The Journey: Institute of Learning

July 24-27, 2023

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | In person | $375

Some believe that knowing course content and being able to talk about it is enough to teach effectively, but research shows that the most effective instruction also requires knowing how to teach! We can help with that.

In the Foundations course, you'll explore how the brain learns, how to build an effective learning environment, and how to prepare and facilitate learning experiences that support learning.

Course Content

Planning and Preparing for Teaching

Strong preparation leads to instruction that motivates students, focuses on outcomes and increases learning. You will explore:

• Self-identity and reflection
• Students as learners
• Lesson planning
• Student-centered approach

Building an Inclusive Environment

Sense of belonging has been shown to be connected to valuable outcomes for college students, including retention, academic standing, and self worth. You will learn how to build such an environment as you explore concepts and skills, including:

• Norms setting
• Bandwidth taxes
• Microaggressions
• Representations of diversity
• Warm and inclusive language
• Relationship building

Instruction and Assessment

During Foundations, you will identify and understand the value of effective components of instruction and assessment, and how the brain learns. Dive into topics including:

• Active learning
• Assessment
• Engaging openings
• Closing
• Repetition, prior knowledge and cultural dissonance
• Brain growth over time
• Synaptic connections

Course content is subject to change.

September 15, October 13, November 10 and December 8, 2023

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | In person or virtual | $550

The Application course takes you deeper into your understanding of quality instructional practices. You'll be challenged to apply your new knowledge and skills with your own students through assignments that challenge you to meet student needs in new ways.

Our feedback will encourage you to stretch your thinking and apply more effective instructional practices. As you practice applying these skills with your students, you will receive helpful, individualized feedback to further improve your practice.

Course Content

Planning and Preparing for Teaching

Deepen your learning and explore new concepts to prepare and use lesson plans with your students. You will explore:

• Proactive classroom management
• Individual students as learners
• Group learning
• Lesson planning
• Student-centered approach

Building an Inclusive Environment

Practice creating an inclusive learning environment where your students feel a sense of a belonging. Concepts include:

• Relationship building
• Warm and inclusive syllabus language
• Immediacy
• Bandwidth taxes
• Norms
• Challenges to stereotypes in learning materials

Instruction and Assessment

Deepen your knowledge and explore new concepts and skills related to instruction, assessment and how the brain learns. Apply your developing knowledge and skills with your students.

• Feedback for learning
• Formative assessment
• Active learning
• Presentations with purpose
• Bloom's taxonomy
• Neural history, acquisition, elaboration and encoding
• Classroom conditions affecting mindset
• Noncognitive learning factors
• Locus of control

Course content is subject to change. You must complete the Foundations course before taking this course.

January 10 and 11, 2024 (in person) - AND -

February 2, March 8, April 5 and May 3, 2024 (in person or virtual)

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | $625

After completing your first two Journey courses, you'll begin to appreciate the breadth and depth of the content. In Transformation, you'll begin to see the larger picture through synthesis of prior learning, application with your students, our feedback, and reflection on your practice.

This course will challenge you to think about teaching and learning in new ways that may not have previously been possible. You'll make intentional decisions about your teaching based on your new knowledge of how the brain learns, research-based practices, effective preparation, building an inclusive environment, and your evolving beliefs about teaching and learning.

Course Content

Planning and Preparing for Teaching

Synthesize learning from all three Journey courses to prepare effective learning experiences for your students. New content includes:

• Task analysis
• Self-study for improvement
• Teaching observations
• Proactive classroom management

Building an Inclusive Environment

Weave together learning from the first two courses with new content to create an inclusive learning environment for your students. New content includes:

• Universal design for learning
• Mental models
• Cognitive shortcuts

Instruction and Assessment

Combine what you've learned throughout the Journey to make intentional decisions about which practices most effectively support student learning. New content includes:

• Leading discussions
• Bloom's taxonomy
• Zone of proximal development
• Scaffolding
• Modeling
• Role of language in thinking and learning

Course content is subject to change. You must complete the Foundations and Application courses before taking this course.