo. – Freshman Deanna Thompson had 29 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Vincennes Lady Trailblazers to an 84-61 win over Southeastern Illinois Sunday in VU’s first game of the Jefferson College Tip-Off Classic in Hillsboro, Mo.

The victory tipped off the Lady Trailblazers’ 2009-10 season.

Sophomore Ashley Buis had 15 points, four assists and two steals, while sophomore Megan Craft scored seven, dished out five assists and turned in three steals. Freshman Jasmine McGhee contributed six points and four boards and sophomore Misty Wynn recorded three steals to go with her five points. Freshman Brooklyn Hillsman had eight points and freshman Charae Richardson pitched in with three steals for the Lady Trailblazers (1-0).

Thompson was 14-of-16 from the field as VU scored 51 points in the second half to pull away from a two-point halftime lead at 33-31.

As a team, the Lady Trailblazers had 30 rebounds (10 offensive boards), 16 steals, 17 assists and six blocked shots in the rout of the Lady Falcons.

VU will face Rend Lake Rend Lake on the classic’s second day Monday.

The Lady Trailblazers return from the Jefferson College event to entertain Olive-Harvey in a 5 p.m. game on Saturday, Nov. 7. After a trip to play the Lindsey-Wilson College J.V. team on Nov. 9, VU comes home to take on John A. Logan at 5 p.m., prior to the VU Trailblazers’ 7 p.m. contest with the Volunteers.

November 1, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The National Junior College Athletic Association released its picks for the 2009-10 Divisions I, II and III Men's and Women's Pre-Season All-American First Team, Second Team and Third Team.

VU Lady Trailblazer Ashley Buis was selected for the Div. I First Team.

The 5-11 sophomore was a NJCAA Honorable-Mention All-American last season when she averaged 17.1 points, three rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game as VU went 25-10 and finished seventh at the NJCAA National Championship Tournament.

Top

Trailblazers open with 99-84 victory against New Creations

November 1, 2009

Freshman guard Monty Wilson scored 19 points off the bench – 12 after halftime – and sophomores Chris Henderson and Ryan Allen had 15 each as the Vincennes Trailblazers beat visiting New Creations 99-84 Sunday to open the 2009-10 season.

Sophomore forward Daimion Garrett had 11 and sophomore guard Fred Ford chipped in with eight points to support a VU attack in which everyone on the Trailblazers roster scored.

Guards Phillip Bond and Hayden Annett tied for game-high scoring honors with 20 points. Annett had 18 and Bond 16 after intermission. Walter Pitchford scored 13 for the Flyers.

The Trailblazers got out to a big lead early as New Creations struggled from the floor and didn’t record a field goal until a short jumper by guard Andros Desir made it 31-7 VU with 9:34 remaining in the first half. Prior to that shot, the Flyers had only five free throws.

New Creations went scoreless again until the 8:16 mark when a pair of free throws by Junior McLeod broke the second scoring ice jam. Unfortunately, the Trailblazers had cooled off and only scored a pair of points by that time as well. From that 33-9 score, the Flyers outscored VU 25-11 over the next eight minutes to pull within 10 at 44-34 at the half.

The Trailblazers shot 46 percent on 17-of-37 shooting in the first half. However, New Creations hit 13 free throws, thanks to 16 first-half VU fouls, to stay in sight of the Trailblazers.

The Trailblazers stretched the lead back to 20 in the second half on a Henderson dunk that staked VU to a 60-40 advantage. The cushion swelled to as much as 26 points when freshman Philip Freeman stole a Flyers inbounds pass and took it in untouched for a layup to make it 80-54 with just less than eight minutes to go.

VU kept the lead near 20 throughout much of the rest of the way in outscoring the Flyers 55-50 in the second half and cruising to the final score.

The Trailblazers will return to action Wednesday when they host Olney Central at 7 p.m. Admission is $5, but students with valid VU I.D.s are admitted free.

All VU Trailblazers games can also be heard with Dave Hunter’s play-by-play on Blazer 91.1 WVUB.

Top

VU Health Watch Wednesday Continues

 VU Health Watch Wednesday began with two e-text messages that provided H1N1 wellness tips and reminded subscribers to visit the VU Health Office web page. 

Updates will be posted each Wednesday (or sooner if the situation warrants).  The webpage includes links to the Center for Disease Control flu pages, preventative tips, and campus information. 

Top

More News...

800.742.9198
1002 N. First Street
Vincennes, IN 47591