CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
2019-20
ANNUAL REPORT
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ESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
This year has been one of transitions for the Center for Educational Excellence. I was delighted to join the team in January 2020. While a new director would have been the largest transition for the center in a typical year, just a few weeks into the Spring 2020 semester we all made a rapid switch to remote teaching in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With help from our CEE Liaisons and devoted colleagues, the CEE was able to immediately launch new programs and efforts to support faculty as we all tackled unprecedented challenges in uncertain pedagogic territory. 45 faculty representing 25 departments and schools stepped into the role of CEE Remote Faculty Facilitators, doing weekly outreach to members of their departments, sharing tips, strategies and serving as a point person for technology troubleshooting and resources. The day-in and day-out efforts of this colleagueto-colleague support during those first months of the COVID-19 crisis showed an inspiring team spirit. We know that building relationships with others is a cornerstone of thriving in our professional lives, both inside and outside the classroom, and USD faculty generously showed up for each other in small and large ways. The CEE aims to build on USD’s strength of collegiality in our programs and efforts. We have embedded three goals into our work: inspiring growth; sharing ideas; and building community around teaching. We are exploring new ways to do all three. In summer 2020 we launched 14 communities of practice where small groups of faculty met weekly or biweekly to learn and share ideas around specific topics and dilemmas related to remote and hybrid teaching. We funded faculty to enroll in Magna summer courses to learn more about teaching online. We also collaboratively developed expansive resource boards on remote and pandemic teaching as well as on racial justice. We want to support faculty in whatever aspect of their teaching they would like to grow, and we are committed to finding ways to help them fit it into their busy lives and competing professional demands. This year was not a gentle one for any of us. USD faculty demonstrated a fierce commitment to teaching excellence through the pandemic and their innovative ideas are paving the way for exciting changes in the CEE’s approach to supporting their work. We are grateful to our advisory board, our team of liaisons, and the dedicated friends who make it all happen. Thank you for your enthusiasm and devotion to our students. Sincerely, Lisa Nunn
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EW MISSION AND VALUES This year the CEE team spent some time reflecting and updating our mission and values. After multiple iterations and careful consideration, we are very excited to share what we value and what we wish to accomplish for our students and faculty in the coming years at USD.
Our Mission The Center for Educational Excellence is dedicated to inspiring educators to adopt practices that lead to meaningful student learning; enhance the success of interactions between teachers and learners; and cultivate relationships among our community of educators.
What We Value We believe that it is imperative to anchor our work in a commitment to equity in all its forms, recognizing the ever-evolving nature of injustice. We believe that meaningful student learning is best realized through teaching that is grounded in evidence-based practices. We believe that inspiring growth in teaching includes paying attention to holistic wellbeing and balance among professional demands such as scholarship and service. We believe that affirming the dignity of the student through inclusive practices is critical to successful interactions between teachers and learners. We believe that growth, exploration, and innovation in teaching happens best through a reflective process. We believe that fostering a campus culture that values teaching includes rewarding and recognizing faculty efforts. We believe that cross-disciplinary interactions spark creativity, collaboration, and meaningful relationships.
"I'm so glad I was able to connect with your office this summer"- Amanda Roth, School of Leadership & Education Sciences
"I'm so excited about all the new things that the CEE is doing" - Beth O'Shea, Environmental and Ocean Sciences
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YEAR IN REVIEW "Thank you so much again for all you do for us day in and day out!" - Adrianna Vamosiu, School of Business
Feb. 7th, 2020 - Supporting Learning Through Trauma-Informed Pedagogy. Facilitated by Melissa Halter, Wellness Services.
259
unique faculty
from 46 departments participated in CEE programming or services.
"Our workshop today was undoubtedly helpful - I am feeling prepared and knowledgeable. I look forward to applying this." - Channon Miller, History
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Oct. 10th, 2019 - Dine, Debate, Discuss: Overcoming the Fixation of Graded Deliverables. Coordinated by Travel Grant recipient Colin Campbell, School of Business.
grants were awarded to faculty to attend pedagogical conferences.
"I'm grateful to be part of
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such a wonderful community of scholars and educators" - David Miller, History
12
communities of practice
comprised of 50 faculty members came together on topics such as teaching on racial justice, authentic assessments, student motivation, and more!
consultations allowed faculty one-on-one support to assist with course and syllabus
design, work on writing assessments and rubrics, and more!
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Sept. 5th, 2019 - New Faculty Spring Social at the Cosmopolitan.
collaborative events including USD Just Read!, workshops on faculty development grants, the ARRT process, teaching abroad,
May 13th, 2020 - USD Just Read! Poverty Scholarship: Poor People-Led Theory, Art, Words, and Tears Across Mama Earth
teaching multilingual writers, postdoc teaching presentations, and advising!
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AKING THE TRANSITION TO REMOTE TEACHING
"I'm enthusiastic in helping make the virtual teaching/learning experience as effective as possible." - Miranda McGowen, School of Law
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participants read Small Teaching Online by
45 461
remote faculty facilitators
REACHED
faculty members
across 25 departments sharing resources, teaching ideas, and providing connection through the semester.
Flower Darby, as part of our Summer Read program.
"I so appreciate all of your support with remote teaching this past semester!" - Monica Stufft, Theatre
"Thanks for your resources and tips. Keep them coming." - T. O'Rourke, Communication Studies
4,238 dollars
were relieved from 50 faculty member's out-of-pocket costs for teaching supplies via small teaching grants.
33 faculty
"It was helpful to have these tips and information I can share with my colleagues."
attended 4-week long Magna enrichment courses on preparing, developing, or managing an online classroom to prepare for remote teaching funded by the CEE.
- Razel Milo, School of Nursing and Health Science
237
strategies & tips
on remote teaching and learning were disseminated through our Remote Teaching Trello board, support emails, and flyers.
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EFLECTIONS FROM OUR LIAISONS Last year we were able to get a group of STEM
faculty together to discuss important issues related to pedagogy, equity and social justice in STEM disciplines...Read more here. - Alex Mejia, STEM Liaison
This Fall was productive, beginning with a successful Open Faculty Orientation, for which feedback was gathered to improve moving forward, and the continued dissemination of the monthly newsletter...Read more here. - Rebekah Wanic, Adjunct Liaison
I've enjoyed my time as CEE liaison for SOLES, welcoming a large group of faculty in learning the basics of using NVivo from V. Dozier and supporting Just Read! events. Big thanks to the CEE Staff for the energy and commitment they bring to the work!...Read more here. - Suzanne Stolz, SOLES Liaison
The 2019–20 academic year featured a series of seminars for business faculty on relevant and timely research and teaching topics that reflected and fostered USD’s mission and values...Read more here. - Alexander Kull, School of Business Liaison
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EET THE TEAM
Lisa Nunn
Becca Williams
Director
Student Program Assistant
Rhea Webb
Fayth Fowler
Program
Student Visual
Coordinator
Media Assistant
Brianna Duplessis
JesĂşs MartĂnez Saucedo
Administrative
Student Data Entry
Assistant
Assistant Lauren O'Neill Student Office Assistant
Center for Educational Excellence Maher 264 619-260-7402 | cee@sandiego.edu www.sandiego.edu/cee