Authentic Learning – Developing Students as Independent Thinkers
Friday, October 21, 2022
8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
College of the Holy Cross (Hogan Campus Center)
Fall Conference 2022 Keynote Speaker: Dr. José Antonio Bowen
Teaching Change with the New 3Rs
Dr. José Antonio Bowen will present a keynote and plenary workshop on the topic of Teaching Change with the New 3Rs. Learning something new—particularly something that might change your mind—is more difficult than teachers think. A new 3Rs of relationships, resilience and reflection can help us lead better discussions and reach more students. Without sacrificing content, we can design courses to increase effort and motivation, provide more and better feedback, help students learn on their own and be better able to integrate new information now and after they graduate. The case for a liberal (or liberating) education has never been stronger, but it needs to be redesigned to take into account how human thinking, behaviors, bias, and change really work. Recent and wide-ranging research from biology, economics, psychology, education, and neuroscience on the difficulty of change can guide us to redesign an education of transformation and change.
Dr. José Antonio Bowen, author of Teaching Change: How to Develop Independent Thinkers Using Relationships, Resilience, and Reflection and Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology out of Your College Classroom will Improve Student Learning. He is also the 2018 recipient of the Ernest L Boyer Award (for significant contributions to American higher education) from the New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U); and is a Senior Fellow at AAC&U.
Access Dr. Bowen’s keynote handout and workshop handout.
Conference At-A-Glance
| 8:15 AM | Registration and Continental Breakfast |
|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Welcome and Announcements, Linda Bruenjes, NEFDC President |
| 9:10 AM | Keynote Presentation, Teaching Change, Dr. José Bowen |
| 10:15 AM | Break |
| 10:30 AM | Teaching Change Workshop, Dr. José Bowen |
| 11:45 PM | Lunch and Announcements: Eric Matte and Jackie Boivin, Conference Chairs |
| 12:20 PM | Open Mic, Poster Session |
| 1:00 PM | Concurrent Sessions |
| 2:00 PM | Concurrent Sessions |
| 3:00 PM | Closing Session and Raffle
Raffle items:
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Full Conference Program
Conference Program
Check out the full conference program. We will have limited print outs of the program at the conference, so we encourage you to download and print it at work.
Scan the QR code to have the program on your mobile device . We will have a QR code available at the conference as well.
Conference Fee
Important note: Check to be sure your institution is a current member of NEFDC before registering.
| Conference Fee |
|
|---|---|
| Member | $170 |
| Non-Member | $210 |
| Student | $20 |
Registration is closed.
Presenter Resources
Directions to the College of the Holy Cross
- Conference location: Hogan Campus Center
- Address: 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610 (Directions > check directions under “Visiting Campus for Other Purposes”)
- Parking: Visitor parking is to the right of the Campus Center.
Information about Hotels near College of the Holy Cross
Looking Ahead: Spring Brown Bag Workshops 2023
Spring Conference 2023 will be replaced with three virtual events to do deep dives into examples of Authentic Learning.
- January 13, 2023 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Virtual
- March 3, 2023 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Virtual
- May 23, 2023 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Virtual
We will release call for proposals for Spring Brown Bag Workshops 2023 following the Fall Conference 2022.
Theme for the Year: Authentic Learning – Developing Students as Independent Thinkers
Authentic learning is a pedagogical approach that allows students to explore, discuss, and meaningfully construct concepts and relationships in contexts that involve real-world problems and projects that are relevant to the learner (Donovan, Bransford, & Pellegrino, 1999). The true power of authentic learning is the ability to actively involve students and touch their intrinsic motivation (Mehlinger, 1995).
Authentic learning opportunities often take place in the form of what the AAC&U terms “high impact practices“. These practices are based on evidence of significant educational benefits for students who participate in them – including and especially those from demographic groups historically underserved by higher education. They take many different forms, depending on learner characteristics and on institutional priorities and contexts.
Some examples would be: Experiential learning, Project based learning, Problem based learning, ePortfolios, Service Learning, Civic Engagement, Community engaged learning, and Student Research.
Adapted from: https://www.unh.edu/teaching-learning-resource-hub/teaching-learning/authentic-learning