Shared by the Learning Assessment Committee

On Friday, September 24, 2021, the Learning Assessment Committee and the Academy for Teaching Excellence held the 13th Annual Harper College Assessment Conference and Share Fair. More than 100 faculty and staff attended the virtual conference. The event focused on best practices for online teaching and assessment, including the keynote address, “Practical Strategies for Improving Engagement and Equitable Learning Online” by Flower Darby.

Assessment Conference 2021 Logo

Flower highlighted many practical strategies that can be used to enhance virtual teaching and learning including how important it is to use energy, passion, and emotion to improve the student learning process; to be available and approachable; to remember to use a positive tone in written correspondence; and the benefits of a “goals contract.” During the “Deeper Dive” workshop, faculty had a chance to engage in a conversation with Flower and share strategies that worked including choice boards, practice exams, flexible due dates, “nudging,” video and podcast reflection, and more.

The conference also included a panel and discussion where faculty and students discussed “Learning Remotely Together,” as well as an update on Harper’s General Education Learning Outcomes presented by the Learning Assessment Committee and members of its work groups.

Congratulations to our raffle winners: Stephanie Adair, Lisa Blaylock, Tracy Boland, Sebastian Brozek, Karl Buschmann, Carol Carlson-Nofsinger, Samira Chaker, Laurie Cox, Kathleen Reynolds, Jaime Riewerts, and Janette Roy. Winners received a digital copy of Online Teaching at Its Best: Merging Instructional Design with Teaching and Learning Research, authored by Linda B. Nilson and Ludwika A. Godson.

Visit the Assessment Conference HIP page to view the PowerPoint presentations and handouts. Recordings of the sessions will be posted soon.