Volume 3, Issue 1 Vision Re-Affirmed on Welcome Day September, 2003 Amalia Mesa-Bains, Director of ence to join in small groups identified values common to Visual and Public Arts and led by faculty facilitators to the members. CSUMB founding faculty, create a Heritage Portrait as modeled engaged pedagogy a way of developing dia­ When a composite of the for large classes at the logue and community across values of the eleven groups Community Welcome Day the staff, faculty and admin­ was projected on a large event August 18. Asking us to istrators present in the audi­ screen, the audience was join in able to view the developing a total value por­ deeper trait of the par­ renewal and ticipating com­ celebration munity. The of our audience then achieve­ commented oc ments and in s about similari­ recalling our </) ties and differ­ Vision at a o ences in time of 0 values as a scarce community and resources, the ways this she pedagogy reminded us might be used that scarcity in their particu­ can provoke lar settings and competitive­ disciplines. ness, a sense of deprivation, ence. This strategy, she ex­ ASSESSMENT fear, defensiveness, and a plained, can also be used by Amalia reminded partici­ reduction of our morale. Or, faculty and group facilitators pants that this activity “like a good family”, we can in staff and administrative highlights the value of turn towards greater collabora­ settings as a diagnostic of making multiculturalism a AND tion and support to achieve our the participants to tailor con­ reality in our own settings goals and meet our responsi­ tent for those who are “really through the understanding bilities by trusting the Vision to in the room.” of heritage. It maximizes guide us in our best efforts. the interpersonal resources Focus During the activity, partici­ of the participants and With (as one participant noted) pants first reflected about a provides useful information “compassion, clarity and family or community member for customizing curriculum, genuine purpose,” Amalia led who helped to develop their materials or activities in the the audience in a simulation of values. Sharing in pairs, classroom or in the work LEARNING, a large class pedagogy using a many participants described setting. She noted that reciprocal model of teaching heartfelt and moving stories distribution of opportunity, and learning. Based on the about their heritage. In small relevancy of feedback, and equation E + T= M groups, the facilitator application of personal (Experience plus Text equals recorded the values of the courtesy have all been Meaning), she invited the audi­ members and the group shown to increase student achievement. TLA conducted an assess­ ment of the event (and TEACHING, Inside this issue: thanks to all of you who sent in your feedback Welcome to New Faculty 2 forms.) Preliminary analysis of the assessment reflects a FOR Beginning My Carnegie Year 3 high level of participants’ Writing Across the Disciplines 3 engaged learning during Recent Faculty Scholarship 4-5 this session, including rich New Faculty Orientation 6 and meaningful connections among colleagues. New Integrated Studies Program 6 ULR Learning Communities 7 (con't on page 8) CENTER Faculty The Edible Tao 7 Welcome to New Faculty Carla Bundrick-Benejam Phuong Tran Judith Kildow Earth Systems Science and Policy Mathematics and Earth Systems Science and Policy Statistics The wonderful collaborative work of I bring to CSUMB years of interdisciplinary faculty and administration to address teaching experience in science and policy and the student learning outcomes at this look forward to helping students of science and university has given a fresh new Natalie Zayas technology (and social sciences) to understand dimension to my teaching. I hope to Earth System Science and Policy political processes and policy outcomes so that give back to CSUMB my best efforts as they can become effective agents of change, an instructor, and to give to my stu­ particularly for the environment. I also bring dents the gift of enthusiasm for lifelong with me my research program, The National learning. Ocean Economics Project, (www. oceaneconomics.org) that could be a foundation for many research projects for our students. Burke Pease School of Business Dan Tian Information William Martin Kevin Raskoff Technology and School of Business Earth Systems Science and Policy Communications Design As a visiting professor from Cal Poly I come from many years at the Mon­ Tuyen Nguyen Pomona, my goal is to extend I am excited to be part of terey Bay Aquarium Research Institute CSUMB's collaborative partnership with the CSUMB community. Mathematics and (MBARI) where my research efforts Cal Poly Pomona by creating a hospi­ My goal is to help students focused on the ecolog and taxonomy tality management area of emphasis develop a broad under­ of deep-sea jellyfish. I also have a for students in the School of Business. standing of the software strong interest in K-12 science educa­ We'll greatly expanding the internship and network industry so tion and teacher training, having been program in the local hospitality indus­ that they can use technol­ involved with both for over ten years. try and emphasize the integration of ogy effectively. work and learning. A hospitality man­ agement program at CCUMB will em­ phasize those topics most central to the local area's economy. Robert Cotant, Interdisciplinary Simmons I am very excited Degree Master of Arts to return to this Karen Dunn-Haley Lark university to serve the needs of stu­ Jeff Groah Faculty Mentor Program dents. Students Mathematics and Statistics Credit: with various back­ grounds encourage me to develop new Photo teaching ways every semester in order to help them in learning math Nancy Wahl-Scheurich, and graduating School of Business with outstanding I bring a commitment to­ math skills. My principal passion is Mathematics, and wards helping first-generation sharing my love of this subject via new students adapt to the univer­ learning modalities while providing a sity environment. I also have high-quality education is my chief goal. a strong attachment to the Not pictured: I am also dedicated to a gender-equitable Tri-County area and a desire Teresa learning environment, and hope to help to help improve the lives of Arambula- CSUMB someday reach this goal. its residents. Greenfield Page 2 FACULTY FOCUS Beginning My Carnegie Year By David Reichard Last spring, I was selected as a Before I applied to the Carnegie, I food-infused environment, we devel­ 2003-2004 Carnegie Scholar. In my became familiar with the scholarship oped our projects, learned about project, I will study how undergradu­ of teaching and learning through a innovative research methods, and ates learn about law, focusing on a 2001 teaching cooperative facilitated gleaned from the experiences of free speech course I will offer in the by Carnegie Scholars Gerald Shenk Carnegie scholars who completed or spring. There has been little and David Takacs, and made possi­ are completing their projects. When I research in this area and I am ble by Amy Driscoll and the Center for left Palo Alto, I was excited about excited about contributing to this Teaching, Learning and Assessment. getting my project underway. emerging area of the scholarship of Despite this stellar introduction, I had teaching and learning. Since I offer much to learn. This became very I am now working to fine-tune the many courses addressing legal clear to me after participating in a research design. During this coming issues, this project will immediately Carnegie Academy for the Scholar­ year, I look forward to sharing my impact my own practice. ship of Teaching and Learning experience as a Carnegie Scholar (CASTL) summer residency in June. with the CSUMB community. Moreover, I expect that researching whether students’ analysis of legal As the first leg of my Carnegie year, Read about the CASTL program at systems can translate into more this residency was a notable the Carnegie Foundation for the Ad­ sophisticated understanding of experience in my academic career, vancement of Teaching: http://www. decision-making in their communities bringing together 26 Carnegie Schol­ carnegiefoundation.org/CASTL/ will give my project a particular ars in my cohort from throughout the highered/scholars_program.htm a CSUMB spin! I am thrilled by that United States and the world. In an opportunity. engaging, nurturing, stimulating and Writing Across The Disciplines The Commission on Composition of the National Council of Teachers of English recently prepared this position paper to describe essential principles in the teaching of writing. The statement presents a useful way to think about situating writing in all academic areas here at CSUMB, not only in courses that have writing as subject. It’s design embraces our assets-based approach to learning. The Act of Writing from discovering the writer's own feel­ range of their composing powers. This Writing is a powerful instrument of ings, to persuading others to a course of classroom can also be the scene for thought. In the act of composing, writers action, recreating experience imagina­ learning in many academic areas, not learn about themselves and their world tively, reporting the results of only English. and communicate their insights to others. observation, and more. Writing confers the power to grow person­ Teachers in all academic areas who ally and to effect change in the world. Writing assignments should reflect this have not been trained to teach writing range of purposes. Student writers may need help in transforming their The act of writing is accomplished should have the opportunity to define classrooms into scenes for writing. through a process in which the writer and pursue writing aims that are imagines the audience, sets goals, important to them.