Biological Sciences Seminar: "Teaching for Learning and Transfer in the Sciences "
Monday, June 30, 2014
Noon – 1:00 pm,
310 Jordan Hall of Science
John Pijanowski, Ph.D. will talk about the experiences of various faculty who have attempted innovations in their large classes to promote student engagement. His talk will be tailored towards large intro biology classes but draw from a variety of STEM courses where similar pedagogical tools have been used. He will walk the audience down several paths of how resources were used to improve the student experience in these classes and what pitfalls and successes were experienced after their investments. He will then make some general recommendations and help frame the conversation of what could continue on our campus after this seminar.
Pijanowski is a professor and former administrator with 20 years of experience as an educator. As an associate professor and co-director of the Wally Cordes Center for Teaching and Faculty Support Services at the University of Arkansas, Pijanowski teaches several ethics courses including, The Moral Mind in Action, Moral Courage, Teaching Character, and Leadership Ethics. In 2010 he was honored with the college's top faculty award for outstanding service, teaching, advising and research and in 2011 honored by the university with the Charles and Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award. Pijanowksi earned his B.A. in psychology from Brown University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from Cornell University in Educational Leadership.
Pijanowski’s research focuses on how people translate moral thinking into moral action. He is currently leading a National Science Foundation funded effort to develop ethics curriculum and teaching guides for future scientist across the United States. He has developed a reputation for his creative and engaging teaching style and provided workshops and keynote addresses to a variety of audiences that have ranged in size from 20-400 people.