Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Tales of a Teacher: Troy Glover

by Sarah Forbes. This is the first of two Centre for Teaching Excellence Teaching Stories that will appear in the Daily Bulletin this week.

It would be hard to find a more authentic learning activity than the one students undertake in Dr. Troy Glover’s course in Program Management and Evaluation. In the course, Glover guides his students through a hands-on experience of designing and programming an actual day-long family event. The project has grown out of Glover’s background in children’s camping, a youthful experience that helped him realize that he wanted a career that allowed him to engage with people and acts as a mentor. In teaching he has found that path.

The annual event at the heart of Glover’s course is held at Waterloo's Stork Family YMCA and the Harper Library. Since it began in 2012, the event has grown larger every year, attracting more and more families.  The students Glover teaches are in charge of every aspect of the event. Glover’s lectures are focused on learning principles that they can then apply to the real event that they’re planning. The challenge of this course, Glover says, is that the audience attending the event varies from year to year. “While students may plan for one age group or interest level, the actual group that comes for the programming might be very different. Adapting your original plan to the new audience is one of the real challenges of planning events.” As well, Glover says, the event is not just about giving families a fun time: each programming slot is designed to achieve a certain outcome, and the event as a whole is intended to build community. As the event grows every year, Glover can see the community growing.

Glover notices a similar growth in the students that he teaches. “Students come into my classroom with different talents and experience levels, and the most interesting part of teaching is how they grow throughout the term.” He gives the YMCA/Library event most of the credit for this development. When students see the outcome of their work in the experience of real people, they feel a sense of achievement that they wouldn’t get from an essay or exam.

While the YMCA/Library event takes students out into the Waterloo community, Glover has also developed another learning activity that brings to community to the students: he has YMCA staff members come to his classroom to present case studies on actual community programs that have not yet been evaluated. Working in teams, students analyze one of the case studies and put forward a proposal regarding it. The YMCA staff members select the best proposal, and the winning team has its name engraved on a much-coveted trophy humorously known as the "Grape Cup." 

After teaching for many years, Glover says that his favourite part of teaching remains the rapport he can create with his students. He highlights the first lecture of the term as a time when he attempts to provoke his students into a large discussion. “I tend to be playful,” he says, “and I love it when they are playful back. It sets the stage for an enjoyable term for both of us.” Being in Glover’s course not only teaches students to plan an event in full, but to fully understand and enjoy the process of building a learning community. Zara Rafferty, one of Glover’s colleagues in Recreation and Leisure Studies, appreciates Glover’s approach, saying that she “admires Troy's commitment to community well-being, which is reflected both in his teaching and scholarship. His approach to teaching is innovative and immensely engaging.”

Faculty of Environment announces Jeffrey Sachs as TD Walter Bean Visiting Professor

World-renowned professor of economics, senior advisor on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and outspoken critic of some of the positions of the current U.S. administration, Jeffrey Sachs promises to deliver a timely and provocative talk. Rising Nationalism versus Global Cooperation for Sustainable Development, will explore the dynamic tension between the need for solidarity around the Sustainable Development Goals and the rise of patriotic self-interest that threatens to derail foreign aid, international trade and global progress made towards development and climate change issues. The TD Walter Bean Lecture in the Environment is Tuesday, March 28.

Gender Equity Research Grants applications

Applications for Gender Equity Research Grants are due June 15, 2017. Individual grants of up to $10,000 will be funded to support research that investigates and addresses gender equity with preference given to projects that advance UW’s three IMPACT 10x10x10 commitments or of demonstrated relevance to UW.

Electronic IP Disclosure Form submission deadline

Close to 700 faculty members have used the Electronic IP Disclosure Form to disclose Intellectual Property (IP) and commercialization information. Since it’s important that all faculty members complete the form, the deadline has been extended to February 28, 2017.

Completion of the form will take no longer than 10 minutes, and for faculty members without IP/research commercialization information, the form can be completed in just a couple of minutes. If the questions don’t apply, simply select “None of the Above” and submit the form to meet the IP disclosure requirement.

Although Waterloo is recognized for its unique creator-own IP policy that helps attract world-class research talent and supports the University’s entrepreneurial culture, not systematically capturing campus-generated IP data compromises Waterloo’s ability to respond to increasing numbers of requests from government and ranking agencies. The information faculty members provide will enhance Waterloo’s ability to report institutional commercialization success.

UW Fitness offers exercise programs for UW staff and faculty and other notes

Are you looking to get more exercise in 2017? Did you know you can exercise in a private gym under the supervision of certified trainers right here on campus? Did you know UW Staff can get a 50% discount on these services?

UW Fitness is offering UW Staff and Faculty several specialized weekly small group exercise programs, in addition to our regular small group personal training offered twice a week. Thanks to the UW Staff Association’s Staff Excellence Fund, UW Staff will receive a 50% discount on ALL fitness program registrations (including Small Group Personal Training and  Learn To programs). Take advantage of the private on campus facility under the guidance of our certified staff.  

Contact UW Fitness for more information. Spaces are limited and new programs are starting soon so sign up ASAP.

Scheduled Quest Downtime - Wednesday, February 22 from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m.

• What is happening?  Quest application maintenance.
• When is this happening?  Wednesday, February 22, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. 
• What is the impact?  During this time, Quest will be down and unavailable.