When: Saturday November 17, 8pm-Midnight … come for 30 minutes or all night

Where: Happy Acres, 3704 Bennoch Road, Alton Maine … 15 minute drive from campus (http://www.happyacreshall.com/)

Directions: Go North on I-95 about 15 minutes from campus, take Alton Exit 199, then turn left and follow Bennoch Road north for 4 miles.

Band: Rockin’ Ron and the New Society Band (Oldies, Country, Rockabilly, Swing)

Cost: $10 cover charge. Door prizes to some lucky UMaine Faculty Senators!

Description: Happy Acres is a traditional Maine “bottle club.” That means there is a cover charge and most people bring a small cooler with their beverages of choice, snacks, sandwiches, etc. You can also buy snacks, soft drinks, bottled water and ice at the hall. If you bring alcoholic beverages, don’t forget to arrange for a designated driver. Most regulars are over the age of 40. Feel free to dance, talk or just sit back and enjoy the show.

New Proprietors: Dr. Paul Schroeder, PhD and Greta Schroeder as General Manager … spouse and daughter of our colleague and friend Dr. Mazie Hough, PhD, UMaine History Department.

We will reserve a sufficient number of tables to sit as a group. Thus, if you plan to attend, please RSVP to me on or before Wednesday November 14 so we can save table space.

Hope you are able to join us!

P.S. They allow entry to almost anyone so sundry additional faculty, administrators, and other assorted riffraff have been spotted at and are know to be welcome at this joint.

PIVOT gives Research Administrators, Research Development Professionals, and their institutions the edge to bring together the right research opportunities, funding, and people quickly and easily. It provides global and local connections that strengthen research by exploring new avenues for funding and collaboration for faculty, staff researchers, and graduate students.

Please go to
http://www.library.umaine.edu/colldev/trials.htm
and click on PIVOT.  I would appreciate any comments you might have on this database.

Thanks

Jim Bird
Science Center
Fogler Library
Jim.Bird@umit.maine.edu
581-1697

We have an exciting opportunity to join a growing list of universities embracing new instructional modalities tailored to 21st century demands. Corporate America is asking for college graduates who can work in teams, are adept at problem solving, and possess the critical thinking abilities to quickly adapt to a rapidly changing business and industry environment. Active Learning Classrooms (ALC) contrast with the traditionally passive theater‐style lecture by engaging students via inquiry‐based learning in small groups (teams) that remain together throughout the semester. Groups are seated at round tables equipped with several computers each, and wired to enable display sharing within the group or to the entire class of ~80. Faculty and TAs interact with each group individually during a class session. The groups engage in activities that one proponent terms: tangibles, ponderables, labs, and group problem‐ solving. Lecture material can be delivered either during the class in response to the immediate work, or via podcast prior to the class. Team‐work helps students engage in problem‐solving and critical thinking as well as reflect on issues of diversity. Studies have shown that attendance and learning outcomes are dramatically improved in the ALC setting not only for science and technology, but for the humanities as well.

For more detailed information about this innovative pedagogy, visit http://scaleup.ncsu.edu/ which has videos and more. If you join the group you will have access to:

Classroom Designs and Management

   • Room Design
   • Cost Estimates
   • Name Tags
   • Screen Sharing
   • Tips and Tricks

Collaborative Learning

   • Felder’s Resources in Science & Engineering Education
   • Setting up Groups
   • Group Roles
   • What to Tell Students

Miscellaneous Instructional Materials

   • GOAL Problem Solving Protocol
   • Brainstorming Rules Content‐Specific Instructional Materials
   • The SCALE‐UP Physics Library Project (under development)
   • Physics Materials from NC State
   • Spiral Physics (modeling) Materials from Monroe Community College
   • Chemistry Materials from NC State
   • Chemistry Materials from U Michigan
   • Teaching literature at Clemson
   • Introductory Biology for Majors at University of Minnesota

Miscellaneous Resources

   • Frequently asked questions
   • University of Minnesota Active Learning Classroom (ALC) Pilot Evaluation
   • “Don’t Lecture Me,” is a radio documentary on not lecturing in college.
   • “Studio Classrooms” by Thomas DeLoughry, Chronicle of Higher Education
   • “The Tough Road to Better Science Teaching” by Jeffrey Brainard, Chronicle of       Higher Education with accompanying “Online Chat” by Bob Beichner