Center for Teaching and Learning

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November 10-11, 2011
11/10/2011 - Technology and Learning Center, UMSL South Campus
11/11/2011 - J.C. Penney Conference Center, UMSL North Campus
University of Missouri-St. Louis

Map and directions for November 10, 2011
Map and directions for November 11, 2011

Program Schedule:

Presenters' Materials Now Available (posted under each session on the 11/10 and 11/11 webpages linked below)

Download the official program here (PDF)

Thursday, November 10, 2011 
Technology and Learning Center
Marillac Hall, UMSL South Campus 
(Pre-Conference Workshops and Keynote by Tom Mills, Executive Director, Global Education, Google)

Friday, November 11, 2011 
JC Penney Conference Center, UMSL North Campus 
(Conference Concurrent Sessions and Keynote/Workshop by Dr. Michele DiPietro, Kennesaw State University)

Please review the program schedule and workshop descriptions (linked above) before proceeding to register for the conference. Click the post-it note to register to attend any of Thursday's workshops and Friday's concurrent sessions.

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Lodging
A block of rooms has been arranged at the Drury Inn St. Louis Airport. Here are the details:
Dates: November 9-12, 2011
Cost: $89.99 for nonsmoking, dbl queen beds
Reservation cutoff date: Sunday, October 2, 2011
To make reservations call (314) 423-7700 or 1-800-325-0720 or online http://www.druryhotels.com/Reservations.aspx?groupno=2118312

Note: group name: Center for Teaching and Learning, group id #2118312

Pre-conference Workshops

Thursday, November 10, 2011, 10:00 AM-12:00 and 2:00 PM-4:00 PM. This year's workshops which will feature hands-on experiences with new and emerging technologies and instructional strategies. Lunch and a keynote by a representative from Google at 12:00 noon is included in the fee of $20.00 per workshop selected.

Conference Day

Friday, November 11, 2011, 7:30 AM. The schedule starts with a breakfast at 7:30-8:30 AM. Participants will be able to choose from among 24 Concurrent Sessions, scheduled at the “half-hours,” beginning at 8:30 AM. Lunch and a keynote presentation anchor Friday's program from 12:30-2:00 PM. A vendor exhibit showcases new technologies and instructional tools. Thanks to the generous donations from our sponsors, attendance at the conference is free-of-charge to participants.

Keynote Presentations

• Thursday, November 10, 2011: 12:50 - 1:50 PM (Education Administration Auditorium 100, Marillac Hall, UMSL South Campus) - Open to the St. Louis and Regional Higher Education Community

"Getting the Most out of Google Technology in Higher Education"

Presenter: Tom Mills, Enterprise Director for Global Education, Google

Description: An overview of Google innovations for higher education highlighting practical ideas on how to get the most out of them.  Discussion will cover Google Apps as well as other offerings such as Chromebooks, Google Plus, Google Geo products and more.

About Tom Mills: Upon graduating from Boston College's Carroll School of Management Tom entered the technology industry in the mid-'90s.  After nearly ten years in Boston with a couple smaller firms he joined Google's Enterprise division in 2005.  Since then Tom has held sales leadership roles covering many Google products including Enterprise Search, Google Maps and Google Apps.  Earlier this year Tom took a new role leading Google's team responsible for bringing Google Apps, Chromebooks and more to the Education market.

This presentation is open to the entire community; attendance at the 
pre-conference workshops is not mandatory to gain admittance.

• Friday, November 11, 2011: 8:00 - 8:30 AM (JC Penney Conference Center, UMSL North Campus)
  
  
  
  Piazza is a free online platform for class Q&A that has won wide adoption at Stanford, Berkeley, MIT, and dozens of other schools as a replacement for forums and mailing lists. Unlike traditional forums, it focuses students on a single, collaboratively edited answer and offers real-time updates.
   
  Individual instructors can adopt Piazza on their own in only a few minutes. Instructors who've used Piazza report that saves them time by reducing redundant questions while creating a vibrant educational environment with high levels of student participation and engagement.
   
  Piazza is free and complies with FERPA regulations. It has robust privacy controls for students that allow for varying degrees of anonymity within the closed circle of an established class. 
  
  
• Friday, November 11, 2011: 1:15 - 2:15 PM (JC Penney Conference Center, UMSL North Campus)
  
  "Understanding the learning process as the gateway to smart teaching"
  
  Any conversation about effective teaching must begin with a conversation on how students learn. It is only when we understand the cognitive, motivational, and developmental processes underpinning learning, and how they play out in the social environment of our courses that we can tailor our teaching for deep, lasting learning. This becomes especially important in this age where accountability and inclusivity concerns, generational changes, and technology advances are redefining faculty roles in and out of the classroom. This address will discuss the principles of learning and their implications for effective teaching, foreshadowing some key ideas for the afternoon workshop (2:30 - 4:30).

Dr. Michele DiPietro Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Kennesaw State University President, Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education

Conference Co-Sponsors 
Department of Instructional Technology at Maryville University; McKendree University; Missouri University of Science and Technology; St. Louis Community College; Information Technology Services at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; University of Missouri - System; and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

CALL FOR SPONSORS

Previous Conference Programs:

2010 Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference

2009 Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference

2008 Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference

2007 Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference