Presentation Archive

8/25/21 - Joelle Wolf - Helping Our Students Rediscover Hope
9/01/21 - Melanie DiBiase - How to Write Learning Objectives
9/08/21 - Gus Martin - Microlearning: A World of Opportunities
9/15/21 - Jud Lake - Worldview I
9/22/21 - Melanie DiBiase - How to Write Learning Objectives II
9/29/21 - Tammy Overstreet - Direct Instruction Strategies
10/06/21 - Ronda Christman and Delsin Menolascino - Do I Know You? Building Communities Online
10/13/21 - Jud Lake - Vision of the Heart
10/20/21 - Matt Tolbert - Course Design
10/27/21 - Bob Overstreet - Asking Questions That Matter
11/10/21 - Jud Lake - Worldview III
11/17/21 - Vola Andrianarijaona - Research and Its Impact on Students' Lives
12/01/20 - Jud Lake - Worldview IV
12/08/21 - Kristie Wilder - Critical Conversations
1/12/22 - Ken Caviness - History Highlights the Limitations of Science
1/19/22 - David Nelsen - Research, IRB, and You (click to download PowerPoint)
1/26/22 - Tron Wilder - Engaging Students
2/02/22 - Gus Martin and Greg Merchant - Do You Know What They Know?
2/09/22 - Victoria Joiner - Communication & Public Speaking Course & Biblical Foundations: Interpersonal Encounters With the Creator
2/16/22 - Laurie Stankavich - The Relationship Between Writing and Student Engagement
2/23/22 - Krystal Bishop - We Have the Power to Create
3/02/22 - Library Faculty - Mastering the Library: Your Endgame to Finding Online Research and Writing Resources
3/09/22 - David Nelsen - Worldview and Biology
3/23/22 - Ken Caviness - Science from Two Different Worldviews
4/06/22 - Chris Hansen - Pedagogy and Assessment - An Assorted Collection of Musings By A Recent Student
4/13/22 - Pablo Fernandez, Gus Martin, and Greg Merchant - Academic Integrity: The Honest Way
4/20/22 - Lisa Diller - Worldview
4/27/22 - Tiffany Bartell - Caring for the Ones Who Care

8/31/2022 - Gus Martin - Teaching Generation Z
The young generation of today connects more with the outside world via their mobile phones. Nearly everyone under 35 has a smartphone and uses it almost every day. Research shows that 28% of Americans between 15 and 34 years old used their smartphone to send messages in 2011. Since then, this number had increased steadily to almost 50% in 2014. Information technology has revolutionized the way we learn, do daily tasks from home and even at work. Come to learn and discuss how technology positively and negatively impact our students and what can we do to help them.

9/07/2022 - Bob Overstreet - The Flow of Teaching
Have you considered how Southern Adventist University differs from other higher education institutions?  What is so special about the students, staff, and faculty who walk the promenade of this campus? What is your place, and what role do you have on this campus?  Today’s faculty development seminar will be by Dr. Robert Overstreet, Director of the Center of Teaching Excellence and Biblical Foundations of Faith and Learning.  Dr. Overstreet will pose many questions about why you are here and what makes Southern unique and different from other colleges and universities.  Dr. Overstreet will unpack the term Faculty Development- activities and programs designed to improve instruction in higher education as well as outline this year’s objectives for the Wednesday Faculty Luncheons.

9/14/2022 - Emily McArthur - Searching for the Sublime
Why do humans feel fear and awe when immersed in wilderness landscapes? What psychological and spiritual realities do these experiences reveal? Through a discussion of travel and travel-inspired literature, we will explore what makes sublime experiences in nature especially profound.

9/21/2022 - Kristie Wilder and Lunelle Bertresse - Why Faculty Self-Care Matters and How to Put it into Practice
Self-care is an important component of an educator’s mental health, but there are misconceptions about what it is. As a result, it can be common for educators to dismiss the self-care movement as “selfish” or “irrelevant.” But with the rise of mental health challenges seeping into the classroom, self-care for educators is more important than ever. In this session, we will discuss practical and effective strategies that will support you in taking care of your own health so that you’re prepared to meet the demands of being the best educator you can be for your students.

9/28/2022 - Harvey Alferez - A Biblical Worldview of Research 
A Biblical worldview is built upon the framework of ideas and beliefs through which a Christian individual or group interprets the world and interacts with the world. Our worldview shapes the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions of our lives. Come and learn more about the Biblical worldview of research presented by Harvey Alferez, professor of the School of Computing and Director of CIRC. (No recording available.)

10/05/2022 - Matthew Tolbert - Confronting Anxiety and Depression in our Students
Southern has had a dramatic increase of students dealing with anxiety and mood disorders, which has lead to significant increases in both counseling appointments and medical withdrawals from the university. Understanding what these students are experiencing is the first step to being able to help them find success. This session will help describe what is happening in the brain of students with difficult anxiety and mood issues, explain how and why this is affecting their academic progress, and identify ways that faculty can support them so they can continue to find success here at Southern.

10/19/2022 - Melanie DiBiase - Kicking Test Anxiety to the Curb
A nationwide survey of US undergraduate students identified stress (40% of all students) and anxiety (29% of all students) as the two most common impediments to their academic performance (American College Health Association, 2019). Students reported that one of the major contributors leading to stress was high-stakes tests. University student support centers report that as many as 40% of all college students suffer from moderate to high test anxiety, and these numbers can be even higher in both non-white and first-generation college students. This CTE session will explore test anxiety, provide instructional strategies designed to lessen stress about the test, and suggest alternate methods to traditional high-stakes assessments.

10/26/2022 - Gus Martin and Greg Merchant - eClass 4.0
If you teach or use eClass in one way or another, this TechBytes presentation is for you. Before the upcoming winter semester, eClass will undergo a significant upgrade. Even though the system will function the same way, the platform will look different and have new features available for you to use. 

11/02/2022 - Amy Ortiz-Moretta - Dealing with Students in Crisis
Amy Ortiz-Moretta will review the counseling center services and what faculty can do for students in distress or emergencies.

11/09/2022 - Ellen Hostetler - Spiritually Rich Relationship Philanthropy
Join the Advancement team and two local philanthropists for this exciting and practical workshop on philanthropy as ministry and how to make and keep relationships that have eternal results. Philanthropists Ken Defoor and Heidi Zinke will share their personal experience and how it feels to be asked to support projects. Ellen Hostetler and the Advancement team will share experiential advice about maintaining relationships with alumni and community members that can lead to mutually beneficial support. Bring your Giving Day thinking caps and learn about the spiritually of fundraising in practical steps.

11/16/2022 - Blake Laing - Experience Switching to the 4.0 Scale
A recent paper by David J. Webb et al [1] re-graded 10 years of calculus-based introductory physics tests in order to compare outcomes using the traditional percentage scale to the 4.0 scale, demonstrating that "the fraction of students given grades less than C− was over 5 times larger when instructors used the percent scale" compared to what grades these students would have been assigned if graded with a 4-point scale. That the effect of this simple change in grading practice remained so strong after controlling for other factors was surprising even to Webb (who was one of the instructors). My challenge in teaching this course (in an institution starting an engineering program) has been to greatly expand participation in physics (including improving a 23% DFW rate) while still challenging high-performing students. I will share my experiences with trying the 4-point scale over the last two semesters, which agree with the quantitative findings of the paper but also helped me better appreciate the authors' message concluding their study: "it essential for instructors to consider the biases of the percent scale when planning their course for the semester, so that they can ensure that their teaching philosophies match their grading philosophies."

11/30/22 - Gus Martin and Greg Merchant - eClass 4.0 Part II
eClass will be going a major upgrade before the winter semester that will focus on user experience and aesthetics. Last month’s TechBytes presentation provided a glance of how the changes are and gave you access to a virtual sandbox to experience the actual changes before they are officially implemented. For the part II of the eClass 4.0 presentation, Greg Merchant and Gus Martin will delve deeper into some of the major changes that will take place, such as question banks, how to integrate and use the new badging system in your courses, etc. (No recording available.)

12/07/2022 - Tammy Overstreet - The Power of Habits
Habits can be powerful influences on our success as leaders, as professionals, as people, and as Christians.  How do we form better habits and how do we sustain them? The elephant, the rider, and the path will help us answer those questions.

01/11/2023 - Alan Parker - Letting Schrodinger's Cat Out of the Box
“A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it.” Timothy Keller. Discover how to use doubt to generate student interest and strengthen faith. Principles and strategies for engaging students will be shared and Schrödinger's cat will finally be let out of its box.

1/18/2023 - Pablo Fernandez - How to Relate a Biblical Worldview to Classes When There Isn't an Obvious Connection
Since I joined Southern as a faculty member, I have appreciated the emphasis professors put on teaching their classes with a biblical foundation. I have had a positive and easy experience using the Bible as a communication resource in Public Speaking classes but struggled to have a similar experience when teaching technical and project-oriented courses. If you can relate to this experience, I invite you to join us this Wednesday to learn from each other’s journey and help us strengthen our biblical foundation academic offerings.

1/25/2023 - Harvey Alferez, Robert Ordonez, Gus Martin - Learning in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Times
Come and learn more about this technology and engage in a group discussion of practical things we can do to deal with this new reality. (No recording available.)

2/01/2023 - Gary Patton - Physiological Stress on the Brain
Advanced studies on neurology allows us to confirm that the human brain can do a lot of things.  Yet, the brain does have a series of priorities about how it deals with stimuli.  We know that stress can impact attention & concentration; learning & memory; problem solving & logic.  Yet, why and how does this occur?  This brief lecture will address what happens in the brain and body in times of stressful events.

2/08/2023 - Mills McArthur, Bob Overstreet, and Bob Young - Institutional SAGA
Southern Adventist University, founded in 1892, has a long history of training nurses, educators, and pastors — professions with overt and intrinsic connections to Christ-centered calling and service. Over the years, things have changed so much that many constituents (prospective students, employees, church members, and alumni) think Southern’s primary function has changed, too — that we no longer train students for a life of missional service. Southern Adventist University will use “Reframing the Institutional Saga” funds for research conducted by both students and educators which identifies and clarifies not only how the school has remained faithful to its roots, but also how it seeks to contextualize that historical mission in a 21st century framework to guide educational offerings moving forward. Join us to learn more about this project.

2/15/2023 - Jasmine Johnson - Learning Assessment Techniques
“Learning Assessment Techniques (LATs) gives faculty easy-to-implement active learning techniques that are designed to gauge student learning across academic disciplines and learning environments” (Barkley & Major, 2016). Come learn how LATs can be used as a guide to know what and how well your students are gathering information as active learning integrates assessments. If this topic generates curiosity, I invite you to join us this Wednesday as we discuss professor-driven learning assessments for student-driven growth outcomes.

2/22/2023 - Greg Merchant, Robert Ordonez, Harvey Alferez - eClass and Artificial Intelligence
Since the transition to eClass 4.0 this past winter break, some things have changed the way they look, where they are, how they work, or simply are no longer available. At the same time, new technologies are now becoming available for our consideration as modern educators. Online Campus invites you to come to learn about what those changes are in eClass and engage in a conversation regarding the impact AI technologies will have in the field of education.

3/01/2023 - Nathan Harris - Trauma and Our Community
"The most recent Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) report shows that more college students are self-reporting experiencing trauma at some point during their childhood experiences. Trauma has become a national point of conversation, and yet, there appear to be as many definitions of trauma-informed care as there are conversations. Nathan Harris, current director of Bryan College Counseling Services, will attempt to provide a working definition of trauma, an understanding of trauma-related symptoms, and effective strategies for best supporting our students."

3/08/2023 - Clarice and Paul Nixon - Using the Bible as a Textbook
The Bible is the basis and reference point of all educational endeavors, and on a Christian campus, every class and professor should be able to use the Bible as a foundational textbook. Paul and Clarise Nixon, English professors and co-founders of CP Nix, will demonstrate how they use the Bible as a textbook in their English courses.

3/29/2023 - Andrew Richards - A New Strategy to Engage and Receive Feedback From Learners in the University Classroom
Have you struggled to engage diverse learners and assess learning in your classroom? Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) allow educators to measure performance, improve engagement, facilitate learning, and improve instruction. This workshop will discuss the purpose of CATs and introduce a new classroom assessment technique. The 5 Minute Peer Writing Activity (5MPWA) is an interactive strategy to measure student performance, improve student engagement, and create an active, social learning environment. You will experience the 5MPWA, discover the impact of the 5MPWA on student performance, engagement, and satisfaction, and explore strategies to engage diverse learners in your classroom. (No recording available.)

4/05/2023 - Tiffany Bartell and Joseph Khabbaz - The Intersection of Spirituality and Mental Health
Have you noticed that the younger generations are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety? It may come as a surprise, but research shows that engagement with Scripture can help reduce these symptoms. In fact, those  in Generation Z who read the Bible regularly report fewer signs of depression, stress and anxiety than their peers. So what is it about spiritual health that helps to alleviate mental health issues?

Now more than ever, young people need guidance in understanding spirituality and its relationship to wellbeing. That is why we are offering this presentation on the connection between spiritual and mental health; highlighting key findings from our research on recent generational trends. Join us as we seek to understand how young adults embracing faith can contribute positively to their mental wellbeing and practical steps you can take to provide support!

4/12/2023 - Jim Moon - Helping Students to Find Their Calling
Today’s conversation will examine key concepts and practices from Jim’s Dissertation on The Ebenezer Model of Missional Prayer. In his studies, Jim learned that witnessing begins with listening and prayer makes disciples. His own work with student leaders has allowed Jim to see how leading through listening and prayer can help students find clarity in their personal journey with Jesus, interpersonal journey with people, and discovery journey in the areas of calling and career. His goal for our faculty gathering on April 12th is share four core practices for helping students find their voice. Following a brief presentation, Jim intends to facilitate an open dialogue with those present about our key learnings and best practices in the area of helping students find their voice.

4/19/2023 - David Nelson - Make Your Assumptions Plain: Using Directed Acyclic Graphs to Understand Your Assumptions in Research, IRB, and in the Classroom
Engaging in research can seem overwhelming for many reasons e.g., keeping up with the literature, staying abreast of the latest techniques, and figuring out what to do with the mountains of data you collected. Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are a useful tool in refining your research goals, developing your methods, and choosing appropriate statistical models to evaluate your data, all before data collection has begun. I will present how to use DAGS and why they should become a regular part of research in education, nursing, biology, psychology, social work, and beyond. I will also explore some uses for DAGs in the classroom.

4/26/23 - Bethany Howard, Deyse Bravo, Donald Martin - Open Educational Resources and PowerNotes
Open Educational Resources: Have you ever wanted to adopt open educational resources (OER) but don’t have the time to search through the many websites and resources on the internet?  Do not fear, because the library has collected those resources for you.  In addition, we provide access to the Faculty Select database, a platform to locate quality, open access textbooks and e-books for your courses from top academic publishers.  We look forward to providing an overview of these resources so you can begin adopting OER in your future classes. 

PowerNote: Notetaking is an integral part of research and writing in an academic setting.  However, as technology has evolved, the need has arisen for new software to provide the means of taking notes in online spaces.  PowerNotes is a new notetaking software that seeks to integrate the notetaking and citation processes seamlessly into the online research process.