Enhancing Teaching and Learning Conference

KCPDC sponsored a teaching and learning conference here this weekend. Documents, handouts and an archive of what presenters have sent to me is available. Despite the awful weather (I spun out on I-70), attendance was respectable.

Dr. Mike Neal, assistant dean of the KU school of education, provided the plenary / keynote address. He noted that in the past - life was experience rich and information poor, so that students may have reacted better to instructors who functioned as fonts of knowledge. He conveyed his own past growing up on the farm and his experiences in college. Life today however, is "information flooded and experience poor." This demands new approaches by educators. We face a crisis in education and those who adapt will shape a new and revitalized future.

He added that the days of "Sit and Get" are over. There are a new 3 R's: "relationships, relevance and rigor."

Below will be an compiled video of many of the sessions I got to sit in on.

KCPDC Workshops

The following workshops are being presented by the Kansas City Professional Development Council during February. These are free to KCKCC employees. To register contact Nancy Gordon at ngordon@ kckcc.edu or at 913-288-7140.

Legal Aspects of Supervision

When: Thu, February 5, 1pm – 5pm

Where: KCKCC

Description:This course familiarizes supervisors with the sources of the law, unlawful employment discrimination, justification and defenses to employee complaints, and considers preventive measures and proper language. It reviews sexual harassment and steps a supervisor can take to prevent it. After this workshop, participants will be aware of the varied complex responsibilities and will understand the impact of diversity on the legal aspects of supervision.

Diversity in the Classroom (FDP Core)

When: Fri, February 6, 6pm – 9pm

Where: Ottawa - Rm 303-305

Description: This course provides an introduction to multicultural education aims and methods as well as a look at the relevance of local history. Participants will study race, class, and gender inequalities and will probe these issues as co-investigators sharing their own best practices.

Online Instructional Strategies (FDP Elective)

When: Sat, February 7, 9am – 12pm

Where: Ottawa - Rm 303-305

Description: brain research shows that people learn best when they use as many of their senses as possible. With that in mind, participants in this workshop will learn about the science behind this teaching/learning concept, but spend most of their time developing, discussing, and practicing active learning strategies for their own courses. Instructors will leave this workshop with an understanding of different active learning strategies and models as well as how they themselves learn best.

Motivating Employees (SDP Core)

When: Thu, February 19, 1pm – 5pm

Where: DeVry - Room 218

Description: A look at what motivation is, how motivation turns into observable behaviors, the aspects of motivation, and how to elicit desired behaviors. The instructor will present the basic motivational theories and his approach to motivation. This course relies on interaction and participation from class members. Small groups, discussion questions and practical application are mainstays of this course. Participants will come to understand the impact of diversity on motivating employees.

Powerful Non-defensive Communication

When: Tue, February 24, 1:00pm – 4:30pm

Where: UMKC - Admin Center, 5115 Oak - Brookside Rm

Description: forthcoming

Upcoming conference: NISOD

The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) invites you to register for their 31st annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, which will be held on May 24-27, 2009, in Austin, Texas.

Make sure to register by April 30th to take advantage of the early-bird discount.

General session information is available, and there's time to submit a proposal until Friday, Jan. 23rd.

upcoming conference - KCWE call for proposals

The Kansas Council for Workforce Education (KCWE) is seeking proposals for presentations for the 2009 Career and Technical Education Summer Conference on August 3-5, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. The conference theme is "CTE: Driving Student Success." KCWE members are encouraged to submit proposals with broad appeal on topics of interest to our membership and other CTE educators. Presenters will lead 50-minute sessions. The deadline to submit proposals is February 20, 2009.
Proposals should include:

• Your name and contact information. Include your institution, academic department, business address, business phone number, fax number, and e-mail address. If you will have co-presenter(s), please send the same information for your colleague(s).
• Title and a brief summary/description of your proposed presentation. This should be suitable for inclusion in the conference program. Keep in mind that the most successful sessions have been interactive, hands-on presentations.
• A description of AV equipment you will need.

Proposals should be sent to:

Bill Osborn (KCWE President Elect)
Associate Vice President of Instruction
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.
Overland Park, KS 66210-1299
913.469.3868 (office)

Any further questions contact Ben Hayes at (913) 288-7224

2008 NCSPOD Conference

The NorthAmerican Council for Staff, Program and Organizational Development (NCSPOD) Conference has just ended in Reno, NV. In addition to providing an invigorating forum for collaboration among community colleges and universities, the international organization presents awards to honor exemplary performance.

The biggest award (to my biased and imperfect understanding) is the Glenn Schmitz Award. It "recognizes an individual or a group that has provided outstanding service to the NCSPOD board. " This award perhaps creates the most excitement and suspense because it is the only award kept secret. No one outside of the active board, not even the esteemed Helen Burnstad (who has an annual award named after her) knew of the selection before the NCSPOD President, Louanne Whitton, announced the winner.

Of course it went to KCKCC's Ben Hayes. All agreed that the recognition was well deserved and there was no luck about it, but you should ask him about how he did at the tables. The fates smiled on him this week.