Thursday, October 8, 2009

Helping Students Learn in a Learner-Centered Environment 1:30 - 4 p.m.

This workshop focuses on three critical questions facing teachers as they move to a learner-centered practice.

• How do I develop a clear set of rationales that will explain to my students why I have changed to a learner-centered practice?
• How do I make it clear to my students what these changes mean in their day-to-day learning experiences?
• What new skills will my students need to be successful, given the new roles and responsibilities in a learner-centered classroom?

Learning in Harmony with your Brain 6 - 8 p.m.

This workshop looks at the most current research from biology, neuroscience and cognitive psychology and how it applies to classroom
teaching and students’ learning processes. Participants will learn new ways to help their students learn the content and skills of
their course, in harmony with their brains. Topics will include:

• The role exercise plays in enhancing brain function dramatically
• The brain as a pattern-seeking mechanism
• Enhanced teaching effectiveness using patterns in teaching content and skill
• Ways that promote long-term recall of information by students
• The mindset of students and how to change a fixed mindset

Friday, October 9,2009
Integrating “Learning-How-to-Learn” Strategies into your Course 9 - 11:30 a.m.

One of the most important things college teachers can do for their students is to teach them how to learn the content and skills of
their courses. Today’s students will be lifelong learners. They will need the skills and knowledge to learn on their own. This workshop
explores how participants can integrate teaching learning skills into content courses. The six skill areas that will be explored are:

• Teaching students to find patterns that exist in content information
• Helping students organize information in meaningful ways
Helping students better comprehend what they are being asked to learn
• Helping students find information that is accurate and key to their learning
Teaching students ways to think, using the information they have learned
• Helping students find better ways to recall the information they must learn

The Changing Roles of Students in a Learner-Centered Classroom 1- 3:30 p.m.

When students are in a learner-centered, not teacher-centered, learning environment, their learning is deeply enhanced. This
instructional model began with Binet and Dewey before 1930 and was revived by Tagg and Weimer in the late 1990’s. Yet, our students
still come to us from teacher-centered high schools. Learning how to help students adapt to an environment that requires responsibility
is one of the goals of this workshop. This workshop will:

• Identify new learning behaviors that students need to be successful
• Develop rationales for why students need to learn these new behaviors
• Illustrate these teaching techniques

A Learner-Centered Conversation with Terry Doyle