Rice University’s Center for Teaching Excellence will host its 11th annual Symposium on Teaching and Learning: The Future of General Education at Rice from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5.
Faculty, staff, students and alumni are welcome to attend. To RSVP, please click here. Amy Dittmar, the Howard Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, will give the opening remarks in the McMurtry Auditorium in Duncan Hall, where presentations will take place.
The speakers and topics are as follows:
9:15 a.m.: “What For? Liberal Education and Why It Matters”
Elizabeth Loizeaux, special adviser to the Provost, Boston University
10:45 a.m.: “Exploring the Trends in 21st-Century Gen Ed Design”
Paul Hanstedt, vice chancellor for academic affairs and innovation, University of Minnesota Rochester
1:15 p.m.: “Future-Proofing General Education Through High-Impact Practices”
Ashley Finley, vice president for research and senior adviser to the president, the American Association of Colleges and Universities
2:45 p.m.: “A Showcase of Innovative Teaching Strategies”
Rice faculty panel followed by breakout sessions
The panel will consist of Alexander Byrd, vice provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion; Lesa Tran Lu, executive director of the Institute for Biosciences and Bioengineering; Nia Georges, professor of anthropology; and Fay Yarbrough, associate dean of humanities.
“The center’s mission is to foster outstanding teaching through evidence-based practices, strong community building and research in pedagogical sciences. This symposium certainly fulfills that mission,” said Director Carissa Zimmerman. “We’re excited to collaborate with the General Education Committee to bring the Rice community together to discuss the important and far-reaching topic of general education.”
Rice is reforming its general education curriculum to ensure the university continues to provide the highest level of excellence in undergraduate education. Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education Leslie Schwindt-Bayer leads the general education committee, which consists of faculty, staff and students from across the university who advise on Rice’s general education reform.
The symposium is hosted by the Center for Teaching Excellence and the General Education Committee and sponsored by the Scientia Institute and CTE. For more information about the symposium, please click here. To learn more about general education at Rice, click here.