cals faculty contributions to new coursera...
TRANSCRIPT
Four faculty from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) have each
been selected to contribute a course to Coursera. Coursera is, “a social entrepreneur-
ship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for
free” (coursera.org). Coursera founders and funders envision this educational opportunity to reach millions of
students, with the desire “to empower people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their
families, and the communities they live in” (courser.org). The following CALS faculty members are working
to develop their Coursera course:
Economic Issues, Food, and You Global Sustainable Energy: Past, Present and Future
Jennifer Clark, Food and Resource Economics Wendell Porter, Ph.D., Ag. and Biological Engineering
Fundamentals of Human Nutrition Sustainable Agricultural / Urban Land Management
Kristina von Castel-Roberts, Ph.D. George Hochmuth, Ph.D., Soil and Water Science
These four CALS faculty members join two other University of Florida faculty as Coursera contributors,
including:
Global Health Cultures How Music Works
Sharon Abramowitz, Ph.D., Anthropology Alexander Reed, Ph.D., Music Theory
Congratulations to these faculty members on being invited to contribute to this innovative educational endeav-
or. For more information about the vision of Coursera and the current course offerings, visit https://
www.coursera.org/.
CALS Faculty Contributions to New Coursera Courses
October 2012
In This Issue…
2—Upcoming Events and Activities
2— Fall Discussion Groups
2—Qualtrics Survey Tool
3—COLT Online Assessment
1
Consider nominating colleagues/students for the following awards:
The Outstanding Faculty Award
The Outstanding Mentor of Undergraduate Research Award
The 150th Anniversary Morrill Act Award. The applications and nomination forms will be available at http://
gatorgrowl.org/homecoming/ and in the Florida Blue Key office.
Applications are due October 10th in the Florida Blue Key office, or
by email to [email protected]. Both students and
faculty members may nominate others for the awards.
Homecoming Education Celebration 2012
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Fall 2012: Topical Discussion Groups
Do you have an additional topic for a Spring
semester discussion? Please contact Natalie
Coers ([email protected]).
TRC Service: Faculty Consultations
The CALS Teaching Resource Center offers
faculty members the opportunity for consultation
related to teaching activities. A consultation may
assist you in getting started on developing a new
course, trying a new teaching methodology,
assessing a current course or teaching practice, or
various other areas of the faculty role. If you are
interested in scheduling a consultation, please
contact Dr. Grady Roberts ([email protected]) or
Natalie Coers ([email protected]).
Monday, November 5, 10:00-11:00am
Global Education
Facilitated by: Grady Roberts
Upcoming Events & Activities
We are excited to offer topical discussion groups
this fall, open to those interested in the specific
topics of focus. Each session is facilitated by a
faculty member with an emphasis in the topical
area. Please register for the specific group(s) you
would like to join, and mark your calendar for the
Fall dates listed below.
Thursday, November 1, 11:30am-12:30pm
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
Facilitated by: Nicole Stedman
Thursday, November 8, 2:00-3:00pm
Large Lecture Strategies
Facilitated by: Karla Shelnutt & Teri Balser
Qualtrics Survey Tool Now Available
Qualtrics, a premium service for creating and delivering online surveys, is now free for faculty, staff, and both undergraduate and graduate student use. UF Information Technology (UFIT) purchased a campus-wide license to make Qualtrics, free for the UF community. Log in to Qualtrics by visiting the e-Learning Web site and selecting Qualtrics under the Research Tools category. UFIT-developed Qualtrics training will be available soon. In the meantime, “Qualtrics University” has some excellent online training videos to help you get started.
Natural Area Teaching Lab (NATL)
Located behind the UF Cultural Plaza, the
Natural Area Teaching Lab is a fantastic resource
for all UF faculty, staff and students. Regardless
of your study area, NATL is open for everyone to
enjoy.
For more information on the resources and
educational and recreational opportunities NATL
has to offer or to schedule a research or a class
visit, please visit one of our online resources
website, Facebook page, Twitter page or contact
us at [email protected]. We are very interested in
facilitating the use of NATL for courses that are
being delivered by distance. Contact us for ideas.
ASMCUE 2013
Blending science and education, the conference
showcases prominent researchers, scholars,
curriculum leaders, and funding agencies.
May 16–19, 2013 | Denver, CO
January 1 - Conference Registration Opens
February 1 - Abstract Submission Deadline
February 8 - Travel Award Deadline
March 15 - Discount Registration Deadline
www.asmcue.org
Program Coordinator
Natalie Coers, MAL
2023 McCarty Hall D
(352) 273-3586
Director
Dr. T. Grady Roberts
307B Rolfs Hall
(352) 273-2568
Vision
Fostering excellence in the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Mission
Positively impact the academic experience of CALS students by providing services and resources designed
to enhance the teaching abilities and professional development of CALS faculty.
Programmatic Themes
Distance Education Outcomes & Assessment
Technology Enhanced Instruction Advising & Mentoring
Teaching Effectiveness & Innovation Curriculum Development
Newsletter submissions for the October edition are due by October 30.
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COLT Online Assessment Workshop Available Online
The Center for Online Learning and Technology (COLT) conducted a workshop on August 15, 2012 on Online
Assessment. This was the second in a series of workshops on topics that were identified in a survey to be the
training most requested by CALS faculty. Recordings of that workshop are now available online. There are
four parts; click on the links below to see the recorded presentations:
Part 1 – Online Assessment: Theory Into Practice
Part 2 – Objective Assessment: Writing Effective Multiple Choice Questions
Part 3 – Objective and Subjective Assessment: Using Online Discussion to Evaluate Student Learning
Part 4 – Academic Integrity: Sakai Concerns and Best Practices; Conducting Proctored Assessments in Online
Courses.
The links are also available on the COLT website, along with other useful resources. Please check out what we
have to offer at http://icsde.ifas.ufl.edu.
COLT staff work with faculty and staff from the College of
Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension, and other
units within IFAS to help you develop or adapt course and
training materials that can be delivered at a distance in a
variety of media and formats.