Welcome to the Teaching-Learning Academy

2009: Celebrating 10 YEARS of STUDENT VOICES at Western Washington University

Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) – Student Voices Theme The Teaching Learning Academy (TLA) AS Student Voices Club Conferences & Forums e.g. Festival of Scholarship (FoS) Scholars Week Viking Village Courses e.g. EDU. 109 Comm. 322 Comm. 339 ( Western’s Community Forum The TLA in Canada House and Beyond… “Students as co-inquirers” interest group in the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

TLA Overview A community of scholars studying and enhancing Western’s learning culture

TLA Participants Students Faculty Staff Administrators Alumni Community Members

TLA Staff Carmen Werder, Megan Otis, Cameron Schmidt, Ashley Gardella, & Michael Murphy

TLA Activities Bimonthly dialogue groups Teaching-learning forums Campus partnerships National leader for Student Voices in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning sponsored by the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL)

TLA Objectives Integrate student voices into learning initiatives. Draw on multiple perspectives to enhance learning. Offer resources and workshops in support of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Acknowledge individual and collective contributions to teaching and learning. Share our findings locally, nationally and internationally.

TLA Process Together develop a BIG question on T&L to study for the year. Survey ourselves to see what we think. Invite others into the study. Analyze the results. Share findings and translate into action.

TLA Agreements Be respectful. Listen patiently with the primary goal of understanding. Give everyone adequate air time & work to create a safe space for taking risks. Be open. Work to understand differences, not to erase them. Try out new ideas & be open to disagreeing, making new connections, & challenging old views. Be direct. Say clearly what you expect from others. Ask questions when you don’t understand. Avoid presumptions; ask others what they think & why. Be present. Engage actively, but know that silence sometimes is ok. Try to be prompt. Resist technological distractions. Come ready to contribute & listen. Be ethical. Honor rights of others. Be honest in asking for & giving feedback; be fair in evaluating others and their ideas..

TLA Facilitation Student facilitators (Comm.322,Civil Discourse as Interactive Learning & Comm 339 (Applied Practicum) Facilitate: to make easy To ensure air time for all

TLA Results Participants report: more positive attitudes toward students/faculty/staff new insights into teaching & learning more informed teaching/learning practices advancement of institutional change initiatives

Teaching-Learning Academy BIG Question How can WE live out our Mission and create a sustainable future at Western that saves money and builds on diversity?

Moving from Talk to Action New insights and 5 sustaining proposals: 1)Student Mentoring 2)Enhancing GURs 3)Quarterly Info Fairs 4)Interactive Spaces 5)Rejuvenation

Next Steps… Developing a BIG question together~ So what’s on your mind?