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Each semester, a small group of CU professors who share a passion for experimenting with technology hold regular meetings in the Technology Learning Center, sometimes with a large plate of pastries and often with laptops and iPads in hand. This semester's participants include a digital storyteller, a mobile technology enthusiast, and a mechanical engineer. Others are teachers, researchers, artists, scientists, and agents of change. Their goal? “Not only to acquire new skills and meet and steal from other tech-savvy like-minded colleagues,” says Dr. Cecilia Pang, explaining her reasons for joining the group, “but also to push myself to go beyond merely grafting existing forms of pedagogy into new media.”

ASSETT’s Michele Jackson and OIT’s Associate Director for Academic Technology Research, Mark Werner, founded the Teaching With Technology Seminars in 2010. According to Amanda McAndrew, Sr. Teaching and Learning Consultant at ASSETT, “the idea was to build a community around teaching and learning. We wanted to have a place, a space, and a time for faculty to be able to talk to each other and be inspired by new ideas.” Now in its third semester, Teaching with Tech is funded by ASSETT, OIT, and the CU Libraries. Faculty apply for the program by submitting an essay that describes their experiences with technology in the classroom and their future project ideas. Those chosen for the program participate in bi-weekly seminars and contribute four blog posts to the ASSETT website. In return for their participation, they are awarded a $2,000 grant for their professional development.

While each semester has explored different formats and topics, his semester, the seminar leaders are testing a new, discussion-based approach. Led by ASSETT’s Teaching and Learning Consultants[1] , OIT’s Mark Werner, and the Library’s research and instructional services coordinator, Caroline Sinkinson, the discussions often center around cutting-edge education and technology research. Recent topics under discussion include Tpack, a pedagogical approach that focuses on “the complex interplay between three different kinds of knowledge” and Backwards Design, an instructional design method that places emphasis on large-scale student learning end goals. The participants discuss the merits and challenges of these approaches and address the best ways to integrate these research findings into their own lesson plans.

The coordinators and participants often discuss practical questions. Sometimes these questions can jump-start a lively debate. At other times, the professors learn surprisingly simple techniques that have the potential to transform teaching strategies. “I could really use those one-minute papers,” comments a religious studies professor.

Although the meetings are structured, these gatherings also provide an opportunity for more casual discussions. Amanda McAndrew observes that the professors often share professional challenges about teaching in a 21^st century research environment. According to McAndrew, there is a sense of camaraderie that allows them to let down their guard. They are determined to experiment and improve the student learning experience. Despite these ambitions, it is often difficult for faculty to find time to experiment with new tools and develop new teaching strategies. Although still in its early years, Teaching With Teach might provide the support faculty need.

“A seminar like this is very valuable,” says Dr. Douglas Duncan. “It convinced me to experiment with allowing students more creativity in what they produce, using video which I’ve never assigned before.” When describing the seminar, Dr. Cecilia Pang used words like “engaging” and “eye-opening.” Teaching with Tech’s long-term goal is to inspire instructors to experiment with new evidence based teaching strategies and play with learning technologies to continually improve the student learning experience.

The Fall 2012 Teaching With Technology participants are:

• Dr. Doug Duncan, Astrophysics and Planetary Science
• Dr. Holly Galey, Religious Studies
• Dr. Nancy Hightower, Writing and Rhetoric
• Dr. John Hoover, Education
• Dr. Moonhawk Kim, Polical Science
• Dr. Jeffery Knutsen, Mechanical Engineering
• Dr. Cecilia Pang, Theater and Dance
• Dr. David Rickels, College of Music
• Dr. Kathleen Ryan, Journalism and Mass Communication
• Dr. Petger Shaeberg, Writing and Rhetoric