Center for Teaching Excellence

First Year Faculty Development Program

CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS

To build community among first-year faculty and help connect them to CTE programming, the CTE is launching an optional pilot of the First Year Faculty Development Program. This one-year program will help you connect with other first-year faculty and develop a learning community focused on best teaching practices, educational technology, and exploring opportunities for scholarship and service related to teaching. We understand that the teaching schedule may not permit you to participate in the in-person or synchronous events as much as you may want to. Watching the recorded programs, listening to selected podcasts, and reading selected articles/book chapters available in the Canvas course at your own pace will also count if you complete the asynchronous activities in Canvas. We encourage you to participate in as many opportunities as possible, and at the end of the academic year, you will receive a record of the programs you participated in. In addition, the CTE will also provide recognition to those who complete the program to celebrate their dedication to improving as educators. 

Requirements

All participants will receive a record of their activities in the program. 

To obtain the recognition at the end of the academic year, participants must engage in the following three types of programs:

  1. At least one of the following Priority programs in each semester

These are programs determined to have broad positive impact, and university-wide engagement of faculty is encouraged.

  • Persistence Project and complete survey 
  • CTE keynote speaker (in-person or watch a video record and submit reflection) 
  • CTE keynote workshop 
  1. At least two of the “First year faculty development information sessions/workshop series” in each semester (see list below).   These are sessions designedto support new faculty in better adjusting to the responsibilities and life at Xavier. Most sessions are in-person, and some selected sessions are synchronous Zoom meetings that will be recorded. If you cannot attend these sessions in-person or synchronously, you may watch the recorded video asynchronously and submit a reflection.

Fall 2023 Topics

Date/Time

Strategies for building classroom community

F Aug 25 (1-2 pm)

Various ways of giving feedback (formative assessments/functions on Canvas)

Th Aug 31 (1-2 pm) Zoom

Reaching at risk students 

F Sept 8 (12-1 pm) Zoom

Strategies in questioning and handling student response, effective praising

T Sept 19 (2:30-3:30 pm)

Living and working in Cincinnati: Resources and opportunity

W Sept 27 (2-3 pm) Zoom

Putting metacognition into practice (for students and yourself)-e.g. exam wrapper, midterm class evaluation 

T Oct 10 (1-2 pm)

Responding to academic integrity issue

Th Oct 19 (2-3 pm) Zoom

FERPA how to respond to parents/students’ complaints

T Oct 24 (11.30-12:30 pm)

Jesuit values and course evaluation/ how to increase response rate  

F Nov 3 (2-3 pm)

Reflection on class plan for next semester

W Nov 15 (12-1 pm)

Spring 2024 Topics (tentative title)

Date/Time

·       Interpreting course evaluation

·       Active learning strategies

·       Project based learning (Paul Weber, DMS)

·       UDL: check your course accessibility

·       Exploring SOTL

·       Teaching/research opportunities (TaR, Eigel, innovation center, grant 

        services)

·       Career plan reflection

·       Sustainable teaching (selfcare, minimize stress and burnout)

·       Effective Summer plan

 

 

 

 

TBA

 

  1. At least two of the other regular/emerging CTE programs or selected non-CTE programs (see examples below) 

        OR at least two of the Podcasts/Articles/Book chapters (posted on Canvas) and submit reflection

 

Program

Duration and commitment

Remark

Book group

Read the selected book on your own time

Participate in regular group meeting 5-6 times/semester

Available Fall & Spring semesters

Teaching with Tech

30 min Zoom

Available Fall & Spring semesters (Zoom)

Teaching mentoring pair

Observe teaching partner’s class(es) at least 2 times (1-1.5 h each class period), followed by discussion about teaching pedagogies.

Submit reflection

Spring semester

 

Faculty in Residence

1-1.5 h class observation taught by the Faculty in Residence

Fall semester

Other emerging CTE workshops/Brown bag/ training

45 min-1h

Example

AI workshop

Class observation/course evaluation consultation

1-2 h

Confidential meeting with the CTE staff(s) for consultation to improve teaching

Submit reflection on future teaching plan

Service can be requested through CTE website

Pedagogy related article, book chapter, podcast, or video (links to outside sources)

~15 min – 1 h

Submitting a paragraph of reflection after reading/listening/watching the posted pedagogy related article/podcast/video is acceptable. 

These materials will be added to Canvas periodically.

Other selected non CTE

 

workshops/Brown bag/ training

30 min-1h

Relevant pedagogy sessions arranged by other offices such as Eigel Center/ Mission Identity/Library/ Veteran center/Digital media center/Institutional Diversity and Inclusion

Example

Ally training/EAB training/Title IX training

 

 

How You Will Benefit: Depending on the particular events and activities in which you participate, you will have opportunity to:

  • learn and exchange ideas on evidence-based teaching tools/strategies to enhance student learning
    • learn about important policies and rules to handle difficult situations that may emerge in your classroom
  • learn about opportunities to enhance your scholarship and service related to teaching
  • engage with colleagues from different departments

Intended Audience

The First Year Faculty Development program is designed for new faculty members who want to successfully navigate their classrooms and careers. This program is open for all first year faculty.

How to participate

Participation in this program is voluntary. Participants will be added to the “First Year Faculty Development Program” Canvas course.  Each event included in this program will be put on Canvas as an individual assignment.  Your participation/submission of reflection (if required) will be recorded through Canvas.

To participate, please sign up at the CTE office or fill out the form below.