Hi Again, TBL Colleagues,

This is a final reminder about the University at Albany’s upcoming Instructional Leadership Academy, a program (Aug 5&7) to prepare new adopters to use Team-Based Learning effectively. For the past several years we have welcomed into each academy a few guests from other universities and colleges, who were seeking a structured opportunity to prepare a TBL course in the company of other enthusiasts. Again this year we are holding open a small number of seats for guests. The fee is modest (details can be found in the online registration page—see link), we include a copy of Larry Michaelsen’s book in the deal, and lunch is provided both days. If you are interested in joining or know of colleagues looking for this kind of experience, please visit our guest registration page provide the information requested, and our staff will follow up with you. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TBLGuestAugust2014

Recently one of our TBL listserv members (Thanks to Lane Brunner!) requested a more detailed breakdown of the curriculum for this project. Others might have a similar level of curiosity, so here is a draft (always evolving) of the learning objectives and daily agenda.

What are the learning objectives? Participants will…

Experience (the way a student would) a TBL classroom for the purpose of understanding the model
Design and develop TBL components, such as team tasks and effective RAT questions
Adopt an experimental, playful attitude toward activity design
Draft a complete TBL learning sequence (over 2-4 class meetings), and receive feedback on it
Adopt/draft course policies that promote student responsibility and independence

What are the topics?

Pre-Academy readings: overview of TBL; learning from the past; aligning methods and goals

Day One:

Taking an I-RAT

Forming teams

Taking a T-RAT

Debrief and Reflection on the RAT process

Designing RATs

Voices of Experience: sample team tasks that promote student thinking

Experiencing an analytical team task based on the content of a RAT just taken

Design of team tasks guaranteed to work

Now try designing team tasks on your own, using specific formats and sample content

Managing team tasks

Reading: how do you help students improve their ability to process information on their own?

Homework: conceptualize and create—in detail—a complete learning sequence for your own course, based on Day One’s activities

Day two:

Analyzing a learning sequence; giving feedback on learning sequences (using specific TBL criteria)

Incorporating feedback into your own learning sequence

Basics of course design: translate your content into visible student actions

Cases from real TBL classrooms: what happened? Why? What would you do?

Voices of Experience: What we’ve learned on the journey to TBL (Testimony from adopters of TBL from various disciplines)

Power and authority management: How do instructors often undermine their own intentions?

What do effective course policies look like in a TBL Course?

Troubleshooting problematic language in a syllabus

What’s in a TBL syllabus: how can you represent TBL in a way that encourages student buy-in?

Post Academy: individual feedback on course plans and syllabus.

The Facilitators of the Academy are the staff of the Institute for Teaching, Learning and Academic Leadership, who have, variously, been teaching with TBL and coaching faculty in the use of TBL for up to 14 years.

Bill Roberson, Ph.D., Director (user of TBL since 2000)

Billie Franchini, Ph.D., Assistant director (user of TBL since 2008)

Kimberly Van Orman, Ph.D., Instructional Consultant (user of TBL since 2011)

The web site for the UAlbany Institute for Teaching, Learning and Academic Leadership is www.itlal.org.

Bill Roberson

Institute for Teaching, Learning and Academic Leadership (www.itlal.org)

University at Albany

State University of New York