Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Eighteen faculty members at Arkansas State University completed the inaugural Summer Teaching Summit, organized by the A-State Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).

“This retreat reflects interim Chancellor Calvin White Jr.’s vision of elevating teaching as a defining strength of Arkansas State University,” said Dr. Jill Simons, CETL director. “Teaching has always mattered, but now more than ever it is central to who we are as an institution and to the success of our students.”

The various sessions, focusing on evidence-based learning, were led by two A-State faculty-in-residence, Dr. John Hershberger, associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Loretta McGregor, associate dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Science and professor of psychology, along with keynoter Dr. Claire Major, faculty director of the University of Alabama Teaching Academy, and Dr. Amy Hawkins, assistant provost at the University of Central Arkansas.

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“Our goal with the Summer Teaching Summit was to create learning experiences that help every student succeed by drawing on evidence-based practices,” Simons added.

Faculty who participated in the summit were Nicole Arnell, professor of graphic design; Dr. Binol Balachandar, assistant professor of nursing; Dr. Angelo Brown, assistant professor of criminology; Dr. Kelsie Clark, assistant professor of physical therapy; Dr. Michael Cooper, assistant professor of nursing; Dr. Maureen Dolan, associate professor of molecular biology; Dr. Matthew Harmon, associate professor of nursing; Dr. Mark Herman, instructor in philosophy; and Dr. Chad Martin, instructor in teacher education.

Other participants were Cassaundra McCauley, instructor in writing and reading in transition studies; Dr. Philip Johnson, professor of veterinary medicine; Dr. Nilesh Kumar, instructor in management; Dr. Patrice Parkinson, assistant professor of counseling; Dr. Amin Abbasi Pooya, assistant professor of information systems and business analytics; Dr. Paula Ruby, professor of information systems and business analytics; Caitlan Smith, instructor in art history; Dr. Deborah Wammack, assistant professor of reading; and Dr. Chiqian Zhang, assistant professor of civil engineering.

The Office of the Provost and CETL announced the summit opportunity last spring, inviting interested faculty to apply and “step away from the pace of the academic year.” Participation in the summit was offered as an opportunity to connect with colleagues across campus and to explore innovative, effective classroom practices.

In addition to Simons, Dean Murry, a CETL staff member, and Dr. Melanie Wicinski, associate vice chancellor for accreditation and assessment, helped facilitate the summit, a three-day, immersive experience held in early August atop Petit Jean Mountain in Morrilton.

The program was designed to deepen participants’ passion for teaching through meaningful dialogue and engagement with nationally recognized experts in teaching and learning. The competitive selection process was open to all full-time faculty members.

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