Faculty can now find all student support services on our campus unified on one website focused on supporting and elevating students, and assisting them in applying their learning through a multitude of academic services to support students in their academic success, wellbeing, and post-graduate careers.
Wednesday, September 7 is my last day working at Villanova. I’ve decided to accept a new role in training design and development in the industry. I’m looking forward to continuing my career growth in the corporate setting. Working in VITAL at a teaching-centered university provided me with great opportunities to support you and learn from you during my five years at Villanova. My sincere appreciation to you all for making my Villanova experience one I will never forget and always cherish. I wish you continued success in teaching and supporting our students in “becoming what they are not yet.”
Best wishes - Andy
Dr. Randy Weinstein, Associate Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, sent detailed communication to both faculty and students regarding policies on face masking, class modality, faculty/student isolating/quarantining, class attendance, etc.
Link to communication to faculty, August 11
Link to communication to students, August 23
Link to communication regarding new open-ended questions on Course and Teacher Surveys (CATS)
Beginning in Spring 2022, Villanova made it possible for all faculty, staff, and students to enter chosen first name and personal pronouns into Banner. Chosen first name and personal pronoun will appear on class lists and other university communications. Please see here for details.
Developed by ODEI, Gender and Women’s Studies and other programs, this guide provides best practices for being gender inclusive in our work spaces, laboratories, and classrooms.
Link to guide
Villanova offers a multitude of academic services to support students in their academic success, wellbeing, and post-graduate careers. Use/link to these personalized, brief videos to bring these services to your students' attention and encourage them to engage with them.
Link to videos
Dr. Claire Howell Major, international expert and author on active learning shared concrete, research-based instructional practices that apply across disciplines. Please use the session recordings below as a resource.
Recording of Teaching for Learning: Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies
Recording of Making Group Work Work: Collaborative Learning as a High Impact Instructional Practice
Want to reach all of your students? This guide considers how faculty can provide a learning environment and engage in communication that reaches all of their students. The teaching resource introduces key principles of Inclusive Teaching, offers ways to interact inclusively with students, provides approaches to Inclusive Course Design, and suggests ways to evaluate your inclusive teaching methods. Link to article.
As you are aware, accessibility is a critical factor in students' success. How can you check and ensure that your course materials are accessible? What do you need to consider? We invite you to take this online self-paced program, Making Your Course Accessible in LMS. Co-developed by VITAL and LSS, the program establishes the legal framework for accessibility in education, articulates why we need to address accessibility issues proactively in our courses, and demonstrates how to create ADA-compliant courses in LMS. Please click on course enrollment to enroll in this online program offered in Bridge.
Link to more details
With input and approval from The Academic Policy Committee, VITAL, OSPIE, and the Counsel of Deans, the enhanced report groups questions into five aspects of effective teaching: (1) Clarity and Organization; (2) Interaction and Rapport; (3) Grading Fairness; (4) Student Engagement; and (5) Online Classroom Management (for online, hybrid, and simulcast courses).
These categories have been created for formative purposes; i.e., to help faculty identify areas that are working well, identify possible areas for improvement, and offer a framework for conversations about aspects of effective teaching as perceived by students.
Link to sample report
Link to video, OSPIE: How to read the report
Link to video, VITAL: How to use the report for formative feedback.
VITAL staff are happy to consult with you on the CATS results; email to schedule appointment.
Dead Ideas in Teaching and Learning: Guests share discoveries of “dead ideas”—ideas that are not true but that are often widely believed and embedded in the pedagogical choices we make. Hosted by Catherine Ross, CTL, Columbia University
Faculty Focus Live: Offers research-based teaching tips to boost your creativity and motivation hosted by Magna Publications. Current episode: Mentoring and Coaching: The Tools for a Great Faculty Coach and a Great Faculty Mentor
Tea for Teaching: Series of discussions of innovative and effective practices in teaching and learning hosted by State University of New York at Oswego.
Teaching in Higher Ed: Explores the art and science of being more effective at facilitating learning and is hosted by B. Stachowiak, Vangard University, CA.
On Cultivating Student Engagement in Higher Ed: Features faculty and course designers using creative approaches to enhance students' learning experiences and turn engagement "ON". Hosted by Dr. Kathryn Berkow, University of Delaware.
The COVID-19 pandemic and heightened social awareness of 2020-2021 changed how we conducted our teaching. It was more than just a technology shift; it was a confrontation of sometimes unquestioned assumptions about what it was to teach and learn. This special issue of Journal for Research & Practice in College Teaching collected approaches that teachers will keep as they emerge from the exigencies of the past year. Dr. Seth Fishman, Associate Teaching Professor of Education & Counseling, contributed an article on the benefits of recorded presentations.
Villanova University offers QPR Training – Question, Persuade, Refer. QPR is a Suicide Prevention Tool that anyone can learn and use. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught Gatekeeper Training in the world.
Training Opportunities: Villanova has many trainers available to provide a 60- to 90-minute QPR training for you or your department or group of staff and/or students.
Link to detailed training information
Due to the high and rising costs of course materials, students face academic consequences and financial challenges. Part of the mission of Villanova’s Affordable Materials Project (AMP) is to provide faculty with resources and options for selecting high quality course materials while reducing the cost for students. Learn how you can help students by visiting the faculty page of the AMP website and view the AMP video, presenting student and faculty experiences.
Morning Mentor: Easy-To-Use Technologies With Great Impact on Online Learning
Link to program; Password: learning78
Access 24/7 in your office, on your mobile device, or at home from Mon, 9/5 to Sun, 9/11.
Program details and fall 2022 schedule
Past Morning Mentor topics on Online Teaching (Transcripts are available)
Navigating Attendance and Deadlines Accommodations
Wed., September 21, 12:45 - 2:00pm - virtual via Zoom
Link will be provided prior to the program
Link to program details
RSVP by September 21 at the latest
Formative, Early-term Student Feedback - Virtual via Zoom
Thurs., September 22, 11:30 - 12:45pm
Wed., September 28, 12:45 - 2:00pm
Zoom link will be provided prior to the program
Link to program details
RSVP by September 21 at the latest
Preparing Your Teaching Dossier: Crafting Your Teaching Statement – Virtual via Zoom
Thurs., September 22, 4:00-5:30pm OR
Mon., September 26, 3:00-4:30pm
Facilitated by Gabriele Bauer, VITAL
For CNT faculty who are eligible to apply for promotion in this academic year.
Refining Your Teaching Dossier: Crafting Your Teaching Statement – Virtual via Zoom
Thurs., September 29, 11:30am – 1:00pm OR
Fri., September 30, 10:45am-12:15pm
Facilitated by Gabriele Bauer, VITAL
For TT faculty who are eligible to apply for promotion in this academic year
Teaching and Learning Idea Toss
Wed., October 26, 4:00 - 6:00pm
Idea Lab, lower level of Falvey Memorial Library and virtually
Zoom link will be provided prior to the program
RSVP by October 21
Sponsored by Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning
Faculty Fridays
Refectory, 2:30 - 4:30pm
September 30, October 28, November 18
Sponsored by the Office of the President
Virtual Orientation Program for Part-Time Faculty New to Villanova
Mon., January 9, 2023 via Zoom
5:30-7:45pm
FY reference, link to past agenda, August 2022
Part-Time Faculty Blog: Onboarding, policies, academic resources, teaching practices, course and syllabus preparation
Program for Faculty New to Villanova, Part II
Wed., January 11, 2023
Program details and agenda forthcoming
FY reference, link to past agenda, January 2022
Teaching and Learning Strategies Program
Wed., May 24, 2023
Details and agenda forthcoming
Link to past program details
TEACHING CONFERENCES
Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference
When: September 29 – 30, 2022
Where: Virtual
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) Summit
When: October 6 – 7, 2022
Where: Virtual
AAC&U 2022 Virtual Conference on Global Learning
When: October 12 – 14, 2022
Where: Virtual
AAC&U 2022 Conference on Transforming STEM Higher Education
When: November 3 – 5, 2022
Where: Arlington, VA
AAC&U 2022 Conference on General Education, Pedagogy, and Assessment
When: February 9 – 11, 2023
Where: New Orleans, LA
AAC&U 2022 Conference on Diversity, Equity, and Student Success
When: March 8 – 11, 2023
Where: Henderson, NV
EDUCAUSE
When: October 25-28, 2022 (In Person) & November 2-3, 2023 (Virtual)
Where: Denver, CO & Virtual
OLC Accelerate 2022
When: November 1-3, 2022 (Virtual) & November 14 -17 2022 (In Person)
Where: Virtual & Orlando, FL
OLC Innovate 2023
When: April 18-23, 2023
Where: Nashville, TN (In Person, Virtual option not announced)
LILLY CONFERENCES
Lilly Traverse City
When: October 13 – 14, 2022
Where: Traverse City, MI (In person only)
Lilly San Diego
When: January 5 – 7, 2023
Where: San Diego, CA (In person only)
Lilly Austin
When: May 22 – 24, 2023
Where: Austin, TX (In person only)
The annual reports detail the services and programs that VITAL provided to the Villanova academic community to support high quality teaching and learning environments. The central goal of all VITAL services is to facilitate dialogue and interaction among faculty who share common curricular and/or pedagogical interests.
VITAL works to ensure that services are aligned with Villanova’s mission, academic priorities, interests and needs of the academic community: e.g., University and Colleges’ strategic plans, formal feedback data, and discussions with the faculty advisory board. We welcome your suggestions and program ideas; please stop by the VITAL office at 106 Vasey Hall or send e-mail to: vitalinfo@villanova.edu.
