Workshops and Professional Development
Opportunity from The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is hosting their 3rd annual Digital Learning Summit on February 11-12. It is virtual and is free.
The theme for this year’s conference is Choosing Agility: Adapting to a New Era of Innovation in Digital Learning. The conference will feature engaging sessions on foundational and advanced practices in digital learning, innovative digital pedagogy, and emerging research. This free virtual event brings together colleagues from across Texas and beyond to explore cutting-edge trends transforming higher education.
Opportunity from the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning:
Spring 2025 offerings for the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) are available to your graduate and professional students, new faculty, and/or postdoctoral scholars. We have been fortunate to welcome many participants from your campuses in the past, and their contributions have significantly enriched our CIRTL community. We look forward to continuing this valuable collaboration!
Registration is now open for a new offering, Advanced Teaching Practices: Research-Driven Approaches for Higher Education. Completers of this weekly local learning community can earn a CIRTL Practitioner level certificate which is recognized across the country for innovation in undergraduate education and teaching. Please share the registration form linked below with anyone on your campus who may benefit. Our first weekly meeting is on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
There are also many offerings from the CIRTL National Network that may be of interest to your graduate communities. Program information and registration can be found on the CITRL National Network website.
Become a Peer Coach!
The Office for Teaching and Faculty Advancement (OTAFA) invites your application to be an OTAFA Peer Coach. What is a peer coach? A peer coach is an experienced faculty member who provides service mentoring colleagues. Mentoring could be in the form of a teaching observation, review of an assignment or Canvas shell, or anything under the purview of classroom instruction. Your contribution would follow from your expertise and how you think you can contribute to the development of your colleagues. OTAFA will provide training and support, and the office will act as the organizing hub for peer coaches and faculty who would like to take advantage of the coaching.
Requirements:
- A minimum of five years of continuous, full-time faculty employment at A&M-Texarkana
- Availability to coach both on campus and remotely
Time commitment:
- Availability to attend a two-hour in-person training
- For each peer coaching assignment, two hours. Of course, times may vary. Observing a class takes both the class time, a conversation with the faculty, and documentation; reviewing an assignment and offering feedback may be less, naturally.
Benefits:
- You will receive a certificate acknowledging your service at the end of the semester
- You will be providing much-needed service to the university community by assisting colleagues with documenting evidence of teaching effectiveness
If you are interested in applying, please express your interest in an email to otafa@tamut.edu by Friday, February 21. Include a brief—no more than 250 words—explanation for why you are interested in the opportunity and what you think you can offer your colleagues as a peer coach.