It is no secret that higher education faculty are pulled in a multitude of directions. Faculty members are busier than ever at a time when teaching and student learning is more visible and more complex. It is also true that most faculty have not been provided with a formal background in teaching and learning methods and this aspect of their work can cause the most stress.
I love helping college faculty be intentional in their teaching practice so that they can feel calm and purposeful in this aspect of their work. Throughout all of my work, I hope to instill a sense of clarity in teaching, so that even when students resist or struggle, instructors can feel confident that they have designed the best plans for bringing forth meaningful student learning.
Highlights of my work
Speaking engagements allow me to share a message of intentionality and enjoyment in teaching.
Recent keynote/plenary talks include:
- Teaching Professor Conference – opening plenary June 2023
- University of Missouri-St. Louis Focus on Teaching & Technology Conference – 2023 keynote
- Original Lilly Conference in Ohio
- Teaching 4 Learning Inter-mountain Consortium Conference
- Lilly Conference in Anaheim, CA
- LOEX Annual Conference
- Des Moines Area Community Colleges
- Murray State
- USAFA SoTL Forum
- San Juan College
- Delta State University
I enjoy visiting institutions to support faculty in their teaching practice.
Recent workshop topics include:
- Encouraging metacognition and reflection in student learning
- The Nuts and Bolts of Experiential Learning: Scaffolding Project Design and Critical Reflection into Your Activities
- Grading Zen
- The Reflective Discussion
- Purposeful Teaching: Choosing and using different ways of learning for effective instruction
- Teaching for critical thinking, problem solving, and skill development
- Teaching Evaluation: Can we measure what really matters?
View my current Webinar Topics
I love to explore and synthesize the literature about teaching and learning and share best practices.
Blog Posts
Explore the ICT Blog for recent posts including Equity-Based Teaching Practices We Can Adopt Immediately
Make the most of reporting out after group work, Faculty Focus Blog
Connecting the Disconnect Between Class Time and Course Readings, Faculty Focus Blog
Turning participation grades into self-directed learning opportunities, The Teaching Professor Newsletter
Book / Book Chapters
In press: Co-authored chapter “What makes assignments meaningful?” in the upcoming Stylus book, Culturally Affirming and Meaningful Assignments, edited by Christine Harrington.
- Co-authored with Jim Davis, a comprehensive overview of the theory and research behind common teaching practices in higher education.
- Listen to an interview about the book with The Professional Adjunct Podcast
Turning Good Intentions into Good Teaching: Five Common Principles for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Hailu, Mackey, Pan & Arend (2016) In Rojas-Primus & Perez Promoting Intercultural Communication Competencies in Higher Education.
My research interests include the role of reflection in learning, the evaluation of teaching, and teaching methods broadly with a SOTL focus.
Minding the Gap: Comparing Student and Instructor Experiences with Critical Reflection, Teaching and Learning Inquiry
- Led an International Collaborative Writing Group for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL), exploring instructor and student perceptions of critical reflection.
Co-PI on a study exploring the promotion process for Non-Tenure Track Faculty.
- The Legitimization of Non-Tenure Track Faculty through the Promotion Process, presented at ASHE 2019
- Ill-Defined Borders: Defining Non-Tenure Track Teaching Identity, presented at ISSOTL 2019
White Paper about alternative methods for evaluating teaching – Towards a Comprehensive Teaching Evaluation Framework: A Summary of the Literature, Recommendations, and Examples
Editorial Board Member for:
• Journal on Excellence in College Teaching (JECT)
• Learning Communities Journal (LCJ)
• Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching and Learning (JRITL)
I continue to teach part-time with the Morgridge College of Education and University College at the University of Denver.
Courses include:
- HED 4215: Curriculum Development and Teaching Strategies in Higher Education
- COMM 4203: Adult Learning Theory and Training Strategies
- LOS 3250: Learning in Organizations
- COMM 4002: Effective Presentation and Facilitation
I occasionally serve as an external evaluator or consultant, specializing in qualitative evaluation methods for education innovations and interventions
Recent clients and partnerships:
- West Virginia University GAUSSI grant for Engineering students
- Partnership4Equity Multi-institutional NSF grant on diversity & inclusion in Engineering & Computer Science
- Colorado State University Vice President for Diversity Campus Climate Survey
I am honored to have won the 2012 POD Innovation Award for the development of a successful Online New Faculty Workshop
