3rd Annual Innovations in Teaching Forum
April 3rd, 2009

8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Heritage Room, University Union

Keynote Address: Dr. Linda Nilson

About the Teaching Forum

Join WIU faculty and administrators in dialogues, poster presentations, and panel discussions that address teaching issues such as fostering critical thinking, teaching the millennial student, and success stories in teaching with technology. The luncheon keynote address, “Learning Styles: Multiple Models”, will be presented by Dr. Linda B. Nilson, author of “Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors”. Dr. Nilson will also facilitate a special hands-on workshop (see below) following the forum luncheon.

Keynote - "Learning Styles: Multiple Models"

Linda NilsonDr. Linda Nilson, Director, Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation at Clemson University and author of "Teaching At It's Best, A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors".

This keynote will familiarize you with five leading learning styles frameworks: Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences; the Felder-Silverman Index of Learning Styles (ILS); Fleming and Mills’ VARK model; Kolb’s Learning Styles Model and Experiential Learning Theory (ELT); and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). We will compare and contrast their utility, validity, and reliability, and find common ground among the models.

Workshop - "Learning Styles: Multiple Models, Multiple Teaching Methods"

Click here to register for Dr. Nilson's workshop

Extending the keynote, this workshop will identify the most fruitful of the five learning styles frameworks for teaching purposes and integrate the models as far as possible.  We will further explore the styles that emerge from the synthesis and their practical implications for teaching. Then you will begin to design and organize class activities, learning aids, and assignments to facilitate student learning for each style. You will also be able to advise your students about how they can study most effectively and efficiently for their style(s).

Please RSVP your lunch attendance by March 26th, 2009 by calling the CITR office at 298-2434 or sending an email to CITR@wiu.edu.