InSight articles focus broadly on Scholarly Teaching in the higher education environment. Faculty are encouraged to submit original manuscripts that showcase scholarly teaching processes or critically discuss the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) as a scholarship paradigm. While reports of scholarly teaching projects are welcome, InSight is also committed to continuing broader conversations about SoTL’s value as a tool for advancing student learning and demonstrating faculty commitment to teaching. Learn more HERE.

Submission Deadline = All submissions must be received by 4pm, CST on April 30, 2021 to be considered for inclusion in Volume 16. However, submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.

We invite submissions for InSight’s new section, InStruct, that focuses on practical teaching strategies accompanied by short essays associating the instructional material to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL). The purpose of InStruct is to showcase the innovation of all higher education faculty (full-time, adjunct, distance, online, undergraduate, graduate, etc.), and to provide a repository of research-based teaching and learning materials that could be used or adapted by instructors from a wide array of disciplines. The goal is to provide a space to celebrate and share pedagogical content that demonstrates the practical application of SOTL principles. Learn more HERE.

Submission Deadline = InStruct uses rolling submissions. Any InStruct article accepted prior to April 30^th each year will have the title, abstract, and link to the full online article included in that year’s volume of InSight. Those accepted after April 30^th, will be rolled over into the next year’s volume of InSight.

Digital Learning Lab

Presented by Valorie Engholm
Date & Time = Apr. 12th (Mon.) from 2-3pm, CST
Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/99526950972

In this bring your own device workshop, we will take a tour of Adobe Spark, a free web-based tool, and you'll have a chance to create a Spark presentation of your own!

Adobe Spark is a web-based rapid authoring tool that helps you create presentations and lectures quickly and easily. You can follow templates, or create your own from scratch. Spark facilitates creation for video, slide presentations, and infographics, as well as interesting graphics you can use for class newsletters or a professional teaching website if you have one. Instead of PowerPoint slides or text on a page, you can use Spark to deliver lectures to online students in a more engaging and interesting way. In this session you’ll take a quick tour of the features of Adobe Spark and see a demonstration and some examples. Then you will create something in Spark that you can use in your classroom. If you have a lecture or presentation in mind, bring that with you to this workshop and we will help you add Spark to your lectures!

For additional digital learning resources, we encourage you to check out the Park University: Digital Learning Lab.

Special Interest Group Reflect and Respond

Presented by Amy Wolf & Leslie Umstattd
Date & Time = Apr. 14th (Wed.) from 12-12:30pm, CST
Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/92988690232?pwd=Y3JEQXRwMS9YaWdyYlVnSGFML0RTZz09

The proportion of students taking online courses (exclusively) continues to grow each year, especially in the time of COVID 19. Park University continues to be a front runner in the digital learning arena, and as we chart new paths, our hope is to provide students with an innovative and engaged learning experience. This SIG aims to further conversations and “try on new ideas” for authentic teaching and engaged learning toward that goal. Learn new ideas by watching a brief video, self-enroll in the “Authentic Teaching and Engaged Learning in a Digital World” Canvas course for resources, and join us in the conversation as we set the stage for specific “go and do challenges” that can be applied to your own course work.

Monthly Virtual Coffee House

Presented by FCI

Date & Time = Apr. 23rd (Fri.) from 11:30am-12pm, CST

Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/522928591?pwd=bnVjbWlQTUhOTGhXOHQ5UUI0MkExdz09

Feeling isolated? Miss connecting with your colleagues? Or just want to talk to someone other than your dog? All faculty are welcome to join us Friday, April 23^rd, from 11:30am-12pm, CST for an informal social gathering. Topics of discussion in our breakout chat rooms will vary each session and will develop based upon your interests. Bring your own beverage of choice and join us for some brief social exchange. Hope to see you there!

Special Interest Group Reflect and Respond

Presented by Samantha Quinn
Date & Time = Apr. 28th (Wed.) from 12-12:30pm, CST
Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/94084366303

The overall goal of this SIG is to arm faculty and staff with knowledge about common “dark side” communication issues (e.g. jealousy, envy, conflict, social aggression, deception, etc.), how these issues manifest at work and in the classroom, and how such issues can be constructively addressed, ultimately turning them into “bright side” learning and growing opportunities. Seeing the “bright side” of stereotypically negative issues, can have a significant impact on Park University culture, such as cultivating happier and more empathetic employees, facilitating a greater understanding of human behavior, increased respect between colleagues and greater employee and student morale. Learn new ideas by watching a brief video, self-enroll in "The Dark (and Bright) Side of Human Communication" Canvas course, and join us as we share best practices for communicating.

Roundtable Discussions

Presented by Destiny Lovato
Date & Time = Apr. 28th (Wed.) from 7:30-8:30pm, CST
Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/92442605145

Would you like to refresh your teaching and continue the term with confidence? Would you like to connect with fellow instructors and unpack ideas about teaching and learning? If so, then we invite you (and all Park instructors) to join us for the fourth Teaching Essentials Roundtable Discussion for “Providing Effective Feedback”.

Destiny Lovato, from the Victory Valley College campus center in California, will facilitate the open discussion to unpack and discuss lessons learned and strategies for improved teaching. The featured topic of discussion on “Providing Effective Feedback” will draw from the Module 4 of the Teaching Essentials program - a self-paced, fully online, certification program that is available for free to all Park instructors.

To view recordings and resources of previous Teaching Essentials roundtable discussions, check out the Teaching Essentials Certification page.

(Note. Please complete Module 4 of the Teaching Essentials Certification before this session in order to actively participate in the discussion – approximately 15 min. to complete.)

Writing Retreat

Sponsored by FCI, ParkWrites, and the Faculty Scholarship Circle
Date & Time = May 7th (Fri.) from 10am-12pm, CST
Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/93739636246?pwd=a1MyeU1vVHNUUWhDU1lNTENpWmJXQT09

We all struggle to find time in the busy semester to carve out time for our scholarship. It's hard to find time to write and set reasonable writing goals for shorter work times available. Join us for a virtual faculty writing retreat - we will be setting reasonable goals for an 85-minute writing session, sharing those goals in a small team, working on your scholarship for an 85-minute period, and then sharing out your accomplishments and plans for next steps.

Tentative Session Agenda:

1. Meet briefly in small breakout groups to help you set goals for your 85 minutes.
2. Write for 85 minutes, working on whatever scholarly project you want. 
3. Check-in and discuss with your breakout group what you accomplished and talk about setting achievable goals in the future.
4. Discuss how Park can support scholarly writing in the future.

Roundtable Discussions

Presented by Sandra Abbey
Date & Time = May 26th (Wed.) from 7:30-8:30pm, CST
Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/99608937891

Would you like to refresh your teaching and continue the term with confidence? Would you like to connect with fellow instructors and unpack ideas about teaching and learning? If so, then we invite you (and all Park instructors) to join us for the fifth Teaching Essentials Roundtable Discussion for “Using Student and Peer Feedback to Improve Teaching”.

Sandra Abbey, from the Gilbert campus center in Arizona, will facilitate the open discussion to unpack and discuss lessons learned and strategies for improved teaching. The featured topic of discussion on “Using Student and Peer Feedback to Improve Teaching” will draw from the Module 5 of the Teaching Essentials program - a self-paced, fully online, certification program that is available for free to all Park instructors.

To view recordings and resources of previous Teaching Essentials roundtable discussions, check out the Teaching Essentials Certification page.

(Note. Please complete Module 5 of the Teaching Essentials Certification before this session in order to actively participate in the discussion – approximately 15 min. to complete.)

Writing Retreat

Sponsored by FCI, ParkWrites, and the Faculty Scholarship Circle
Date & Time = Jun. 4th (Fri.) from 10am-12pm, CST
Offsite = https://park.zoom.us/j/93739636246?pwd=a1MyeU1vVHNUUWhDU1lNTENpWmJXQT09

We all struggle to find time in the busy semester to carve out time for our scholarship. It's hard to find time to write and set reasonable writing goals for shorter work times available. Join us for a virtual faculty writing retreat - we will be setting reasonable goals for an 85-minute writing session, sharing those goals in a small team, working on your scholarship for an 85-minute period, and then sharing out your accomplishments and plans for next steps.

Tentative Session Agenda:

1. Meet briefly in small breakout groups to help you set goals for your 85 minutes.
2. Write for 85 minutes, working on whatever scholarly project you want. 
3. Check-in and discuss with your breakout group what you accomplished and talk about setting achievable goals in the future.
4. Discuss how Park can support scholarly writing in the future.