Oral Communication Across the Curriculum

2011-12 Mini-Seminars

Do your students need to improve their oral communication skills? How can you help them? What kinds of assignments are most effective? How can you provide feedback to students that will help them to improve? And, how can your efforts in this area help your program to prepare for, or follow up on, the Periodic Program Review process?

Two Oral Communication Across the Curriculum Mini-Seminars will be offered in 2011-12, one in Fall I and the other in Fall II. Both will conclude with two meetings in Spring 2012.

The Oral Communication Across the Curriculum Mini-Seminarsfocus on developing student communication skills in courses across the curriculum. Through active-learning “hands-on” activities, reflection and discussion, participating faculty will develop strategies to address students’ oral communication difficulties and advance their proficiency. Faculty will create or revise assignments that integrate oral communication skill-building activities into targeted courses, and encourage students to use the social networking tools of the ePortfolio system to share and reflect on these assignments.

In Fall I or II 2011, participantswill develop or refine an assignment that integrates oral communication skill-building activities into a targeted course; in Spring 2012, participants will pilot that assignment in the targeted course, and participate in evaluation activities that measure the effectiveness of the mini-seminar. Participants will be introduced to the ePortfolio system, and encouraged to engage students in the use of ePortfolios to share and reflect on oral communication assignments.

Led by Professor Gary Richmond, Humanities, the Oral Communication Across the CurriculumMini-Seminars will include seminar meetings, classroom experimentation with new approaches and assignments, use of ePortfolio, and reflective discussion.

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Open to all Academic and Adult and Continuing Education faculty
  • Faculty applicants must obtain the signature of their department chairperson.
  • Commit to attendance and participation in the scheduled seminars, the implementation of assignments that help students develop oral communication skills and the use of ePortfolios in target courses.

SCHEDULE: Participants should arrange with their department chairs to be free of teaching responsibilities when seminars are held.

Seminar/Institute / Fall I Mini-Seminar / Fall II Mini-Seminar
Orientation Institute / Tuesday , Sept. 13 – 3:30 – 5:30
Tuesday, Sept. 20 – 3:30 – 5:30 / Tuesday, Jan. 10: 3:30 – 5:30
Thursday, Jan. 12 3:30 – 5:30
Seminars / Tuesdays from 3:30 – 5:30 on Oct. 11, Nov. 1 and Nov. 29 / Tuesdays from 3:30 – 5:30 on
Jan. 24, Feb. 7, Feb. 21
Final Seminars in Spring 2011 / Tuesdays from 3:30 – 5:30 on March 13 and May 29 / Tuesdays from 3:30 – 5:30 on March 13 and May 29

DEADLINE

Return applicationto Ros Orgelat the LaGuardiaCenter for Teaching and Learning by April 28, 2011, or send to . Please be sure to also mail a copy of the application form with your signature and the signature of your chairperson or department head to Room M-414.

INQUIRIES

For more information, contact Ros Orgel, x5448,

Oral Communication Across the Curriculum

Mini-Seminar Application for 2011-12

NAME______DEPARTMENT/DIVISION______

TITLE (POSITION)______

OFFICE______EXTENSION______EMAIL______

COURSE(S) YOU PROPOSE TO ENHANCE

I certify the following:

  1. I commit to taking an active part in the 2011-12 Oral Communication Across the Curriculum Mini-Seminar as detailed in the seminar structure, during which I will:
  • Participate in all regular seminar meetings;
  • Learn, experiment, refine and integrate strategies designed to help students improve oral communication skills into a targeted course curriculum;
  • Pilot, test, and revise assignments of a targeted course inSpring I 2012 semesters; and,
  • Participate in documentation activities designed to assess the impact of the program on learning and teaching at LaGuardia.
  1. Attacha short statement (2-3 paragraphs) in response to the following questions: Why are you interested in taking this mini-seminar? What is your current approach to integrating oral skills development in your classes? What challenges are you currently experiencing?

Signature of Applicant ______Date______

Signature of Chairperson ______Date______

Or Divisional Head

Oral Communication Across the Curriculum Mini-Seminar -2011-12 p. 1/2