Office of Academic Affairs
Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence (CLTE)
Drs. Louise Giddings and Amir Al-Islam

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CLTE MISSION STATEMENT

The Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence (CLTE) was developed to provide an institutional structure to:

• Stimulate faculty commitment and discussion related to assessing, analyzing and revising curricula and pedagogy at the College to promote effective student learning;

• Provide information on current research trends in postsecondary curricula and instructional methods to promote faculty development;

• Facilitate and disseminate faculty research, projects and initiatives related to curriculum and instruction throughout the college, local and international community; and

• Promote faculty scholarship.

CLTE as Clearinghouse

 The Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence serves as a central clearinghouse for the integration of various activities and initiatives of the College related to teaching and learning including the Coordinated Undergraduate Education (CUE) initiative.

Goals

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CLTE):

• Promotes the scholarship of excellence in teaching and learning;

• Stimulates faculty discourse and reflection on models of excellence in teaching and strategies for assessing and analyzing student learning to effect beneficial changes in  curriculum and instruction;

• Provides a forum for faculty to present their research, scholarship and creative work as teachers and scholars;

• Provides leadership in the areas of educational policy, instructional planning, assessment, program review, faculty development and resource planning;

• Convenes conferences, faculty development workshops and seminars related to scholarship on excellence in learning and teaching;

• Collects, preserves and documents conference proceedings, faculty development workshops, guest speakers and faculty demonstration models of excellence in teaching; and

• Engages faculty in discourse on excellence in higher education with faculty at other institutions of higher learning, as well as with educators in P-12 schools and community leaders.

Faculty Development Programs

Adjunct Faculty

Receptions for Adjunct Faculty are held each semester to foster dialogue with part-time faculty, to apprise them of faculty development programs, and to encourage greater participation in the life of the College by adjunct faculty.

New Faculty

Each academic year faculty members new to Medgar Evers College are invited to participate in workshops designed to help them make connections and become oriented to the College culture and teaching and learning context.

Service Learning

These faculty and staff workshops are offered to assist faculty in understanding and promoting this teaching and learning strategy designed to promote academic enhancement, personal growth, and civic engagement.

Research and Publication

These workshops are for faculty who are working on articles, book chapters and research.  Faculty discuss their work with peers and receive feedback. This workshop series aims  to assist faculty in preparing to submit work for publication.

Academic Technology

In collaboration with the Department of Instructional Technology, workshops are presented in areas to meet faculty technology needs.

Active Learning

The Center hosts at least one active learning mini-conference each semester.  The conferences give faculty the opportunity to present and discuss teaching strategies which encourage student engagement with content in ways which foster higher level thinking and promote student responsibility for learning.

Special Interests Groups

The Center facilitates special interests groups that focus on issues related to teaching, learning and faculty scholarship. Current interest groups are related to integrative learning and the dissertation process.

Faculty Dialogues on the Core

This program presents a series of discussions where faculty have the opportunity to discuss, debate and dialogue on the effectiveness of the Core Curriculum.

Faculty Development Intersession Conference

During the intersession of each academic year, the Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence in collaboration with the Office of Academic Affairs sponsors a Faculty Development Conference to dialogue among faculty and to promote ideas related to knowledge, techniques, and skills of excellent teaching and enhanced learning.

Awards

CLTE awards provide financial support for faculty to engage in research or explore new ways of teaching and improving curricula.  Awards are also given to reward faculty for outstanding teaching.

For further information  concerning CLTE programs and services, please contact:

Dr. Louise R. Giddings
Room 1015 D Bedford Building
718.270.4912
giddings@mec.cuny.edu

or

Prof.  Amir Al-Islam
Room 1015 M Bedford Building
718.270.4985
amir@mec.cuny.edu