2008 POD Network/NCSPOD Conference

The Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network
&
The National Council for Staff, Program and
Organizational Development (NCSPOD) 

2008 POD Network/NCSPOD Conference
October 22-25
The Nugget Resort
Reno, Nevada, U.S.A. 

Virginia S. Lee, Presidential Address

Plenary Address:
"Beyond Critical Thinking to Becoming an Effective Change Agent:
Trends Toward Sustainability Education and Action" by Debra Rowe
1. Top Links and Easy next Steps 2. Slides

Plenary Address:
"Learning as a Community Endeavor" by Dennis Jacobs
1. Slides

TLT/2008 Poster Session Videos

COMPLETE 2008 PROGRAM

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Please read this information completely before preparing your registration form. You may scroll through the information or link to the various segments as indicated in the directory below.

• Invitation to Attend

• Overview of the POD Network and Conference

• Conference Theme: Weaving Patterns of Practice

• Topic Areas

• Conference Overview

• POD Membership Dues

• Conference Fees

  • Job Fair – included in fees

  • Graduate Student Professional Developer Breakfast – included in fees

  • Resource Fair – included in fees

  • Vendor Exhibit – separate fees

• Plenary Sessions

• Topical Interest Groups

• Pre-Conference Workshops (descriptions and costs)

  • Full-Day Workshops

  • Morning Half-Day Workshops

  • Afternoon Half-Day Workshops

• Educational Expeditions (descriptions and costs)

• Hotel Reservations and Travel Instructions

• Shipping Information

• Registration form and instructions

  • 2008 Conference Registration Form - (use this form for secure electronic conference registration; payment by credit card (Visa or MasterCard only), check, or Purchase Order accepted)

INVITATION TO ATTEND

Dear Colleagues,

You are enthusiastically invited to attend the 2008 joint POD/NCSPOD conference in Reno, Nevada.

Those who have attended a POD conference in the past know that this is not a dry academic meeting. If you are new to the organization, we heartily welcome you to a uniquely friendly and nurturing community of colleagues.

At this conference, you will experience interactive workshops, plenary sessions, roundtable discussions, and poster presentations.  We promote dialogue among colleagues outside of formal sessions through shared meals, educational expeditions, and the resource fair, where colleagues freely share ideas and materials with one another.  Some new highlights this year include:

1. Volunteers will be available in a hospitality area to guide attendees in getting the most out of the many opportunities the conference offers. Numerous informal meeting spaces will also be set up throughout the conference to facilitate collegiality and connection.

2. The vendor exhibit will extend over two days.

3. Rather than printing separate theme sheets, we will include categories and topics for each session in the program.  The program will be available online prior to the conference.

4. Students can register for the conference at a significantly reduced rate. 

5. The POD Award Ceremony will occur at the Friday lunch.  The Saturday banquet and dance will be a joint POD/NCSPOD celebration.

We encourage you to register for the conference by September 19 in order to take advantage of the early bird conference rate and to reserve your room at the conference hotel.  The pre-conference sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, and concurrent sessions start on Thursday morning and continue through Saturday afternoon.  The conference ends with the Saturday evening banquet and dance.

We look forward to seeing you in Reno!

Kathryn Plank & Laurel Willingham-McLain, Conference Chairs
Kevin Barry & Debra Fowler, Program Chairs

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OVERVIEW OF THE POD NETWORK AND CONFERENCE

The POD Network

POD supports a network of nearly 1800 members who have an interest in educational and organizational development. While POD members come primarily from the U.S.A. and Canada, the membership also represents 20 other countries. Through its members the POD Network leads and supports change for the improvement of higher education through faculty, instructional, and organizational development.

The POD Network seeks to promote these values:

• Scholarship

• Participation

• Interaction

• Collaboration

• Inclusion

The POD Mission

The POD Network in Higher Education fosters human development in higher education through faculty, graduate student, instructional, and organizational development. POD believes that people have value, as individuals and as members of groups. POD considers the development of students a fundamental purpose of higher education that requires for its success effective advising, teaching, leadership, and management. Central to POD's philosophy is lifelong, holistic, personal, and professional learning, growth, and change for the higher education community.

The POD Annual Conference

The annual conference attracts over 700 people, and primarily targets practitioners in educational development, both novice and experienced. The conference also appeals to these groups:

• Administrators

• Faculty

• Graduate student developers

• Graduate students

• Independent consultants

• Publishers for the above audiences

• Members of higher education organizations

Collectively, program sessions do the following:

• Actively engage participants

• Reflect current research and theoretical frameworks

• Involve colleagues from around the world

• Address the needs of graduate students and both new and experienced faculty

• Include elements for personal growth

• Describe working partnerships

• Demonstrate diversity in cultures, collaborations, and planning

CONFERENCE THEME: WEAVING PATTERNS OF PRACTICE

Northern Nevada's diverse landscape, from the Great Basin Desert to the Sierra Nevada peaks, has inspired the area's native artisans for centuries. This inspiration is apparent in basket-weaving and other arts and crafts in which individual strands are woven together to create greater strength, utility, and beauty. Yet the colors and textures of individual strands remain visible. The materials and designs are infinite, and the creative possibilities endless.

This year’s conference represents the weaving together of our two organizations, POD and NCSPOD. This coming together also represents something larger: an exploration of the ways in which various kinds of institutions can collaborate to offer high quality post-secondary education.

Please join us in exploring the theme of Weaving Patterns of Practice:

• How do our patterns of practice reflect both those strands that persist across time and those that are emerging? In what ways do our practices intertwine the past, present, and future?

• What diverse disciplines and populations do we seek to bring together through our work? In what ways, for example, do we promote cross-cultural and cross-generational learning communities?

• Being pulled in so many directions, how do we as educators remain whole and strong? How do we integrate the various priorities of our lives?

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TOPIC AREAS

These categories and topics represent ongoing areas of research and practice among  POD and NCSPOD members. One of these three overarching categories will be designated in the program for each session.

• Professional Development – Practices and activities contributing to the evolution of individuals in the field. Includes but is not limited to orientation, career planning, mentoring, goal setting, time management, and ethics.

• Instructional Development – Practices and activities contributing to the advancement of teaching and learning. Includes but is not limited to learning theory, consultation, and programming.

• Organizational Development – Practices and activities contributing to the vitality of the organization. Includes but is not limited to leadership, strategic planning, sustainability, accreditation, and collaboration.

Each session will also have 1-2 of the following topics designated in the program. These allow for greater specificity within the category.

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CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
(tentative)

The POD conference registration desk will be open in the Rose Foyer at these times:

• Wednesday, 7:00 am–6:00 pm

• Thursday 7:00 am–6:00 pm

• Friday 7:00 am–5:00 pm

• Saturday 7:00 am–5:00 pm

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POD MEMBERSHIP DUES
(in U.S. dollars)

CONFERENCE FEES

Conference registration fees are outlined below. Fees are in U.S. dollars and payment must be made in U.S. dollars.

All conference participants are required to be current members of either POD or NCSPOD.   NCSPOD members should register for the conference at http://www.ncspod.org/.

International membership applies to persons from countries other than Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Non-member fees include a one-year membership.

Please note that the conference registration fee includes the designated conference meals, coffee breaks and receptions (see Conference Overview).

Pre-conference workshops, educational expeditions, and tables at the vendor exhibit have separate fees, in addition to the registration and membership fees.

Pre-Conference Workshop Fees

Pre-conference workshops are presented in half-day and full-day formats. The fee for a full-day workshop is $175 (lunch included). The half-day workshop fee is $80 (no lunch). The discounted fee for two half-day workshops is $150. For several workshops, a $20 materials fee is included. See the pre-conference workshop section for more details.

Educational Expeditions

The fees vary, and are specified below in the descriptions of the expeditions.

Job Fair

The Job Fair will be held on Saturday morning at 7:30-9:15 am. This session should be considered a networking "meet and greet" opportunity, not a time for formal interviews. Job candidates are likely to have more success if they meet face-to-face with potential employers rather than just dropping off a resume; the time can then be used to learn more about the position and the employing institution. Potential employers can use this time to plan a subsequent interview during the conference.

Graduate Student Professional Developer Breakfast

Continuing a POD tradition, the Graduate Student Professional Developer Breakfast will be held on Friday morning from 7:00–8:00 am. There is no extra cost.  This event is designed to facilitate networking among Graduate Student Professional Developers, and there is a POD committee devoted to these special interests. The breakfast meeting provides time to discuss directions, issues, and activities for the group and for the committee.

Resource Fair

Prior to 2007, the Resource Fair included both non-profit and for-profit organizations. We now offer two distinct events: The Resource Fair features tables only from college- and university-affiliated programs and from non-profit organizations. The Vendor Exhibit will feature tables only from businesses such as publishers and consultants.

The Resource Fair and Reception will be held on Friday evening from 5:30–7:00 pm.  Afterwards, participants can enjoy dinner on their own or an educational expedition. The Resource Fair provides an opportunity to socialize while showcasing your programs by displaying and distributing information about your activities, resources, and services. Materials and services may NOT be offered for sale or promoted for sale during the Resource Fair.

NOTE: If you wish to have a table at the Resource Fair, you must register for the conference and reserve your table in advance by checking the appropriate box on the conference registration form. You or your representative should plan to be at your table to talk with conference participants during the entire session.  There is no fee.

Vendor Exhibit

The Vendor Exhibit will be held on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. The Vendor Exhibit is the only time at the conference when items or services may be offered or promoted for sale. We welcome publishers, consultants, and others. If you wish to reserve a table at this event, you must reserve your place in advance by checking the appropriate box on the conference registration form. The fee to reserve a table is $100 for conference attendees and $400 for vendors participating only in the Vendor Exhibit.

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PLENARY SESSIONS

Thursday, October 23, 12:15 - 2 pm (during luncheon)

Plenary Address One: “Beyond Critical Thinking to Becoming an Effective Change Agent: Trends Toward Sustainability Education and Action“
Debra Rowe, President of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

Colleges and universities are updating their planning, professional development, curricula, community partnerships, and campus policies and practices to include sustainability, which is often defined as the triple bottom line: simultaneously creating healthier ecosystems, communities, and economies. All academic disciplines and higher education operational areas have distinct and important contributions to make in weaving a sustainable future. Dr. Rowe will share her journey and passion as a change agent as well as provide information about resources and strategies available for you and your institution.

Debra Rowe is the President of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development, a Facilitator for the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability, Co-Coordinator of the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium, Senior Advisor for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Senior Fellow of the Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future and professor of Sustainable Energies and Behavioral Sciences at Oakland Community College.

Friday, October 24, 9:45-10:45 am

Plenary Address Two: “Learning as a Community Endeavor”
Dennis C. Jacobs, Vice President and Associate Provost, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame

The development and application of new knowledge is inherently a communal act, as scholars vigorously debate ideas and interpretations.   So too, learning reaches new heights when students are provided with opportunities to interact with and challenge one another. Jacobs will share how he has exploited collaborative learning and the use of clicker technology to simultaneously engage 200 students in making scientific predictions and defending their ideas.  In particular Jacobs has studied how collaborative learning pedagogies have led to greater student success and engagement among students at risk. In a completely different environment, Jacobs directs student teams to go out into the local community to perform risk assessments in homes where disadvantaged youth have become lead poisoned. Community-based learning experiences such as this not only heighten civic engagement, but they also deepen students’ commitments to the pursuit and integration of knowledge.

In his role as Vice President and Associate Provost, Dennis Jacobs oversees undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame.  This includes introducing strategies to promote and expand experiential learning opportunities for students and developing initiatives that foster, recognize and reward effective teaching.  Throughout his twenty years on the faculty, Jacobs has directed a laboratory research program aimed at understanding how energetic molecules attack the surfaces of materials.  A set of Jacobs’ experiments is currently flying on the International Space Station and will help identify candidate materials for the construction of future communications satellites. Outside the laboratory, Jacobs is a leader in the scholarship of teaching and learning.  He was a Carnegie Scholar in 1999-2000 and, in 2002, CASE and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching conferred on him the U.S. Professor of the Year Award for Doctoral and Research Universities.

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TOPICAL INTEREST GROUPS

As conference attendance continues to grow and we foster collaborations with a broader spectrum of learning institutions and organizations, we want to maintain the informal community traditions upon which POD is built by providing an opportunity for colleagues to gather around common interests.  We would like the topical interest groups to bring together newcomers and more experienced educational developers, and to promote deeper interaction than can sometimes occur in conference sessions.

Each TIG will have an experienced facilitator and will take place on Thursday at 7:45–8:45 am.

The topics are not intended to comprise all the areas of expertise represented at the conference, but instead to provide a sufficient range of topics to interest everyone who attends.

In addition to attending topical interest groups, you are invited to organize a Saturday lunch group around a topic of your choice.  Saturday lunch is “on your own.”  A bulletin board near the conference registration desk will be available for posting sign-up sheets with topics and meeting locations. 

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PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
Wednesday, October 22

Pre-conference workshop enrollment is limited.  Sign up early to reserve a space!

FULL-DAY WORKSHOPS

W1  POD Workshop for New Faculty Developers
Todd Zakrajsek, Central Michigan University; Milton Cox, Miami University; Karron Lewis, University of Texas – Austin; James Eison, University of South Florida

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

This session is designed to assist new faculty developers in gaining the skills necessary to be effective and to help them determine which activities will best serve their campuses. Experienced faculty developers from diverse institutions will address specific needs of the participants and offer "breakouts" to address a variety of issues. The goal for the day will be for participants to walk away with concrete ideas of ways to best move forward at their own institution.

Fee: $195 (includes workshop fee, a copy of The Guide to Faculty Development, and lunch)

W2  NCSPOD New Practitioners’ Workshop
Valerie Grabove, Niagara College

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Designed to assist the new practitioner in understanding the field of staff, program, and organizational development, this workshop will assist the developer in the preliminary design of a successful program. The session will be responsive to the wants and needs identified by the registered participants, but potential topics include orientation programs, faculty development, staff development, leadership programs, needs assessment strategies, planning and budgeting to meet the needs of your college, and developing a strategic plan for an on-going program.

Fee: $195 (includes workshop fee, print or CD copy of Launching Your Professional Development Program and resource binder, and lunch)

W3  Preparation and Content Knowledge for Graduate Student and Postdoc Developers
Laura Border, University of Colorado, Boulder; Dieter Schönwetter, University of Manitoba; Elizabeth O'Connor Chandler, University of Chicago

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Grounding their presentation in theoretical frameworks, empirical research, and 50+ years experience, presenters from two countries discuss how beginning graduate student, TA, PFF, and postdoc developers can prepare for their jobs in teaching centers, graduate schools, or departments. Participants learn methods, skills, models, and tools to analyze, assess, and address key issues for TAs through postdocs; produce individual plans to create, improve or assess an aspect of a program designed to foster improved teaching or professional development for graduate students or postdoctoral fellows; and receive in-depth, individualized personal feedback on their plans. Participants receive a CD resource kit.

Fee: $175 (includes workshop fee and lunch)

W4 Evaluating the Impact of Professional Development Efforts
Cindra Smith, retired Director of Education Services for the Community College League of California.

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Have you ever wondered:

• how to effectively assess your staff development program?

• how effective are the programs you offer?

• what are the best practices being used to evaluate programs?

• how to design effective evaluation instruments?

This workshop will provide an intensive focus on how we can demonstrate the effectiveness and worth of our professional development efforts. Participants will learn about the critical levels of professional development evaluation and will have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned by developing an assessment plan.

Fee: $195 (includes workshop fee, a copy of  Evaluating Staff and Organizational Development, and lunch)

W5  A Great Professional Developer Seminar:  Weaving and Sharing Our Best Practices
Mike McHargue, Foothill College 

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

This workshop will celebrate who we are and what we do -- demonstrating again that the best professional development is "well-facilitated shoptalk."  This very interactive session will begin with a substantial mixer to help us connect with conference colleagues.  Following that, you will:

• (re-?) learn the "Great Seminar" model

• share good POD ideas and activities

• identify (and solve some) "challenges"

• meet several personal conference resources

• practice many activities and techniques you can use on your campus.

Fee: $175 (includes workshop fee and lunch) 

MORNING HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS

W6  Hidden Matters: Crossing Cultures on Campus
Rosemarie Brefeld, Washington University

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon

To promote cross-cultural learning in our classrooms, an instructor-made documentary will be shown of international undergraduate students relating their struggles and reactions to discussion-based classes. Documentary pre-viewing and post-viewing activities will allow participants an opportunity to: closely examine the cultural and linguistic challenges internationals face in discussion classes, learn about research which applies to those situations, and collaborate with colleagues to discuss how practices can be modified to more actively engage international students. Participants will leave the session with suggestions to reflect upon and explore for their own contexts.

Fee: $80

W7  Developing and Administering Better Surveys: What Educational Developers Should Know
Michele DiPietro, Carnegie Mellon
Michael Bridges, Carnegie Mellon

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon

High quality data, gathered from well-developed surveys, inform and enhance our patterns of practice. In an era of increasing accountability in which faculty developers are asked to document their effectiveness, surveys are a vital tool. In addition, data from surveys play an integral role in needs assessments, course assessments, and workshop, seminar and program evaluation instruments. However, the quantitative and methodological skills sets required for developing effective surveys is often not a part of the faculty developers toolbox. This hands-on workshop is designed to help faculty developers design and administer more effective surveys.

Fee: $80

W8  A Facilitator's Guide to Helping Others Build Brief Hybrid Workshops
Steven W. Gilbert, President, TLT Group, Inc.
Bonnie Mullinix, Senior Consultant, Faculty and Educational Development, TLT Group, Inc.
Sally Gilbert, Director of Administration, TLT Group, Inc.

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon

This workshop is designed for faculty developers who want to help teams of faculty members and others to design and produce Brief Hybrid Workshops (BHWs), targeted, flexible teaching/learning tools which can be face-to-face, online, or both.

A BHW, an activity of less than 15 minutes, includes the use of Internet-accessible media clips AND other activities, (such as Classroom Assessment Techniques) documents, guidelines, etc. along with Web-based tools, software and resource collections (Google docs, Lecshare Pro, Flickr, flip-video camcorders, YouTube, etc.)  See:   www.tltgroup.org/bhw.htm  The Teaching, Learning, and Technology Group is a non-profit, founded in 1998.

Participants are welcome to join the facilitators in leading subsequent workshops on developing educationally effective BHWs.

Fee: $80

W9  Writing and Revising Your Philosophy of Faculty Development
Neill Johnson, The Pennsylvania State University 

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon

How do faculty developers in higher education settings reflect on their own professional practices and communicate what they do and why to others in the profession and to the faculty and future faculty with whom they work every day? How is a faculty development philosophy different from a philosophy of teaching? Why would you want to make a distinction? What resources and activities are available for getting started or moving forward? Faculty developers at early, mid or late career are encouraged to attend, but they must be willing to reflect deeply on how their professional roles and personal aims intersect. Participants are encouraged to purchase Ray Land, Educational Development: Discourse, Identity and Practice (Maidenhead: Open University/McGraw-Hill, 2003) ISBN-13: 9780335213283

Fee: $80

W10  Helping Students Learn in a Learner-Centered Classroom
Terry Doyle, Ferris State University 

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon

Change is often difficult. Faculty adopting a learner centered teaching (LCT) approach must realize this approach is a significant change for their students. Students come to college having experienced 12 or more years of teacher centered instruction. LCT looks little like what they know as school. Being asked to make learning choices, collaborate more, and put forth greater effort often cause students to resist LCT. This workshop will help faculty understand why students resist, how to develop clear rationales to overcome this resistance, and develop strategies for teaching the learning skills students need to succeed in a learner centered classroom.

Fee: $80

W11  The Faculty Career for Women: Success and Sacrifice
Maike Philipsen, Virginia Commonwealth University 

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon

This workshop invites participants to discuss a study read beforehand. It maps three stages of female faculty members’ careers and lives in academia: the early years of beginning female academics, the middle years, and the late-career stage involving experiences of older women.  Based on qualitative and quantitative data, discussed are stories of diverse women, including those with non-traditional career paths, single women, immigrant scholars, parents, and members of the “sandwich-generation.” Participants will be encouraged to collectively grapple with the study’s recommendations for institutional change as well as share their own experiences and coping strategies.

Participants are encouraged to read in advance: Philipsen, M. (2008). Challenges of the Faculty Career for Women: Success and Sacrifice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fee: $80

W12  How's it Going? Reflecting on our Work
James Groccia, Auburn University
Kate Brinko, Appalachian State University
Dee Fink, National Consultant in Higher Education
and other consultants from a variety of institutions

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon

"How's it Going?" offers early and mid-career faculty developers an  opportunity to present their work, consult with veteran mentors, and  develop networks to sustain the consultative processes initiated in  this workshop. Participants present a selective portfolio of their center's work and target one issue for discussion. The wisdom that  emerges from small group exchanges between early-career, mid-career,  and veteran faculty developers is recorded so that participants  acquire a set of evaluative questions and strategies to use  reflectively as they pursue the vision of faculty development on  campus. Portfolio guidelines will be distributed in advance.

Fee:$80

W13  Everybody's Business: Disability as Diversity in Postsecondary Education Settings
Kelly Roberts, University of Hawaii
Robert Stodden, University of Hawaii
Kathleen Kane, University of Hawaii 

Wednesday, October 22, 8:30 am – 12 noon 

Three-hour workshop for faculty developers and teaching faculty interested in expanding knowledge and skills for instructing students with disabilities. By completion of the workshop, participants will understand and demonstrate skills associated with:

• the legal requirements of postsecondary education institutions related to students with disabilities;

• the application of the principles of universal design for learning;

• practical means for making curricula materials accessible to students who use assistive technology;

• applying a range of accommodations for diverse learning needs;

• identifying environmental, structural, and disability related factors that impact student learning; and

• the application of practical and research-based strategies for teaching ALL students.

Fee: $80

AFTERNOON HALF-DAY SESSIONS

W14  Strategies for Weaving Together Full-time and Part-time Faculty
Helen Burnstad, Johnson County Community College
Joseph Gadberry, Johnson County Community College 

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

Explore systems and strategies to ensure excellence in the use of part-time faculty in the classroom.  Hiring practices, orientation, teacher preparation, integration, awards and recognition will be presented.  Participants will develop an action plan for reviewing current systems and recommending strategies for integrating full and part-time faculty into one faculty.

Fee: $80 

W15  Faculty Development and Institutional Empowerment: Special Session for Administrators
Dee Fink, National Consultant in Higher Education

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

This session has two primary purposes.  The first is to help administrators better understand the critical link between faculty development and institutional effectiveness.  Faculty members constitute the "front line" for accomplishing the work of the institution, but they are poorly prepared for their two key tasks: creating the curriculum and teaching courses within that curriculum.        

The second purpose is to identify specific ways that administrators can support faculty development.  How can administrators encourage all faculty to embrace the kind of learning that will be necessary to implement a high-quality, learning-centered educational program?

Fee: $80

W16  Building on Strengths and Successes Using Appreciative Inquiry
Charles Miller, Company of Experts

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm 

This workshop will provide participants an opportunity to explore a powerful and relatively new approach to Organization Development called Appreciative Inquiry (AI). AI has helped dozens of community colleges shift their organizational culture away from “old paradigm” problem-solving toward “new paradigm” possibilities. Participants will experience a mini-inquiry into exemplary leadership.

Fee: $80

W17 Designing Courses to Promote Deep, Intentional Learning
Barbara Millis, University of Texas, San Antonio 

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

The research on the biological basis of learning and the related international research on deep, rather than surface, learning allows faculty to intentionally design courses that provide a structured sequence of learning activities aligned to goals and assessment and taking into account situational factors. A course, in other words, must be tightly woven. Participants will learn how to create a course challenging students to deeper thinking with a respect for diverse ways of learning. This interactive workshop will encourage participants to focus on a given course with opportunities for individual work and group activities.

Fee: $80

W18 Preventing Death By Lecture:  Turning Passive Listeners into Active Learners
Sharon Bowman, Bowperson Publishing and Training

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

Join Sharon Bowman in this high-energy and interactive workshop as she shares tips and strategies for actively engaging learners. You will learn how to fine-tune your own information-giving skills and acquire helpful teaching tools you can share with faculty.

Fee: $80

W19  Classroom Assessment and Feedback for Learning: Effective, Reflective, Research-based Practice
Thomas Angelo, La Trobe University 

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

This highly interactive workshop is explicitly designed to benefit teachers and educational developers by providing practical techniques, research-based guidelines, vivid examples, resources and references–and by modeling effective teaching and professional development practice. Participants will learn what formative classroom assessment (CA) is, how it works, and how it can help learners and teachers become more reflective, self-directed and successful. They will practice 6-8 simple, adaptable CA techniques; consider practical, research-based guidelines for getting and giving feedback for learning; and receive materials and resources for follow-up. Participants will identify 2-3 possible applications to weave into their teaching and/or development practice.

Fee: $80

W20  360 Degree Gravitational Leadership
Lee Riddell, Institute for Community College Development, Cornell University 

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

The Community College Leadership 360 Degree Assessment incorporates the eight key leadership competencies for community college leaders developed through research conducted by the American Association of Community Colleges. The Assessment can serve as the basis and catalyst for your personal or your institution’s leadership program. The Assessment assists in creating individual action steps to build on identified strengths and to develop new leadership competencies. Through this workshop you will learn about options for personal, organizational and professional developer leadership assessment as well as follow up programs and resources.

Fee: $80

W21  "Best Practices" in Faculty Evaluation: A Consumer's Guide
Ronald A. Berk, The Johns Hopkins University 

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

Beyond student ratings, what data do you use to improve the quality of your own teaching? What does your department chair use to evaluate your teaching? What evaluation model are you using for accreditation? This session will be a state-of-the-art, critical review of the research evidence and practical experience (including the participants') with 14 strategies reported in the faculty evaluation literature. Participants will create their own combination of “best sources” and models for formative and summative decisions. They will receive detailed materials and a proven method for evaluation. Finally, they will leave turbo-charged to improve the faculty evaluation procedures on their campuses.  This pre-conference session will include a fee for the text, R. Berk (2006) Thirteen Strategies to Measure College Teaching.  Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Fee: $100

W22  WORKSHOP CANCELLED

W23  Starting Out in Leadership Development
Deborah DeZure, Michigan State University
Allyn Shaw, Michigan State University

Wednesday, October 22, 1:00 – 4:30 pm

Increasingly faculty developers are asked to provide leadership development for academic administrators and faculty. While faculty development theory, research and practice provide a strong base from which to move into leadership development, there are new challenges. This session is designed to assist faculty developers to design, implement, and assess high quality programs of leadership development for their institutions. Drawing on theory and research on leadership and leadership development from higher education and corporate contexts, this program will identify key strategic decisions, program models, and resources to enable participants to match their institutional cultures and needs with productive leadership development practices.

Fee: $80

EDUCATIONAL EXPEDITIONS
All excursions are open to both POD and NCSPOD members.

Many excursions have minimum and maximum participation limits.  Sign up early to reserve a space!  If an expedition is full, you will be notified and will have the option to be put on a waiting list, get a refund, or choose another expedition.

Please note that driver and guide gratuities are not included in the price per person.

E1 North Lake Tahoe Tour
Wednesday, October 22, 12:15-5:15 pm
Price Per Person:      $60
Lunch included.

Enjoy spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as your bus takes you over the 8911 ft Mt Rose summit to Lake Tahoe.  Walk around Crystal Bay, and along the state line that divides the Cal Neva Resort and its swimming pool. The resort was a celebrity hub in the days it was owned by Frank Sinatra. Explore Tahoe City on the shore of the second deepest lake in the US. The return trip includes a driving tour of Squaw Valley, location of the 1960 Winter Olympics, and the historic lumber town of Truckee, CA – all with historical narration as you ride on the bus. A box lunch is included in the price of this excursion. Note that a slight variation on this tour is also offered in E-8.

E2 Lake Tahoe Rim Trail Tour and Hike
Thursday, October 23, 8:00 am - 12:00 noon
Price per person:  $25 

Need to work off some of those conference cookie breaks? This three-mile moderate round-trip hike will do the trick! In addition to exercise, you will get spectacular views of Lake Tahoe while learning about the local flora, fauna and history of the Tahoe Rim Trail Project from a local guide. Those who find the oxygen at 8,911 ft a little too thin for a three-mile hike can opt for a gentle 1.2 mile self-guided hike from the same trailhead. Walking or hiking shoes and warm jackets recommended.

E3 National Automobile Museum
Thursday, October 23, 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Price per person: $35

Experience America's most dramatic road show as you visit the renowned National Automobile Museum. A brief driving tour will be enjoyed en route to the Museum showing you the highlights of Reno. This museum was built in honor of the machines that have touched us all. You will have plenty of time to browse through the period streets that display the cars in this vast collection. You will return to the hotel at 4:45pm.

Includes:  Chartered Motorcoach, Professional Step-On Guide, National Automobile Museum - Guided Tour

E4 Nevada Historical Society Museum and Lois Kane, Language and Culture Coordinator, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
Friday, October 24, 2:15 – 4:45 pm
Price Per Person:    $25

The group will be picked up at John Ascuaga's Nugget at 2:15 pm and transferred by chartered motorcoach to the Nevada Historical Society Museum.  En route your guide will describe the history and characters of the area.

The Nevada Historical Society Museum was founded in 1904. It chronicles Nevada history through displays that include Native American basketry, pottery and relics, pioneer and mining artifacts and Las Vegas memorabilia. You will enjoy a docent-lead tour and talk during your visit. Lois Kane, Washoe tribal member and the Language and Culture Coordinator of the Reno-Sparks Colony, will enrich your afternoon by providing additional background about the area’s history. You will return to the Nugget by 4:45pm.

Includes:  Chartered Motorcoach, Professional Step-On Guide, Nevada Historical Society Museum Admission.

E5 Virginia City and Piper’s Opera House Dinner Theater
Friday, October 24, 6-10 pm
Price Per Person:      $60

Enjoy dinner theater and music as performed at this very theater in the Gilded Age!  Piper's Opera House in historic Virginia City was built (for the third time after fires destroyed the first two structures) in 1885. Your half hour bus trip to this old silver & gold rush town includes a guide to fill you in on some of the colorful local lore of the area. You will have time to walk along the wooden sidewalks as you explore the many historic buildings, saloons and shops before meeting at the theatre for dinner and entertainment. Dinner and show are included in the price of this excursion.

E6 Elder POD Dinner at Rapscallion
Friday, October 24, 7:00 pm-?
Price Per Person:      $50 

Designed by noted architect Pat Kuleto and set in an ambiance reminiscent of old-world San Francisco, Rapscallion has along-standing reputation as one of Reno's finest seafood houses.  Dedicated to maintaining its position as the "best" seafood restaurant in Northern Nevada, it provides superb culinary creations at fair prices in a relaxed, elegant atmosphere.  This event is a reunion most appropriate for those who began coming to POD in or before the mid 1990s.  We will have a private room for a buffet dinner.

E7 Reno City Tour – Enjoying the Basque Culture
Saturday, October 25, 10 am – 12 Noon
Price Per Person:      $25 

Drive down Millionaire’s Row to see the historic homes, along the new River Walk and Kayak Adventure area, and under both the old and the new Reno Arches!  This driving tour will also take you beyond Reno’s casino strip to experience the Basque Culture that is so important to the Northern Nevada area.  Your narrated tour includes the UNR Campus, a drive-by of the Basque Statue and Tree Carvings, and a driving tour of the historic Basque sheepherder hotels in downtown Reno.  

E8: North Lake Tahoe Tour – 5 hours
Saturday, October 26, 12:30 – 5:30 pm
Price Per Person:      $60
Lunch included.

Meet your coach and professional step-on guide at the Nugget Bus Loading Entrance on 11th Street at 12:30 pm.  Board your coach and travel to North Lake Tahoe via the 8,911 ft. summit Mt. Rose Highway (weather permitting).  This route provides panoramic views of the Washoe Valley, Reno and a spectacular first look at Lake Tahoe as it comes into view.  Sit back and relax as your guide tells you about the history and characters of the area as you ride along. A hosted box lunch will be included for your enjoyment.  Arrive in Tahoe City, and, after a short driving tour, have time to explore the Gatekeepers Museum (additional cost per person), walk along the Lake, see "Fanny Bridge", shop and perhaps get a snack along the way.  Next, continue to Squaw Valley, home of the 1960's Winter Olympics. Your guide will take you on a driving tour and tell you all about the happenings from the Olympics to the present. Travel then heads to the historic lumber town of Truckee, CA.  Upon arrival, tourism representatives will meet your coach and give you a walking map and information on the many boutiques, museums and points of interest in the town.  You will have time to explore on your own before boarding your coach for your return journey to Reno via I-80 east.

This tour takes the same route as excursion E-1. The difference is that this tour stops in Truckee for a self guided walking tour of the sites and shops instead of  in Crystal Bay on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe at the Cal Neva Resort. 

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HOTEL RESERVATIONS AND TRAVEL INSTRUCTIONS

The 2008 POD conference will be held in John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino Resort, located just outside of Reno in Sparks, Nevada, U.S.A. 

The Nugget’s website is www.janugget.com   Information about Reno is available here: www.cityofreno.com/

To make hotel reservations, call the Nugget’s toll-free number: 800-843-2427. You must identify yourself as a participant in the POD Network conference in order to receive the conference hotel rate. All conference attendees are responsible for making their own hotel and travel arrangements.

The POD Conference rate is guaranteed until October 1, 5:00 pm Eastern. After this cut-off date, the conference room rate cannot be guaranteed.

Note that the conference room rate is available to attendees for three days before and three days after the conference on a space-available basis.

Room rates for the 2008 POD Conference:

• Single or Double:   $114 per night (plus tax)

• Triple or Quad:       $124 per night (plus tax)

Wireless internet access (WiFi) is available in all guest rooms for $11.99 per 24 hour period.

Room rates include unlimited use of Atrium Pool, Health Club, Valet Parking, and Airport Shuttle. Note that the rates listed above are for guest rooms only.  Conference registration fees are separate.

The shuttle from the Reno airport is free and leaves the airport 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after every hour outside Door D near baggage claim. Look for “The Nugget” busses.

For those of you who might wish to see a little more of the West on either end of the POD conference, consider flying into San Francisco (4 hour drive to Reno on Hwy 80) or Sacramento (2 1/2 hour drive to Reno on Hwy 80), renting a car and exploring some areas along the way:

• Via Interstate 80, "old town" in Auburn as well as Truckee are both worth exploring for a glimpse into California's gold rush days. 

• Taking Highway 49 along the Yuba River (adding about 90 minutes to your drive if you do the whole thing to Hwy 89 which will take you back to Hwy  80) lets you explore Nevada City and the much smaller towns of Downieville and Sierraville. You will still find people "panning" for gold in the Yuba river (with modern equipment). The scenery as you descend into the still sparsely populated Sierra Valley is beautiful.

• Highway 50, which branches off from 80 in Sacramento will take you through Placerville, formerly  known as Hangtown. Continuing on Hwy 50 will take you past the Desolation Wilderness, some of the best hiking country anywhere, and though South Lake Tahoe to Highway 395 in the Carson Valley, just south of Reno.

• On highway 49 south of Placerville, wine connoisseurs will want to explore Amador County. (http://www.amadorwine.com/) Jackson, Volcano, and Sutter Creek are just a few of the "Old West" towns worth exploring in this area.

SHIPPING INFORMATION

All packages for the POD conference must be addressed as follows:

Your Name 
The POD Network Conference      
c/o John Ascuaga’s Nugget
1100 Nugget Ave.
Sparks, NV 89431

Handling Fees
Please note that the Nugget will charge the following handling fees for all packages received or shipped:

• $3.00 per envelope

• $5.00 per box (1-15 lbs.)

• $10.00 per box (16-30 lbs.)

• $15.00 per box (31-50 lbs.)

• $20.00 per box (51-75 lbs.)

• $25.00 per box (76-99 lbs.)

• Boxes over 100 lbs = $0.35 per pound

• Pallets = $125

The sending of your package(s) should be timed so as to arrive no more than three (3) days before the conference. It is advisable that all shipments be sent no sooner than seven (7) days prior to the conference date. Multiple packages in a single shipment should be numbered in sequence. It may be helpful to note individual package contents so that careful records of all materials may be maintained and the sender alerted in the event of damage or non-receipt. No C.O.D. shipments can be accepted; all shipping arrangements must be prepaid by sender.

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