Fall 2021 In-Service Sessions this Summer
Fall 2021 in-service will run the same way as in-service from the last two semesters. Full-time faculty will complete three hours of professional development over the summer and part-time faculty will complete one hour. Of course, faculty are always welcome to do more. We are excited to bring you many impactful and engaging in-service professional development opportunities this summer. Please see the attached document for information about the sessions. More information will be sent later in the summer about day-of in-service Zoom programs. Please keep your eyes open for additional session offerings to be added. Any questions, email samantha.gross@bucks.edu
We are excited to bring you many impactful and engaging in-service professional development opportunities this summer. Please see below for information about the highly recommended Bandwidth Recovery Workshop (and a free book!) and many other excellent programs coming your way. More sessions will be added soon. Please see emails from your deans about in-service details and requirements and links to sign-up for sessions.
In-Service Professional Development Sessions
All sessions are one hour in length unless otherwise noted.
Highly Recommended Program Highlighted in Yellow
Links to Register and Connect Are Below
More sessions to come!
Sessions Descriptions, Sign-Ups, and Links
Writing Across the College 101
Presented by: Charlie Groth
This presentation will show why you don’t have to do a lot of extra work or become a composition professor in order to help students write better. Based on a sabbatical research project, this presentation will cover basic concepts in writing across the curriculum programs, such as the differences between WAC, WTL, WID, and WI. Common elements of across-the-curriculum writing at community colleges will be identified, followed by an analysis of which elements already operate smoothly at Bucks (SPOILER ALERT: we have a lot going for us!) and where we are in our Writing Across the College process.
Accessible Technology and UDL Principles for an Inclusive Classroom
Wednesday, June 16th, 2021 at 1:00pm – 1:50pm
Presented by:
Robert Bowers, Software Test Analyst/Adaptive Technology Specialist;
Debra Carney, Reference Librarian;
Deborah Hoelper, Assistant Director, Accessibility Office;
Jennifer Osinski, Director, Accessibility Office
Learn simple ways to make your course accessible and apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that will meet the diverse needs of all learners in your classroom.
Back to Basics – Revisiting the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education in a Technology-Based World
June 23, 2021 at 2pm
Presented by: Diane Darling
This session will introduce or review Chickering & Gamson’s 7 Principles. Then, be ready to participate as we share best practices, experiences, and/or ideas to keep these research-based principles in the forefront of our courses.
Chicken Soup for all Modalities
Presented by Learning Resources Faculty and Staff
Chapter 1 – Help! Anytime, Anywhere!
Wednesday, July 7th
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Now that you’ve settled in with remote teaching, there are many resources at your fingertips to move you forward in making your teaching engagements more efficient and engaging. Learn where you can find these resources and how to incorporate them into your professional life at Bucks.
Chapter 2 – Humanizing your Course by Building Community and Engaging Students
Wednesday, July 14th
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The past year has been challenging for everyone, particularly our students. Learn how to humanize your course through trust, presence, awareness, and empathy so that your students can reach their full potential.
Chapter 3 – Put Your Syllabus in the Spotlight!
Wednesday, July 21st
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The Faculty Syllabus plays a critical role in bringing you and your students together at the beginning of the semester. Learn how your branded, templated syllabus can be edited, directly in Canvas, to include your specific teaching components that will provide consistency and reliability for your students.
Chapter 4 – Proctoring Assessments…or Not
Wednesday, July 28th
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Remote teaching has proved to be a business boom for proctoring software companies. While proctoring technologies can facilitate a secure assessment environment for exams, there are qualities of authentic assessments that can also guard against academic dishonesty. Learn how you can best test students’ learning at a distance and reduce cheating through our options for proctoring and the use of authentic assessments.
Chapter 5 - New and Advanced Features in Canvas
Wednesday, August 4th
11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Canvas provides faculty and students with an intuitive and engaging online experience when all of its features and functions are practiced. Learn about the new and upcoming revisions to Canvas, as well as, some of the advanced features that will empower you to become an expert Canvas user.
Bandwidth Recovery Workshop
Presented by Cia Verschelden
Thursday, July 29, 2021
9:30 am-12:30 pm: This workshop fulfills the entire in-service obligation.
We will learn about several interventions designed to help students recover bandwidth, beginning with a strengths perspective about what skills and abilities they are bringing to the table – “funds of knowledge.” The interventions include values affirmation, connecting the known to the unknown, growth mindset, and high-hope syllabi.
Participants will:
- Think about the ways in which we can increase certainty for students (or at least not add to uncertainty).
- Understand that students have “funds of knowledge” and that beginning with those strengths will help them recover bandwidth and increase the likelihood of academic success.
- Be introduced to several evidence-based interventions that show promise in helping students regain bandwidth.
- Reflect on the potential of the interventions for use in the classroom and in other settings with students.
Cia Verschelden is Special Projects Advisor for the Integration of Academic and Student Affairs at the Association of American Colleges and Universities. She recently retired as Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Malcolm X College - City Colleges of Chicago. She taught for over 25 years at two- and four-year institutions in social work, sociology, women’s studies, nonviolence studies, and first-year seminar. Her administrative posts have included department chair, institutional assessment lead, and vice president of academic and student affairs. Cia has a B.S. in psychology from Kansas State University, an M.S.W. from the University of Connecticut, and an Ed.D. from Harvard University. Her book, Bandwidth Recovery: Helping Students Reclaim Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Racism, and Social Marginalization, was published in 2017 and her new book, Bandwidth Recovery for Schools: Helping Pre-K-12 Students Regain Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Trauma, Racism and Social Marginalization, in 2020.
Roundtable: Writing Intensive Course Designation Proposal Draft Review and Feedback
To sign up, click this Sign-up Genius Link:
In this session, participants will be introduced to the proposal draft for revamping the College’s Writing Intensive course designation in order to reinforce writing skills, get better writing from our students to read when grading, and prepare students for the academic and workplace challenges ahead of them. This proposal draft also includes a “Writing Enhanced” option individual faculty can choose to participate in, training for faculty, and recognitions for both faculty and students. The proposal review will cover how the proposal draft relates to writing-across-the-curriculum principles and common practices at other community colleges and some of our transfer schools. Participants will then be invited to ask questions and give feedback on the proposal draft. Taking “Writing Across the Curriculum 101” will enhance one’s experience in this session, but is not required; WAC concepts will be explained as needed by the participants.
