Gamification: Applying Game Principles to Your Teaching

Viewing of this Magna Online Seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. in the CETL Seminar Room - Swenson 2074.  Plan on joining other colleagues for this 60 minute webinar (1:00 until 2:00 p.m. central time).  Contact cetl@uwsuper.edu now to have handout materials prepared for you for the webinar.

The principles that underpin successful games can be used to transform a college class even without a digital game or programming knowledge. You can use these principles in an analog class to create an educational experience that contains the best of both worlds: a game-based overlay without technical distractions.

Upcoming Spring 2013 Webinars through CETL

Considering the Courage and Practice of Teaching

A Conversation with Parker Palmer and Maryellen Weimer
(105 minutes, recorded 11/6/2012)

Parker Palmer and Maryellen Weimer talk about the underpinnings of their approaches to their work as teachers. They discuss the critical role of self-knowledge as a precursor to your work with students as well as why it is the key to growth and development as teachers. Whether you are a new or experienced faculty member who ended the semester on a high note or a low note, you'll gain insight, inspiration, and validation from this impassioned conversation.

Their conversation does not go down a list of tips or techniques. Instead, it gets to the heart of why teachers teach. They discuss the critical-and difficult-role of self-knowledge as a precursor to your work with students. Listening to this conversation will not result in a to-do checklist-instead it will give you something to reflect on now and for a long time to come.

Palmer and Weimer discuss why self-knowledge is the key to growth and development as teachers, and why truth-not techniques-heals and empowers those who have lost heart. Their dialogue revolves around the following questions:

• Why does effective teaching require courage?
• How does knowing why you teach change the way you teach?
• Many teachers lose heart as the years go by. What is required for healing?
• If your objective is to create a community in your classroom, how do you set rules and policies that support learning?
• For many, instruction is either teacher-centered or learner-centered. Can good teaching be both?
• What should we do about our shortcomings as teachers?

Listening to Drs. Palmer and Weimer, you'll have no doubt that finding the fortitude to teach past the challenges you face can produce deep joy and satisfaction.

The editors at Magna Publications believe that this is one of the best productions they've ever done. CETL is providing on-line access for UW-Superior faculty and staff only so they may view and re-view this conversation at their convenience. Please let us know what you think of it by emailing cetl@uwsuper.edu.