This is an announcement about the 9th Annual National Workshop on “Designing Your Courses for More Significant Learning” that is scheduled for May 25-27, 2016

This year we will again have a half-day optional workshop on “Leading Your Own Workshop, on Integrated Course Design”. 

Both workshops are described below and at:  http://www.deefinkandassociates.com/index.php/workshops/chicago-2016/ 

 

If you - or people you know - might be interested signing up for this workshop, we hope you will consider joining us; it will be one of the best workshops you ever attended.

 

My Best,   Dee Fink

 

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                        Dee Fink & Associates

         “Designing Your Courses for More Significant Learning”

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Why This Workshop is Valuable

Designing our courses is something central to what we do as college teachers, yet few of us have had any formal preparation for this.  If we can learn some new ideas on how to do this more effectively, it will enable us to focus the learning we want and create the kind of course where students will achieve that learning!

This workshop teaches participants how to design their courses in a learning-centered way that leads to greater student engagement and better student learning.

 

This year Dee Fink & Associates will host their Annual National Workshop on “Designing Your Courses for More Significant Learning” on May 25-27, 2016, in Chicago, IllinoisLoyola University Chicago is co-sponsoring the National Workshop this year and will host it at their Water Tower campus on the near north-side of Chicago. 

 

What We Will Do At the Workshop

The workshop lasts 2½ days, starting Wednesday morning and ending on Friday at noon.  During that time, we will work through a learning-centered approach to designing courses.  During each phase, participants will have time to apply the ideas that have been introduced, to the design of a course of their own choosing. 

 

Special Value of This Workshop

We do many workshops for college campuses on this topic, and they are good.  But this national workshop is the most powerful workshop we do, for two reasons:

1.    We have more time – 2½ days.

·         On most campuses – with the demands on faculty time, we only get ½ to one day of workshop time. 

·         At this workshop, we have 2-5 times as much time.

2.    Every participant gets frequent, individualized feedback on their work.

·         We have experienced Feedback Facilitators for every group of 6 participants.

·         In each phase of the design process, each participant gets feedback from the other participants and from the Feedback Facilitator – and gets to see the work of other participants.

 

The other special characteristic of this workshop is that it is a “Doing” workshop, not a series of “talking heads.”  Over 50% of the workshop time is spent actually designing a course of your own choosing – and getting feedback on that design.

 

What are the “Take-Away’s”?

When participants complete this workshop, they will have accomplished two things.  They will have…

1)   Learned how to design any set of instructional activities, from a few class sessions to a whole course to a program curriculum. 

2)   Completed the design of one course of their own choosing.

 

For Whom Is This Workshop Intended?

This workshop has major value for two groups of people:

1.    Faculty Members learn the principles of good course design which they can then apply to all their own courses in the future.

2.    Faculty Developers learn the principles of good course design AND how to lead a workshop on this topic themselves.

 

Impact of This Workshop

Participants in past years have made the following comments about this workshop:

“Really, this is probably the best, most cohesive, well-organized and well-paced workshop I have ever attended!”

“Reading the book was valuable, but talking about the concepts made it actionable.”

“When I tried these ideas, the energy in my classroom increased significantly…in fact the new energy was palpable.”

Optional Workshop on “Leading Your Own Workshop, on Integrated Course Design.

On Friday Afternoon, we will also offer an optional, 3-hour workshop for people who want additional support for offering their own workshop on the subject of course design.  We will (a) share workshop handouts, materials, outlines, and tips, and (b) share thoughts on how to take a workshop idea from someone else and “make it your own”.

          Cost:  $150.   There is information about this optional workshop on the webpage for the basic workshop (see below)

Where Can You Find Information About Registering for Either Workshop?

You can find additional information about the two workshops, their cost, lodging, and procedures for registering, on our special webpage for this workshop: http://www.deefinkandassociates.com/index.php/workshops/chicago-2016/  

          Note: There is a Group Discount of 20% if 4 or more people from the same institution register for the workshop.

We hope you will consider attending!

If you have specific questions, email Dee Fink at:  [log in to unmask]


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L. Dee Fink         
234 Foreman Ave.
Norman, OK  73069
Phone/FAX:  405-364-6464
Email:  [log in to unmask]
Websites:      
        www.designlearning.org   [multiple resources on course design]
        www.deefinkandassociates.com   [offer workshops & online courses]
        www.finkconsulting.info  [Fink's consulting activities & publications]

**Former President of the POD Network in Higher Education (2004-2005)
**Author of: Creating Significant Learning Experiences (2003, Jossey-Bass)
**Senior Associate, Dee Fink & Associates Consulting Services