Join Book Club on “Deep Work”

Fall 2019 Book Club Invitation!

Do you ever feel like too much of your time is spent in a hurried blur of emails, meetings, and quick tasks? Do you want to be able to invest time focusing deeply on certain tasks without distraction? In the book “Deep Work,” author and professor, Cal Newport, shares strategies for cultivating a “deep work ethic” that can enhance focus so we can produce better results in less time.

If you’re interested in discussing these concepts, the Book Club will meet for one hour on four occasions this semester to discuss the implications of this book on our work as Chico State faculty. Click here by Tuesday, 9/10 to reserve your spot in the FA19 Book Club. You’ll get the book for free and plenty of coffee and snacks at each gathering.

Invitation to a Discussion About the Camp Fire

On November 8th, 2018 a devastating wildfire destroyed the town of Paradise and surrounding areas. While we grieve the loss of these communities and begin planning for the recovery process, Chico State has numerous opportunities for teaching, research, and contributing to the RECOVERY efforts. To help you incorporate some of these ideas into your teaching and scholarship, a group of committed faculty developed this website https://www.csuchico.edu/team-teaching/campfire/index.shtml

It compiles INFORMATION ON grant opportunities, social media resources, RESEARCH and teaching ideas.

To further explore these opportunities, all faculty (lecturers, tenured, and tenure-track) are invited to a discussion about the post-Camp Fire era. 

“Teaching the Camp Fire” Roundtable Discussion

Friday, February 8th from 2:00PM – 4:00PM in Colusa 100B

(Light Refreshments Provided)

Drop by Events in October

Event Invitation #1

What: Rose Garden Room open house – check out the quiet faculty space for writing, grading, reading, and relaxing. Stop by and enjoy popcorn, snacks, coffee, prizes, juice shots, and other fun activities (see attached flier) sponsored by FDEV and Meriam Library.

When: Wednesday, October 10th – drop in any time between 8am-5pm

Where: MLIB 459

Visit: www.csuchico.edu/fdev/events for more information

Event Invitation #2

What: Viewing party for the livestreamed 2018 Graduation Initiative 2025 Symposium keynote and afternoon presentations focused on improving degree completion and addressing equity (see below). FDEV will provide coffee, hot tea, and snacks so we can listen and discuss how the presentations relate to our campus. Please click here to let us know if you plan to drop by so we can ensure we have a large enough room.

When: Wednesday, October 17th – stop by any time between 1:30 – 4:30pm. The symposium agenda is here.

Where: SSC 150

Join FDEV Book Club to Learn Why Students Resist Learning

Book club invitation to the first 20 respondents – See below

No matter how applicable, relevant, or even entertaining your teaching is, some students will not be engaged in class. Some are blatantly disengaged as they sit in the front row texting or even sleeping. Others go to the trouble of faking engagement by pretending to type lecture notes while checking Facebook. So, why are some students disengaged to the point of resisting learning? And what can you do to re-engage them so they can be successful in your class?

In their book, “Why students resist learning: A practical model for understanding and helping students,” Tolman and Kremling (2017) answer these questions and more. They posit that student resistance is less of an enduring trait and more of a temporary (and thus changeable) motivational state due to several factors. One factor, for example, is that students may resist learning if they see a professor as part of an oppressive system trying to force a point of view they do not accept. Resistance can also occur if a professor creates assignments or assessments without a rationale behind them. Many other variables can contribute to resistance including students’ past classroom experiences, cultural background, and institutional culture. The authors recommend innovative pedagogical changes (e.g. active-learning, team-based projects, inclusive pedagogy) rather than blaming students for their lack of engagement.

If you’re interested in reading this book and discussing strategies to increase student engagement on our campus, click here to join the Spring ‘18 FDEV book club. We’ll meet monthly on four occasions this semester to discuss the book, engage in open dialogue, and learn from each other.

There is no compensation for participating though FDEV will provide a free book for you as well as coffee and snacks at each gathering. The book is pricey so participation is limited to the first 20 respondents.