Conference in Boston, October 19 - 22, 2011

Preliminary conversations, weighing interests that have been expressed, suggest a conference title such as: "Curriculum Design and Assessment of Student Learning." We are especially interested in looking at the overall design of our respective liberal arts programs--how do we determine and shape requirements; how do we define outcomes for student learning and how do we know when students have learned what we hope they will have learned. In addition, we think it would be helpful to share ideas about the ways we teach English as a Second Language and writing generally, as well as the ways that we explore fields in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences/mathematics. Do we examine some disciplines more fully than others? Is this purposeful or just "the best we can do with the resources we have"?

Learning Communities -- April 30th @ 1:30 PM

sent inquiry to:

Dean Wilcox -- yes send to Dean "I will talk with Bob and get us online for the 30th" login info sent

Camille -- Joe Miglio, a Berklee faculty member who is copied on this email, will be participating in Friday's webinar. Joe teaches in the Music Business Department and is also one of the faculty who will teach our new Artistry Seminar (our first semester seminar) in the fall. Joseph Miglio

Jan Weller "Yes, please keep us posted on the Virtual Conference info. It happens to fall on our last day of spring semester, but I’d love to take part if we can possibly manage it."

Caterina says OK for 1/2 hour, maybe 45 minutes. login info sent

Rachel Schreiber, California College of the Arts -- Dominick Tracy (Assistant Director of H&S) will participate as I won't be available. His e-mail is dtracy@cca.edu.

Jill Gatlin, New England Conservatory Jill Gatlin login info sent

Kim MacKay login info sent

Patrick Keppel

Jeffrey Hodgson (4/19)

Anthony Loi (4/19)

Debra Ballard, Otis College of Art and Design

Rob -- at a teaching and learning symposium. Unavailable.

Jon Esser?

THE PLAN:

* Introductions
* Peter presents a general definition and reviews the benefits of e-ports (I’ll provide a ppt)
* Peter leads a discussion of Learning Communities
* Ron provides his eport example, if applicable.

UARTS -- Christa DiMarco web presentation

HERE'S WHO ATTENDED OUR NOVEMBER 12th WEBINAR

Christa DiMarco (U Arts) -- presenter

Ron Levy (Peabody) - host

Jon Baldo (Eastman)

Amanda Hill (Cornish)

Bob King (UNCSA)

Rob Lagueux (Columbia College Chicago)

Anthony Lioi (Juilliard)

Paul Mathews (Peabody

Jean Pederson (Eastman)

Sarah Snyder (Peabody)

Peter Stambler (U Arts)

Jan Weller and others (McNally Smith)

CHECK OUT THE NEW POSTINGS

OK, the ongoing experiment is shifting for a bit to this new google site

Would the google site be preferable to this google blog??

Conference Call -- November 11th

Participating:

Ron (Peabody)

Kim (Cornish)

Camille (Berklee)

Dean (North Carolina School of the Arts)

      Jan (McNally Smith) checked in for a debriefing immediately afterwards

Topics of Discussion:

Conference Attendance

• Kim will have some conversations with old friends (Tisch, Emily Carr, etc.)
  
• We'll try to firm up numbers
  
• Jan and Ron will polish up a web posting so that folks can start making reservations
  

Conference Planning

• Jan will talk to John Steinmetz (re:  facilitation)
  
• We'll consider "First-Year Initiatives" as a scheme for orderings some panels; those we spoke of appear to be:  

1. in planning
   
2. newly implemented
   
3. ongoing
   
4. poised for abandonment
   

• Planning Processes might be worth addressing 
  

1. Kim can bring lessons from Cornish's 5-day curricular planning retreat
   
2. It can be of value to find a school whose planning can be critiqued (as we did with Cornish some years back); [Jan feels that McNally Smith might be a candidate for this . . .]
   

• CLEA's leveraging abilities -- bring forth documentation on our old FIPSE proposal, and resume this discussion.  
  

TASKS PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 10

Quick notes for now--we can tidy up later:

--find out minimal room requirements from Kim and Peter; provide info to Jan

--assemble info sufficient enough to present each school with the travel and lodging info that they need, so that we can urge participants to firm up their plans.  in the process, try to get a commitment and a head count!!

--Inform schools of our tentative "The First-year (In)Experience" title.  Solicit reactions and suggestions; and come up with a listing of particular initiatives that member schools can present to others that are germane to the conference theme.  

--Jan will keep the conversation going, perhaps making contact with new parties in the St. Paul area can contribute to our gathering.

--Ron will try to push forward with Walnut Hill and Interlochen

--We'll mull over the facilitator question (John S; David K)

OUR CONFERENCE CALL

I won't put the date and time here--technically a lurker could join us with that info here and the info below! Check your e-mail.

Participants:

• Camille Colatosti, Berklee College of Music
  
• Jon Esser, Purchase College (SUNY)
  
• Rob Lagueux, Columbia College Chicago
  
• Ron Levy, Peabody Conservatory
  
• Kim MacKay, Cornish College
  
• Jan Weller, McNally Smith College of Music
  
• Dean Wilcox, North Carolina School of the Arts
  

AGENDA IDEAS/STUFF

• Virtual Particulars -- are we live on the blog and/or on google docs, etc.
  
  
• Benchmarks and Essentials -- Kim (essentials to remember not to forget!)
  
  
• Brief Update/Report on Accommodations -- Jan
  
  
• What Would Be Especially Helpful -- Jan and Camille (potentials and hopes for the gathering)
  
  
• The Template -- overview of the basic conference scheme/design we've used in the past
• e.g., Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia
  
  
• The Facilitator Question: Do We Need One?
  
  
• Immediate Next Steps -- can we task ourselves with particulars?
  
  
• A Next Call? -- put something on the calendar if that seems advisable (and is possible!)