Center for Academic Development

The Center for Academic Development – Teaching Excellence serves as a central location for professional development and the collection and dissemination of information relevant to the promotion of excellence in teaching and learning at Liberty University. We offer a robust number of services for online and residential faculty.

Here’s What’s Happening:

Optional faculty professional development brought to you by CTE. All sessions will be held in DeMoss Hall, Room 3066, and on MS Teams. Register via the Course Registration tool in myLU (Subject Code: PDCT) or email cte@liberty.edu. CEUs and digital badges are available for participants.

CTE Teaching Academies – Tuesday-Thursday, May 14-16

• Tuesday, May 14
  • 9-11:30 a.m. – Reel Learning: The Art of Creating Videos Your Students Will Watch
  • 1-3:30 p.m. – Extreme Makeover: PowerPoint Edition
• Wednesday, May 15
  • 9-11:30 a.m. – Teaching and Designing Omnichannel/HyFlex Classes
  • 1-3:30 p.m. – A Deep Dive into MS Teams for Teaching, Meetings, and Office Hours
• Thursday, May 16
  • 9-11:30 a.m. – Comprehensive Quiz and Test Design: Merging Canvas Functionality with Teaching Best Practices
  • 1-3:30 p.m. – Using AI for Faculty Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Productivity

 

Canvas Sessions – Friday, May 17

• 9-11:30 a.m. – Canvas for Teachers: Topics include: SpeedGrader, audio and video feedback, Comment Library, Message Students Who, Canvas Inbox, and Announcements.
• 1-3:30 p.m. – Canvas for Designers: Topics include: creating individual and group assignments, preparing your RESDEV for course copy, and creating Quizzes with Question Banks and Question Groups.

 

Teaching with Technology Virtual Boot Camp for Online Faculty – Saturday, May 18, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

This Boot Camp for Online Faculty will be held on MS Teams. A one-day, virtual boot camp for online faculty. Some topics include: communicating in Canvas, using Canvas tools for assignment feedback, creating engaging announcement videos, using AI for faculty productivity, and enhancing communication/productivity with MS Teams.

Teaching with Technology Boot Camp for Residential Faculty – Monday-Tuesday, May 20-21, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

This Boot Camp for Residential Faculty will be held in DeMoss Hall, Room 3066. A two-day, in-person boot camp for residential faculty. Sample sessions include: Creating an Interactive Webpage with Adobe Express, Slide Design and Visual Design Principles with PowerPoint, Creating and Managing Video Quizzes with Kaltura, and How to Provide Feedback and Instruction Using the Snipping Tool. Lunch provided.

In-Person Research Boot Camp – Monday-Friday, June 3-7, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

A week-long, in-person boot camp for faculty. As a cohort, faculty will complete a qualitative study and be taken through each part of the research and publication process. This boot camp is an intense writers’ camp combined with guided research activities: complete a Literature Review, Methods Section, conduct actual interviews and focus groups for data collection, and analyze and synthesize findings. Article will be published in CTE’s journal and accepted for presentation at the next Conference on Teaching Excellence. Light breakfasts, snacks, and lunches provided.

CTE Podcast: In Pursuit of Excellence

Liberty University’s Center for Teaching Excellence is excited to announce the launch of its new podcast, “In Pursuit of Excellence: Teaching in Christian Higher Education.” The weekly podcast will feature educators who are recognized for their exemplary, innovative, and inspirational teaching.

Targeted toward university faculty, this podcast aims to inspire and empower teachers in their quest for excellence, as they Train Champions for Christ. Listeners can expect to hear engaging stories, practical teaching strategies, and insights.

Tune in weekly on Spotify to “In Pursuit of Excellence: Teaching in Christian Higher Education.”

 

Optional faculty professional development brought to you by the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE). Register via the Course Registration tool in myLU (Subject Code: PDCT). Email cte@liberty.edu with questions. For workshops/webinars held via Microsoft Teams, links will be sent to registered participants in advance.

• CTE Open Virtual Office Hours (hosted for Adjunct Faculty); Tuesday, April 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
  Noon-4:30 p.m. No registration required. Log on: MS Teams
• Avoiding Common Mistakes in Your Videos; Wednesday, April 3
  Noon-12:45 p.m.; MS Teams
• How to Flip Your Residential Classroom; Friday, April 5
  10:30-11:15 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams
• Using AI for Faculty Productivity; Monday, April 8
  10:30-11:15 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams
• In-Person Book Study: Every Day Matters (Meeting 3 of 3); Tuesday, April 9
  10-11 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066
• Taking Your Weekly Announcements to a New Level; Wednesday, April 10
  Noon-12:45 p.m.; MS Teams
• Faith Learning Integration with Dean Donald Raleigh (Brown Bag Lunch); Thursday, April 11
  11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams
• Engaging Learners Through Multimedia; Friday, April 12
  10:30-11:15 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams
• Promoting Critical Thinking in Students; Monday, April 15
  10:30-11:15 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams
• Capturing Video with Kaltura; Wednesday, April 17
  Noon-12:45 p.m.; MS Teams
• Integrating Faith and Learning; Friday, April 19
  10:30-11:15 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams
• Video Editing Basics with Kaltura; Wednesday, April 24
  Noon-12:45 p.m.; MS Teams
• Creating Assignments, Quizzes, and Rubrics in Canvas; Friday, April 26
  10:30-11:15 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams
• Working with Question Banks and Question Groups; Monday, April 29
  10:30-11:15 a.m.; DeMoss Hall, Room 3066 and MS Teams

 

CTE Spring/Summer Newsletter

The Spring/Summer 2024 edition of CTE’s newsletter is out now! This edition contains information about new initiatives and trainings, practical teaching tips and strategies, and significant professional development opportunities for residential and online faculty. Our prayer is that you take advantage of this information and these opportunities to grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men, as Jesus did in Luke 2:52. Click here to read the full newsletter.

Congratulations to the 2022-2023 President’s Award Winners!

The purpose of the award is to recognize teachers who have promoted significant student learning, evidenced by creative and innovative approaches to teaching, the effective use of instructional technology, and exceptional pedagogical skill. Additionally, their impact on student faith, thought, and character fully realizes Dr. Falwell’s vision of training leaders in all discipline areas. The award process involves a formal peer nomination, dean support, faculty input, and student contribution. Winners are determined by the Selection Committee and affirmed by the Provost. Faculty, Instructional Mentors, and other peers who have direct knowledge of a nominee’s qualifications and experience in demonstrating excellence in teaching may nominate a deserving full-time faculty member in the following categories: Undergraduate and Graduate. 

Liberty University Undergraduate

• Crystal Passburg, School of Health Sciences
• David Schweitzer, College of Arts and Sciences

Liberty University Graduate

• Andrew Walker, College of Arts and Sciences
• James Zabloski, School of Divinity
• Melissa Stewart, Helms School of Government

 

CTE Director’s Award for Excellence in New Faculty Mentoring 

This award recognizes seasoned faculty mentors’ extraordinary dedication to supporting new colleagues in the Koinonia Mentoring Program. Mentors meet monthly with their mentees, offering advice, support, and encouragement to new faculty members. Award recipients are selected based on mentee nominations and determined by a scoring committee.

Congratulations to the recipient of the 2022-2023 Director’s Award for Excellence in New Faculty Mentoring, Dr. Gary Isaacs.

Congratulations to the 2023-24 ILLUMINATE Grant Recipients!

The ILLUMINATE Grants for the Improvement of Teaching are designed to encourage faculty to enhance instruction through the introduction of new pedagogical and active learning techniques, activities, and/or learner-centered experiences. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. Confidential scoring committees evaluate applicants on the grant’s purpose, student engagement, higher-order thinking, and potential to impact student learning.

• A Tour of Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Homes (Lisa Campbell and Kevin Layell; College of Arts and Sciences)
• Augmenting Fashion Design (Kim Cashman and Samantha Pearce; College of Arts and Sciences)
• Can You Understand Me Now? Interpreting Transmission Equipment for Future Interpreters (Andrew Milacci; College of Arts and Sciences)
• North American Christians in Social Work Service-Learning Opportunity (Cheryl Nitz; School of Behavioral Sciences)
• Enhancing Practical Applications for Assurance and Attestation Learning for Accounting Students (Charlene Geisler; School of Business)
• Excellence in Human Performance: Conversing With One of the World’s Best Sports Performance Scholars and Practitioners (Andy Bosak, Jim Schoffstall, and Tate Fonville; School of Health Sciences and School of Engineering)
• Exploring the Intersection of Public Health Policy (Jonathan Giles and Kahlib Fischer; School of Health Sciences and School of Government)
• Floral Design Workshop (Chelsea Milks; College of Arts and Sciences)
• History Through Experience: Historic Jamestown and Yorktown (Samuel Smith, Donna Donald, and Christopher Jones; College of Arts and Sciences)
• Holocaust Education: Exposing Students to the Holocaust (David Snead; College of Arts and Sciences)
• Intentional Engagement: Using Manipulatives and Cooperative Learning Tools in the Foreign Language Classroom (Alisha Castañeda and Stephanie Blankenship; College of Arts and Sciences)
• Kingdom Advisors (Stacie Rhodes and Kurt Cornfield; School of Business)
• LEARN 2 LEAD Through LUNCH & LEARN (Roger Mackey; College of Applied Studies and Academic Success)
• Liberty University Apiary Project (Morgan Roth, Kyle Harris, and J. Thomas McClintock; School of Health Sciences)
• Multidisciplinary Engineering Design: A Hands-on Robot Design (Howie Fang; School of Engineering)
• Preparing for Excellence: A SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge Model Exploration (Tammy Brown; School of Business)
• Social Welfare Policy: Social Work Field Trip to Richmond: Legislative Process and Cultural Education (Elke Cox and Aaron Wright; School of Behavioral Sciences)
• UR LUved (Cindy Goodrich and Dana Woody; School of Nursing)

 

CTE Faculty Fellow Program

As part of its commitment to best practices, the Center for Teaching Excellence seeks Faculty Fellows to draw upon their talents. Many CTE Faculty Fellows are past winners of the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The CTE Faculty Fellow role is an opportunity for distinguished faculty to become featured speakers at CTE’s January Conference and during semester workshops. Additionally, Faculty Fellows are recognized at various events throughout the academic year. This program involves a competitive application process.

Meet our 2023-24 Faculty Fellows:

Dr. David Schweitzer
Professor, Mathematics
College of Arts & Sciences

David Schweitzer was a 2023 recipient of the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and a 2020 recipient of the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Research Mentorship. Holding a Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Houston and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University, he serves as a Professor of Mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences and as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Engineering. Schweitzer is invested in the integration of math and technology, developing software tools to aid mathematical expression in various learning environments. He is the Program Director for Liberty’s Applied Mathematics and Statistics Degree, where he develops curriculum and serves as an advisor to the Actuarial Club, actively contributing to and managing the club’s resources. We are honored to have Dr. Schweitzer as our 2023-24 CTE Faculty Fellow.

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Center for Academic Development News

Visit the Faculty Workshops page for:

• Workshop Calendar
• Faith Integration Workshops
• Faculty Book Studies

Helpful Links

• Course Registration Tool

How Can We Help?

Have questions about who we are or the services we provide? Contact us at cte@liberty.edu.