About the Conference
Teaching Matters is celebrating its fifteenth annual interdisciplinary conference in 2017 at Gordon State College on its main campus (Barnesville, Georgia). Presentations/discussions will focus on innovative and creative pedagogical methods, approaches to various texts and/or concepts, and theories. The conference is open to all of those who have a passion for pedagogy; conference presentations are designed so that educators can share ideas and strategies that promote student success, student engagement, and active learning.
About this year’s theme
Dr. Maryellen Weimer recently discussed three interconnected aspects of student engagement – behavioral, emotional, and cognitive – in “What Does Student Engagement Look Like?” While she defines each of the parts of engagement, it is important for educators to continually work together to explore the various modes of promoting student engagement, whether it be application of pedagogical theories, implementing teaching techniques, or using educational technology. Collaboration, as offered through the Teaching Matters conference, is one way to empower educators across all disciplines to better engage their students. There are just as many ways to empower educators as there are to engage students. Therefore, “Engaging Students, Empowering Educators” is a broad theme that allows presenters to focus on either or both of the parts. Of course, we also encourage proposals not directly related to the theme.
Potential topics could include, but are not limited to the following:
Measuring and assessing student engagement
Incorporating engaging technology in the classroom
Recognizing “nonverbal attentiveness”
Translating course evaluation feedback into student engagement
Empowering educators through work-life balance
Combating professorial stereotypes to empower educators
Effectively engaging students through specific concepts or texts in the classroom
Engaging students in one-on-one research projects with educators