Thank you for being a friend…of the PD Weekly Digest! I hope your holiday break was a delight; mine certainly was and now I am ready to finish this semester strong. This week’s features include a good news, bad news article from Forbes on student perceptions of the value of their degrees in this particular time in history, a recent Chronicle article on the Student Centered Syllabus, a chance to see me present my experiences as an inclusive educator as part of a SUNY panel, an upcoming racial deliberation on-campus event, and an opportunity to participate in a Guinness World Record related to accessibility, taking place this Friday, December 3! As always, any suggestions/ideas/needs can be directed to malmbergsm@sunybroome.edu or to PD at professionaldevelopment@sunybroome.edu.
Challenges and Opportunities
This article from Forbes discusses how students view the responses and support from their institutions of higher education throughout the pandemic. The article suggests that students are optimistic that the worst of the pandemic is over, and that their participation in higher education and the degree they have earned retains some valuable in this rapidly evolving economic climate. However, prolonged economic precarity caused by the pandemic has eroded students’ confidence in their economic futures, and it has weakened their belief about the value of online instruction and higher education in general. The article indicates that the focus of colleges should be on “sustaining student confidence that a return to something resembling normal campus experiences is within reach, while at the same time boosting their belief that a college degree is both affordable and valuable.” One of the conversations I have had with students, those in my home and several here on campus, is that persevering and completing their degree in the midst of the upheaval of the pandemic communicates highly sought after traits to a prospective employer, including the ability to rise to a challenge and do so successfully and adaptability. While it is understandable to think about the negative experiences of pandemic learning, I think there are some overall life lessons and habits of being that have emerged that are positive that maybe don’t get focused on as much. Thoughts?
The Student Centered Syllabus
A recent Chronicle of Higher Education article, The Student Centered Syllabus, is making the rounds on some of my listservs and I thought I would share it here, as well. I think there is an opportunity for broader conversation about what we include in our syllabus and why we include it. I, too, had a moment recently when updating a syllabus and thinking about how much the world has changed and how that was not reflected in a way that reflected how I have changed as an educator. The line in the article that says “We’re living in a completely different time…we can’t go back.” has stuck with me since I read it and I completely agree; as much as I yearn for “normal” or some semblance of it, I don’t think it exists anymore. I would love to know what others think about this.
SUNY CPD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEEK – DECEMBER 6 – 10, 2021
Presented by the SUNY Center for Professional Development, the week is an awareness campaign highlighting the important connection between lifelong learning, personal growth and transformative organizational success. Webinar topics encompass the areas of personal, professional and technical development while also delving into the world of executive leadership. Not only is being strategically well-rounded a great personal goal, it can also help you with your professional journey.
WHEN IS IT? December 6 – 10, 2021
WHERE IS IT? Professional Development week events will be hosted online to maximize value and increase awareness of the center’s programming and services. The CPD and their partners will be teaming up to offer complimentary (free) professional development webinars throughout the week.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? All SUNY employees, regardless of CPD membership. Registration is required for each event.
The schedule is as follows:
- Monday, December 6: Leadership Sprint: Building a Great Culture and COVID-19 (Shorter session 11:00 am – 11:30 am)
- Tuesday, December 7: Leadership Sprint: Collaboration Across Teams: The Role of Operations (Shorter session 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm)
- Wednesday, December 8: Self-Care as Professional Development (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)
- Thursday, December 9: What does an inclusive teacher do? (Panel Discussion (11:00 am – 12:00 pm; Stephanie Malmberg is a panelist!)
- Friday, December 10: WOW Your Audience: Presentation Best Practices (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)
Register at SUNY Center for Professional Development
Racial Justice Deliberation On Campus 12/7!
The SUNY Broome Civic Engagement Board invites you to participate in a deliberation on promoting racial justice in our community.
Deliberations are an attempt to elicit conversations that start with each person’s experience of the issue. The focus is not on reaching agreement but rather looking at the trade-offs of a variety of possible solutions with an open mind. Deliberations can be effective for breaking down fears, misconceptions, building collaborations, and creating community.
The deliberation will be held from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm on Tuesday, December 7 in Decker Health Sciences 201. Please join us!
Contact Jesse Boring at boringjl@sunybroome.edu if you have any questions about participating.
Help Set an Accessibility World Record!
Did you ever think you would get a chance to be part of a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ attempt? Here’s your big chance! 30 minutes on Dec 3rd is all you need to help set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for “The most users to take an online DIY assistive technology lesson in 24 hours.”
Please register at atworldrecord to participate in breaking a world record.
Participants in the Neil Squire Guinness World Records attempt will learn the following about DIY Assistive Technology:
- How DIY Assistive Technologies fill a gap for many people with disabilities.
- How to use 3D Printing in creating DIY Assistive Technologies.
- Where to find more open-source DIY Assistive Devices.
- Experiences of people with disabilities using DIY Assistive Solutions.
- How you can get started building DIY Assistive Technologies.
Help to spread the word! Let everyone know that you are participating in a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt, by sharing the hashtag #ATWorldRecord and having them register on the website atworldrecord. Once you have registered, you will receive an email with a link. All you have to do on December 3 is to select into the lesson and watch the videos.
Please visit www.ATWorldRecord.com for more information.
Submitted by: Deena Price
Tags: Professional Development
