This document outlines an agenda and activities for a learner-centered teacher development workshop on honors pedagogy. The workshop aims to help participants design effective honors courses based on evidence-based honors pedagogy. It utilizes blended and active learning techniques to mimic the environment expected in honors courses, such as City as Text activities and ePortfolio reflections. Sessions are designed to include framing presentations followed by discussion, activities, and writing. Formative feedback is gathered to allow flexibility in the agenda. Early signs suggest the approach is effective in inspiring and challenging participants.

1. Learner-Centered Teacher
Development to Evoke
Excellence Among Students
Beata Jones, John Zubizarreta, Marca Wolfensberger
b.jones@tcu.edu, jzubizarreta@columbiasc.edu
M.V.C.Wolfensberger@pl.hanze.nl
June 3, 2016, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Utrecht Honours Conference 2016: Honours Futures

2. Welcome!
Marca Wolfensberger, Ph.D. John Zubizarreta, Ph.D. Beata Jones, Ph.D.
M.V.C.Wolfensberger@pl.hanze.nl jzubizarreta@columbiasc.edu b.jones@tcu.edu

3. Hello! Nice to Meet You…
• My name is…..
• I am from the ___
college/school/dept.
@ ______ university in _____.
• This session is relevant to me
because …

4. Agenda
Motivation
Creating Significant Learning Experiences
Learner-Centered Teacher Development
Activity

5. Motivation
How Do YOU Keep Learning?

6. Motivation
Teacher development has a
demonstrable impact on student
learning (Flaherty, 2016)
“Faculty development has become
a priority at many academic
institutions as a way to improve
the quality of academic programs
and to respond to emerging
faculty, student, program, and
industry needs” (Shahid, 2013)
Do YOU Agree That
Teacher’s Development
Has Impact on Student
Learning?

7. Creating Significant Learning Experiences
Self-Directed Guide to Designing
Significant Learning Experiences

8. What Might be
a Reasonable
Goal for a
Teacher
Development
Workshop?

9. Our Honors Faculty Institute Objective
At the end of the institute, the participants will be able to:
Design and implement an effective
honors course, based on honors pedagogy
research, by integrating ideas presented in
readings and at the institute.

10. Learner-Centered Teacher Development
Blended
Rooted in honors
pedagogy
Mimics course environment
required for honors courses at home
institutions

11. Mimic Home Institution Environment
What Can You Do to Mimic A
Home Institution Environment
at the Workshop?

12. Evidence-Based Honors Pedagogy
Offering
Bounded
Freedom
Creating
Community
Enhancing
Academic
Competence
Wolfensberger, 2012
Image source: https://emtaylorblog.wordpress.com

13. Enhancing Academic/Teaching Competence
1. Depth of Learning:
a. Challenging Tasks
b. Research
c. Creative Endeavors
2. Breadth of Learning:
a. Multi-perspectives
b. Interdisciplinary
c. Integrative
d. Academic & Societal
What Could You Ask the
Faculty to Do to
Enhance Their
Academic Competence?

14. Offering Bounded Freedom
1. Choices
2. Flexibility
3. Experimentation
4. Self-regulation
5. Passion
6. Co-production
7. Innovative Pedagogies
How Could You Offer
Bounded Freedom to
Faculty@ the
Workshop?

15. Creating Community
1. Teacher Behavior:
a. Engagement
b. Joy
c. Inspiration
d. Interest in Students
e. Availability
2. Building Relationships:
a. Feedback
b. Interaction
c. Active Learning
How Could You Create a
Community at the
Workshop?

16. City As Text™ Active Learning
– an approach to engaging students in thinking about their own way of seeing and understanding
what they see, as they map the world around them.

17. ePortfolio-based Blended Learning
https://hfi.digication.com/FacultyInstitute/Home/published https://hfi.digication.com/FacultyTemplate2016/Home/published
Why Use an ePortfolio Platform?

18. Further Notes on Our Learner-Centered Pedagogy
The sessions were designed to include a brief
“framing presentation,” with some time for
discussion/activity and writing in the e-
portfolio.
The facilitators were prepared to diverge at any
moment to allow colleagues help direct the
framing of the institute & change the planned
agenda based on formative feedback.

19. Early Signs of Effectiveness
•“It has been a great
experience to
participate in this
institute. Thank you for
the dream to do it!”
“Thank you for your
fantastic input and
incredible hard work
and commitment.”
“Great inspiration….”

20. Activity
•In Pairs: Identify Key Pedagogical Challenges in Honors
Square the Pair: Identify Key Pedagogical Challenges in Honors
Report Out
Reflect
Questions

21. References
• Fink, D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach
to designing college courses. San Francisco, CA:Jossey-Bass.
• Flaherty, C. (2016). Professors can learn to be more effective instructors. Inside
Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/10/new-
study-suggests-faculty-development-has-demonstrable-impact-student-learning?
• Shahid, A. (2013, December 17). A checklist for effective faculty development
programs. Faculty Focus.
• Wolfensberger, M. V. (2012). Teaching for Excellence: Honors Pedagogy
Revealed. Waxmann Verlag. Retrieved from:
http://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/261033/wolfensberger.pdf?se
quence=2
• Yee, K. (2015). Learner-centered faculty development. New Directions for
Teaching and Learning, 2015: 99–107. doi: 10.1002/tl.20166

22. Thank You!
Marca Wolfensberger, Ph.D. John Zubizarreta, Ph.D. Beata Jones, Ph.D.
M.V.C.Wolfensberger@pl.hanze.nl jzubizarreta@columbiasc.edu b.jones@tcu.edu