LibGuides: SCORE: General Education Conference May 2024 (Wed)

The Mini-Conference Schedule

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 (Scanlon Hall) Morning / Afternoon

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 (Scanlon Hall) Morning / Afternoon

Considering the Design of a General Education Course?

9:00-9:30 a.m.: Research with Human Participants: The Basics of WSU’s IRB
Presenters: Lynn Shelley & Alina Gross
Description: In accordance with FDA regulations, WSU’s IRB is responsible for reviewing all research protocols with human participants and assures that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and welfare of humans participating as subjects in the research as described in the Code of Federal Regulations (45CFR46) and the Belmont Report. But what counts as research? Does the IRB have to review in-class research? What about student research, such as an independent study or honors thesis have to be reviewed? What if a professor collected data during a class, and it is really interesting and they now want to turn it into a research project? This session addressed questions about WSU’s IRB, and answered questions you did not know you had.

9:00-9:45 a.m.: First Year Journey Construction Crew Meet Up and Assignment Swap
Presenter: Beverly Army Williams
Description: This session was for First Year Journey Construction Crew Members to share assignments, concerns, and ideas with each other.
9:30-11:00 a.m.: Integrating Easy Mindfulness Practices into Your Classroom
Presenter: Hillary Sackett-Taylor
Description: During her (Spring 2021) sabbatical, Hillary Sackett-Taylor researched pathways for integrating mindfulness practices into the college classroom. Putting her research into practice, she completed her 200-hour Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training through Breathe4Change (an organization of educators training other educators) and also became certified in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through UMass Memorial Health Center. Here she demonstrates eight specific mindfulness practices that can easily be integrated into any classroom, and adapted for any educational context. This workshop was an interactive classroom simulation. Participants will leave feeling more calm, connected, and grounded in their ability to not only facilitate these practices for students, but also live them every day!

Participants can find electronic copies of workshop materials here:

10:00-11:30 a.m.: First Year Journey Assessment
Presenter: Alina Gross & Beverly Army Williams
Description: Learn about SCORE's assessment plan and our First Year Journey assessment pilot grant. If you're a FYJ construction crew member interested in assessment, this is the place for you!

Sessions for Wednesday Afternoon Continued (next column)

10:00-11:30 a.m.: Analysis, Practice, and Inquiry Assessment
Presenters: Lynn Shelley & Megan Kennedy
Description: Are you teaching in the Analysis, Practice, and Inquiry column? It's not too early to be thinking about assessment. Come learn about SCORE's assessment plan and support available for Assessment Ambassadors.
11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Seeking New Gen Ed Courses in Honors
Presenters: Hillary Sackett-Taylor
Description: The Honors Program is seeking proposals for Honors courses in the new General Education for Spring 2025 and beyond! Honors Program Director, Hillary Sackett-Taylor, will review the process of designing (or redesigning) a course for the new Gen Ed as an Honors section. She will also discuss the APR model which provides faculty with compensation for developing, teaching, and participating in the assessment of a course that meets the requirements of the Honors Program at Westfield State University and embodies the distinguishing characteristics of Honors education, as outlined by the National Collegiate Honors Council.

Participants should review this site prior to the session.

1:30-2:30 SOTL presentations and dessert sponsored by the Faculty Center
Dr. Andrew Habana Hafner, Education department
Title: A critical linguistics and pedagogy lens on ‘equity’ in the education of immigrant, refugee, and second language learners: a 10-year theory-practice journey

Dr. Juliet Lee, Education department
Title: Developing practice-based classroom opportunities utilizing theories of race, power, oppression, and intersectionality in a new Education major course.

Dr. Chalet Seidel, English department
Title: A multi-part study on how instructors across the disciplines can support student writers with executive function challenges.
2:45-4:00 p.m.: Hard Reset: Helping Students Thrive in Our Classrooms
Facilitators: Frank Giuliano and Beverly Army Williams
Description: Have you noticed higher absenteeism among your students? Difficulty focusing on course material? Distraction? Lack of engagement? Late work as the norm? How do we create a “hard reset” among students? Let’s brainstorm together to generate ideas to motivate students to engage more fully with their college classroom experiences.