Curriculum for Educators

    Effective Course Management Using Blackboard Seminar
    Instructor: Kathleen Day, MS
    Date: 9/20/2011
    Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
    Location: 306 Scott
    (Register for this session)

      This full-day seminar is designed for course directors and for teachers responsible for all aspects of a course. The morning session concentrates on the basic features of Blackboard including Wikis, Blogs, assessment, and the Grade Center. The afternoon session will focus on distance learning tools--discover the benefits of using these tools in your face-to-face courses. Participants completing the day's session will receive a certificate of attendance.

      Participants completing the day's session will receive a certificate of attendance. Lunch will be provided.

    Faculty Fundamentals: Basic Skills for Teaching in the Health Professions: The Scoop on Active Learning
    Instructors: Elena Umland, PharmD; Adam Persky, PhD; Dimitrios Papanagnou, MD, MPH
    Date: 9/5/2014
    Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
    Location: 101 BLSB
    (Register for this session)

      Active learning has received considerable attention over the past several years. It is defined as any instructional method that engages learners in the learning process, requiring learners to partake in meaningful learning activities and think about what they are doing. Active learning has the potential to promote analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of course content. Typical strategies that have promoted active learning include cooperative learning, problem-based learning, and the use of case- and simulation-based instructional methodologies.

      This session will challenge some commonly held assumptions about learning, and discuss some of the research in the area of cognitive psychology, education, and physiology that hold direct implications for teaching. In addition, a number of easily adaptable classroom activities will be used during the session. The session will be divided into three parts: 1) An Introduction to Active Learning; 2) Strategies to Bring Active Learning into Coursework; and 3) Strategies to Bring Active Learning into the Clinical Setting.

      The workshop will demonstrate and explain how make classroom learning more meaningful.
      Attendees will gain a better understanding of how students learn, how to facilitate higher-order learning, and how to help students study effectively to achieve these goals.

      At the end of the session, participants will:

      1) Discuss at least three “lessons learned” (key concepts) that can inform their teaching practice.
      2) Identify at least three specific teaching strategies, techniques, or tools that they can adopt and apply to classroom instruction
      3) Identify at least two useful resources and references for follow-up
      4) Discuss potential barriers and solutions to incorporating active learning to improve student learning

    Improving Teaching with Peer-to-Peer Assessment
    Instructors: John M Spandorfer, Dr., MD; David Abraham, MD
    Date: 9/5/2014
    Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
    Location: 101 BLSB
    (Register for this session)

      It has been recognized that engaging learners (i.e., students and/or faculty) in peer assessment can deepen the learner’s understanding of his/her own learning and empower the learner to become more actively engaged and self-directed in the learning process. While peer assessment can assist in providing formative or summative feedback to learners, it has the potential to encourage reflection; develop judgment skills; guide feedback; and promote ownership of the learning process. Given that there is no set paradigm on how to integrate peer-to-peer assessments in healthcare education, however, its incorporation into the curricula of nursing, medicine, and allied health professions educational programs has been limited.

      This workshop will showcase the work of two faculty members at SKMC who have successfully incorporated innovative peer-to-peer assessment strategies for both medical students and medical school faculty.

      At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

      1) Define and describe peer assessment, specifically as it pertains to learners in the healthcare profession
      2) Predict and discuss the challenges of integrating peer assessment strategies for both faculty- and student-learners
      3) Relate peer assessment strategies that have been successful in the Thomas Jefferson University community

    Beyond Multiple Choice Exams: Identifying Optimal Assessment Strategies
    Instructors: Dimitrios Papanagnou, MD, MPH; Peter Scoles, MD
    Date: 9/5/2014
    Time: 2:00pm – 3:30pm
    Location: 101 BLSB
    (Register for this session)

      The debate on optimal assessment strategies is not a new one. For decades in healthcare, student learning has been typically based on multiple-choice exam testing; but now that we have entered a new age of learning and a new type of learner, educators are pushed to explore alternative approaches to assessing students’ content mastery and skills.

      In the session, we will discuss the importance of linking assessment with learning objectives and learning outcomes; the need to make teaching learner-centric; and introduce approaches to “real-time” assessments.

      At the end of the session, participants will be able to:

      1) Recognize the role of learning objectives in deciding what knowledge and skills to assess
      2) Discuss the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor considerations of assessment
      3) Explore a range of assessment methods for skills assessment
      4) Apply low- and high-fidelity simulation modalities for skills assessment

    Rubrics: Improve Your Grading Efficiency & Reliability
    Instructor: Kathleen Day, MS
    Date: 9/24/2015
    Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm
    Location: Scott Room 200A
    (Register for this session)

      For years, faculty have used rubrics to grade their written assignments. Now, Blackboard allows you to associate scoring rubrics for both your assignments and discussion boards. If you’re not convinced of the value of rubrics, come to this workshop to see how scoring rubrics can improve your grading efficiency and reliability.

      Topics will include:
      • What is a scoring rubric and why should I use one?
      • How to create, copy and edit a rubric?
      • How to associate a rubric with assignments and discussions?
      • How to import and export rubrics?
      • How to grade with rubrics?

    Active Teaching, Engaging Minds
    Instructor: Julie Phillips, PhD
    Date: 9/28/2015
    Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
    Location: Scott 200A Classroom
    (Register for this session)

      Active teaching is an umbrella term used to identify a variety of teaching strategies. It includes most anything that students do in a classroom other than passively listening to an instructor’s lecture. Research demonstrates active learning improves students' understanding and retention of information and can be very effective in developing higher order cognitive skills such as problem solving and critical thinking. Active learning, however, presents challenges and requires re-thinking the classroom space and traditional roles.

      This interactive workshop will:
      • Summarize the impact of active teaching on student learning
      • Demonstrate a handful of active teaching strategies
      • Discuss some challenges to adopting active teaching techniques


      This workshop is also available online on the date of the session--click here to enter the virtual classroom.

    ExamSoft Basics
    Instructor: Kathleen Day, MS
    Date: 9/8/2016
    Time: 12:00pm – 1:30pm
    Location: Jefferson Alumni Hall, M-13A
    (Register for this session)

      ExamSoft is a web-based solution that supports the entire testing process including exam creation, administration, secure delivery, scoring, and analysis. This workshop focuses on the mechanics of creating and posting exams. It is essential for anyone using the product including Administrative Assistants, Faculty and Course Coordinators.

      Topics will include:

      1) Navigating the interface
      2) Adding/Importing questions
      3) Creating and posting exams

    Teaching and Supporting International Students and Other ESL Learners
    Instructor: James Dyksen, MSEd-TESOL
    Date: 9/20/2016
    Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
    Location: Scott 200A
    (Register for this session)

      International students and other students for whom English is a second language face a unique set of challenges and issues as they adjust to study in the degree programs at Jefferson, and, in many cases, to living in the US for the first time. This workshop will elicit faculty experiences teaching and working with ESL learners, including both concerns and effective strategies. The workshop is designed to develop awareness of the needs of international students and other ESL learners in Jefferson programs and classes, to discuss teaching, curriculum design and communication strategies that may help such students, and to identify resources across campus that may aid International and ESL learners with coursework and / or other areas of need.

      At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
      • Describe the unique needs of international students and other ESL learners
      • Develop strategies for addressing the needs or concerns of international students and other ESL learners
      • Apply these alternative strategies to the learning environment
      • Identify available campus resources to support international students and other ESL learners

    Improving Assessment with ExamSoft
    Instructor: Kathleen Day, MS
    Date: 9/22/2016
    Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 307
    (Register for this session)

      ExamSoft is not just a secure delivery solution – it has the potential to improve teaching and learning exponentially! This workshop, which focuses on the feedback and analysis features of ExamSoft, is essential for item writers, course faculty, and administration.

      Topics will include:

      1) Student Feedback reports
      2) Self-directed learning
      3) Early advising/remediation
      4) Item analysis
      5) Curricular goals and objectives

    Introducing iCE (Interactive Curricula Experience) to Your Course
    Instructor: (TBD) CTL Staff
    Date: 9/26/2016
    Time: 10:00am – 11:30am
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 307
    (Register for this session)

      The Center for Teaching & Learning presents iCE: interactive Curricula Experience Platform & App. A web-based platform and iPad app, iCE delivers faculty-generated content directly to students’ iPads, laptops or desktops for a connected learning experience.

      Making use of shared resources, the iCE Builder allows faculty to package multiple learning Objects for direct distribution to students' devices. The iCE App's display helps students and faculty connect learning Objects to topics and Topics to Modules. These course building blocks (Objects, Topics and Modules), and the iCE search engine, also assist learners to make connections.

      This new learning initiative makes collaboration and active learning much more accessible to the Jefferson community and may help inspire different approaches to teaching and learning across the university. Faculty wishing to learn more or to adopt this interactive technology for storing, sharing and organizing instructional content must attend one of the iCE workshops.The workshop introduces the iCE Builder interface and student app, so faculty may begin building a course in iCE.
      In this workshop, participants will:

      1) Develop content beginning with Objects (images, video, and other course artifacts)
      2) Organize Objects into Topics
      3) Create Modules for courses using both self-developed content and shared content
      4) Learn the steps to incorporate iCE into your course

    Rubrics: Improve Your Grading Efficiency & Reliability
    Instructor: Kathleen Day, MS
    Date: 9/28/2016
    Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 307
    (Register for this session)

      For years, faculty have used rubrics to grade their written assignments. Now, Blackboard allows you to associate scoring rubrics for both your assignments and discussion boards. If you’re not convinced of the value of rubrics, come to this workshop to see how scoring rubrics can improve your grading efficiency and reliability.

      Topics will include:
      • What is a scoring rubric and why should I use one?
      • How to create, copy and edit a rubric?
      • How to associate a rubric with assignments and discussions?
      • How to import and export rubrics?
      • How to grade with rubrics?

    Utilizing Academic Support at TJU
    Instructors: Jennifer Fogerty, MSEd; James Dyksen, MSEd-TESOL
    Date: 9/5/2017
    Time: 10:00am – 11:00am
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 200A, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      Description: Participants will get an overview of the Student Writing Center and Academic Support services currently available to TJU students, including the website, individual appointments, workshops, and department collaborations. We will provide a summary of the recently developed study cycle curriculum that informs our work with students and give an outline of a typical appointment in the Student Writing Center. Participants will learn more about the specialized services we offer to various departments to determine if a partnership with Academic Support Services will help their students.

      At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

      · Understand the services available to TJU students
      · Explore collaborations for specialized services
      · Gain knowledge of the study cycle curriculum
      · Be aware of the process used within writing consultations

    Managing Blackboard’s Grade Center
    Instructors: Sherri Place, MS; May Truong-Merritt, MS
    Date: 9/6/2017
    Time: 12:00pm – 12:30pm
    Location: Online Course - https://philau.zoom.us/j/842755774
    (Register for this session)

      Overwhelmed by all of the options in the Grade Center? In this workshop, we’ll explore some of the essentials to make grading easier and more efficient.

      At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

      1) Create and edit columns
      2) Manage columns

    Creating Effective Learning Experiences
    Instructor: Julie Phillips, PhD
    Date: 9/7/2017
    Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 200A, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      "The intentional, systematic planning and sequencing behind effective assignments often goes unnoticed by learners. This workshop demystifies the assignment design process by deconstructing an activity within the context of a learning experience.

      Participants will explore the importance of aligning learning activities with learning goals and explore key characteristics in developing learning activities, the importance of scaffolding the assignment to enhance student success and the importance of feedback.

      At the end of the session, participants should be able to:
      • Describe the importance of aligning course activities with learning goals
      • Identify key characteristics of effective learning assignment or experience
      • Discuss the role of scaffolding in designing a learning experience


      This workshop is also available online on the date of the session--click here to enter the virtual classroom.

    Rubrics: Improve Your Grading Efficiency & Reliability
    Instructor: Kathleen Day, MS
    Date: 9/8/2017
    Time: 10:00am – 11:00am
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 307, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      For years, faculty have used rubrics to grade their written assignments. Now, Blackboard allows you to associate scoring rubrics for both your assignments and discussion boards. If you’re not convinced of the value of rubrics, come to this workshop to see how scoring rubrics can improve your grading efficiency and reliability.

      Topics will include:
      • What is a scoring rubric and why should I use one?
      • How to create, copy and edit a rubric?
      • How to associate a rubric with assignments and discussions?
      • How to import and export rubrics?
      • How to grade with rubrics?

    Executive Function-- What Do Air Traffic Controllers, Conductors and Executives have in common?
    Instructor: Kristin Swoszowski-Tran, PhD
    Date: 9/19/2017
    Time: 3:30pm – 4:30pm
    Location: Paul Gutman Library, East Falls Campus
    (Register for this session)

      Why do some college students struggle with prioritizing, time management, organization, and sustaining effort or attention? These struggles could be the result of Executive Function (EF) challenges. EF refers to brain-based abilities that allow us to manage our energy, thoughts, planning skills, and helps us to focus on our goals, which in turn, enables us to get things done. This workshop will provide a an overview of executive function and explore how college educators can use an inquiry-based approach to support students in learning to successfully manage the EF challenges present in their classrooms.

      At the end of this session, participants should be able to:
      1) Understand EF constructs
      2) Build a common vocabulary about key concepts
      3) Understand basic brain biology pertaining to EF
      4) Implement specific techniques to support working memory, time management, self-regulation, task initiation and completion, and organization

    Building a Better Lecture
    Instructor: Julie Phillips, PhD
    Date: 9/20/2017
    Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 200A, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      According to classroom observations and self-report data, instructors rely heavily on lecture as an instructional method despite research documenting the limited effectiveness of lectures as a teaching strategy. Lectures can be integral to the learning experience with an understanding of the factors contributing to its effectiveness as an instructional tool. This workshop will focus on identifying key uses of lecture and three simple strategies for building more effective learning experiences for students. Participants are asked to identify and bring a lecture they have previously developed for use during the experiential workshop.

      Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be to:
      • Identify best uses of lecture
      • Define one organizing technique for lectures
      • Incorporate signposts into a planned lecture experience
      • Apply best practices to a planned lecture experience


      This workshop is also available online on the date of the session--click here to enter the virtual classroom.

    Communicate Like a Pro--Think Like a Contractor:Build a Solid Framework
    Instructor: Julie Phillips, PhD
    Date: 9/21/2017
    Time: 9:00am – 10:00am
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 200A, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      Created as a series, but designed as discrete workshops, this series focuses on improving communication and presentation skills. Each workshop will focus on a finite skill required for effective communication. Each workshop begins with a mini-lecture on a specific communication or public speaking skill and then guides participants through a series of activities designed to highlight the skill while also providing strategies for later use.

      These sessions are interactive and experiential. The only way to confront the fear of public speaking or to improve communication skills is to practice. These workshops provide opportunities for practice and attempt to alleviate anxiety around public speaking through the process of desensitization and laughter.

      Participants are invited to attend all of the sessions or select the workshop(s) of most interest in need.

      Communicate Like a Pro--Think Like a Contractor: Build a Solid Framework

      Contractors value a solid foundation and a building’s bone. Think about the importance of a load-bearing wall and the care with which it is treated it renovation projects.

      Similarly, presentations must have a foundation upon which to build and a discernible structural pattern that supports the author’s position. This workshop focuses on common organizational patterns and the importance of making that pattern discernible for audiences. Participants will be asked to identify commonly used organizational methods and practice using internal previews and reviews as well as signposts in speeches.

      Upon completion of this workshop, participants should be able to:
      • Describe at least two methods of structuring a presentation or message
      • Identify a the importance of signposts
      • Create a message with a discernible organizational pattern


    Educational Theory Made Practical
    Instructor: Teresa Chan
    Date: 9/22/2017
    Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
    Location: Eakins Lounge, Jefferson Alumni Hall
    (Register for this session)

      The Office for Faculty Development is proud to welcome Dr. Teresa Chan back to Jefferson. During this 3-hour session, she will lead a workshop that will help educators at Jefferson better acquaint themselves with several high-impact educational theories to maximize the learning outcomes of their courses and classes for their students. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to develop structured longitudinal projects anchored in specific educational theories, and gain a better understanding of learning theory networks.

      At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

      1. Identify specific educational theories

      2. Network with colleagues and educators
      3. Apply learning theory networks to your work as an educator
      4. Design a longitudinal project that is anchored in specific educational theories

    Facilitating Discussions 101
    Instructor: Julie Phillips, PhD
    Date: 9/25/2017
    Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 200A, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      Teaching through discussion rather than lecture presents unique set of opportunities and challenges for instructors. This workshop explores the power of discussion as a teaching tool and offers advice on strategies for incorporating discussion into in small, medium or large course environments.

      This experiential workshop will assist instructors in setting expectations for student preparation and involvement, developing a strategy for initiating conversations, and skills for sustaining and advancing a discussion. Participants will practice developing questions that launch productive discussions, effectives responses for probing responses and a sampling of discussion techniques for small or large groups.

      At the end of the session, participants should be able to:
      • Identify two ways to initiative a discussion in class
      • Describe key characteristics of good discussion questions
      • Explain two techniques for engaging learners in discussion

    Not Another Test! Beyond High Stakes Testing
    Date: 9/26/2017
    Time: 12:00pm – 1:30pm
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 307, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      This session will demonstrate how no-stakes assessment used in class or as a low-stakes assignment can facilitate student self-regulation, retention of information and inform your instruction in real time. Many of us wonder just how much our students know or have retained from our lectures or the assigned work that is often necessary to understand the new information you are about to teach. We will explore some simple evidence-based teaching and student engagement strategies that will help you understand what you need to do differently in an upcoming class session and right on the spot as you are teaching. This can be particularly helpful in large classes but is also a valuable technique in any learning environment. A sampling of technologies will be discussed for this purpose including Nearpod, VoiceThread and Collaborate Ultra.

      At the end of the session, participants should be able to:
      • Understand the purposes of and differences between formative and summative assessments
      • Describe multiple formative assessment options for use in their courses
      • Create at least one formative assessment for immediate use in one or more courses

    The Active Learning Lecture
    Instructor: Julie Phillips, PhD
    Date: 9/28/2017
    Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
    Location: Scott Memorial Library, Room 200A, Center City Campus
    (Register for this session)

      The large lecture presents a number of challenges to experienced and novice instructors alike. This workshop explores some of the challenges (and assumptions we make about what can or cannot happen in a large lecture) and describes a number of techniques to assist faculty transition from the “sage on the stage” to a “guide on the side.”

      This interactive workshop will:
      • describe benefits and challenges associated with a traditional lecture model
      • explore instructor and student assumptions about large enrollment courses
      • identify potential engaged learning activities for the large lecture courses
      • demonstrate a handful of techniques to enhance large lecture courses

    Serious Fun: Play and Learning
    Instructor: Chris Pastore, PhD
    Date: 9/20/2018
    Time: 10:00am – 11:00am
    Location: Gutman Library Instructional Space, East Falls Campus
    (Register for this session)

      In the pursuit of ever increasing student engagement with course content, gamification has been identified as a powerful tool. The challenge is that there is a great deal of development time and effort associated with creating an appropriate game for a given subject. With less development time, elements of play can be introduced into the classroom with the same goal of increased engagement.

      In this workshop we will explore elements of play and identify things that work and don’t work. Examples of actual successes and failures will be shared.

      At the end of this session, participants should be able to:
      1) Identify goals of play
      2) Differentiate between effective and ineffective play elements
      3) Take away examples of successes and failures

    Cut from Whole Cloth; Introducing Textile Hive's Global Trove
    Instructors: Sarah Slate; Andrea Aranow; Caleb Sayan; Damien McCaffery
    Date: 9/27/2018
    Time: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
    Location: Gutman Library Instructional Space, East Falls Campus
    (Register for this session)

      Global in scope, Textile Hive helps designers, educators, and students contextualize the history, techniques, and exquisite textiles found in the Andrea Aranow Textile Design Collection. Aranow, a renowned fashion designer and textile scholar, will discuss her experience building and managing her collection of over 40,000 textiles -- patterns, prints, weaves, needlework, lace, knits, and dying methods. Caleb Sayan, co-founder of Textile Hive and the son of Andrea Aranow, will discuss his experience conceiving, assembling, and leading the team responsible for the Visual Hive software platform.

      At the end of this session, participants should be able to:

      1) Gain familiarity with the material available at Textile Hive and how to search it
      2) Recognize the value of the collection, and the context in which it was created
      3) Utilize their own account for the platform
      4) Manipulate their own subcollection

    Meeting Students Where They Are with Empathy and Reflective Coaching
    Instructor: Sean Forster, MSN, DNP
    Date: 9/23/2022
    Time: 10:00am – 11:00am
    Location: Virtual
    (Register for this session)

      Students entering the undergraduate nursing program at Jefferson College of Nursing come from different educational backgrounds that require instructors to "meet them where they are" intellectually. This presentation will focus on the joy of finding an opportunity to help students grow emotionally and intellectually with the instructor coming from a place of understanding that students need to develop a foundation of learning. As faculty, we are considered experts in the field of nursing, while students have not been exposed to this information yet. Understanding this principle allows faculty to have empathy for the growing pains that a student will go through during their progression through the program. Meeting them where they are intellectually allows students and faculty to establish a baseline of the student's knowledge. Over the span of the BSN program the student and faculty member can observe tangible educational growth during that time. Providing empathy in the classroom for students allows them to feel heard and understood. Demonstrating this skill is a "lead by example" technique that will hopefully be passed on by students to their peers, friends, family, and most importantly their future patients. Reflective coaching is a technique that allows students to understand why they think the way they think. This style of coaching requires the students to reflect on their past educational experiences as well as their own life experiences. Including their life experiences, traumas, stress, and overall wellness is a holistic approach to understanding why their nervous system operates the way it does.


      By the end of this session, participants should be able to:


      1) Define empathy and understand how to utilize this as an educational tool to benefit students.

      2) Develop an understanding of the term, "meet them where they are" and understand how to utilize this as an educational tool to benefit students.

      3) Develop an understanding of the educational value of reflection-based coaching techniques and how this will benefit students.