The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a virtual Mobile Winter Institute on Scientific Teaching (MoSI) for all faculty from 2-4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 11-14. 

The workshop will be conducted via Zoom and will focus heavily on how to implement effective online teaching practices by immersing faculty in experiential learning with frequent reflection on why decisions are made to teach with specific tools. Space is limited. Faculty should submit their application by Nov. 15.

The workshop is designed to maximize teaching capabilities with evidence-based approaches such as active learning and inclusive teaching practices. Workshops will be facilitated by national science education experts and UA Little Rock faculty. Participants will have a hands-on experience of the impact of evidence-based teaching approaches such as active learning and inclusive teaching practices, with deliberate and backwards design.

The techniques covered at MoSI will help improve student learning without watering down course goals, so more students learn the material and progress toward their degrees. Overwhelming evidence shows that students perform better in active learning classrooms. Students in these environments are 1.5 times more likely to pass compared to students in sections that only use traditional lectures.

Several ideas for increasing student success that were proposed by faculty during MoSI brainstorming sessions in 2019 have already contributed toward positive changes on campus during the 2019-2020 and 2020-21 academic years, including establishing programs and activities that foster a sense of community on campus, increasing opportunities for professional development and mentoring for faculty members, and implementing new innovative practices in the classroom.

MoSI is sponsored by the UA Little Rock Office of the Provost and the STEM Education Center with support from the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence. All faculty are encouraged to register. To learn more, visit ualr.edu/provost/mosi, or contact Dr. Mark Baillie at mtbaillie@ualr.edu.