YOU ARE DRIVING THE BUS
Metacognitive thinking has come to be described as thinking about thinking by most of us. Matt Birkenhauer wants us to apply that to our teaching by making thinking visible. He suggests that we become "helicopter instructors" mimicking the best of what helicopter parents do, which is basically "pestering." I am not sure I would agree with him but the basics of his idea bear further discussion. Many of our students at BRCC are not only first-generation but may not have ever thought that they would be attending college. Some of them may have decided at the last moment to pursue a college degree. We know that without the proper preparation for anything, you typically set yourself up to fail. Realizing this, then the pestering or hovering that Birkenhauer recommends may have merit. We should certainly offer to mentor our students and that is a form of hovering. Asking questions to prompt deeper thinking and perhaps advanced planning can only be beneficial for our students. Here are just a few ways that you can begin to build an engaged relationship with your students that may pay off in the form of higher retention and graduation rates for BRCC. Remind them that this is not year thirteen of high school. College will require less time of them in the classroom but subsequently more time on things like homework, reading, and pre-class assignments. They will more likely experience being in larger classes in college. This can create problems for them but also opportunities to network extensively and usually larger classes allow them the opportunity to work in groups, a valuable life-skill that will be used in the workplace. The negative may mean less personal attention in some cases but they should be encouraged to make the effort to talk with you. College is typically less concerned about attendance although it is very important for our financial aid reporting that we capture this information. The idea here is to help them realize that they are “driving the bus.” That means they need to create a schedule and attempt to stick to it to help them manage their time wisely. Finally, you should remind them that they may have come from a culture that valued standardized tests but college requires them to think critically using empirical and quantitative methods. They will be asked to communicate their thoughts in various ways and they will be evaluated. Don’t forget to remind them that the rewards on the other side are substantial both economically and otherwise.

WHAT MAKES A TEACHER GREAT
The Common Reader Faculty Learning Community has attracted a number of you but there is room for more. If you are interested in joining the FLC that is set to begin on September 4, send an email indicating your interest to Barbara Linder (8228) at adulted@mybrcc.edu. Some of the most promising and effective professional development opportunities involve learning communities. Learning communities provide opportunities for faculty members to interact with others as they explore new assumptions and try out new approaches to teaching and learning. Learning communities enable faculty members to explore and experiment with new approaches to teaching in an environment that simultaneously provides challenge and support. The initial FLC at BRCC will be using What the Best College Teachers Do by Ken Bain as the text and promises to be interactive and useful.

VISION AND CHANGE IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Dr. Jo Dale Ales, who serves as Dean of the Division of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and I have been invited to participate in an ongoing project focused on designing biology curriculum for the future. Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education, a group coordinated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), is holding a conference designed to mobilize people to focus on undergraduate biology education by engaging them in shared, directed, provocative, and ongoing discussions that lead to action in the immediate future. Dean Ales and I will be traveling to Washington DC later this week to join with colleagues from across the U.S. I will share some of the outcomes with you next week. One of the more interesting ideas I have come across in the pre-conference reading (guess they are using a flipped classroom approach) is by Dr. Ann Austin who writes, "Improving student learning requires: (a) knowledge about how students learn; (b) knowledge of effective teaching strategies; (c) faculty members who understand processes of learning and what strategies are effective under what conditions; and d) faculty decisions to implement such knowledge of learning processes and teaching strategies into their own practice. Each part of this constellation of ingredients is necessary to encourage student learning."

KEEP CALM AND BE ENGAGED

Some of the team members from the Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support "caught" Department Chair Amy Pinero working hard to create lasting partnerships with her students. We rewarded her with a coveted peaceful green shirt. As you can see from the picture, she donned her green shirt immediately. Mrs. Pinero is Department Chair of Social Sciences and is also serving as Interim-Department Chair of Business. We know from testimony of her past students that she is very focused on creating a learner-centered environment. She was recognized as the BRCC Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year for 2012 adding to her already impressive list of academic accomplishments. When she is in the classroom, criminal justice is her area of expertise. Thanks to Mrs. Pinero, one of the folks who makes BRCC a better place.

The future of teaching at BRCC.

NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION
The Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support was thrilled to host the new faculty orientation on Wednesday. The program provided information on a diversity of topics including the scholarship of teaching and learning, how to help our student succeed, using library resources effectively, strategies for testing and assessment, using Blackboard effectively, and integrating college success skills into every course. Expert presenters included Dean Joanie Chavis, Testing Specialist Tressa Landry, Manager Susan Nealy, Dean Todd Pourciau, Director Jeanne Stacy, Dean Sandra Williams, and Executive Dean Elaine Vallette. The new faculty participants including: Catherine Doyle, Vinetta Frie, Belvin Givens, Emily Graves, Cyndy Giachetti, Jessie Herubrock, Loretta Jarrell, Jennifer Knapp, Albertha Lawson, Kristen Pasquier, Asoka Sekharan, and Bridget Sonnier-Hillis. Active learning and student engagement dominated the conversation. The future looks bright for teaching and learning at BRCC.

WHAT IS UP WITH THOSE GREEN SHIRTS
The Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support team donned peaceful green shirts on Wednesday to kick off this year's theme of Keep Calm and Be Engaged. As we mentioned previously, BRCC is stepping up its efforts on student engagement. The shirts are a humorous reminder that we are all part of our students success. By the end of the day, some members of the team were receiving some outrageous financial offers for their shirts but no one wanted to part with them. Look for the shirts to reappear as we celebrate learning throughout the coming academic year. Who knows, maybe you too will be lucky enough to be recognized for engagement excellence and receive a coveted green shirt.

Anderson, Linder, and Harris join BRCC

BRCC WELCOMES NEW EMPLOYEES FROM CATC
We are very excited to announce the addition of some new team members in the Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support. Barbara Linder has joined us as an Academic Support Specialist. Wanda Anderson and Karen Harris have joined us as Testing Center Specialists. The addition of new staff means that we can respond more effectively to the many requests we are receiving from faculty and students in the areas of testing, assessment, and pedagogy. There is a bit of sad news from the Testing Center as we are losing Tressa Landry, who is following her husband to Lake Charles. The good news is that in addition to our newest team members, Debbie Johnson remains with the Testing Center. Look for expanded hours coming soon to better meet your testing needs.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR
Does what you wear on the first day of a face-to-face class make a difference? You bet says James Lang in his book On Course: A Week-by-Week Guide to Your First Semester of College Teaching (the Library has an electronic copy). He tells the story of his first day when he dressed to blend in with the students and how he wanted them to realize how “cool” he was. He suggests that your dress sets the tone for the type of relationship you want to forge and the teaching persona you are trying to construct. Professional attire is the best way to go, he suggests. Lang also encourages you to begin the class on time and to use the entire session of allotted time. It sends a clear message that this class is about learning. Spend the time introducing the topic to your students. Ask them the big questions that your discipline considers. Be engaging and discover their like, dislikes, wants and needs. Remember you are creating a first impression but you also want to clearly explain your expectations. The first days of class are when students are still deciding if they are going to drop or stay so providing them with an entire picture helps them to make informed choices. Lang’s book is filled with wonderful advice for faculty at all stages of their careers.

BUILDING A PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING
Robert Leamnson’s book Thinking About Thinking About Teaching (LB2331.L39) is a good resource if you are reexamining your classroom practices. He says, “Every teacher, even the beginner, has a philosophy of teaching. We all enter the classroom, even the first time, with certain beliefs about how teaching should be done. These beliefs might or might not be well-considered and articulated, but even the first-time teacher, trying to recall what his or her teachers did, is exhibiting some belief as to how teaching is done. A philosophy developed based solely out of experience is primarily reactive. The real goal of teaching is that someone learn something. Having that as a goal is not the same as having a philosophy.” He suggests that educators be systematic in their approach. Spend time with the literature on the scholarship of teaching and learning especially as it relates to pedagogy and assessment. He concludes, “A rational and considered philosophy of teaching serves as a beacon during stormy periods.”

ACTIVE LEARNING REQUIRES PRACTICE
“Students have different responsibilities in active learning than they do in traditional education,” says Elizabeth Barkley in her book Student Engagement Techniques. The primary method for orienting students to these new responsibilities and teaching students active learning skills lies in the learning tasks themselves: students will develop active learning skills if they are given tasks that ask them to apply concepts, solve problems, discuss issues or reflect upon the factors that influence their thinking. Rather than just explaining to students that you are using active learning methods, Mel Silberman (who has written several books on active learning) recommends starting the very first class session with an activity that orients students to active learning. You can find a number of active learning approaches in the BRCC Active Learning Manual (2013). Send me an email at pourciaut@mybrcc.edu to receive your electronic copy.

KEEP CALM AND BE ENGAGED
A number of you commented on this year’s theme for the Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support. We spent the summer working on the various programs designed to help you enhance your teaching skills and felt we needed something to capture the spirit of our efforts. The theme of Keep Calm and Be Engaged was tweaked using an existing slogan that has become pretty common. The original version appears to be Keep Calm and Carry On used by the British government as a motivational slogan to lift the spirits of their citizens during the Second World War. Many organizations have adopted it in various forms. We felt it met our needs as well especially when you include the very un-calm version of the BRCC bear. You may see folks who are part of the Division of Innovative Learning and Academic Support with bright green t-shirts that have the slogan prominently displayed. We hope that it provides motivation for you as you embark on your very important mission this year. Teaching is such a difficult job and so much goes into becoming a great teacher. So Keep Calm and Be Engaged and have a great semester!

MENTORING PROGRAM RELAUNCH
As a learner-centered institution of higher education, BRCC is committed to fostering good teaching that develops deeper learning leading to student success. Good teaching, in its essence, is defined as helping students learn in ways that make a sustained, substantial, and positive influence on how they think, act, and feel. Research shows that constructive mentoring and reviewing of faculty works to help such faculty meet high standards of rigor, depth, and innovation in teaching and learning, and to realize their full potential as scholars, teachers, and members of the academic community. In addition, mentees, when compared with un-mentored faculty, tend to feel more self-assured, exhibit greater political savvy, profess to feel more confident about their teaching, and, generally, in the long run tend to be more prolific. Faculty with mentors have been found to be more productive and they indicate higher career and job satisfaction, while achieving greater long-term success than those not mentored. The Mentoring Program is being re-launched beginning with the fall 2103 semester. If you are interested in becoming a mentor or mentee, contact Dr. Todd Pourciau at pourciaut@mybrcc.edu or 216.8534.

KEEP CALM AND BE ENGAGED
The New Faculty Orientation for the fall 2013 semester will be held on Wednesday, August 21 from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM. All new full-time faculty hires are invited to attend the active workshop to be held in room 311 Magnolia Building. A special invitation is extended to the former CATC faculty who are joining the BRCC family. Topics to be covered include faculty development about teaching and learning, online delivery, responding to student's needs, testing, and student success. If you have not already received an invitation but would like to attend this event, contact Barbara Linder at 216.8228 or via email at barbaralinder@catc.edu.

CAN WE TALK
The Teaching+Learning Center will be offering a common reader Faculty Learning Community using Ken Bain's book What the Best College Teachers Do (which will be provided to the participants). The Faculty Learning Community will begin on September 4 and run until October 10, meeting from noon until 1:00 PM in the Teaching+Learning Center (311 Magnolia Building). Faculty Learning Communities have been utilized by higher education institutions for a number of years and are designed to provide faculty with quality time to focus on topics related to the scholarship of teaching and learning. Typically a FLC will agree on accomplishing a few learning objectives over the course of the term. If you are interested in joining this FLC, contact Barbara Linder at 216.8228 or via email at barbaralinder@catc.edu.

NOTE TAKING 101
Here are a few tips taken from a recent copy of The Teaching Professor newsletter on how you can help your students improve their note-taking abilities. When you say something important, go ahead and give students time to write it down--word for word if they like. Then give them 30 seconds to look at what they have written and put it in their own words. If you have two or three students read what they have written, you will reinforce the importance of the point and at the same time you can talk about the student's versions of the idea. Typically, students do not write enough in their notes. At the end of a lesson or content area, give students two minutes to look over their notes. Encourage them to add more or to ask you questions. Ask them, "What is the most important thing that you just got from your notes on this topic?" Correct any misguided remarks. Finally, facilitate a short discussion of what students can do with their notes as they prepare for an exam. If they say they will go over their notes, strongly suggest that they get into the notes. Suggest that they rewrite their notes, highlight the key points, compare them with another student, and compare the notes to the text. You can read more in the volume 27, number 6 issue in the periodical section of the BRCC Library.

BLACKBOARD COMMUNITY UNDER CONSTRUCTION
One of the great features of Blackboard is the ability to create a community that allows us to discuss, share and communicate virtually. I am currently working on creating the Teaching and Learning Faculty Development Blackboard site. It will include a discussion board and online resource library among other things. As soon as it is ready to go live, all of the faculty will be added so that you can access the resources and interact with your colleagues. Hopefully it will be useful to you and become the place for online discussion about the scholarship of teaching and learning at BRCC.

NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION
The Office of Teaching and Learning will be coordinating an orientation session for all new faculty. It will be held from 9:00 AM until 12 noon on Wednesday, August 21 in room 311 Magnolia Building. The focus will be on providing our newest faculty colleagues with a good foundation as they begin their teaching career at BRCC. The topics will include faculty development, using Blackboard effectively, closing the loop with the Academic Learning Center, utilizing the Testing Center, exploring the Library, explaining what our CSSK course is all about and the eLearning certification process. While the event will be open to our new hires, we are also extending an invitation to our colleagues from the former Capital Area Technical College.

TEACHING AND LEARNING FROM BOTH SIDES
The recent announcement by Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs that the Academic Learning Center had joined the Teaching and Learning team means that the loop is now closed. The combined forces will allow us to provide unique solutions for some of our more pressing problems related to retention and student learning. The combined expertise of Jeanne Stacy, Yvette Ferguson, and Donna Newman brings the student experience into play. The Teaching and Learning team, which also includes the eLearning Program, Evening+Weekend, and the Testing Center, is here to work with all academic units and faculty to design and implement strategies and interventions based on the latest empirical research. We are excited about the possibilities created by this new collaborative and look forward to meeting the needs of our various constituencies.

ENGAGEMENT PROVIDES VALUABLE INFORMATION
Instead of doing one of the standard ice-breaker activities, why not give a pre-test? This type of learner-based assessment allows you to find out as much as possible about your students. Not only is it a great engagement tool but it will help you to modify your class to meet the needs of each of your students. You want to ask them questions about their ambitions, their approaches to and conceptions of learning, the way they reason, their temperaments, habits, and the things that attract their attention on a daily basis. Ken Bain, in his book What The Best College Teachers Do, notes that this type of activity is endorsed by the best teachers. Once you have the information, you should use it to build a class profile and compare it to the learning experiences, projects, and assessment instruments you plan to use in the course. You can then use this information throughout the semester to generate conversations and to make specific points to motivate your students. The pre-test also allows you to understand the complexities of your students.