A look back at our previous events...
Conference 2022
“Thriving in Higher Education Careers: Accelerated Adjunct Advancement (AAA)” 11:00 am - 12:45 pm
Drs. A. Yvette Myrick and Estelle Young, Educators/Authors
Navigating career pathways in higher education can be a challenging journey, especially for adjuncts. The presentation will provide tips, strategies, and resources that can help to navigate the career pathways journey. The tips and strategies are easy to adopt and implement, low or not cost, and effective. The tips and strategies are also based on the presenters’ over 20 years working in higher education and from their book, Thriving in Higher Education Careers and podcast, Thriving in Higher Education.
Some tips, strategies, and resources for the presentation are based on the following topics:
· Effective Collaboration
· Maximizing Professional Development Opportunities
· Meeting or Exceeding Goals
· Research Focus
· Self-Care is Necessary
· Networking with Positive People and Dealing with Difficult People
Luncheon Session: Care Recovery and Looking Forward 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Two topics: "Future-Facing Learning: The Community Colleges We Deserve" and "Teaching Through COVID"
“Handle with Care: Applying Social Emotional Competencies to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education”
3:15 - 4:15 pm
Dr. Amy E. Lyn, Director, Virtual Education Support Center | Assistant Professor, School of Education, Northcentral University
In this session, participants will explore 12 domains of emotional intelligence as they relate to teaching and learning in higher education. The intersection between self-care and social emotional competencies will be discussed as participants reflect on strategies for strengthening resilience. Together we will examine suggestions for providing emotionally intelligent feedback, fostering connections, and honoring students’ individual identities. Participants will have the opportunity to clarify and set their intentions for improved self-care.
"Student Success, Diversity, and Social Justice” 8:00 am - 9:15 am
Dr. Marsha Fralick, Professor Emeritus, Cuyamaca College
Dr. Seth J. Batiste, Professor / Strategist / Consultant
To improve student success and move toward a more equitable society, the definition of student success can be expanded to include diversity and social justice issues. This session includes ideas and resources for adding this topic to your first-year experience courses. Topics include teaching philosophy and ideas for empowering students to look at issues from multiple perspectives as well as appreciate different points of view. A framework for using critical thinking about current social issues will be presented. The session will be interactive with opportunities for sharing ideas and asking questions.
“Pull up a Chair: Making Room at the Table for Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty” 9:00 am - 10:15 am
Dr. Elizabeth Speights, LMFT | Senior Core Part-time Professor | Chair, SSBS Part Time Faculty Council
Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty can often feel isolated and excluded in the greater faculty system at universities. Generally, they are not invited to the “table,” and thus where they cannot be a part of university governance in decision making, advocating for change, and assuring all faculty, full-and-part-time have the same opportunities. However, Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty are critical to most universities teaching faculty. Northcentral University, NCU, operates with a different mindset, supporting and inviting Part-Time Faculty to the table and integrating us into the faculty body. This session will focus on the ways NCU has done this and how other universities can utilize and adapt this model to make room at the table for their Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty.
Dr. Marsha Fralick, Professor Emeritus, Cuyamaca College
Dr. Seth J. Batiste, Professor / Strategist / Consultant
To improve student success and move toward a more equitable society, the definition of student success can be expanded to include diversity and social justice issues. This session includes ideas and resources for adding this topic to your first-year experience courses. Topics include teaching philosophy and ideas for empowering students to look at issues from multiple perspectives as well as appreciate different points of view. A framework for using critical thinking about current social issues will be presented. The session will be interactive with opportunities for sharing ideas and asking questions.
“Pull up a Chair: Making Room at the Table for Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty” 9:00 am - 10:15 am
Dr. Elizabeth Speights, LMFT | Senior Core Part-time Professor | Chair, SSBS Part Time Faculty Council
Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty can often feel isolated and excluded in the greater faculty system at universities. Generally, they are not invited to the “table,” and thus where they cannot be a part of university governance in decision making, advocating for change, and assuring all faculty, full-and-part-time have the same opportunities. However, Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty are critical to most universities teaching faculty. Northcentral University, NCU, operates with a different mindset, supporting and inviting Part-Time Faculty to the table and integrating us into the faculty body. This session will focus on the ways NCU has done this and how other universities can utilize and adapt this model to make room at the table for their Part-Time and Adjunct Faculty.
Conference 2021 (virtual)
February 5th
8:00-9:00 a.m.
Creating Interactive Lessons with Nearpod*
Jennifer Lambert, Customer Success Manager, Nearpod
9:00-10:00 a.m.
Why Relationships and Relevancy Matter to Student Success in Biological Sciences
Paul Hernandez, Author
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Supporting Faculty Across Higher Education with Best Practices for Teaching Online*
Jennifer McGuire, Distance Education Instructional Applications Integration, Dallas College-Mountain View Campus; and Steve Sosa, Dean of eLearning and Instructional Support
12:00-2:00 p.m.
Transformation Teaching & Learning: Increasing Student Success Across All Formats
Kristen Betts, Clinical Professor in the School of Education, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Hiring Practices Experienced by Adjuncts*
Tiray Johnson, Professor of Business, Accounting, and Finance, Saint Paul College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Transform Online Learning and Research Skills using Digital Tools*
Essie Childers, Professor of Education, Blinn College; and Wilson Tsu, Founder, PowerNotes
February 12th
9:00-10:00 a.m.
The Aftermath of Domestic Violence
Lolita Gilmore, Executive Director, Teach Them to Love
10:00-11:00 a.m.
Teaching Tips to Keep Your Students Engaged in All Modalities
G. Dirk Mateer, Distinguished Senior Lecturer, The University of Texas at Austin
11:00-12:00 p.m.
TSI and TSIA2 Updates
Suzanne Morales-Vale, Director; and Keylan Morgan, Program Specialist, Division of College Readiness and Success at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Boosting Resilience: Adapting to Yet Another “New Normal”
Jennifer Clark, Manager of Employee Development, San Jacinto College
1:00-2:00 pm
Mentoring Relationships Matter
Liz Garcia, Orientation Coordinator, San Jacinto College
February 19th
9:00-10:00 a.m. (In conjunction with TCCTA Benefits)
Your TCCTA-AMBA Benefits
D’Anna Baucom, Regional Vice President, Association Members Benefits Advisors
10:00-11:00 a.m.
How to Co-Teach with Deaf Teachers
Brent Ehrig, Professor of American Sign Language, Blinn College
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Sorry, I Can’t Log On”: Overcoming the Digital Divide in Texas
William V. Flores, Professor of Political Science and Social Sciences, University of Houston-Downtown
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Career Development as a Central Part of Community College Equity Mission
Michelle Van Noy, Associate Director of the Education and Employment Research Center, Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, Piscataway, New Jersey
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Compassion Fatigue: The Underbelly of Student Success
Louella Tate, Dean of Student Affairs, Austin Community College– Round Rock
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Professional Educators Liability Insurance
John Barclay III, Owner and President, Barclay Insurance
February 26th
10:00-11:00 a.m.
(Texas) Legislative Update
Beaman Floyd, Lobbyist, TCCTA
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Accreditation Updates from SACSCOC
Denise Young, Vice President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
12:00-1:00 p.m. (In conjunction with Student Success Sessions)
Cultivating Creativity to Inspire
Temi Coker, Co-Founder, Coker Studio
1:00-2:00 p.m.(In conjunction with Student Success Sessions)
Instructional Strategies for Effective Remote Teaching
Barbara M. Hall, Director of Curriculum and Associate Professor in the School of Education; Stephanie Menefee, Associate Dean of Students; Melody Rawlings, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Virtual Organizations; and Andy Riggle, Dean of the School of Education, Northcentral University
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Anti-Racism in the Classroom: Seven Simple Strategies to Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive Classroom Environment
Essie Childers, Professor of Education; Hayley Ellisor, Professor of English; and Patrick Gilbert, Professor of Government, Blinn College
3:00-4:00 p.m
Creativity in the Classroom with OpenStax
Tonja Conerly, Professor of Sociology, San Jacinto College; Ursela Pike, Associate Director, Digitex; Judith Sebesta, Executive Director, Digitex; and Daniel Williamson, Managing Director, Openstax
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Retirement Seminar
Andrew Hardwick, Public Affairs Specialist, Social Security Administration
8:00-9:00 a.m.
Creating Interactive Lessons with Nearpod*
Jennifer Lambert, Customer Success Manager, Nearpod
9:00-10:00 a.m.
Why Relationships and Relevancy Matter to Student Success in Biological Sciences
Paul Hernandez, Author
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Supporting Faculty Across Higher Education with Best Practices for Teaching Online*
Jennifer McGuire, Distance Education Instructional Applications Integration, Dallas College-Mountain View Campus; and Steve Sosa, Dean of eLearning and Instructional Support
12:00-2:00 p.m.
Transformation Teaching & Learning: Increasing Student Success Across All Formats
Kristen Betts, Clinical Professor in the School of Education, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Hiring Practices Experienced by Adjuncts*
Tiray Johnson, Professor of Business, Accounting, and Finance, Saint Paul College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Transform Online Learning and Research Skills using Digital Tools*
Essie Childers, Professor of Education, Blinn College; and Wilson Tsu, Founder, PowerNotes
February 12th
9:00-10:00 a.m.
The Aftermath of Domestic Violence
Lolita Gilmore, Executive Director, Teach Them to Love
10:00-11:00 a.m.
Teaching Tips to Keep Your Students Engaged in All Modalities
G. Dirk Mateer, Distinguished Senior Lecturer, The University of Texas at Austin
11:00-12:00 p.m.
TSI and TSIA2 Updates
Suzanne Morales-Vale, Director; and Keylan Morgan, Program Specialist, Division of College Readiness and Success at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Boosting Resilience: Adapting to Yet Another “New Normal”
Jennifer Clark, Manager of Employee Development, San Jacinto College
1:00-2:00 pm
Mentoring Relationships Matter
Liz Garcia, Orientation Coordinator, San Jacinto College
February 19th
9:00-10:00 a.m. (In conjunction with TCCTA Benefits)
Your TCCTA-AMBA Benefits
D’Anna Baucom, Regional Vice President, Association Members Benefits Advisors
10:00-11:00 a.m.
How to Co-Teach with Deaf Teachers
Brent Ehrig, Professor of American Sign Language, Blinn College
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Sorry, I Can’t Log On”: Overcoming the Digital Divide in Texas
William V. Flores, Professor of Political Science and Social Sciences, University of Houston-Downtown
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Career Development as a Central Part of Community College Equity Mission
Michelle Van Noy, Associate Director of the Education and Employment Research Center, Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, Piscataway, New Jersey
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Compassion Fatigue: The Underbelly of Student Success
Louella Tate, Dean of Student Affairs, Austin Community College– Round Rock
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Professional Educators Liability Insurance
John Barclay III, Owner and President, Barclay Insurance
February 26th
10:00-11:00 a.m.
(Texas) Legislative Update
Beaman Floyd, Lobbyist, TCCTA
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Accreditation Updates from SACSCOC
Denise Young, Vice President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
12:00-1:00 p.m. (In conjunction with Student Success Sessions)
Cultivating Creativity to Inspire
Temi Coker, Co-Founder, Coker Studio
1:00-2:00 p.m.(In conjunction with Student Success Sessions)
Instructional Strategies for Effective Remote Teaching
Barbara M. Hall, Director of Curriculum and Associate Professor in the School of Education; Stephanie Menefee, Associate Dean of Students; Melody Rawlings, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Virtual Organizations; and Andy Riggle, Dean of the School of Education, Northcentral University
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Anti-Racism in the Classroom: Seven Simple Strategies to Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive Classroom Environment
Essie Childers, Professor of Education; Hayley Ellisor, Professor of English; and Patrick Gilbert, Professor of Government, Blinn College
3:00-4:00 p.m
Creativity in the Classroom with OpenStax
Tonja Conerly, Professor of Sociology, San Jacinto College; Ursela Pike, Associate Director, Digitex; Judith Sebesta, Executive Director, Digitex; and Daniel Williamson, Managing Director, Openstax
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Retirement Seminar
Andrew Hardwick, Public Affairs Specialist, Social Security Administration
Conference 2020 (Frisco, TX)
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Sessions
Saturday, 9:00-9:50 am
The Academic Autopsy: Using the College Success Factor Index to Promote Student Success
Essie Childers, Professor of Education, Blinn College
Do you want your students to be successful from day one? Of course. Understanding the culture of higher education requires students to make many adjustments and develop a growth mindset. Community college instructors have the first opportunity to set the stage for student success. “Success requires personal responsibility for time management, meeting deadlines, following directions, being prepared for class, self-advocacy, and knowing where and when to ask for help” as stated by Dana Johnson. This session will describe The College Success Factor Index and other assessments to help students recognize these areas and more in which they can be successful. All disciplines, counselors, and advisors are welcome to attend.
Saturday, 10:00-10:50 am
Assessment and the Adjunct Professor: A Study of Expectations and Performance
Larry W. Hughes, Director of Assessment, Northcentral University, San Diego, California
In an online university with over 10,000 active learners, a number of faculty and administrators led a grassroots effort to study and refine assessment in the institution. With the support of executive leaders this group led a series of faculty focus groups and subsequent workgroup meetings. Findings will be shared as they were contributed to, and relate to, adjunct faculty members. The purpose of this proposal is to spark a conversation about assessment expectations of adjunct faculty and opinions around these expectations.
Saturday, 11:00-11:50 am
Making Doctoral Education Work for You
Ashley Babcock, Associate Dean of Faculty in the School of Education; Barbara Hall, Director of Curriculum and Associate Professor in the School of Education; and Andy Riggle, Dean of the School of Education, Northcentral University, San Diego, California
Earning a doctoral degree requires hard work, and this degree should work just as hard for you. Join this session to learn more about earning a doctoral degree and using your degree to gain a full-time faculty position with all the privileges the AAAE Northcentral University (NCU) partnership offers. NCU’s innovative approaches to online doctoral programming, such as the Degree Completion Pathway for all-but-dissertation candidates as well as a three-chapter applied dissertation, might be just what you need to take this next step.
Sessions
Saturday, 9:00-9:50 am
The Academic Autopsy: Using the College Success Factor Index to Promote Student Success
Essie Childers, Professor of Education, Blinn College
Do you want your students to be successful from day one? Of course. Understanding the culture of higher education requires students to make many adjustments and develop a growth mindset. Community college instructors have the first opportunity to set the stage for student success. “Success requires personal responsibility for time management, meeting deadlines, following directions, being prepared for class, self-advocacy, and knowing where and when to ask for help” as stated by Dana Johnson. This session will describe The College Success Factor Index and other assessments to help students recognize these areas and more in which they can be successful. All disciplines, counselors, and advisors are welcome to attend.
Saturday, 10:00-10:50 am
Assessment and the Adjunct Professor: A Study of Expectations and Performance
Larry W. Hughes, Director of Assessment, Northcentral University, San Diego, California
In an online university with over 10,000 active learners, a number of faculty and administrators led a grassroots effort to study and refine assessment in the institution. With the support of executive leaders this group led a series of faculty focus groups and subsequent workgroup meetings. Findings will be shared as they were contributed to, and relate to, adjunct faculty members. The purpose of this proposal is to spark a conversation about assessment expectations of adjunct faculty and opinions around these expectations.
Saturday, 11:00-11:50 am
Making Doctoral Education Work for You
Ashley Babcock, Associate Dean of Faculty in the School of Education; Barbara Hall, Director of Curriculum and Associate Professor in the School of Education; and Andy Riggle, Dean of the School of Education, Northcentral University, San Diego, California
Earning a doctoral degree requires hard work, and this degree should work just as hard for you. Join this session to learn more about earning a doctoral degree and using your degree to gain a full-time faculty position with all the privileges the AAAE Northcentral University (NCU) partnership offers. NCU’s innovative approaches to online doctoral programming, such as the Degree Completion Pathway for all-but-dissertation candidates as well as a three-chapter applied dissertation, might be just what you need to take this next step.
Conference 2019
AAAE teamed up with TCCTA once again to host another successful conference in Houston, TX.
| Conference 2019 |
Conference 2018
Conference 2018 was held in Frisco, TX at the Embassy Suites Hotel. The AAAE sessions are attached.
| Conference 2018 |
Conference 2017
Conference 2017 was held in Austin, TX at the Renaissance Hotel. The AAAE sessions are attached.
| Conference 2017 |
Conference 2016
"Striving for the Best"
Conference 2016 was conducted in a different manner than years before. AAAE partnered with the Texas Community College Teachers Association to host its conference in conjunction with their annual convention. This partnership allowed AAAE members access to the AAAE sessions as well as all of the TCCTA section meetings. The event was held at the Westin Galleria and Westin Oaks in Houston, TX. The Adjunct of the Year recipient was named during the banquet on Thursday night. Below are a few of the sessions.
Keynote Session sponsored by Cengage Learning:
"APPles are for Adjuncts and Engaged Students!" Shawn Orr, Adjunct Professor, Adrian College, Michigan
Sessions:
Saturday, February 27th at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Ann M Pearson, PhD
Assistant Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETK)
San Jacinto College
The Art of Teaching: Craft the Lesson-College faculty need to balance many demands to comply with department and college regulations as well as to align lessons, exams, and learning experiences with external compliance guidelines. Starting with the end in mind, a carefully crafted class can meet these demands and make lasting impressions on students. Dr. Pearson will discuss ways faculty can design their individual lessons for maximum impact while aligning to various objectives and coordinating all aspects of the course to ensure student success.
Dr. Vimlarani Chopra
Adjunct Faculty Biology
Houston Community College
Enhancing Knowledge in virtual Classrooms: The Interplay among Instructor, Student, Content, and Context - This presentation integrates learning preferences and harvesting knowledge. We draw upon to understand the interlinking relationships among learning processes. Confidence in instructor's expertise and perceived content relevance also contribute to greater understanding relationships among course concepts. Enjoyment is positively associated with learning, and student ability is positively associated with learning performance in the online context. The focus is on the role of instructors to identify the factors that drive student outcomes in an online setting.
Cruz Imelda Wicks
HR Coord., Diversity and Inclusion
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)
Striving for the Best by Responding to Diversity in the Classroom - Now more than ever before, faculty and adjuncts are required to strive for the best preparing themselves to embrace the most diverse student population in the classroom. The 21st century has Page 2 of 2 redefined the profile of students in higher education. Nowadays, faculty and adjuncts have had to accommodate to the increasing student population that had been excluded from pursuing a college degree in the past, and they have done this (in many occasions) without proper training. This presentation is gear to help faculty and adjuncts to have a better understanding of diversity and to utilize this knowledge to strive for the best from students, and from oneself as educators, as to create an environment of inclusiveness in the classroom.
Saturday, February 27th at 1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Sarah Crest, MLS
Library Instruction Coordinator and College of Health Professions Adjunct Faculty
Towson University
Simmona Simmons, MLS, MA
Special Projects Librarian and former Adjunct Faculty
Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Say it quickly: Using Pecha Kucha to hone students’ research and presentation skill- This session will present Pecha Kucha (PK) presentation style and its use to enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities related to identifying and applying appropriate information to solve problems, and present solutions a succinct and meaningful manner. These skills are paramount in students’ classroom success and in their post collegiate lives. Employers report that graduates excel at specific job tasks but, often fail at the soft skills associated with a learned person, e.g. analyzing and presenting information.
Shaan Shahabuddin
Adjunct Professor
Blinn College
“Recipe for Awesome Lectures: A Dash of Personality and a Hint of Pop Culture”- Are you familiar with common slang words used by this generation, such as: turnt up, lit, on fleek, bae, and squad? Your students definitely use these words outside of their classroom with their peers, so why not use them inside of your classroom during a lesson? This talk will focus on using personal stories and pop culture references to engage students in active learning. The ability to relate to our students is always beneficial.
Zubaida Qamar
Doctoral Candidate
Texas A&M University
“Virtual Instruction: Tips and tricks for online/hybrid teaching” - Online instruction is gaining popularity with the advancements of technology and its ability to overcome common barriers of time and geographic location. Successful online teaching requires instructors to be well-equipped with common cyber/virtual teaching tools along with knowledge of overcoming frequent problems that occur with distance education. This session will introduce instructors to the realm of online teaching and will assist them in feeling comfortable in a new environment while maximizing student learning and engagement.
"APPles are for Adjuncts and Engaged Students!" Shawn Orr, Adjunct Professor, Adrian College, Michigan
Sessions:
Saturday, February 27th at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Ann M Pearson, PhD
Assistant Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETK)
San Jacinto College
The Art of Teaching: Craft the Lesson-College faculty need to balance many demands to comply with department and college regulations as well as to align lessons, exams, and learning experiences with external compliance guidelines. Starting with the end in mind, a carefully crafted class can meet these demands and make lasting impressions on students. Dr. Pearson will discuss ways faculty can design their individual lessons for maximum impact while aligning to various objectives and coordinating all aspects of the course to ensure student success.
Dr. Vimlarani Chopra
Adjunct Faculty Biology
Houston Community College
Enhancing Knowledge in virtual Classrooms: The Interplay among Instructor, Student, Content, and Context - This presentation integrates learning preferences and harvesting knowledge. We draw upon to understand the interlinking relationships among learning processes. Confidence in instructor's expertise and perceived content relevance also contribute to greater understanding relationships among course concepts. Enjoyment is positively associated with learning, and student ability is positively associated with learning performance in the online context. The focus is on the role of instructors to identify the factors that drive student outcomes in an online setting.
Cruz Imelda Wicks
HR Coord., Diversity and Inclusion
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)
Striving for the Best by Responding to Diversity in the Classroom - Now more than ever before, faculty and adjuncts are required to strive for the best preparing themselves to embrace the most diverse student population in the classroom. The 21st century has Page 2 of 2 redefined the profile of students in higher education. Nowadays, faculty and adjuncts have had to accommodate to the increasing student population that had been excluded from pursuing a college degree in the past, and they have done this (in many occasions) without proper training. This presentation is gear to help faculty and adjuncts to have a better understanding of diversity and to utilize this knowledge to strive for the best from students, and from oneself as educators, as to create an environment of inclusiveness in the classroom.
Saturday, February 27th at 1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Sarah Crest, MLS
Library Instruction Coordinator and College of Health Professions Adjunct Faculty
Towson University
Simmona Simmons, MLS, MA
Special Projects Librarian and former Adjunct Faculty
Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Say it quickly: Using Pecha Kucha to hone students’ research and presentation skill- This session will present Pecha Kucha (PK) presentation style and its use to enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities related to identifying and applying appropriate information to solve problems, and present solutions a succinct and meaningful manner. These skills are paramount in students’ classroom success and in their post collegiate lives. Employers report that graduates excel at specific job tasks but, often fail at the soft skills associated with a learned person, e.g. analyzing and presenting information.
Shaan Shahabuddin
Adjunct Professor
Blinn College
“Recipe for Awesome Lectures: A Dash of Personality and a Hint of Pop Culture”- Are you familiar with common slang words used by this generation, such as: turnt up, lit, on fleek, bae, and squad? Your students definitely use these words outside of their classroom with their peers, so why not use them inside of your classroom during a lesson? This talk will focus on using personal stories and pop culture references to engage students in active learning. The ability to relate to our students is always beneficial.
Zubaida Qamar
Doctoral Candidate
Texas A&M University
“Virtual Instruction: Tips and tricks for online/hybrid teaching” - Online instruction is gaining popularity with the advancements of technology and its ability to overcome common barriers of time and geographic location. Successful online teaching requires instructors to be well-equipped with common cyber/virtual teaching tools along with knowledge of overcoming frequent problems that occur with distance education. This session will introduce instructors to the realm of online teaching and will assist them in feeling comfortable in a new environment while maximizing student learning and engagement.
AAAE Session 2015
AAAE had a great time at the 2015 Texas Community College Teachers Association annual convention in Dallas, TX. Coming as a part of the American Association of Adjunct Education track, AAAE presented a session titled "Essential Elements for Adjunct Faculty." The session included classroom management, pedagogy, and a collaborative learning activity. Below are a few photos from the session.
Conference 2014
"Excellence through Effective Teaching"
We had a great time at conference 2014. Our conference was complete with roundtables, breakout sessions, a lunch general session and a dinner keynote. The conference was capped by the name of the 2014 Adjunct of the Year Award recipient.
2014 Adjunct of the Year: Dr. Vimlarani Chopra (Houston Community College and Lone Star College)
2014 Adjunct of the Year Runner-Up: Ms. Marlene Morgan (Lee College)
To view the sessions that took place please click the document below.
2014 Adjunct of the Year: Dr. Vimlarani Chopra (Houston Community College and Lone Star College)
2014 Adjunct of the Year Runner-Up: Ms. Marlene Morgan (Lee College)
To view the sessions that took place please click the document below.
| Conference 2014 Sessions |
The 2013 Conference
"Advancing and Advocating the Power of Creative Pedagogical Strategies"
"Advancing and Advocating the Power of Creative Pedagogical Strategies"
| 2013 Conference Schedule |
Roundtables / Lightning RoundsA presenter staffs a table and conference attendees will have the opportunity to dialogue about a given topic. These sessions last 15 minutes and attendees then move to another table.
*A Case Study of the Life Experiences of High School Graduates/General Education Development (GED) Recipients in Texas Who Experienced Homelessness During Their Public School Education *Working with Non-Traditional Students *Strategies for Classroom Instruction *What is Dyslexia? *Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Promises, Predictions and Perceptions *Cultural Awareness in Higher Education Regarding Learning Styles with Differentiation |
Workshops55 minutes including a Q&A period.
*Challenges of First-Generation College Students of the Houston-Galveston Area *Motivation Matters- Creating an Active Learning Classroom *The Advantages of a Liberal Education and Epistemological Approach to Pedagogy * Where a Kid can be a Kid” – iPads to Increase Outcomes *Varying Levels of Teaching Presence: Implications on Perceived Learning and Sense of Community in an Online Education Course *Flipping the Classroom- Techniques for Using the Flipped Classroom Model *Innovative Teaching Strategies: Can the Methods Used by Corporate University Trainers for Training Inform the Teaching Practice of College Professors? *Engaging, Inspiring and Motivating Students Through the Power of Habit *Teaching Special Needs Students in Higher Education |
“Challenges of First-Generation Students in the Houston-Galveston Area”
Presenter: Imelda Estrada-Wicks
University of Houston – Clear Lake
Challenges of First-Generation Students in the Houston-Galveston Area explores the barriers first-generation students face in the Houston-Galveston area, and analyze the intersection of these barriers with the economic status, race, and ethnicity of these students. It demonstrates that first-generation students encounter financial, language, and social capital barriers in higher education; regardless of being admitted to college they are still not fully accepted and incorporated.
“Motivation Matters – Creating an Active Learning Classroom”
Presenter: Essie Childers
Blinn College
Are your students bored? Do you find them sleeping in class or tweeting? Do you have a high dropout rate? Well, stop being a “normal” instructor. Normal is just a knob on the washing machine. It is time to energize and rekindle your teaching activities through innovative active learning strategies. These strategies can be adapted for any subject. Bring your thinking cap and let’s have fun!
“The Advantages of a Liberal Education and Epistemological Approach to Pedagogy”
Presenter: Dr. Tommy L. Woods
Prairie View A&M University
Over the past fifty years, a confluence of factors has served to weaken the traditional liberal arts curriculum in many colleges and universities across the nation. Among these factors are the decline of more intimate forms of communication in favor of electronic contact and mass media interaction, rapid and global advances in technology that make ease, convenience and expediency
near absolute norms in living from day to day, and the financially driven mindset that many students adopt in lieu of traditional learning constructs as they negotiate the college experience. As a result of these other detrimental forces impacting the liberal arts tradition in higher education today, many institutions tend often to graduate individuals with a markedly limited focus of concern and decidedly narrow scope of proficiency. This state of affairs may actually contribute to the miseducation of students and can be traced to a certain underdeveloped ability to think critically and reduced capacity for understanding the relational dynamics among wide-ranging issues and concerns in an increasingly complex global community. Also implicated in this regard are the disavowal of abstract formulations and philosophically steeped orientations and their potential value in addressing problems in practical settings. This breakout session will reaffirm the myriad advantages of a strong liberal arts curriculum within the context of general degree requirements at the undergraduate level of instruction. An epistemologically based strategy aimed at reinforcing liberal learning will be presented. Moreover, the artes liberales requirements of the medieval university curriculum will be re-visited and their impact on current liberal arts curricula discussed.
“Where a Kid can be a Kid” – iPads to Increase Outcomes”
Presenters: Ronda Blevins and David Blevins
Roane State Community College
While this may be a bad reference back to the days of Chuck E. Cheese's "Where a Kid can Be a Kid," it can definitely apply to our classes and the ways that we use technology to present material and engage our students. Today, iPads in the classroom can help us develop methods of learning beyond anything we have seen in the past and can bring the fun back into education for both students and professors. The use of iPads allows us to bring a dynamic back into our college classrooms to help our students learn things that will stick with them beyond the next test.
“Varying Levels of Teaching Presence: Implications on Perceived Learning and Sense of Community in an Online Education Course”
Presenters: Michelle Giles, Dr. Jana Willis, and Laura Reeves
University of Houston – Clear Lake
Study examines relationship between varying levels of teaching presence and student perceived sense of community. Data collection is from two sections of an online technology course. Instructor A provides average teaching presence and Instructor B an exaggerated presence. Students’ confidence and level of use of digital technologies and enrollment status will be considered. Research implications may provide insight into students’ perceived learning and sense of community in online instruction when varying levels of teaching presence are displayed.
“Flipping the Classroom – Techniques for using the Flipped Classroom Model”
Presenter: Remberto “Rem” Jimenez
Mildred Elley
In flip teaching, also known as the Flipped Classroom, the students first study the topic by themselves, typically using video lessons prepared by the teacher or third parties such as the Khan Academy. Classroom time is for the students to apply the knowledge by solving problems and doing practical work. The teacher tutors the students when they become stuck, rather than imparting the initial lesson. Complementary techniques include differentiated instruction and project-based learning.
“Innovative Teaching Strategies: Can the Methods Used by Corporate University Trainers for training Inform the Teaching Practice of College Professors?”
Presenter: Dr. Mark Collins
College of DuPage
This study explores the highly impactful pedagogical strategies used by certain corporate trainers to teach their students complex skills and theories. These pedagogical strategies are student-centered and designed to promote engagement and high degrees of rigor. Given the high rate of success of these trainers, which is measured by the performance of their students, it seems to make sense to see how their pedagogical practices can be used in other teaching contexts.
“Engaging, Inspiring, and Motivating Students through the Power of Habit”
Presenter: Dr. Valschkia Dabney
San Jacinto College District
Do you ever wonder why some students are motivated to succeed and outperform their peers, while others lack the internal drive needed to persist until a given activity is completed? Attending class, participating in class discussions, and turning in assignments on time are often the result of a “habit loop” that is learned, practiced, and sometimes rehearsed.
Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business suggests that organizations and individuals achieve success by focusing on the patterns or “keystone habits”that shape every aspect of their lives. Then, what “keystone habits” are at play among students who consistently earn good grades and graduate?
In this interactive session, participants will learn about the concept of motivation and a few important tips on how to help students cultivate the“keystone habits” needed to succeed in their academic and professional lives. Participants will also discuss ways to engage, inspire, and motivate students through the “habit loop” which includes tools like cues, routines, and rewards.
"Teaching Special Needs Students in Higher Education"
Presenters: Mamta Verma and Iva Ward
Special education is a growing area at the K-12 level. What happens to these students once they enter college? This session will provide participants with useful information about the realm of special education.
Presenter: Imelda Estrada-Wicks
University of Houston – Clear Lake
Challenges of First-Generation Students in the Houston-Galveston Area explores the barriers first-generation students face in the Houston-Galveston area, and analyze the intersection of these barriers with the economic status, race, and ethnicity of these students. It demonstrates that first-generation students encounter financial, language, and social capital barriers in higher education; regardless of being admitted to college they are still not fully accepted and incorporated.
“Motivation Matters – Creating an Active Learning Classroom”
Presenter: Essie Childers
Blinn College
Are your students bored? Do you find them sleeping in class or tweeting? Do you have a high dropout rate? Well, stop being a “normal” instructor. Normal is just a knob on the washing machine. It is time to energize and rekindle your teaching activities through innovative active learning strategies. These strategies can be adapted for any subject. Bring your thinking cap and let’s have fun!
“The Advantages of a Liberal Education and Epistemological Approach to Pedagogy”
Presenter: Dr. Tommy L. Woods
Prairie View A&M University
Over the past fifty years, a confluence of factors has served to weaken the traditional liberal arts curriculum in many colleges and universities across the nation. Among these factors are the decline of more intimate forms of communication in favor of electronic contact and mass media interaction, rapid and global advances in technology that make ease, convenience and expediency
near absolute norms in living from day to day, and the financially driven mindset that many students adopt in lieu of traditional learning constructs as they negotiate the college experience. As a result of these other detrimental forces impacting the liberal arts tradition in higher education today, many institutions tend often to graduate individuals with a markedly limited focus of concern and decidedly narrow scope of proficiency. This state of affairs may actually contribute to the miseducation of students and can be traced to a certain underdeveloped ability to think critically and reduced capacity for understanding the relational dynamics among wide-ranging issues and concerns in an increasingly complex global community. Also implicated in this regard are the disavowal of abstract formulations and philosophically steeped orientations and their potential value in addressing problems in practical settings. This breakout session will reaffirm the myriad advantages of a strong liberal arts curriculum within the context of general degree requirements at the undergraduate level of instruction. An epistemologically based strategy aimed at reinforcing liberal learning will be presented. Moreover, the artes liberales requirements of the medieval university curriculum will be re-visited and their impact on current liberal arts curricula discussed.
“Where a Kid can be a Kid” – iPads to Increase Outcomes”
Presenters: Ronda Blevins and David Blevins
Roane State Community College
While this may be a bad reference back to the days of Chuck E. Cheese's "Where a Kid can Be a Kid," it can definitely apply to our classes and the ways that we use technology to present material and engage our students. Today, iPads in the classroom can help us develop methods of learning beyond anything we have seen in the past and can bring the fun back into education for both students and professors. The use of iPads allows us to bring a dynamic back into our college classrooms to help our students learn things that will stick with them beyond the next test.
“Varying Levels of Teaching Presence: Implications on Perceived Learning and Sense of Community in an Online Education Course”
Presenters: Michelle Giles, Dr. Jana Willis, and Laura Reeves
University of Houston – Clear Lake
Study examines relationship between varying levels of teaching presence and student perceived sense of community. Data collection is from two sections of an online technology course. Instructor A provides average teaching presence and Instructor B an exaggerated presence. Students’ confidence and level of use of digital technologies and enrollment status will be considered. Research implications may provide insight into students’ perceived learning and sense of community in online instruction when varying levels of teaching presence are displayed.
“Flipping the Classroom – Techniques for using the Flipped Classroom Model”
Presenter: Remberto “Rem” Jimenez
Mildred Elley
In flip teaching, also known as the Flipped Classroom, the students first study the topic by themselves, typically using video lessons prepared by the teacher or third parties such as the Khan Academy. Classroom time is for the students to apply the knowledge by solving problems and doing practical work. The teacher tutors the students when they become stuck, rather than imparting the initial lesson. Complementary techniques include differentiated instruction and project-based learning.
“Innovative Teaching Strategies: Can the Methods Used by Corporate University Trainers for training Inform the Teaching Practice of College Professors?”
Presenter: Dr. Mark Collins
College of DuPage
This study explores the highly impactful pedagogical strategies used by certain corporate trainers to teach their students complex skills and theories. These pedagogical strategies are student-centered and designed to promote engagement and high degrees of rigor. Given the high rate of success of these trainers, which is measured by the performance of their students, it seems to make sense to see how their pedagogical practices can be used in other teaching contexts.
“Engaging, Inspiring, and Motivating Students through the Power of Habit”
Presenter: Dr. Valschkia Dabney
San Jacinto College District
Do you ever wonder why some students are motivated to succeed and outperform their peers, while others lack the internal drive needed to persist until a given activity is completed? Attending class, participating in class discussions, and turning in assignments on time are often the result of a “habit loop” that is learned, practiced, and sometimes rehearsed.
Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business suggests that organizations and individuals achieve success by focusing on the patterns or “keystone habits”that shape every aspect of their lives. Then, what “keystone habits” are at play among students who consistently earn good grades and graduate?
In this interactive session, participants will learn about the concept of motivation and a few important tips on how to help students cultivate the“keystone habits” needed to succeed in their academic and professional lives. Participants will also discuss ways to engage, inspire, and motivate students through the “habit loop” which includes tools like cues, routines, and rewards.
"Teaching Special Needs Students in Higher Education"
Presenters: Mamta Verma and Iva Ward
Special education is a growing area at the K-12 level. What happens to these students once they enter college? This session will provide participants with useful information about the realm of special education.
The 2012 Conference
Recap
Conference 2012 was held on October 19-20. Dr. Keri Rogers delivered the keynote address. Congratulations to our first Adjunct of the Year award winner, Mrs. Agnes Tirrito and our Adjunct of the Year Runner Up, Mrs. Ericka Landry.
| 2012 Conference Schedule |
The 2011 symposium
The Symposium
The symposium took place at the Blinn College Student Center on October 22, 2011. Presenters spoke on the topics of Learning Styles / Multiple Intelligences, Teaching Special Needs Students in Higher Education, Teaching Strategies, and Classroom Management. The Schedule was as follows:
Schedule:
8:00 – 9:00 Registration
9:00 – 9:30 Welcome
9:30 – 10:25 Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences
10:30 – 11:25 Teaching Students with Special Needs
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – 1:25 Strategies for Classroom Instruction
1:30 – 2:25 Classroom Management
2:30 – 3:00 Closing
Schedule:
8:00 – 9:00 Registration
9:00 – 9:30 Welcome
9:30 – 10:25 Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences
10:30 – 11:25 Teaching Students with Special Needs
11:30 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – 1:25 Strategies for Classroom Instruction
1:30 – 2:25 Classroom Management
2:30 – 3:00 Closing
Symposium Speakers
To learn more about the symposium speakers click on the link below. If you would like to contact one of them, please fill out the contact form under the "contact" tab.
| Symposium Speakers |
Topics Discussed
Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences- Each student learns in a different way. If you have students that are not performing well then perhaps their learning style is not being addressed or they have a different intelligence.
Teaching Special Needs Students in Higher Education- Special education is a growing field at the K-12 level, but what happens to those students once they enter college? At the higher education level, it is the student's responsibility to let the instructor know if they are in need of special services. It behooves each educator to know how best to assist these students. Special education teachers will be on hand to discuss this important topic.
Strategies for Classroom Instruction- Notes, notes, and more notes. Sometimes students don't even take them. This topic will teach you how to keep your students engaged in the lesson and in turn how to boost their performance.
Classroom Management- Even college classrooms can sometimes get out of hand. The problem is that there are adults in the room instead of adolescents. What can one do while respecting the other's adulthood? Tips will be give on how to effectively manage your classroom from day one including how to create an effective syllabus.
Teaching Special Needs Students in Higher Education- Special education is a growing field at the K-12 level, but what happens to those students once they enter college? At the higher education level, it is the student's responsibility to let the instructor know if they are in need of special services. It behooves each educator to know how best to assist these students. Special education teachers will be on hand to discuss this important topic.
Strategies for Classroom Instruction- Notes, notes, and more notes. Sometimes students don't even take them. This topic will teach you how to keep your students engaged in the lesson and in turn how to boost their performance.
Classroom Management- Even college classrooms can sometimes get out of hand. The problem is that there are adults in the room instead of adolescents. What can one do while respecting the other's adulthood? Tips will be give on how to effectively manage your classroom from day one including how to create an effective syllabus.
