Professional Development Workshops
Wednesday, February 25
Advice for New Instructors
9:30–11:00 AM
Presenter: Mika Cho, California State University, Los Angeles
Limit: 75 participants
Price: $45
West Hall Meeting Room 510, Level 2
As with any new position, beginning and/or inexperienced
instructors in higher education will find challenges to be both
exhilarating and perhaps initially overwhelming. Negotiating
matters such as pedagogical performance, the collegial support
system, student evaluations, professional development, and the
retention and tenure process can all prove daunting. Issues to
be presented and discussed include: constructing
an effective syllabus; interaction with students, colleagues, and
administrators; the importance of university policy on ownership
of instructional and professional materials; plagiarism,
student disabilities, grievances, and sexual harassment; and
grading and student evaluation.
Job Hunt 101: Essential Steps in Securing a Job
2:30–4:30 PMPresenter: David M. Sokol, professor emeritus, University of Illinois, Chicago
Limit: 100 participants
Price: $45
West Hall Meeting Room 510, Level 2
Learn the essentials of a successful job hunt. This workshop is scheduled at the beginning of the conference because it offers good preparation for Career Services, guiding you through professional practices of the job search, including interview etiquette, preparation of materials, and other essential information to prepare you for your next job opportunity. This is the time to ask the questions you have always wondered about concerning the ins and outs of looking for a job.
Thursday, February 26
Successful Grant Writing for Artists
9:30 AM–NOON
Presenter: Barbara Bernstein, resident artist, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
Limit: 50 participants
Price: $40
West Hall Meeting Room 510, Level 2
This workshop demystifies the process of grant writing for both
individual artists and collaborative projects. In a step-by-step
approach, it covers the complete cycle of grant writing, including
preparative research, interaction with funders, budget development,
writing proposals, and assessment of the process.
Digitize Your Art: Creating an Effective Online Portfolio
2:30–4:30 PM
Presenter: Brad Stephenson, Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Arts Management and Technology
Limit: 40 participants
Price: $45
West Hall Meeting Room 510, Level 2
It is becoming increasingly more critical for artists to use the
internet to market their work. There are a number of free or affordable resources available for online multimedia portfolio
creation and audience cultivation. During this session, Brad
Stephenson from Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Arts Management
and Technology (http://CAMT.Artsnet.org) will present an
overview of web concepts; a collection of best-practice examples;
and a handful of affordable and easy-to-use tools for developing
an effective online presence. Participants will leave the session
with a toolkit for putting their work online, as well as resources
for utilizing and promoting their portfolios.
Friday, February 27
Pedagogy for Graduate Students in Studio Art
9:30–11:00 AM
Presenter: Harold Linton, George Mason University
Limit: 75 participants
Price: $45
West Hall Meeting Room 512, Level 2
The quality of studio-art education is the result of various elements
of educational theory, practical experience, and good
communication skills. Certainly the elements of planning and
organization, and the desire to involve others in a thoughtful
and well-planned sequence of artistic experiences that allow for
growth in perception, self-awareness, and the ability to succeed
as an artist/designer, are crucial to successful teaching and learning.
The purpose of this workshop is to introduce graduate students
to the practice of research in teaching studio art in higher
education. Through discussion, research projects, and course
planning with educational theory and firsthand experience in
a studio art class, this workshop will provide an introduction to
the pedagogy of studio-art in higher education.
The Syllabus: Mapping Out Your Semester
9:30–11:30 AM
Presenter: Steven Bleicher, Coastal Carolina University
Limit: 15
Price: $45
West Hall Meeting Room 510, Level 2
The syllabus is a contract with the student. It should clearly state
what is expected of the student and the professor’s requirements
for the course. In addition, various accrediting bodies and associations
have their own requirements that may need to be addressed.
Learn what should go into a syllabus and how to break down course content into individual class sessions. The components of
an effective lesson plan, and how to use it as an effective teaching
document, will also be discussed. Issues such as how much can
actually be accomplished in a single class period, and what homework
and/or preparations are needed for the next class session,
will be addressed. A well-constructed syllabus can be a valuable
teaching tool and an aid to the faculty member regarding
student grade disputes. This course is invaluable for graduate
TAs, recent MFA graduates who have just landed their first teaching
position, and anyone who would like a refresher on the finer
points of setting up the term’s classes.
ABD Strategies: A Plan for Dissertation Writers
2:30–3:30 PM
Presenter: Milton Kornfeld, Brandeis University, emeritus
Limit: 75 participants
Price: $45
West Hall Meeting Room 510, Level 2
All But Dissertation (ABD) status is a transitional phase in a
graduate student’s academic and professional development,
not a long-term identity. This workshop will help students to
anticipate problems endemic to ABD status that can impede a
dissertation’s timely completion. We will discuss organization,
planning, writing problems, and a range of political, personal,
and practical matters that every graduate student should be
aware of and prepared to address. We will explore strategies to
resolve these problems. Students anticipating, beginning, or
in the midst of their dissertation work will benefit from this
workshop.
