ESSC coordinates a variety of faculty development events featuring topics on teaching and learning relating to faculty members in any stage of their career. We welcome every faculty member to participate in events of interest to them. Faculty may volunteer to present on topics of interest to their colleagues, and suggestions are always welcome.
Please check our website for Continuing Education information.
Tentative Schedule Spring 2025
| # | Event | When | Format |
| 1 | “Lessons Learned Teaching Future Healthcare Providers Using Simulation: A Decade of Insights”, by Pamela V. de Gravelles, PhD, RN, CHSE, Clinical Associate Professor, UAMS College of Nursing Coordinator, Innovative Practice & Simulation Center) | Thursday, Feb 13, 2025, 12-1pm | Zoom |
| 2 | “Uncommon Sense Teaching” Book Discussion Community, Ch. 5-7, facilitated by Mr. Josiah Wheeler, Assistant Professor in Instructional Design, OED | Friday, Feb 28, 2025, 12-1pm | Zoom |
| 3 | “Advancing Accessibility: Navigating Disability Regulations and Course Design Impacting Blackboard at UAMS “, by Scott Wright, ED. D., Jacob Martar, Assistant Professors, OED & Michelle Zengulis, M.S., UAMS Title IX/ADA Coordinator | Thursday, March 13, 2025, 12-1pm | Zoom |
| 4 | “Uncommon Sense Teaching” Book Discussion Community, Ch. 8-10, facilitated by Mr. Josiah Wheeler, Assistant Professor in Instructional Design, OED | Friday, Mar 28, 2025, 12-1pm | Zoom |
| 5 | “Personalized Instruction“, by Josiah Wheeler & Marybeth Norcross, Assistant Professors, OED & ESSC | Thursday, Apr 10, 12-1pm | Zoom |
Teaching Workshops
Thursday, Feb 13, 2025, Pamela V. de Gravelles, PhD, RN, CHSE, Clinical Associate Professor, UAMS College of Nursing. Coordinator, Innovative Practice & Simulation Center)), Zoom
Title: Lessons Learned Teaching Future Healthcare Providers Using Simulation: A Decade of Insights
Abstract: Simulation is an effective educational strategy for academic health science educators. This topic will unpack lessons learned from a decade of teaching a variety of topics to multiple healthcare disciplines through simulation. Topics include but will not be limited to scaffolding, fidelity issues, and student engagement.
Thursday, March 13, 2025, Scott Wright, Jake Martar, Michelle Zengulis, Zoom
Title: “Advancing Accessibility: Navigating Disability Regulations and Course Design Impacting Blackboard at UAMS”
Intro/Abstract: This presentation gives UAMS faculty an overview of new disability regulations impacting Blackboard and other web services, highlighting their implications for faculty and students. Presenters will discuss the benefits of creating accessible courses, the current state of course accessibility at UAMS, and goals for improving accessibility scores. Attendees will gain insights into the evolving regulatory landscape, the value of inclusivity in course design, and actionable strategies for remediating accessibility challenges to ensure equitable access for all learners.
Thursday, April 10, 2025, Marybeth Norcross & Josiah Wheeler, Assistant Professors, ESSC & OED, Zoom
Title: “Personalized Instruction”
Abstract: It is said that you have to know your students to be able to teach them, making knowing your learners one of the most important aspects of teaching. Personalized Learning is the effort of structuring instruction to meet the needs of the students you are teaching today. These students are not the same as you were when you were in school, nor are they the same as those you taught just five years ago. Your learners have unique needs impacted by many factors, including preferences, generation, maturity, and habits. In this presentation we will talk about these factors and how they impact your students’ ability to learn.
Please click on this link to sign up for the Workshops.
Learning Communities
Less formally structured than traditional professional development, learning network activities offer opportunities to learn and grow as professionals with support from a diverse network of people and resources.
“Uncommon Sense Teaching” Book Discussion Group
(Fridays, Feb 28, March 28, 2025, 12-1 p.m., via Zoom, facilitated by: Mr. Josiah Wheeler, Assistant Professor in Instructional Design, OED)
Join us for a study of “Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights in Brain Science to Help Students Learn” Published– June 15, 2021
by Barbara Oakley PhD (Author), Beth Rogowsky EdD (Author), Terrence J. Sejnowski (Author)
Top 10 Pick for Learning Ladders’ Best Books for Educators Summer 2021
“A groundbreaking guide to improve teaching based on the latest research in neuroscience, from the bestselling author of A Mind for Numbers.
Neuroscientists and cognitive scientists have made enormous strides in understanding the brain and how we learn, but little of that insight has filtered down to the way teachers teach. Uncommon Sense Teaching applies this research to the classroom for teachers, parents, and anyone interested in improving education. Topics include:
• keeping students motivated and engaged, especially with online learning
• helping students remember information long-term, so it isn’t immediately forgotten after a test
• how to teach inclusively in a diverse classroom where students have a wide range of abilities”
— (from the Amazon description).
This book discussion will have consecutive monthly meetings to read and discuss one to two chapters of the book each time until March 2025. You are welcome to join us for the meetings even if you have not signed up for those sessions.
Finally, to make this book discussion more accessible, we will use a Zoom only format. All participants will receive a reminder with a Zoom link before the start of the book club meetings. We are looking forward to seeing you at our book discussion meetings on Fridays, from noon to 1:00!
Please click on this link to sign up for the Book Discussion.
Please check our webpage for Continuing Education information.