UMass TEFD Workshop: "Real-World Problems: How Can They Provide Platforms for Deep Skill Development and Integrative Learning Across Disciplines? A UMass iCons Approach"

Date and time: 
Fri, May 20, 2016 - 10:00am
Location: 

Integrated Sciences Bldg (ISB) Rm 329

Speaker: 

Prof. Justin Fermann

Affiliation: 

UMass Chemistry Dept and iCons Program

Notes: 

Light refreshments will be served

Event Details 

Preparing our students to successfully address complex, multi-faceted problems remains a high-priority learning goal across disciplines on campus. In the process, our students may develop skills in teamwork, communication, critical and multidisciplinary thinking, and self- assessment. But what are strategies for faculty to develop curricula and pedagogies around real-world problems? What are the kinds of real-world problems that may lend themselves to successful learning? And how can faculty design learning goals, assessments, and activities to promote such learning? This workshop, which is open to faculty across campus, will be facilitated by Prof. Justin Fermann, co-director of the nationally-acclaimed UMass iCons Program. Prof. Fermann will apply iCons pedagogical approaches to work with participants to begin the process of building real-world, problem-based case studies for their classes. Although iCons was developed to teach science, this workshop is aimed at a broader audience, engaging all fields to solve societal problems. Each participant should come to the workshop with a news clipping describing a societal problem that could form the basis of a real-world case study.

Questions? Please email Cameron Holden (cholden@umass.edu).