Category Archives: For Faculty Archive

For Faculty Archive

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Our first Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Lunch & Learn is on Monday, Oct. 26, 12–1 p.m. in TMR 133 Olmsted (lower level across from the Underground Fitness facility). This is an opportunity to share information about a current project, think about future projects, find out about SoTL, or simply engage colleagues in thinking about teaching and learning practices. You do not need to register to attend, but if you would like us to provide lunch, please go to: http://tinyurl.com/SoTL-Oct. Also, please note that if you have a class that ends at 12:15, you are welcome to join us late.

—Submitted by Art Sanders, Associate Provost

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

United Way/Iowa Shares Campaign begins Oct. 30

Join your colleagues and the All Staff Council for a fun kick-off event on Friday, Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pomerantz Stage in Olmsted Center. This is a terrific opportunity to learn about and connect with a few of the Drake Neighborhood organizations that we donate to. Our partnerships with local community agencies are key to helping us provide learning opportunities for students. Many Drake alumni serve as United Way and Iowa Shares’ most generous and active donors, volunteers, and advocates.

While you’re learning, enjoy a delicious $5 lunch featuring chili, spiced pumpkin soup, and cornbread.

Stay for a short program at 12:15 p.m. featuring the talent of local poetry slam favorites RUN DSM.

All attendees will be entered to win a Drake parking pass good for 2016–2017.

—Submitted by Renee Sedlacek, Interim Director of Community Engagement and Service-Learning

For Faculty Archive

Cowles Library: Databases on trial

Cowles Library announces database trials for the fall semester that will run through the end of October. All trials can be accessed from http://researchguides.drake.edu/trialdatabases. Each product is described in detail and includes an access URL and a feedback form. Currently on trial: Latin America in Video, PBS Video Collection, Oxford Medicine, and three databases from Credo: Biology Collection, Environmental Studies Essentials Collection, and Nursing and Allied Health Essentials Collection.

—Submitted by Marc Davis, Cowles Library

For Faculty Archive, For Staff Archive

How to propose a J-Term travel seminar

If you have not contacted Annique Kiel about your interest in leading a J-Term 2017 travel seminar, please do so ASAP at annique.kiel@drake.edu or by calling 271-3039.

Proposals for J-Term 2017 travel seminars must be submitted to the appropriate college/school curriculum committee by Nov. 6, 2015. Please contact Annique with questions on this process.

Repeat offerings:
If your travel seminar was approved under the new process last year (approved in fall 2014 or after), and there are no significant changes to the syllabus or itinerary, it does not need to be re-reviewed by the school/college curriculum committee. You still need to inform the school/college curriculum committee that you wish to offer the course again, so they can move it forward through their process. School/college curriculum committees need to approve it, even if they do not need to review it again.

New travel seminars:
Faculty/staff members proposing new travel seminars will need to provide curriculum committees with a draft syllabus and draft itinerary, plus a credit calculation worksheet, curricular evaluation, and routing forms, which can be found online.

Please also provide answers to the following questions:

A. Curricular evaluation:

  1. How does the course meet curricular requirements (major, minor, AOI, etc.)?
  2. How is course content and delivery enhanced by the international or domestic location?
  3.  How does the course propose to integrate students into the host culture?
  4. How do proposed excursions or site visits link to the learning objectives of the course?

B: Best Practice: (Please note answering no to these questions does not mean that your proposal will not be accepted. Rather, it helps the Drake International staff with the planning of your proposal should it be accepted by the appropriate curriculum committee.)

  1. How familiar is the lead instructor or co-leader with the proposed international location (e.g., professional connections, experience visiting/living/working there, language abilities, etc.)? If neither have prior experience, please note there is financial support available through Drake International for travel seminar scouting trips.
  2. Has the faculty member successfully taught the proposed course or a similar course at either Drake or through another academic institution?
  3. Is the proposed course being offered in collaboration with a university abroad? Does Drake currently have a formal relationship with that university? See list of current partner universities.
  4. Is service-learning included in the curriculum? If so, has an appropriate organizational partner been identified to facilitate service-learning activities on site? If you plan to incorporate service-learning in the travel seminar, please connect with Drake’s Office for Community Engagement and Service-Learning.

Final selection of J-Term offerings:
Should more than 15 J-Term 2017 travel seminars be proposed, a subcommittee of the Global/International Policy and Academic Council (GIPAC) will decide which seminars that have been approved by the appropriate curriculum committee will go forward this year. The criteria used to make these decisions will be:

  • Geographical distribution
  • School/college distribution
  • Whether or not the course is offered in collaboration with one of Drake’s international strategic partners
  • Distribution between new and repeat offerings
  • Whether the course emphasizes community engagement/service-learning
  • The degree to which the program integrates the site’s location/culture
  • Input from the appropriate department chair and/or dean.

Compensation:
Compensation for a three-week travel seminar (defined as at least 14 days of travel) will be $6,800 for the instructor, $1,500 for the co-leader. (Per HR policy, compensation is lower for Drake staff members that are instructors or co-leaders on travel seminars.) If the course has co-instructors (two people both responsible for the academic component of the course—assignments, grading, etc.), the co-instructors will each receive $4,150. Should the travel seminar involve less than 14 days of travel or less than 3 credits of work (as indicated by the Credit Calculation worksheet), compensation would be reduced. We can clarify the exact amount based on the specifics of the travel seminar in question. Finally, note that for a 3-credit travel seminar, an instructor or co-instructor (though not a co-leader) in a J-Term travel seminar, can, with permission of the department and the appropriate dean, replace monetary compensation with a course reassignment.

—Submitted by Drake International

For Faculty Archive

Encourage students to apply for global learning scholarships

The application for Global Learning Scholarships is due by this Thursday, Oct. 15. We expect students may be asking advisers more questions about this following the Global Opportunities Expo held this past Thursday.

Please encourage student applications among your advisees who are interested in studying abroad, participating in global service-learning, or experiential learning abroad. Priority will be given to students studying abroad in 2016. These are need-based scholarships.

The following is a summary of eligibility requirements:

  1. Applicants must be admitted, currently enrolled, degree-seeking Drake students.
  2. Applicants must apply for a scholarship before the term they intend to use it.
  3. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
  4. Students from all majors, including undergraduate, graduate, and law students, are eligible.
  5.  Applicants must have a college GPA of at least 2.5 at the time of application.
  6. Priority is given to students who have financial need.
  7. Scholarships are for existing Drake-affiliated, exchange, or faculty-led programs.
  8. Students who have not previously received a global learning scholarship may be given priority.
  9. A disciplinary check will be done and may affect an applicant’s eligibility to receive this scholarship.
  10. Applicants are able to apply for scholarships up to a year in advance.

Complete eligibility requirements, expectations and the application are available here. 

Direct your questions to Maria Rohach, Global Learning Program Coordinator, at maria.rohach@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Drake International

For Faculty Archive

WLC expands foreign language offerings

Foreign language study at Drake is changing, with even more growth to come. The program is now the Department of World Languages and Cultures, led by Chair Marc Pinheiro-Cadd, associate professor of German.

In addition to the Spanish minor that launched this fall, WLC has revived the Latin American Studies Concentration, which students can also declare this fall. Another offering returning to Drake in Spring 2016 is Spanish for Healthcare Providers (SPAN 165).
Additionally, WLC has launched a collaboration with Minzu University in Beijing to send one instructor each year to Drake, enabling the University expand offerings in Chinese. Currently, Drake offers study at all levels in American Sign Language (ASL), Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, with Certificates of Competence available in all but ASL.

—Submitted by Marc Pinheiro-Cadd, Department Chair, Associate Professor of German

For Faculty Archive

Faculty advisers: Attend the Global Opportunities Expo

The annual Global Opportunities Expo will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, 2–5 p.m., on Helmick Commons South.

Drake International sponsors this annual event. Representatives from Drake’s exchange partners, affiliate program providers, and short-term faculty programs will be available to inform students about study, volunteer, service-learning, intern, and work opportunities abroad. Additionally, faculty and students with international experiences will be on hand to answer questions and provide insights.

Advisers are welcome and encouraged to attend this event to explore different models of international experiences including J-Term; May Term; spring break; and summer, semester, and yearlong opportunities for students. As we approach the open period for spring registration, students may be asking advisers questions about international experiences. Attending the Expo is an excellent way to gain an enhanced understanding of the international opportunities available to Drake students.

—Submitted by Drake International