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2023 General Education Academy

We invite General Education faculty to attend GE Academy on Friday, June 2, 2023, in the Maeser Building. Our theme this year is “Laying Foundations for Student Success.”

While building a strong foundation is important in any educational pursuit, this year we are particularly interested in our scholarly underpinnings as we implement the new First-Year Foundations for Student Success class, required for all newly admitted students beginning Winter 2024. Undergraduate Education Dean Rick Gill will share more information about the Foundations class; in addition, breakout sessions on a variety of General Education topics will take place throughout the day.

Faculty can receive $150 compensation in research funds. Adjunct faculty who will be teaching GE classes in the coming year are also welcome and eligible for compensation.

Registration is now closed. If you are interested in attending, please email jessica_green@byu.edu.

Tentative Agenda

Session TypeTimeSpeaker & Title
Plenary9:00-10:00Chip Oscarson (Director, General Education), "Introduction to First-Year Foundations for Student Success Courses"
Plenary10:00-10:50Rick Gill (Dean, Undergraduate Education), "Closing Student Success Gaps"
Break10:50-11:10
Breakout Session11:10-12:00Rick Gill (Dean, Undergraduate Education), Special session for Foundations class instructors fall 2023-winter 2024
Breakout Session11:10-12:00Brian Jackson (University Writing), "Meaningful, GPT-Proof Writing Assignments"
Breakout Session11:10-12:00Ursula Sorensen (Center for Teaching & Learning), "Shift Your Mindset: A New Way to Look at Using Student Ratings to Enhance Your Teaching Practice and Improve Student Learning"
Breakout Session11:10-12:00Jamie Jensen (Biology) "From Concrete to Abstract: How the Brain Learns"
Lunch12:00-1:00Maeser Lawn
Breakout Session1:00-1:50Jessica Green (Assistant Director, General Education) and Joseph Hanks (General Education Assessment Specialist), "Letting Go of the Wheel: What Does It Mean to Teach an Inquiry-Driven Class?"
Breakout Session1:00-1:50Amy Williams (University Writing), "Creating a Campus-Wide Culture of Reflection"
Breakout Session1:00-1:50Robert Snellman (Math) and Daniel Zappala (Computer Science), "How Do You Help Every Student Succeed?: Designing Your Course for Student Success"
Breakout Session1:00-1:50Phil Rash (CAPS), "'Okay, Boomer (or Gen X or Millenial)': Working with Gen Z"
Break1:50-2:00
Panel Discussion2:00-2:45Liz Bailey (Biology), Ben Gibbs (Sociology), Emma Lambert (FYE Peer Mentor), Amanda Maloy (FYE Peer Mentor), "What You Need to Know about What Students Don't Know"
Final Thoughts2:45-3:00