Faculty Development

8/25/21 - Joelle Wolf - Helping Our Students Rediscover Hope
9/01/21 - Melanie DiBiase - How to Write Learning Objectives
9/08/21 - Gus Martin - Microlearning: A World of Opportunities
9/15/21 - Jud Lake - Worldview I
9/22/21 - Melanie DiBiase - How to Write Learning Objectives II
9/29/21 - Tammy Overstreet - Direct Instruction Strategies
10/06/21 - Ronda Christman and Delsin Menolascino - Do I Know You? Building Communities Online
10/13/21 - Jud Lake - Vision of the Heart
10/20/21 - Matt Tolbert - Course Design
10/27/21 - Bob Overstreet - Asking Questions That Matter
11/10/21 - Jud Lake - Worldview III
11/17/21 - Vola Andrianarijaona - Research and Its Impact on Students' Lives
12/01/20 - Jud Lake - Worldview IV
12/08/21 - Kristie Wilder - Critical Conversations
1/12/22 - Ken Caviness - History Highlights the Limitations of Science
1/19/22 - David Nelsen - Research, IRB, and You (click to download PowerPoint)
1/26/22 - Tron Wilder - Engaging Students
2/02/22 - Gus Martin and Greg Merchant - Do You Know What They Know?
2/09/22 - Victoria Joiner - Communication & Public Speaking Course & Biblical Foundations: Interpersonal Encounters With the Creator
2/16/22 - Laurie Stankavich - The Relationship Between Writing and Student Engagement
2/23/22 - Krystal Bishop - We Have the Power to Create
3/02/22 - Library Faculty - Mastering the Library: Your Endgame to Finding Online Research and Writing Resources
3/09/22 - David Nelsen - Worldview and Biology
3/23/22 - Ken Caviness - Science from Two Different Worldviews
4/06/22 - Chris Hansen - Pedagogy and Assessment - An Assorted Collection of Musings By A Recent Student
4/13/22 - Pablo Fernandez, Gus Martin, and Greg Merchant - Academic Integrity: The Honest Way
4/20/22 - Lisa Diller - Worldview
4/27/22 - Tiffany Bartell - Caring for the Ones Who Care

8/31/2022 - Gus Martin - Teaching Generation Z
The young generation of today connects more with the outside world via their mobile phones. Nearly everyone under 35 has a smartphone and uses it almost every day. Research shows that 28% of Americans between 15 and 34 years old used their smartphone to send messages in 2011. Since then, this number had increased steadily to almost 50% in 2014. Information technology has revolutionized the way we learn, do daily tasks from home and even at work. Come to learn and discuss how technology positively and negatively impact our students and what can we do to help them.

9/07/2022 - Bob Overstreet - The Flow of Teaching
Have you considered how Southern Adventist University differs from other higher education institutions?  What is so special about the students, staff, and faculty who walk the promenade of this campus? What is your place, and what role do you have on this campus?  Today’s faculty development seminar will be by Dr. Robert Overstreet, Director of the Center of Teaching Excellence and Biblical Foundations of Faith and Learning.  Dr. Overstreet will pose many questions about why you are here and what makes Southern unique and different from other colleges and universities.  Dr. Overstreet will unpack the term Faculty Development- activities and programs designed to improve instruction in higher education as well as outline this year’s objectives for the Wednesday Faculty Luncheons.

9/14/2022 - Emily McArthur - Searching for the Sublime
Why do humans feel fear and awe when immersed in wilderness landscapes? What psychological and spiritual realities do these experiences reveal? Through a discussion of travel and travel-inspired literature, we will explore what makes sublime experiences in nature especially profound.

9/21/2022 - Kristie Wilder and Lunelle Bertresse - Why Faculty Self-Care Matters and How to Put it into Practice
Self-care is an important component of an educator’s mental health, but there are misconceptions about what it is. As a result, it can be common for educators to dismiss the self-care movement as “selfish” or “irrelevant.” But with the rise of mental health challenges seeping into the classroom, self-care for educators is more important than ever. In this session, we will discuss practical and effective strategies that will support you in taking care of your own health so that you’re prepared to meet the demands of being the best educator you can be for your students.

9/28/2022 - Harvey Alferez - A Biblical Worldview of Research 
A Biblical worldview is built upon the framework of ideas and beliefs through which a Christian individual or group interprets the world and interacts with the world. Our worldview shapes the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions of our lives. Come and learn more about the Biblical worldview of research presented by Harvey Alferez, professor of the School of Computing and Director of CIRC. (No recording available.)

10/05/2022 - Matthew Tolbert - Confronting Anxiety and Depression in our Students
Southern has had a dramatic increase of students dealing with anxiety and mood disorders, which has lead to significant increases in both counseling appointments and medical withdrawals from the university. Understanding what these students are experiencing is the first step to being able to help them find success. This session will help describe what is happening in the brain of students with difficult anxiety and mood issues, explain how and why this is affecting their academic progress, and identify ways that faculty can support them so they can continue to find success here at Southern.

10/19/2022 - Melanie DiBiase - Kicking Test Anxiety to the Curb
A nationwide survey of US undergraduate students identified stress (40% of all students) and anxiety (29% of all students) as the two most common impediments to their academic performance (American College Health Association, 2019). Students reported that one of the major contributors leading to stress was high-stakes tests. University student support centers report that as many as 40% of all college students suffer from moderate to high test anxiety, and these numbers can be even higher in both non-white and first-generation college students. This CTE session will explore test anxiety, provide instructional strategies designed to lessen stress about the test, and suggest alternate methods to traditional high-stakes assessments.

10/26/2022 - Gus Martin and Greg Merchant - eClass 4.0
If you teach or use eClass in one way or another, this TechBytes presentation is for you. Before the upcoming winter semester, eClass will undergo a significant upgrade. Even though the system will function the same way, the platform will look different and have new features available for you to use. 

11/02/2022 - Amy Ortiz-Moretta - Dealing with Students in Crisis
Amy Ortiz-Moretta will review the counseling center services and what faculty can do for students in distress or emergencies.

11/09/2022 - Ellen Hostetler - Spiritually Rich Relationship Philanthropy
Join the Advancement team and two local philanthropists for this exciting and practical workshop on philanthropy as ministry and how to make and keep relationships that have eternal results. Philanthropists Ken Defoor and Heidi Zinke will share their personal experience and how it feels to be asked to support projects. Ellen Hostetler and the Advancement team will share experiential advice about maintaining relationships with alumni and community members that can lead to mutually beneficial support. Bring your Giving Day thinking caps and learn about the spiritually of fundraising in practical steps.

11/16/2022 - Blake Laing - Experience Switching to the 4.0 Scale
A recent paper by David J. Webb et al [1] re-graded 10 years of calculus-based introductory physics tests in order to compare outcomes using the traditional percentage scale to the 4.0 scale, demonstrating that "the fraction of students given grades less than C− was over 5 times larger when instructors used the percent scale" compared to what grades these students would have been assigned if graded with a 4-point scale. That the effect of this simple change in grading practice remained so strong after controlling for other factors was surprising even to Webb (who was one of the instructors). My challenge in teaching this course (in an institution starting an engineering program) has been to greatly expand participation in physics (including improving a 23% DFW rate) while still challenging high-performing students. I will share my experiences with trying the 4-point scale over the last two semesters, which agree with the quantitative findings of the paper but also helped me better appreciate the authors' message concluding their study: "it essential for instructors to consider the biases of the percent scale when planning their course for the semester, so that they can ensure that their teaching philosophies match their grading philosophies."

11/30/22 - Gus Martin and Greg Merchant - eClass 4.0 Part II
eClass will be going a major upgrade before the winter semester that will focus on user experience and aesthetics. Last month’s TechBytes presentation provided a glance of how the changes are and gave you access to a virtual sandbox to experience the actual changes before they are officially implemented. For the part II of the eClass 4.0 presentation, Greg Merchant and Gus Martin will delve deeper into some of the major changes that will take place, such as question banks, how to integrate and use the new badging system in your courses, etc. (No recording available.)

12/07/2022 - Tammy Overstreet - The Power of Habits
Habits can be powerful influences on our success as leaders, as professionals, as people, and as Christians.  How do we form better habits and how do we sustain them? The elephant, the rider, and the path will help us answer those questions.

01/11/2023 - Alan Parker - Letting Schrodinger's Cat Out of the Box
“A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it.” Timothy Keller. Discover how to use doubt to generate student interest and strengthen faith. Principles and strategies for engaging students will be shared and Schrödinger's cat will finally be let out of its box.

1/18/2023 - Pablo Fernandez - How to Relate a Biblical Worldview to Classes When There Isn't an Obvious Connection
Since I joined Southern as a faculty member, I have appreciated the emphasis professors put on teaching their classes with a biblical foundation. I have had a positive and easy experience using the Bible as a communication resource in Public Speaking classes but struggled to have a similar experience when teaching technical and project-oriented courses. If you can relate to this experience, I invite you to join us this Wednesday to learn from each other’s journey and help us strengthen our biblical foundation academic offerings.

1/25/2023 - Harvey Alferez, Robert Ordonez, Gus Martin - Learning in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Times
Come and learn more about this technology and engage in a group discussion of practical things we can do to deal with this new reality. (No recording available.)

2/01/2023 - Gary Patton - Physiological Stress on the Brain
Advanced studies on neurology allows us to confirm that the human brain can do a lot of things.  Yet, the brain does have a series of priorities about how it deals with stimuli.  We know that stress can impact attention & concentration; learning & memory; problem solving & logic.  Yet, why and how does this occur?  This brief lecture will address what happens in the brain and body in times of stressful events.

2/08/2023 - Mills McArthur, Bob Overstreet, and Bob Young - Institutional SAGA
Southern Adventist University, founded in 1892, has a long history of training nurses, educators, and pastors — professions with overt and intrinsic connections to Christ-centered calling and service. Over the years, things have changed so much that many constituents (prospective students, employees, church members, and alumni) think Southern’s primary function has changed, too — that we no longer train students for a life of missional service. Southern Adventist University will use “Reframing the Institutional Saga” funds for research conducted by both students and educators which identifies and clarifies not only how the school has remained faithful to its roots, but also how it seeks to contextualize that historical mission in a 21st century framework to guide educational offerings moving forward. Join us to learn more about this project.

2/15/2023 - Jasmine Johnson - Learning Assessment Techniques
“Learning Assessment Techniques (LATs) gives faculty easy-to-implement active learning techniques that are designed to gauge student learning across academic disciplines and learning environments” (Barkley & Major, 2016). Come learn how LATs can be used as a guide to know what and how well your students are gathering information as active learning integrates assessments. If this topic generates curiosity, I invite you to join us this Wednesday as we discuss professor-driven learning assessments for student-driven growth outcomes.

2/22/2023 - Greg Merchant, Robert Ordonez, Harvey Alferez - eClass and Artificial Intelligence
Since the transition to eClass 4.0 this past winter break, some things have changed the way they look, where they are, how they work, or simply are no longer available. At the same time, new technologies are now becoming available for our consideration as modern educators. Online Campus invites you to come to learn about what those changes are in eClass and engage in a conversation regarding the impact AI technologies will have in the field of education.

3/01/2023 - Nathan Harris - Trauma and Our Community
"The most recent Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) report shows that more college students are self-reporting experiencing trauma at some point during their childhood experiences. Trauma has become a national point of conversation, and yet, there appear to be as many definitions of trauma-informed care as there are conversations. Nathan Harris, current director of Bryan College Counseling Services, will attempt to provide a working definition of trauma, an understanding of trauma-related symptoms, and effective strategies for best supporting our students."

3/08/2023 - Clarice and Paul Nixon - Using the Bible as a Textbook
The Bible is the basis and reference point of all educational endeavors, and on a Christian campus, every class and professor should be able to use the Bible as a foundational textbook. Paul and Clarise Nixon, English professors and co-founders of CP Nix, will demonstrate how they use the Bible as a textbook in their English courses.

3/29/2023 - Andrew Richards - A New Strategy to Engage and Receive Feedback From Learners in the University Classroom
Have you struggled to engage diverse learners and assess learning in your classroom? Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) allow educators to measure performance, improve engagement, facilitate learning, and improve instruction. This workshop will discuss the purpose of CATs and introduce a new classroom assessment technique. The 5 Minute Peer Writing Activity (5MPWA) is an interactive strategy to measure student performance, improve student engagement, and create an active, social learning environment. You will experience the 5MPWA, discover the impact of the 5MPWA on student performance, engagement, and satisfaction, and explore strategies to engage diverse learners in your classroom. (No recording available.)

4/05/2023 - Tiffany Bartell and Joseph Khabbaz - The Intersection of Spirituality and Mental Health
Have you noticed that the younger generations are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety? It may come as a surprise, but research shows that engagement with Scripture can help reduce these symptoms. In fact, those  in Generation Z who read the Bible regularly report fewer signs of depression, stress and anxiety than their peers. So what is it about spiritual health that helps to alleviate mental health issues?

Now more than ever, young people need guidance in understanding spirituality and its relationship to wellbeing. That is why we are offering this presentation on the connection between spiritual and mental health; highlighting key findings from our research on recent generational trends. Join us as we seek to understand how young adults embracing faith can contribute positively to their mental wellbeing and practical steps you can take to provide support!

4/12/2023 - Jim Moon - Helping Students to Find Their Calling
Today’s conversation will examine key concepts and practices from Jim’s Dissertation on The Ebenezer Model of Missional Prayer. In his studies, Jim learned that witnessing begins with listening and prayer makes disciples. His own work with student leaders has allowed Jim to see how leading through listening and prayer can help students find clarity in their personal journey with Jesus, interpersonal journey with people, and discovery journey in the areas of calling and career. His goal for our faculty gathering on April 12th is share four core practices for helping students find their voice. Following a brief presentation, Jim intends to facilitate an open dialogue with those present about our key learnings and best practices in the area of helping students find their voice.

4/19/2023 - David Nelson - Make Your Assumptions Plain: Using Directed Acyclic Graphs to Understand Your Assumptions in Research, IRB, and in the Classroom
Engaging in research can seem overwhelming for many reasons e.g., keeping up with the literature, staying abreast of the latest techniques, and figuring out what to do with the mountains of data you collected. Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are a useful tool in refining your research goals, developing your methods, and choosing appropriate statistical models to evaluate your data, all before data collection has begun. I will present how to use DAGS and why they should become a regular part of research in education, nursing, biology, psychology, social work, and beyond. I will also explore some uses for DAGs in the classroom.

4/26/23 - Bethany Howard, Deyse Bravo, Donald Martin - Open Educational Resources and PowerNotes
Open Educational Resources: Have you ever wanted to adopt open educational resources (OER) but don’t have the time to search through the many websites and resources on the internet?  Do not fear, because the library has collected those resources for you.  In addition, we provide access to the Faculty Select database, a platform to locate quality, open access textbooks and e-books for your courses from top academic publishers.  We look forward to providing an overview of these resources so you can begin adopting OER in your future classes. 

PowerNote: Notetaking is an integral part of research and writing in an academic setting.  However, as technology has evolved, the need has arisen for new software to provide the means of taking notes in online spaces.  PowerNotes is a new notetaking software that seeks to integrate the notetaking and citation processes seamlessly into the online research process.

8/23/23 - Sonja Fordham & Jessica Spears - Writing Groups and Library Services
Find out how this academic school year could be one of the most powerful and influential teaching years of your career. Many generations are working and taking classes together, so how does the Generation Z/Pandemic Generation fit in? Discover strategies that will help you provide hope again to the students at Southern Adventist University.

Learn how to get the most out of your McKee Library experience! We will explore several new website features as well as the many ways in which the librarians can partner with you through instruction and classroom support, research services and tools, and academic publishing.

8/30/23 - Student Support Staff - Student Support Services
Located in the Bietz Center for Student Life, the Student Support Services’ staff of professionally trained counselors and advisors assists students in developing and achieving their educational and personal goals in a supportive, caring and confidential environment. Student Support Services consists of the following departments:

• Career and Life Calling Services
• Counseling and Testing Services
• Disability Support Services
• First Year Experience

9/6/23 - Dionne Felix - Engaging Social Learning
Employees set the tone and influence the climate of their organizations. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) - a core element of emotional intelligence - plays a central role in maintaining one’s sense of self, morale, loyalty, retention, and success. Understanding, embodying, and intentionally applying SEL to daily experiences improves employee engagement, enhances and transforms the tenor and climate of your space, and can mitigate attrition.

9/13/23 - Matt Tolbert - Research: The Southern Way
We don’t know what we don’t know. Breaking out of the discipline box faculty are trained in can be scary and difficult. The silos that protect our way of thinking and teaching are often barriers to truly innovative ways in which we can engage and inspire our students. One way to overcome these challenges is to engage other disciplines in thoughtful dialogue about the nature of learning and education and bring students along with us. At the Center for Learning Innovation and Research (CLIR), we believe this can best be accomplished through conducting student-involved interdisciplinary research. This presentation will serve as a short workshop on how Southern, with an emphasis on Christian community, is well-positioned to facilitate greater learning through engaging our students and our colleagues in a uniquely Southern way.

9/20/23 - Harvey Alférez - Catapulting Research Through Mentoring
An educator+researcher is an expert in a particular discipline, maintains a curious spirit, makes contributions to knowledge, and works in a collaborative and interdisciplinary way. Most importantly, an educator+researcher is a mentor who inspires students to learn and generate new knowledge. In this way, the ultimate goal of an educator+researcher is not an industrial product or a scientific publication, but stronger relationships with students. These relationships motivate students to dream big and achieve. In this presentation, I will show practical ways in which an educator+researcher can catapult research in the classroom or in a research group.

9/27/23 - Cristy Pratt, Sarah Penagos - The Importance of Social Connections 
In this session, we will delve into a fundamental aspect of education that often forms the bedrock of a student's academic journey - the art of building relationships and nurturing a profound sense of belonging. Beyond the curriculum and lesson plans lies the potential of genuine connections. As educators, we hold the power to create an environment where students not only feel acknowledged and valued, but also celebrated for their unique strengths and contributions. Throughout this session, we'll explore tangible strategies and delve into the significance of empathy, active listening, and cultural awareness in cultivating enduring connections.

10/4/23 - Clarise Nixon - How to Help Students Think Critically 
Professors hear different definitions of critical thinking over their careers, but how do they get their students to use specific systems of critical thinking in their work? In this session, Clarise Nixon will share some critical thinking tips and assignment ideas from the Foundation of Critical Thinking that faculty can immediately start using in their classrooms. Faculty will also have an opportunity to practice their own critical thinking skills during this session. 

10/11/23 - Online Campus 

10/18/23 - Jennie Janssen - The Profile of an Engaged Alumni
Engaged alumni give back to the university in multiple ways. Jennie Janssen, ’99, exemplifies three of them beautifully: a mentor of students, philanthropically supportive, and a guest lecturer on our campus (E.O. Grundset Lecture Series). Join this accomplished Southern alumnus as she shares what has inspired her to give back in these significant ways. 

Jennie is an Assistant Curator at National Aquarium and a Research Associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Specializing in the care of both elasmobranchs and jellyfish for over 20 years at various public aquaria, she is also passionate about husbandry professionals participating in research as both professional development and a means of communicating the discoveries and innovative advances that commonly arise from aquariums and zoos. A champion of collaboration, she leads the International Census of Chondrichthyans in Human Care, serves as a Vice-Chair of the AZA Professional Development Committee, is a co-creator of the Kraken Curriculum, the POSea Conference, the Jelly Camp conference, and the nonprofit organization Minorities in Aquarium and Zoo Science (MIAZS), and was named in the Power 10 of the Zoo & Aquarium Influencer List 2022. She and her husband David live in Maryland.

10/25/23 - Mandy Sharpe, Amy Ortiz-Moretta - Meaningful Relationships: Creating an Atmosphere of Care and Welcome 
Do your students feel like you care about them as a person? Do they feel comfortable approaching you with questions or personal situations? All faculty members have opportunities to show genuine interest in students, share their passion and expertise in their disciplines, and spark students to learn. The principles of Relationship-Rich Education share how we can do just that. Join us this week to discuss and learn how to facilitate an atmosphere where your students experience genuine welcome and deep care from their professors. 

11/1/23 - Patti Anderson, Bob Young, Bob Overstreet - Creating a Classroom Legacy: How College Professors can Garner Phenomenal Student Reviews
The presentation "Creating a Classroom Legacy: How College Professors Can Garner Phenomenal Student Reviews" explores how college professors can create a positive and lasting impact on their students. This presentation suggests that professors can create a classroom legacy by connecting with their students, establishing a welcoming, relaxed, fun spirit in the classroom, and obtaining constructive feedback from each student. Additionally, the presentation investigates professor evaluations and how professors can use this instrument to gain valuable feedback. The presentation concludes by encouraging professors to think about the legacy they want to leave behind and how they can cultivate it now.

11/8/23 - Cheryl Craven, Blake Laing, Randy Craven, Laurie Stankavich - Service Learning: Professor Profiles
Do students have course options in your academic discipline for service-learning? Service-learning is an educational methodology, which combines student service experiences in the community with explicit academic learning objectives, and deliberate reflection. Join us this week to hear from three professors about the service-learning experiences they provide through their SERV-2 designated courses.

11/15/23 - Robert Ordóñez - Try Just One Byte!
You have dozens of students in a single section. You'd like to try something fresh and new in the classroom. But who has time to keep up with ever-changing technology? In today's session we'll briefly try 3 easy-to-use solutions that will help you:

1. Make students responsible for recording their own attendance while curbing the usual temptation to "fake it" by using Moodle's Attendance activity.
2. Elicit more questions, especially from the quieter students, without "cold calling" using Slido.
3. Get quick or detailed feedback on student comprehension. We'll use a pick-your-own-adventure experience using either Plickers, Moodle's Choice activity, or embedded (Cloze) questions for Moodle quizzes & tests.

We challenge you to come and learn about these, and then try just one next semester (or even this semester)!

11/29/23 - Dionne Felix, Gus Martin - Designing Quality Online Courses
Even though online learning is not meant for everyone, research from Allen & Seaman (2017) demonstrates that the number of online courses and online enrollment at the university level has continued to increase since 2017. Even with the increase in online enrollment, online student dropout and lack of engagement in distance education are still some of the issues of concern that many universities must wrestle with as they continue to expand their online course offerings. A similar trend is found here at Southern as we have increased the number of online courses from 167 in the 2021/22 school year to 302 in the 2023/24. To ensure that our program will be competitive and meet the current academic demands of our community, we need to understand that a quality educational program begins with how our online courses are designed. 

To help you become better acquainted with what is needed to develop a quality online course, Dionne Felix, Ph.D., Associate VP of Academic Administration, and Gus Martin, Ph.D., Online Campus Director, will present the standards and principles of best course design practices.

12/6/23 - Melanie DiBiase, Emily McArthur - Impacting Learning Through Relationships 
Recent neuroscience on brain development supports the importance of meaningful relationships in productive learning environments, including university classrooms. In young adults, the brain is still developing on a synaptic level — making the role of relationships more important than previously thought to learning, growing, and thriving. Emily McArthur and Melanie DiBiase will share recent findings that combine research on brain development with educational opportunities to increase student success and the well-being of alumni long after they graduate. Please join us to learn some new strategies for creating a relationship-rich learning environment in any classroom! 

01/10/24 - Stephen Bauer - Worldview and Scripture no. 1
As Christians we are called to have a worldview that is different and distinctive from the society that surrounds us. What are the key components of a biblical worldview? How are they expressed in your academic life? This week, we examine two foundational elements of a biblical worldview and three subtle steps that can lead us out of a biblical worldview without fully realizing it. 

1/17/24 - Matt Tolbert - Inspiring Growth Mindset in our Students
Have you noticed that some students do only the bare minimum? Instead of trying for an A, they are just hoping to pass. They may pass, but how could they succeed at higher levels? The answer may be in changing their mindset. 

There are two mindsets that have been shown to contribute to success: fixed mindset and growth mindset. Research shows that growth mindset leads to higher success in every area of life, especially academics. This session will demonstrate an activity that can be used to help students discuss, identify, and change the mindset they have. If we can help students change their mindset, then perhaps we can help them gain the self-efficacy they need to succeed at higher levels, both here at Southern and in their future calling.

1/24/24 - Gus Martin & Greg Merchant - eClass Update
You might have observed some recent changes in eClass following the winter break update. As we gear up for our scheduled update during Spring Break, we invite you to join us and get acquainted with these changes. Learn how to effectively utilize the new features and stay informed about what’s to come. We’ll also do a simple demonstration of our badging system to provide insight into how the system can assist your students in capturing and sharing the diverse skills they are acquiring in your class with a global audience. 

1/31/24 - Tammy Overstreet & Jasmine Johnson - Making Connections
A "relationship-rich" approach goes beyond traditional teaching methods, advocating for a holistic view of education that recognizes the importance of relationships in shaping a positive and effective learning experience. It encourages student-professor and/or colleague relationships to go beyond the curriculum and actively cultivate an environment where meaningful connections can be created and thrive. In this session, the presentation will emphasize this pivotal role of building meaningful relationships in the realm of education.

2/7/24 - Stephen Bauer - Worldview and Scripture no. 2
In Part Two of our Worldview and Scripture series, we will explore two more key dimensions of a biblical worldview. The first emerges from the concept of the Great Controversy as related to the prioritization of perspectives and data sources. The second looks at the role of faith in God in our epistemology. How are our foundations for knowledge impacted by who God is and the nature of His character?

2/14/24 - Cayce Powell - Estate Planning to Reduce Family Stress
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to revisit your estate plan? Or maybe even get one started? During today’s session, Cayce Powell, Estate Planning Attorney and Thompson & Associates President, will be hosting a presentation and Q&A session on the topic of values-based estate planning. As the Thompson & Associates adviser to Southern, Cayce works with staff, alumni, and supporters, helping each of them understand how to better shape their estate plans to meet their personal objectives and values. Whether you want to revisit your plan or need to get one started, we’ll discuss reducing family stress when it comes to planning your estate. 

2/21/24 - Gary Sewell & IT Department - Cybersecurity
Think before you click! Be a human firewall! Cybersecurity takes no rest and neither should you! Join us this week to learn how to identify risks and increase your cyber safety.

2/28/24 - Joseph Khabbaz & Sunia Fukofuka - Empowering Students for Mission through Relationship-Rich Education
Discover how relationship-rich education can foster a sense of mission and greater student thriving on Faith-Based Campuses, instilling within them a deep sense of calling and purpose. During the presentation, we will explore how nurturing a strong sense of calling motivates students to engage in their communities. This will be a valuable presentation for anyone seeking to build meaningful connections with students in ways that empower them to make a difference.

3/6/24 - Stephen Bauer - Worldview and Scripture no. 3
In this third and final study on Biblical Worldview, we will examine the fifth foundational element, The Sanctity and Limits of Human Life. Having covered the key components of a biblical worldview, we can again ask the question: how are they effectively expressed in our personal and academic lives?

3/20/24 - Bob Overstreet - Building a Relationship-Rich Classroom: The Power of Please, Sorry, and Thanks in Education
This week’s Faculty Development Luncheon will examine how professors can cultivate a Relationship Rich classroom to enhance student learning. Using words like ‘Please’, ‘Sorry’, and ‘Thanks’ in an educational setting helps to create a culture of respect, understanding, and appreciation. It fosters a sense of belonging, encourages positive interactions, and contributes to a supportive and enriching learning environment for all individuals involved.

3/27/24 Chanda Daggs - First Generation College Students (FirstGen or FGCS): Examining and Redefining the Label
Some of our students arrive on campus with a prior understanding of degrees and majors, advisors and minors, prerequisites and electives. They have parents and grandparents who have often shared their own Southern or other college stories around the dinner table. Other students, however, may be the first in their family to attend college and lack the same understanding of the college path - yet they come to us with courage, aspirations, academic skills, talents, determination, and faith.

The label “First Generation College Student” is often characterized by what FirstGen may lack. Using an asset-based approach, we can redefine the label and instead characterize FirstGen by what they bring to our campus.

4/3/24 - Harvey Alferez - The Role of Adventist Education in the Midst of Competing Worldviews
Secular conflicting worldviews constantly influence our students with assumptions regarding human life, reality, origins, deity, the universe, purpose, truth, values, meaning, and destiny. In this presentation, we will review the concept of worldview and discuss major worldviews with a special emphasis on transhumanism. We will study how, as Adventist educators, we can help our students develop a reliable Biblical worldview from which they can pursue their vocation, make decisions, and prepare for eternity.

4/10/24 - Beckie Retzer & Holly Gadd - Optimize Your Brain- Impact on Student Wellbeing
Optimize Your Brain (OYB) is an elective course available to all students since 2018. This presentation will focus on student lifestyle choices and characteristics that impact mental health, academic performance, and social interactions. Data from student tests and course evaluations will be shared. Come find out what this course can do to help your students achieve better wellbeing.

4/17/24 - Sheralee Thomas & Stephanie Wilczynski - Teaching in Times of Artificial Intelligence
Join us this week as Sheralee Thomas, PhD, esteemed educator and researcher from Andrews University, shares a presentation on teaching in the age of AI. In this engaging session, Dr. Thomas will delve into the impact of artificial intelligence on modern education and explore innovative teaching strategies to effectively navigate this evolving landscape. Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead in educational trends and empower your students for the future. Mark your calendars and join us for an enriching discussion on the intersection of technology and education.

4/24/24 - Alan Parker - Education as Discipleship
How is Adventist higher education different from that of a secular institution? How do principles found in the Bible and Ellen White’s writing shape our view of relationship-rich education? In this interactive presentation, Alan Parker, School of Religion professor, will present practical strategies for discipling students in and outside of the classroom. Dr. Parker will discuss how to engage in person-centered education that is holistic, biblical, and transformative. Come prepared to challenge traditional concepts of education and to engage in a lively discussion. Join us for the last session of the year!

8/28/24 - Greg King - Carpe Annum: Seize the Year! 
Greg King, professor and dean of the School of Religion, will speak about the spiritual opportunities and challenges that await the faculty in their classrooms this semester. His presentation will focus on ways that we can be about the mission that God has called us to fulfill on this campus.

9/04/24 - Michael Weismeyer, Matt Tolbert - The Role of Religion and Spirituality in a Reacting to the Past Game Experience
Gamification has become a hot topic in education over the past several decades. Research has demonstrated the benefits of using games in classroom teaching to help students with higher-order thinking and acquisition of material. However, research has not been done to examine how games may affect the spiritual lives and religiosity of students. 

Over the past few years, games have been used more regularly in classes at Southern. Now, Dr. Michael Weismeyer and Dr. Matthew Tolbert have conducted a study of the role games can have on the spirituality and religiosity of students. They will discuss the initial findings of the study and show how games can have a positive effect on the lives of our students.

9/11/24 - Harvey Alferez - Generative AI in Pedagogy: Enhancing Teaching Methods and Student Engagement
In this presentation, we will explore how AI is reshaping education. We'll start by examining the shift in educational paradigms in the age of AI, followed by a discussion on how AI fosters active learning and personalized education. We’ll then explore integrating Bloom's Taxonomy in AI-driven classrooms and consider how assessments must evolve in this new context. The presentation will conclude with reflections on the ethical implications and future directions for AI in education.

9/18/24 - Gus Martin, Greg Merchant, and Sergio Bellino - Enhancing Learning Through Digital Innovation
Have you ever wondered how to make your lessons more engaging? We are excited to invite you to this week's TechBytes presentation, where you'll have the opportunity to explore innovative ways to enhance your teaching. This session will take the format of a show-and-tell, where Greg Merchant, Sergio Bellino, and Gus Martin will demonstrate how to effectively use a variety of digital platforms that are easily accessible and can help bring your lessons to life. Join us and discover new ways to inspire and engage your students through technology.

9/25/24 - Mandy Sharpe and Amanda Patton - Utilizing Biblical Foundations in College Courses
Do you utilize a Biblical Foundation in your class? Ever wonder what that could look like other than just putting a map in your syllabus? Join today’s session as two of our PTA professors share how they incorporate the Higher Education Biblical Foundation Course Design model into their classes. Learn active teaching and learning strategies, how to look at the big picture of your courses, and what you can do to incorporate the model into your own course.

10/2/24 - Jasmine Johnson, Courtney Golden - Trauma Informed Policies
In response to the growing recognition of how trauma impacts student learning and behavior, incorporating trauma-informed practices into education preparation programs (EPPs) has become vital. Currently there is limited research on how EPP curricula can best equip pre-service teachers to respond to the evolving needs of students who have or will experience trauma. To help bridge this gap, Dr. Jasmine Johnson and Dr. Courtney Golden have examined how effectively EPPs prepare teachers to implement trauma-informed practices in four key areas: cultural awareness, opportunities of empowerment, positive relationships, and safe learning environments (COPS). Join us as they share their research study findings and discuss the role we can all play in contributing to the well-being, resiliency, and success of students in the face of adversity.

10/09/24 - Ken Caviness - The Wisdom And Power of God
The universe is immensely big and its constituents are incredibly small. We can turn to numbers (math!) when words fail us – “powers of 10” to describe the different “scales” of creation. At each level we marvel: How great is God! Join us today as Dr. Ken Caviness shares an engaging presentation on the wonders of creation, big and small.

10/16/24 - Shauna Chung - The AI Elephant in the Room 
This presentation examines future-facing pedagogical strategies to empower and prepare students for academic and workplace realities ushered in by artificial intelligence. By addressing the “AI Elephants” in the room—ie., common concerns around value, ethics, and implementation—this talk offers practical ways to move through moments of profound change in higher education and toward a future where students are critical, creative, and confident users of emerging technologies.

Dr. Shauna Chung is an Adobe Pedagogical Evangelist and former English faculty at the New York City College of Technology (CUNY). At Adobe, she focuses on how emerging technologies impact teaching and learning and what essential skills students must adopt to harness their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in the age of artificial intelligence.

10/23/24 - Bethany Howard & Mica Myers - Gamification Tools in the Classroom
As we progress through our current digital age, finding ways to adapt instruction services in the library and the classroom to the current technological demands and trends is vital to maintaining relevancy.  Gamification is one popular tool that has emerged to engage students in instruction, catch their attention, and provide added interest. Bethany Howard will showcase her favorite gamification tools to use in the classroom and will discuss her personal experience utilizing gamification at McKee Library for college composition and public speaking research instruction. In addition, Mica Myers and Bethany Howard will discuss relevant library updates, including LibKeyNomad++, NYTimes subscriptions, EBSCO searching interface changes, and more.

10/30/24 - Bob Overstreet - Fierce Conversations
Join us this Wednesday for a session on Fierce Conversations, a powerful approach to communication that emphasizes honesty, active listening, and the courage to address difficult issues. This development opportunity will help you build more meaningful relationships, foster a transparent work environment, and improve problem-solving through open, direct communication. Gain tools to navigate tough conversations with confidence and learn how to create a space for dialogue that promotes trust and collaboration.

11/6/24 - David Nelson - Evaluating the Risk of Human-Joro Spider Interactions
Joro spiders are a large and venomous spider recently introduced to the United States. The population has steadily increased and spread since its introduction. Today, Joro spiders are the most common orb-weaver in the greater Atlanta area, bringing them into close contact with humans. Evidence also suggests that people are more interested in this species than comparable native species. The Joro invasion has garnered significant attention in the news and popular media, including in locations where this species has yet to be seen (see links below for recent examples). Given the public interest, fear, and increasing risk of encountering these spiders in highly urban areas, we have conducted research to evaluate the risks that human-spider interaction poses, focusing especially on the severity and risk of envenomation from a Joro spider bite. Join us today to discuss our findings!