Announcements
UCLA Team Attends Conference on Biology Education Research
(Back, Left to Right: Elizabeth Roth-Johnson, Jordan Moberg Parker, Marc Levis-Fitzgerald, Christopher Lee; Front, Left to Right: Shanna Shaked (and Quinn), Jessica Gregg, Erin Sanders, Blaire Van Valkenburgh, Gaston Pfluegl, Rachel Kennison; In attendance but not pictured: Frank Laski, Kristin McCully and Nadia Sellami)

On January 14-15, 2017 a group of UCLA faculty and staff were proud to take part in SABER West 2017- the first regional Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER)  conference, held at the University of California, Irvine.  UCLA's recent efforts in biology education research were represented through presentations and poster sessions in addition to participating in networking events. 


CEILS Journal Club Kicks Off This Friday!

Now that winter quarter is underway, join us for our weekly CEILS Journal Club meetings, Fridays from 2 -3 pm in TSLB 1100. 
  • January 27 | Gerardo Ramirez, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology- Developmental and Laura Pittman, Graduate Student, will present on the topic of 
    Are Seductive Details in the Classroom an Impediment or Aid in Student Learning?”
Workshop Registration Open - The Unique Challenges of Engaging and Teaching First Year Students

Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
Time: 11:30am - 2:00pm
Location: Online - Blackboard Collaborate

Description of Workshop: First year students can be unaccustomed to the college environment, having just come from High School. Therefore, the ways that you engage and teach them in the classroom and lab have to be different than how you engage more senior undergraduates. In this hands-on workshop you will: (a) explore where 1st year students are developmentally, and the impact this can have on their learning, (b) uncover what they don’t know, as well as (c) discuss and experience teaching approaches and other supports they need to be successful and thrive in your classroom and on campus.

Register for the event at CIRTL Central here.

STARTING SOON - Don't Miss Out!
CIRTL Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
Online component starts January 30th, 2017
 
Weekly learning community meetings will be facilitated by CEILS Associate Director, Dr. Rachel Kennison.


Course 1: An Introduction to Evidence-based Undergraduate STEM Teaching
Register for the Introductory MOOC here. Learning Community will meet Tuesdays starting 2/7-3/28 from 12:00-1:30p in Hersey Hall Room 168. To join the Introductory LC, please fill out the google form:  https://goo.gl/forms/fUGKntko9ToF3Jc93

Course 2: Advanced Learning Through Evidence-Based STEM Teaching
Register for the Advanced MOOC here. Learning Community will meet Tuesdays starting 2/7-3/28 from 4:00-5:30p in Hersey Hall Room 168. To join the Advanced LC, please fill out the google form: https://goo.gl/forms/Z6vzeo401Ahs6MO82

Journal Club
CEILS Journal Club for STEM Education Research |
Learning Community Meetings 


Fridays from 2:00 – 3:00 PM   Location:  1100 TSLB 

Upcoming Journal Club Presentations:
  • February 3 | Tony Friscia, Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, will present on the topic of “General Education Science and the Cluster Program at UCLA.”

Up Next (Presentations to be announced):

  • February 24 | Presenter to be announced!
  • March 3 | Liz Roth-Johnson, Life Sciences Core DBER Fellow
  • March 10 |  Jay Phelan, Academic Administrator in the Life Sciences Core Curriculum

  • Please email CEILS Director Erin Sanders (erins@ceils.ucla.edu) if you are interested in presenting your work in classroom innovation or a scholarly paper to the group next quarter.

About Journal Club: Participants explore relevant education literature in more depth and develop greater understanding of assessment techniques and data analysis methods. Presenters may select a paper and lead a discussion about how education researchers have documented the relationship between effective teaching practices and their impact on student learning, knowledge retention, and persistence in STEM majors. Alternatively, presenters describe classroom innovations and evidence-based instructional strategies they are trying in their own courses, soliciting feedback from participants while sharing their expertise in a variety of areas supporting instruction and assessment in STEM classrooms. Faculty, graduate students, and postdocs are welcome to participate! View more information on the "events" section of our website.

Upcoming Events 
Webinar Series - Scientific Teaching in Practice

"First Steps in Implementing Scientific Teaching"

Facilitated by: Beth Luoma and Tracie Addy, Summer Institutes on Scientific Teaching Programs Directors at Yale University
Date and Time: January 27, 2017 from 12-1 pm PST.

Description: What does it look like to implement scientific teaching in your classroom? How does one launch the first “experiment” by trying out an active learning activity, a new inclusive strategy or a new form of assessment in his/her class? In what ways have you already achieved success? What barriers have you encountered? In this inaugural webinar of the Scientific Teaching in Practice Series, the Summer Institutes on Scientific Teaching Program Directors will lead participants through community sharing of that first scientific teaching “experiment” and how the first steps in implementing scientific teaching can lead to incremental and impactful change in undergraduate STEM education.



How can data be used to drive improvement? Answering this question can be complex, and as years of research on data-driven decision-making in education highlights (e.g., Coburn and Turner, 2011), data don’t drive—people do. Using data for improvement purposes requires multiple enabling conditions, such as a common aim and a series of change ideas, i.e., intentional efforts to modify the myriad factors contributing to a system’s current level of performance. In this webinar, participants will engage with worked examples of a family of measures from Carnegie’s and SRI’s improvement efforts. Specifically, webinar participants will be taken through the process of developing a working theory for improvement, which will anchor a family of measures, and shown how to develop practical measures that can be used as part of an INCLUDES project’s effort to make progress on high leverage problems that orient the NIC. Join Andrew Krumm and Alicia Grunow to learn more.

Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (PST)
Location: Information for the webinar can be found at http://bit.ly/2j6PpB5    


Program Evaluation 101 NIMBioS/NISER Webinar
This webinar is the first activity in the NIMBioS/NISER series of STEM program evaluation events for the NSF INCLUDES projects. The target audience for this webinar are STEM educators who have little or no prior experience with program evaluation, including PIs of NSF INCLUDES projects. The webinar will introduce STEM educators to key concepts and vocabulary concerning evaluation methods. This webinar is sponsored by the National Science Foundation through NSF Award #HRD-1650390

Register for the webinar at http://bit.ly/2jDWFbv
Details about the Tutorial and Conference Activities are at http://www.nimbios.org/IncludesConf/

Date: Thursday, February 09, 2017 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (PST)
Location: Online    


A pre-conference tutorial  intended for those who have little prior experience with program evaluation. Attendees of the tutorial are expected to stay for the conference.

Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2017 (All Day)
Location: NIMBioS - University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN    

Conference: Multi-Scale Evaluation in STEM Education

NIMBioS and NISER are co-hosting an NSF INCLUDES Conference on Multi-Scale Evaluation in STEM Education. Effective program evaluation is an essential component of STEM education and workforce development. The conference and associated events will enhance participants' abilities to develop an evaluation plan that meets the needs of an INCLUDES Alliance Project. Participants will include individuals involved in current INCLUDES projects, those considering collaborating in such projects and STEM educators considering inclusion of formal evaluation in their projects. Examples of program evaluation developed by the program organizers are available at http://www.nimbios.org/NISER.

Start Date: Thursday, February 23, 2017 (All Day)
End Date: Friday, February 24, 2017 (All Day)
Location: University of Tennessee Conference Center, Knoxville TN    


Dr. Kalju Kahn
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of California, Santa Barbara

"Motivating and Engaging Students in Online Chemistry Courses"

Tuesday, March 7th, 2017 at 4:00p
2033 Young Hall

Please view the following flyer for a description of the event.

WASC Senior College and University Commission

WSCUC's Community of Practice for Advancing Learning Outcomes Visibility

Applications due by February 15, 2017

Starting in Spring 2017, with funding from Lumina Foundation, WSCUC is offering institutions an opportunity to participate in a free online Community of Practice to lend support, guidance, and consulting around projects related to assessing student learning and demonstrating visibility of that learning. Participating institutions will not only be able to gain support as they implement their own projects, but will also develop a collection of good practices, resources, and guides to share, both regionally and nationally.


Applications accepted from November 15, 2016 to February 15, 2017

The WSCUC Assessment Leadership Academy (ALA) prepares postsecondary professionals to provide leadership in a wide range of activities related to assessment of student learning, from facilitating workshops and supporting the scholarship of assessment to assisting administrative leadership in planning, budgeting, and decision-making related to educational effectiveness.
Conference on Research in Mathematics in Undergraduate Education
February 23 - 25, 2017 , San Diego, CA
Learn more and register online.

2017 General Education and Assessment: Design Thinking for Student Learning
February 23 - 25, 2017 , The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel , Phoenix , AZ
Learn more and register online.

John N. Gardner Institute 2017 Annual Gateway Course Experience Conference
February 26-28 , 2017 , The Westin Las Vegas Hotel
Learn more and register online.

9th Conference on Understanding Interventions that Broaden Participation in Science Careers
"Advancing Local Interventions Towards Systematic Change"
March 3-5 , 2017 , The Sheraton Gunter Hotel , San Antonio , TX
Learn more and register online.

2017 Diversity, Learning, and Student Success: Voices Leading Change
March 16-18 , 2017 , The Hyatt Regency Hotel, Jacksonville, FL
Learn more and register online.

2017 Southern California PKAL Regional Network Annual Meeting
Broadening Participation and Persistence in College STEM: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
March 25, 2017 , University of California, San Diego

Workshop Proposals Due: January 16, 2017
Registration opens: February 1, 2017 | Registration Closes: March 1, 2017
Poster Abstracts Due: March 1, 2017

Learn more and register online.

Institute on General Education and Assessment
May 31 - June 3 , 2017 , Loyola University Chicago
Learn more and register online.

POD Network - Institute for New Faculty Developers
June 20-23 , 2017 , Saratoga Springs, New York - Holiday Inn
Learn more and register online.

Institute on High-Impact Practices and Student Success
June 24-27 , 2017 , Boston University
Learn more and register online.

Institute on Integrative Learning and Signature Work
July 11-14 , 2017 , Loyola University Chicago
Learn more and register online.

24th Annual ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators
July 27-30 , 2017 , The Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel , Denver , CO
Abstracts for poster presentations due February 15 
Learn more and register online.

Newsworthy

The Higher Ed Learning Revolution: Tracking Each Student's Every Move

Published in nprEd

Emerging technology and increasing online data storage has opened up the possibility for studying students and their academic interactions on an incredibly large scale. 

Logged In and Zoned Out: How Laptop Internet Use Relates to Classroom Learning

Published in the Association for Psychological Science

Abstract: Laptop computers are widely prevalent in university classrooms. Although laptops are a valuable tool, they offer access to a distracting temptation: the Internet. In the study reported here, the authors assessed the relationship between classroom performance and actual Internet usage for academic and nonacademic purposes.

Learning Strategies: A Synthesis and Conceptual Model

Published in Nature Partner Journals - Science of Learning

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to explore a model of learning that proposes that various learning strategies are powerful at certain stages in the learning cycle.

Teach Students Academic Writing or Endanger Degree Completion: Study

Published in Times Higher Education

Lack of self-efficacy plays a significant role in  writing anxiety amongst graduate students,  and this writing anxiety can often prevent students from completing their graduate degree.

Help Professors Find Time to Think

Published in The Chronicle of Higher Education

Providing more faculty development opportunities for faculty members to think, talk, and write could help to improve faculty productivity and career burnout. 

In addition to the MOOCs mentioned in the beginning "Announcements" section of the newsletter, additional CIRTL opportunities include:

CIRTL Spring 2017 Cross-Network Courses - Open for Registration!

Developing a Teaching Portfolio
Tuesday, January 31 and March 21 at 12-2pm PT
In this class students will explore model teaching portfolios, write a personal philosophy of teaching, assemble evidence of their teaching, develop and present their own teaching portfolios, and use peer review rubrics to evaluate their own and peers' portfolios.

Diversity in the College Classroom
Wednesdays from February 1 to March 29 at 9-10:30am PT
The course is designed for STEM educators interested in considering diversity issues in college-level teaching. We will explore definitions of diversity, consider ways that instructor and student diversity and implicit biases can influence how we teach and learn, and work together to develop effective techniques and strategies for teaching inclusively.

Teaching-as-Research
Thursdays from February 2 to April 6 at 10-11:30am PT
This course is designed to cover basic concepts, techniques, and procedures of conducting TAR in the undergraduate classroom.

Research Mentor Training
Thursdays from February 2 to April 20 at 12-1:15pm PT
In this seminar-style class, participants will work with a community of peers to develop and improve their mentoring skills.

Service-Learning in STEM Classrooms: Introduction to Pedagogy and Practice
Tuesdays from February 7 to March 28 at 11-1pm PT
Service-learning is a high-impact pedagogy that engages students in applying what they are learning about in their class to a real-world community need or issue, and includes reflective activities to demonstrate and deepen the service and learning connections.

CIRTL Reads Journal Club:

CIRTL Reads is a monthly online journal club co-hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder that expands Network participants’ understanding of STEM teaching and learning by discussing recent articles in pedagogy and current trends within STEM.


Problem-Based Learning in STEM Courses
Monday, March 13 | 11a-12p


Professional Development
Postdoctoral Scholars & Graduate Students
Seeking Applicants!

UCLA Postdocs Longitudinal Investment in Faculty Training (UPLIFT)

The UPLIFT Program at UCLA supports postdoctoral scholars in the biological sciences who have a demonstrated interest in teaching, research, and supporting diversity in the STEM fields. UPLIFT combines a traditional mentored postdoctoral research experience with an opportunity to develop academic skills, including teaching and mentoring undergraduate STEM students, through workshops, courses, and a faculty mentored mentored teaching practicum at our partner institution Cal State Los Angeles.

The program is funded by an IRACDA grant awarded to UCLA from the NIH. UPLIFT is expected to facilitate the progress of postdoctoral candidates toward research and teaching careers in academia. Other goals are to provide a resource to motivate the next generation of scientists at our partner institution and to promote collaborations in research and teaching between faculty at UCLA and CSCULA. 

For more program information, and how to apply for an UPLIFT fellowship, please visit the CEILS website at the following link: https://ceils.ucla.edu/uplift/


Two Great Resources for Learning About Opportunities in Science
Science.gov has recently created a new pair of web-based portals to help undergraduates and graduate students alike search for Federally-sponsored opportunities in STEM. If you are interested, please see the links below.
The O*NET program is the nation's primary source of occupational information, containing information on hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors. The database provides the basis for the Career Exploration Tools, a set of assessment instruments for workers and students looking to find or change careers.

Opportunities for Funding & Collaboration
Promoting Active Learning & Mentoring (PALM) Network Grant

The Promoting Active Learning & Mentoring Network Grant provides faculty and postdoctoral fellows with resources that allow them to gain hands-on experience and long-term mentorship in bringing evidence-based, effective active learning strategies into their own classrooms.

The grant can provide up to $2000 per fellow, $500 mentor stipend, or up to $1000 travel cost each for fellow and mentor.

Please see the network website for more information.
2017 Application Deadlines: January 15 and July 15, 2017

Evaluate UR: Evaluating Undergraduate Research

If you, or someone of your campus is operating an intensive summer undergraduate research program, you may be able to participate in an NSF WIDER program (DUE 13-477227). Led by SUNY Buffalo State, the project seeks to refine and disseminate a successful model of undergraduate research assessment that has been in place at that institution since 2008.  This model closely links the teaching and learning process in a unique design that has improved student learning while producing rich empirical evidence of program outcomes and student knowledge gains. The project is now seeking additional institutions to pilot the dissemination of this model. Interested campuses must have a summer undergraduate research program lasting from six to ten weeks in which students work with faculty mentors, a campus undergraduate research director or coordinator who oversees the program, and ongoing institutional support for continuing program operation.  For more information, and to apply to be a pilot institution, please see: 

Featured Job Opportunities

Postdoctoral Scholar for LS Core (DBER Position) - LS7A/B/C Series
University of California, Los Angeles
Application review: February 1, 2017; Open until filled
https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/apply/JPF02550


Academic Administrator III Position for the LS Core - LS20, LS30A/B
University of California, Los Angeles
Recruitment Period: December 21, 2016 - February 15, 2017
https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/apply/JPF02769


(Full-Time) Instructional Laboratory Lecturer Position - Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
University of California, Los Angeles
Recruitment period: January 9 - March 5, 2017
https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/apply/JPF02766


Postdoctoral Research Associate Position in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology Education Research
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Application Review: February 15, 2017; Open Until Filled
https://ceils.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/07/Biochemistry-Education-Postdoc-Ad_1_12_17.docx

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2 Chemistry Positions at University of Delaware
Open until filled
►  Assistant Professor: https://ceils.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/07/CT-Advertisement.pdf

Lab Manager: https://ceils.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/07/Advertisement-lab-manager.pdf


Two Tenure-Track Positions (Assistant or Associate) in the Dept. of Biological Sciences
St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas
► Invertebrate Biologist: https://stedwards.applicantpro.com/jobs/487604.html
► Cell Biologist: https://stedwards.applicantpro.com/jobs/487619.html


Educational Development Specialist for Natural Sciences and Engineering
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, University of Rochester
Requisition ID: 198614
► See the full job listing and apply at the following link.


Instructional Designer
Chaffey College
Application Deadline: March 17, 2017

http://www.chaffey.edu/humres/Instructional%20Designer%20Annc%201-2016.pdf  


Inclusive Excellence Specialist
Cal Poly Stat University
San Louis Obispo
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/204128143


Learning Experience Designer
Boston University - Center for Teaching and Learning
https://bu.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfo&jobid=299305&company_id=15509&version=1&source=ONLINE&JobOwner=1017060&startflag=1  


Director of Academic Support - Medical School
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
https://aucmed-devry.icims.com/jobs/84300/director,-academic-support/job?mobile=false&width=890&height=500&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=-480&jun1offset=-420


Program Director, STEM Education Research - Math
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
https://workforcenow.adp.com/jobs/apply/posting.html?client=AAAScience&jobId=113385&lang=en_US&source=CC3  


Teaching Assistant Professor (2 Positions)
Department of Biology Teaching and Learning
University of Minnesota
Job ID#: 313293
► http://humanresources.umn.edu/jobs  


Instructional Developer
Western Carolina University
https://jobs.wcu.edu/postings/5560

 
Center for Education Innovation & Learning in the Sciences | UCLA

For more information about CEILS events and resources, including a list of STEM education events from previous mailers, please visit the CEILS website at  www.ceils.ucla.edu  or stop by the CEILS office in Hershey Hall (Rooms 122 & 126 or 210).

  If you wish to be added to the CEILS mailing list, please send your request to  media@ceils.ucla.edu .

Please note, this Bi-Monthly Newsletter is circulated through many departmental listservs. Most other CEILS correspondence, including special event announcements and reminders, are sent to CEILS mailing list recipients only. Thanks!