The Center for Academic Excellence

By Barbara D. Kiernan, M.A.'90

Imagine yourself a Fairfield University faculty member. You've diligently updated course material to keep it fresh and lively. You've published in journals, attended and presented at conferences, and created new courses to meet new needs. Now, a sea change in focus - from teaching to learning, from traditional lecture to the active involvement of students - is saturating every aspect of today's campus scene.

Would this call for a change in the way you teach? "Very possibly, yes," says Dr. Larry Miners, associate professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences, and founding director of the University's Center for Academic Excellence (CAE). Launched in 2003 through a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, the CAE quickly established itself as the go-to resource for faculty seeking to improve their teaching. That success led to a second $100,000 grant, this time from the Booth Ferris Foundation, to expand the services available to faculty - veteran and junior - looking for support or mentoring.

Growing faculty interest has heartened Dr. Larry Miners and Dr. Roben Torosyan, director and co-director of the Center for Academic Excellence.

But changing one's ways can be a challenge. That's why Dr. Roben Torosyan was brought on board full-time as assistant director of the Center. A specialist in teaching methods, he has expertise in facilitating class discussion, coaching student performance, and evoking understanding. "When I came to Fairfield in January 2005, I wondered how the faculty would receive me," he says. "The only trouble Larry and I have had has actually been wonderful - a strong demand for our services." Those services have included workshops on active learning, educative assessment, and integrating the core curriculum - each accompanied by practical ideas and theory to support them.

Last spring, the CAE began offering an informal, off-therecord opportunity for faculty to have their teaching assessed. To date, more than 25 have invited Dr. Torosyan or Dr. Miners into their classrooms to conduct a "MAT" (mid-semester assessment of teaching). Among them was Dr. James Simon, associate professor of English in the CAS, who happily waived his right to confidentiality so that he could applaud the service. "The CAE is the best thing to happen in the nine years I've been at Fairfield," he says. Intrigued by the idea of getting feedback specific to his teaching style, Dr. Simon requested a MAT for his Introduction to Newswriting course.

As Dr. Miners explains, "First we talk with the faculty member about his or her goals for the course and to see if there are specific issues they want feedback on." Then he or Dr. Torosyan visits the class, the instructor leaves for 20 minutes, and students respond to two questions in writing: 1) What is the instructor doing that is most helping you learn? and 2) What would you like to see done differently to improve your learning? Students sit in small groups and discuss, then report. Afterwards, the CAE compiles responses without attribution and has a follow-up meeting with the faculty member.

"What I discovered," says Dr. Simon, "was that my students were initially overwhelmed by the workload - not by the overall amount, but because so much of it was due early in the semester." He subsequently staggered assignments. The 10-page syllabus, he was surprised to learn, was a hit with students, who appreciated how well organized it was. "I hadn't realized the MAT would also validate the things I do right," he laughs, "so it's worth it even if you change nothing!"

"We recognize that it's hard for faculty to shift their teaching methods," says Dr. Torosyan. "We work with what they're trying to achieve and what they consider the most important thing they want to happen with their students." For someone accustomed to giving straight lectures, a shift could include incorporating some small group discussions. For someone else, it could mean involving students in a hands-on project.

Located in DiMenna-Nyselius Library, the CAE shares ground-floor space with the library's Information Technology Center. The complex includes the directors' private offices, two conference rooms with laptops and projectors; equipment for video editing; and a lending library of related books, tip sheets, and other media. The CAE has collaborated with James Bowler, S.J., facilitator for Jesuit and Catholic mission and identity, on Ignatian pedagogy, and has brought nationally recognized speakers to campus for two- and threeday seminars on both pedagogy and technology.

In a recent survey sent to faculty, more than half responded to the inquiry about their teaching interests. "That was very encouraging," says Dr. Miners, "and indicates the commitment faculty here have to their teaching."