faculty member calling on a student with her hand raised

Fall 2023 Teaching Effectiveness Institute 

Improving Learning and Mental Health in the College Classroom

August 17, 2023, 9 AM - 4 PM
In-person at the Holmes Student Center

Facilitated by Rob Eaton, author of a recent book on mental health in higher education


Overview

Much has been written about how to tackle what’s been called a mental health pandemic. Yet interestingly enough, very little of the research focuses on the role played by those on campus whose influence may be greatest — faculty members. Drawing from interviews with students and the scholarship of teaching and learning, in this institute we’ll explore strategies that can simultaneously make life better for students with mental health challenges, while improving learning for all their students.

Participants will come away with evidence-based, practical suggestions for making small improvements in teaching that will have great impacts on the learning and the lives of students with mental health challenges.


Speakers

Rob EatonRob Eaton is a professor of religious education. A former attorney, executive, and college administrator, Rob’s real passion is helping students learn. At BYU-Idaho, he has spent an equal number of years in the classroom and in administration. In the latter role, Rob has been the lead developer and teacher of a semester-long course for new faculty members. He also helped create what has become BYU Pathway Worldwide—an online program now serving over 57,000 students in over 160 countries.

Rob earned a bachelor’s in international relations from BYU and a law degree from Stanford, where he was named the outstanding oralist in the law school’s appellate court competition. Before becoming a full-time teacher, Rob practiced law for seven years in Seattle and worked as a vice president of a consortium of Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies in the Northwest for three years. He’s written a number of books on religious themes as well as a biography, but Improving Learning and Mental Health in the College Classroom is his first work in the scholarship of learning and teaching.

Registration Information

The Institute is open to NIU faculty, instructors, and SPS and Civil Service staff. Please register by the deadline so that we can ensure we have sufficient space available.

Registration Deadline: Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Registration is closed.

After you register, if you are unable to attend, please cancel your registration by Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at citl.niu.edu/myprograms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions? View answers to commonly asked questions below.

Who is the Teaching Effectiveness Institute designed for?
The Teaching Effectiveness Institute is typically offered every fall and spring. We invite presenters who are well-known for their expertise and experience in higher education teaching. The Institute is geared toward those who are new to teaching as well as experienced faculty wanting to learn about new and exciting teaching topics.
Is there a fee for attending the Teaching Effectiveness Institute?
There is no fee for attending the Teaching Effectiveness Institute; the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning offers the institute free of charge. However, it is expensive to provide the Institute, not to mention the time our staff devotes to planning and executing the program. The center does not receive student fees or grants to fund the Teaching Effectiveness Institute and other programs. Therefore, we would appreciate that you attend as much of the Institute as possible. If, after you register, you know that you will be unable to attend, please cancel by the deadline so that those on the waiting list can be given the opportunity to register and/or program expenses can be reduced.
Will lunch be provided?
Yes, lunch will be provided. The menu has not yet been finalized, but we will ensure that we have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options available. If you are concerned about whether the lunch will meet your dietary needs, you are welcome to bring a lunch with you.

Contact Us

Center for Innovative
Teaching and Learning

Phone: 815-753-0595
Email: citl@niu.edu

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