New Executive Director and Fall 2017 Programs for Faculty at the Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:
The start of an academic year is an exciting time. New classes and students are catalysts for renewed enthusiasm and energy in the classroom. To help the Columbia teaching community achieve successful outcomes in the classroom, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) provides services and programs to motivate, inspire, and support faculty, graduate students, and postdocs.
We are pleased to welcome Catherine Ross as the new Executive Director of the CTL. Catherine comes to Columbia with more than 25 years of experience in higher education, most recently leading teaching centers where she created innovative and effective programs that advance teaching and learning. Catherine will provide academic vision and strategic leadership for the CTL and will work closely with Columbia’s schools and faculty leaders to determine priorities for the Center and to develop exciting new initiatives.
The theme for the CTL’s programming this academic year is empowered teaching, empowered learning. Across its programs and events, some of which are highlighted below, you will be exposed to new approaches and methods for helping students take ownership of their learning.
We invite you to stop by the CTL’s Open House events on September 19th and 20th to meet Catherine and the talented staff, and to learn more about various resources for instructors. You can also sign up for the mailing list to receive updates throughout the semester.
John H. Coatsworth
Provost
Soulaymane Kachani
Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning
Fall 2017 Programs and Initiatives
On September 19th and 20th, the CTL will host Open House events for the Columbia teaching community on the Morningside and Medical Center campuses. The Open House events feature an interactive expo-style session showcasing the CTL’s offerings for the new academic year. Get practical teaching tips and inspiration, learn more about yourself as a teacher, and discover new teaching resources and technologies. Click here to RSVP.
The CTL offers seminar programs for instructors to engage in a supportive community of practice through a semester-long series of connected modules, workshops, and discussion groups on teaching and learning topics. The CTL is currently accepting applications for its Reflective Teaching Seminar and Digital Literacy for Instructional Practices Seminar.
The Reflective Teaching Seminar, which is open to faculty, postdocs, and staff, will be offered in an online format for the first time in Fall 2017. The new format allows more flexibility for participants who aren’t able to make the multiple face-to-face commitments demanded in past seminars, but want a similar, engaged community experience in a small cohort.
The CTL’s new Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia presents five inclusive teaching principles with practical, accessible, and usable strategies that instructors can use immediately. Throughout the fall semester, the CTL will work with campus partners and Columbia community members to identify opportunities for collaboration, create programming, and craft additional resources.
Faculty, postdocs, and staff can request teaching observations to receive confidential, individualized feedback on their teaching. Through a structured process, consultants observe instructors in the classroom and provide suggestions to improve their teaching.
Faculty, postdocs, and staff can request in-person consultations to get support for their teaching and learning needs throughout the year. Email [email protected] to set up a consultation with a trained teaching consultant today, or contact the CTL directly by phone at 212 854-1692.
CTL workshops offer opportunities for Columbia faculty to explore teaching tools and approaches with the support of CTL staff and colleagues. Workshops are held at Butler Library and CUMC locations. Visit the CTL website to register for upcoming workshops and events.