Summer Teaching & Learning Retreat Now Accepting Applications

Western Libraries and the Learning Commons is now accepting applications for their summer teaching and learning retreat. This multi-day facilitated opportunity offers a mix of individual and collaborative work times in a beautiful natural setting, and includes all meals and lodging at the North Cascades Institute.

Sponsored by Western Libraries as part of their mission to foster collaborations that enhance teaching, learning, and scholarship, participants will discuss best practices and collaborate across disciplines through consultations, facilitated dialogue sessions, and peer response. The following two tracks are available for prospective participants:

• Backward by Design (BbD) track: This track provides new and returning faculty and instructional staff an opportunity to design or revise courses. Focused on applying the backward design framework, this track includes discussion of best practices for teaching and assessing writing and research.
• Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) track: This track provides students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to advance individual and collective research projects, (especially those that include students as co-inquirers). The SoTL track includes facilitated dialogue sessions focused on teaching and learning issues, and best practices for applying the SoTL framework across disciplines.

For both tracks, time will be allotted for participants to work individually or collaboratively with others, and participants will be expected to share their progress -- course design (BbD) or research (SoTL) --  with the Western community.

The retreat is scheduled for September 4-6 and participants must agree to attend all three days. Space is limited and fill every year. To apply please complete the registration form by June 17, 2018.

Questions? Please contact Sarah McDaniel, Director of Teaching & Learning and the Learning Commons, sarah.mcdaniel2@wwu.edu.