A campus locus for conversations about learning and teaching in the liberal arts.
In recent years, there have been dramatic changes in the ways we structure knowledge, in what we have come to understand about effective teaching and learning, and in the possibilities afforded by new technologies for improving teaching and learning. The Center for Innovation in the Liberal Arts (CILA) was founded in 2000 to provide support for faculty working to meet the challenges posed by these changes. On the premise that the liberal arts colleges are ideal laboratories for pedagogical innovation and reform, CILA seeks to provide time and space for conversations and collaboration among faculty about learning, teaching and scholarship.
Coming up in CILA
Faculty Lunch Conversations
Join your colleagues for lunch discussions around interesting topics in teaching and learning. Unless otherwise noted, all lunches are in the Valhalla Dining Room, 11:45-1:15, with the main presentation and discussion planned from noon-1:00. Topics and presenters are announced by email, along with a request for RSVPs. See past topics here.
Fall 2017 dates are scheduled–check here
Spring 2017 Conversations:
Wednesday, February 15: Going inside the black box: Getting useful, actionable information to improve your classroom and program
Tuesday, February 21: Autism and Academic Performance
Thursday, March 2: Provost’s Sabbatical Series Luncheon
Presenters: DeAne Lagerquist (Religion) and Jill Dietz (Mathematics)
Tuesday, March 7: Why be an Academic Leader?
Tuesday, March 14: Let’s Talk About Writing: Content, Transfer, and the Question of General Education
Tuesday, April 4: Video Pen Pals: Using Skype and Google Hangout to Connect Students with Peers and Experts
Tuesday, April 11: Melby Lecture
Wednesday, April 12: Having meaningful discussions of race and racism in the classroom: A faculty workshop
Wednesday, April 19: Fake news, dubious claims, and “truthiness”: How do we teach our students to read digital texts and media critically?
Wednesday, April 25: Joint Forces in Faculty Development: Opportunities through the ACM
Thursday, April 27: Faculty Forum