- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Scholar to speak on race and gender bias in legal academia

John Hill — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 21:30:48 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE) will welcome Professor Meera Deo, J.D., Ph.D., on March 29 at 12:05 p.m. The event, which is co-sponsored by ATLE and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law Diversity and Excellence Committee, is open to all ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty. Deo will be discussing her recent book, “.” The book draws from her landmark Diversity in Legal Academia (DLA) project, the first formal empirical study to investigate intersectional race and gender challenges and opportunities facing law professors in their personal and professional lives. The book not only exposes ongoing biases, but also reveals individual strategies and structural solutions to maximize success. Deo’s research examines the experiences of law faculty at all stages of the career. The qualitative and quantitative findings from original interview and survey data reveal a national pattern of intersectional bias. The data indicate ongoing barriers to hiring, promotion, and leadership. Classroom confrontations and biased course evaluations have devastating effects on tenure. Data from various sources make clear that these problems are systemic throughout legal practice and other fields. “Unequal Profession” outlines individual strategies that have facilitated success for many study participants that can be adapted for others. Necessary structural solutions are also examined in the book. While Deo’s research focuses on legal academia and the legal profession, comparisons with other academic disciplines may be made. Deo is the director of the Law School Survey of Student Engagement, professor of law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and the William H. Neukom Fellows Research Chair in Diversity and Law at the American Bar Foundation. Her research merges jurisprudence with empirical methods to interrogate institutional diversity, affirmative action, and racial representation. The National Science Foundation, Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship, AccessLex Institute, Wolters Kluwer, and others have supported Deo’s groundbreaking research. In 2020, she was elected to the American Law Institute. Deo has served as a Senate-appointed member of the California Commission on Access to Justice, an empirical research consultant to the ACLU of Southern California and the Law School Admission Council, and Chair of the AALS Section on Law and the Social Sciences. ATLE is part of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s ongoing commitment to the pedagogical professional development of its faculty. The goal of ATLE is to foster excellence in teaching and learning by promoting the sharing of ideas, by growing faculty fellowship and collaboration, and by building a strong community of engaged teachers and learners. More information about ATLE and its events. Faculty in attendance may enter a raffle to receive signed copies of Professor Deo’s book. More information and to RSVP.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Announces Events to Recognize Diversity Month

John Hill — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 18:38:18 +0000

To celebrate Diversity Month, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Diversity Council has scheduled a variety of events set to take place throughout the month of March. Presentations will include discussions on a range of topics, research findings, and historical events. Addressing Microaggressions – Noon, Wednesday, March 3 The Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE) will present this upcoming Lunch and Learn session as an opportunity for faculty to engage in conversations about how to deal with microaggressions in the classroom. Disability and Diversity – Noon, Thursday, March 4 The director for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Disability Resource Center, Reed Claiborne, will present a discussion on disability and the things that frame perceptions of disabilities such as legal definitions, media portrayals, historical treatments, and more. Anti-Blackness, Social Feelings, and Public Policy: 1964-2020 – 6 p.m. Thursday, March 4 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock English Department’s Cooper Honors Program will present a talk with Dr. Lisa Corrigan, associate professor of communication and director of the Gender Studies program, who will discuss her latest book, “Black Feelings: Race, Affect, and the Long Sixties.” Building Collaborative Relationships to Improve Race Relations – 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 9 A panel of researchers from the Little Rock Congregations Study (LRCS) will discuss findings relevant to race relations from their Fall 2020 survey with 35 community congregations. The panel will consist of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professors Gerald Driskill, Rebecca Glazier, and Kirk Leach. In partnership with the Clinton School of Public Service, the panelists will also present a process of facilitating community dialogues on key issues found within their survey results. Modern Warriors of World War I: American Indians in the Great War – Noon, Wednesday, March 10 Presented by Erin Fehr, an archivist with the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Sequoyah National Research Center, this event will highlight the sacrifice and bravery of American Indians and Alaska Natives that served in World War I. It will inform audience members about things such as how they used their language to create a code that was never broken by the Germans. The Sequoyah National Research Center created a to identify all 12,000 American Indians that served in World War I, which can be found online as part of the ’s website. New Funds for Minority Businesses in Little Rock – 2 p.m. Thursday, March 11 The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will present a panel discussion on new funding opportunities available in Little Rock for minority businesses. We Sing! A Celebration of Women’s Heritage – 3 p.m. Sunday, March 14 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Choirs will host a live-streamed performance celebrating Women’s Heritage Month, featuring historically informed music performances, poetry reading, a speaker with commentary on notable women of the suffrage movement, and a special musical oratory presentation with Dr. Linda Holzer and Dr. Yslan Hicks. Putting the Pieces Together: A look at how Universal Design for Learning, Open Educational Resources, and Affordable Learning Content work together to benefit students and faculty – 3 p.m. Monday, March 15 in the Ottenheimer Library Presented by e-Learning Specialist Hannah Hurdle, will discuss the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Open Educational Resources (OER), and Affordable Learning Content (ALC) frameworks for inclusive learning. Entrepreneurship: My Journey into the Unknown – 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 16 Entrepreneurial Education Specialist Pamela Reed, with the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, will present a panel discussion featuring minority entrepreneurs. Connecting & Utilizing Social Media for Each Generation – 1 p.m. Thursday, March 18 Jennifer McDannold, coordinator of student orientation and transitions, will present information about each generation, focusing on social media and marketing tricks as well as best practices for Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. “This is Not Who We Are:” Discussing Whiteness, Denial, & Division – 10 a.m. Monday, March 29 Laura Casey, a student success coach with the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Student Retention Initiatives (SRI) team, will host a discussion on the experiences of whiteness and confronting denial. She will be utilizing references such as Ibram Kendi’s book “How to Be an Antiracist” in her presentation to unpack what denial mixed with whiteness looks like. Exploring Our Power and Privilege – 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 30 Sharon Downs, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, will present this final event to encourage conversation on the concepts of power and privilege.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Faculty member to participate in a webinar for how to support faculty during the transition to online

John Hill — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 19:38:31 +0000

The pandemic has brought about a lot of changes to education. One of those is the transition from face-to-face courses to online ones. A webinar being held by Honorlock hopes to ease that transition for faculty members. David Montague, executive director of online learning and faculty mentoring at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is the speaker at the webinar “” The webinar will begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug 12. Those interested can register at this In this webinar, participants will learn how university resources can be leveraged for the training of faculty in a quick transition to online modality and the importance of innovation to promote faculty support of other faculty on online pedagogy during a crisis. Participants will also learn how to promote quality online instruction by offering flexible resources to faculty that go beyond the basic transition online as well as the Importance of keeping pace with university online infrastructure to support the needs of students and faculty in the online environment.�� During the spring semester, faculty members and universities had little time to move their courses online, but college students will expect more from their courses in the fall. “Many assert students will have higher expectations for their online courses as they move into the fall,” Montague said. “The importance of instructional continuity and the realities of communication, technology, and quality assurance are essential as a baseline to benefit students. This webinar provides information on how the transition of courses online requires short and long-term strategies that stimulate campus collaboration in order to increase faculty success online.”�� The university’s Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE) is providing award points for participation. More information for ATLE points from this session can be found on this link.��

Mobile Summer Institute on Scientific Teaching to offer faculty immersive training in transformative teaching techniques

John Hill — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:58:36 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a Mobile Summer Institute on Scientific Teaching (MoSI) for all faculty from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 18-21 at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown. is required by Friday, Feb. 28. The workshop is designed to maximize teaching capabilities with evidence-based approaches such as active learning and inclusive teaching practices. Workshops will be facilitated by national science education experts and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty. The techniques covered at MoSI will help improve student learning without watering down course goals, so more students learn the material and progress toward their degrees. Overwhelming evidence shows that students perform better in active learning classrooms. Students in these environments are 1.5 times more likely to pass compared to students in sections that only use traditional lectures. Last year, faculty members indicated they attended the workshop in search of new tools and ideas that will help them restructure courses to utilize active teaching methods, measure active learning, and evaluate teaching effectiveness. Small group sessions guided participants through the process of backward design to develop courses that help students feel empowered and take ownership of their learning. “When I reflect on my time as a student, the times where I learned the most, were when I was actively engaging with complex topics,” said 2019 participant Chris Etheridge, assistant professor of mass communication. “Thanks to MoSI, I now have a lot more tools as an educator to create those opportunities for my students.” Several ideas for increasing student success that were proposed by faculty during MoSI brainstorming sessions in 2019 have already contributed toward positive changes on campus during the 2019-2020 academic year, including establishing programs and activities that foster a sense of community on campus, increasing opportunities for professional development and mentoring for faculty members, and implementing new innovative practices in the classroom. “MoSI was phenomenal,” said 2019 participant Kirk Leach, assistant professor of public affairs. “I learned how to develop a more engaged classroom where students are empowered and have ownership in their learning.” MoSI is sponsored by the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Office of the Provost and the STEM Education Center with support from the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence. All faculty are encouraged to register. To learn more, visit , and contact Dr. Mark Baillie at mtbaillie@ualr.edu.

Faculty share online teaching strategies that create meaningful connections in support of student learning

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 12:47:43 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE) reviewed strategies for substantive contact in online teaching at its meeting Sept. 19.��

“Cori Schmidtbauer gave me great ideas for making my online pharmacology class interactive,” nursing instructor LaQuana Smith said. “She suggested online games, unfolding case studies, and using Blackboard Collaborate to record small groups. Thanks Cori!”

Dr. Liz Pierce, associate professor and chair of the Department of Information Science, Dr. Kristen McIntyre, associate professor for the Department of Applied Communication and director of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communication Skill Center, and Cori Schmidtbauer, instructional designer for Scholarly Technology and Resources (STaR), shared their techniques with other faculty in attendance, stressing the goal of creating connection. Pierce explained that the Information Science department built a student profile to understand the characteristics and needs of students in their program. They found that most of their students prefer courses offered in the late afternoon or evenings on Mondays through Thursdays.�� “Our students arrive to class time around 5 p.m.,” Pierce said. “Holding class toward the end of the day works great, even for international students participating online from places like Singapore. The difference in time zones turns out to be very compatible when we schedule classes this way.” Students also prefer lively, engaging interaction and the ability to ask questions, even in an online experience. Pierce encouraged everyone to design a space that enables them to interact with their students and to make use of experts in the STaR office. “Students want to feel connected to their peers and the teacher,” Pierce said. “We use tools like multiple webcams with pre-set angles and on-screen chats so that students have both audio and text options for asking questions during a lecture. We want to give them a window into the classroom as if they were sitting in the front row.” Many classes are being offered in a “mashup” style. As McIntyre explained, in some classes, about half of the students are in the live classroom, while the other half interact online with peers and the instructor through Blackboard discussions, peer reviews, and other opportunities for connection. “I use low-threat activities to encourage peer-to-peer interactions that build community,” McIntryre said.�� Some examples McIntyre shared include encouraging students to create a social media connection outside of class, assigning peer reviews, hosting small group workshops online after 9 p.m. or on-campus during evenings and weekends, and inviting online students to participate in her on-campus version of a class anytime they want. “Facilitating opportunities for students to connect with one another requires low effort on my part and pays big dividends for student success,” McIntryre said. “I also require that they meet with me in-person or online within the first two weeks of class, just so we can get to know each other and kick start our connection. They can meet with me alone or in a group.” Schmidtbauer encouraged everyone to create a robust instructor presence in online courses as a way to engage students and avoid student isolation. “Humanize yourself to help students not feel isolated at their computers,” Schmidtbauer said. “Share your hobbies and interests. Post your photo and use 3-to-5-minute audio or video lectures to create a positive tone for the class.” Schmidtbauer suggested instructors maintain a sense of presence by using the many collaborative tools in Blackboard, using “SMART” (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based) goals to achieve teaching objectives, providing timely feedback to students, and using both individual messages and announcements to engage the class. All faculty are encouraged to take advantage of the professional development opportunities offered each month through ATLE.�� “I love ATLE events,” said Cynthia Johnson, accounting instructor. “You never know what tidbits you’ll pick up. I’ve implemented ideas received at ATLE events that have improved my syllabus, class management, communication, and Blackboard site design. ATLE offers great help, atmosphere, and comradery.” RSVP for upcoming ATLE events at /atle/events/.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty members work to improve student success, graduate rates

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 14:45:44 +0000

More than 30 faculty members from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock spent four days learning strategies to improve student success and increase graduation rates on campus.�� The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence, the STEM Education Center, and the Office of the Provost hosted the Mobile Summer Institute on Scientific Teaching May 20-23 at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Downtown. This training workshop was driven by the reality that less than half of undergraduate students in the U.S. complete their degrees, which is particularly true for historically underrepresented groups. This workshop was an immersive experience where faculty members participated in an active learning environment while engaging with research-based evidence on learning and effective teaching practices. Dr. Mark Baillie, assistant professor of chemistry and STRIVE director with the STEM Education Center, led the workshop along with a team of education reform leaders from across the country. The trainers included Peggy Brickman, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Georgia; Kirsten Coe, assistant professor of biology at Middlebury College; Troy Nash and Breonna Martin, biology lecturers at Mercer University; Tarren Shaw, biology lecturer at the University of Oklahoma; and Suann Yang, assistant professor of biology at SUNY Geneseo. Chris Etheridge, assistant professor of multimedia storytelling, said the workshop providing him with many examples to measure active learning in his classes. “I have always thought of mass communication as a field that has excelled in active learning,” Etheridge said. “We like to get students out of the classroom and into the real world to learn by doing. The traditional styles of teaching – lectures, quizzes, exams, and research papers — is what I know because it’s how I learned. When I reflect on my time as a student, the times where I felt I learned the most, were the times where I was actively engaging with complex and challenging topics related to the course. Now, I have a lot more in-class techniques and ideas for assignments that will clearly measure learning.” Faculty members wrapped up the four-day workshop with a strategic planning session, where participants brainstormed what they can do to improve student success across the campus and what they need from university administrators to increase their impact. Chancellor Andrew Rogerson, Provost Christina Drale, and many college deans and department chairs attended the session to hear ideas from faculty members. “We had more than 20 administrators from the university attend and hear how the faculty members want to make the university better and increase student success,” Baillie said. “It was a nice venue to begin having these conversations and to open up the lines of communication between faculty and administration.” Groups of faculty members gave three-minute presentations on the top ideas that faculty members think can best help to increase student success and teaching practices. The ideas include establishing a childcare center on campus; establishing programs and activities that foster a sense of community on campus; increasing opportunities for professional development and mentoring for faculty members; optimizing more spaces on campus for student-centered learning; implementing new innovative practices in the classroom, and course relief for professors who are developing and implementing these innovative teaching methods. Dr. Kirk Leach, assistant professor of public administration, attended the workshop in search of new tools and ideas to restructure his nonprofit management course. “I wanted to get a firmer grounding on active teaching methods and a framework to evaluate my teaching effectiveness,” Leach said. “The workshop was phenomenal. The facilitators were very knowledgeable and generous with their time. They spent a lot of time on small group sessions guiding us through the process of backward design and how to implement it in course design. I’ve learned how to develop a more engaged classroom, where students are empowered and have ownership in their learning.”

Back to school for future doctor

Janea Snyder — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 17:55:27 +0000

Quinshell Smith graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in December with two degrees – a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Bachelor of Science in biology, but she’s not ready to leave campus yet. On Jan. 22, she will return as a graduate student to begin work on a Master of Science in Applied Science. The work she is doing is all part of her plan to one day be a neurologist. Smith, 23, knew she wanted to attend college after she graduated from Hall High School in 2013, but as the first in her family to go to college, she didn’t have help sorting through the college process. “At the time, I wanted to get out of Little Rock, and I went with the school that sent me the first acceptance letter,” she said. “I didn’t do my research.” The school wasn’t a good fit, and Smith transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to continue her biology studies. “I chose biology because I thought it would help me understand the human body,” she said. “I’ve always had a love of science, and I want to be a doctor.” Then she took a class with Dr. Rachel Tennial, associate professor of psychology, and decided she wanted to double major in both biology and psychology. “I just fell in love with the psychology department,” she said. “All of the professors had an open-door policy, and a lot of my research came out of the psychology department.” Smith’s passion to be a doctor stems from the death of her father at young age. “Not having my father around affected me as a girl growing up,” she said. “My father’s death, along with being raised in a single parent household, impacted my decision to pursue psychology because a lot of the things I learned in my psychology, I realized I have encountered. It helped me understand the situation and the way the people around me think. It also helped me have the capacity to forgive his killer.” Smith underwent much counseling after her father’s death, and on campus, she has worked to increase awareness of mental health. As president of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Psychology Club, she helped start Mental Health Awareness Week that brought together different campus organizations and student groups for a week of mental health related activities in October. She also organized a donation drive through the Psychology Club to benefit Methodist Behavioral Health. Smith also served on Student Government Association as a senator for the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences. One of her most rewarding experiences at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has been the extensive undergraduate research she’s participated in alongside ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty. In one research project, she interviewed stage 3 and 4 cancer patients about their end-of-life preparations as part of a research study at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. “I had to ask the tough questions,” Smith recalled. “A lot of patients really touched me. It gave me a different perspective. I feel like this research truly prepared me for life as a doctor when I do make it to that point. Doctors have to talk about the tough stuff that people don’t want to talk about.” She also worked with psychology professor David Mastin on a sleep study, measuring how technology affects students’ sleep. “Dr. Mastin taught me how to really conduct research,” she said. “It is what I will need for my graduate research.” When the spring semester starts, Smith will work as a graduate assistant in the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence on campus. The assistantship will cover her graduate school tuition. Down the road, Smith plans to attend medical school, but for now she’s content with the work she’s doing to prepare. “I know I will get there,” she said. “I’m taking my time because I realized that not everything is a rush. I’m taking my time to learn every subject.” Photo by Benjamin Krain

ATLE to present engaging teaching method during Lunch and Learn session April 19

Jenny Lambert — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 20:44:47 +0000

Join the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence for its upcoming lunch and learn session that teaches professionals how to engage their students in a new way on Thursday, April 19. The event will run from noon to 1 p.m. in Ottenheimer Library Room 535. During the gathering, ATLE Players will present an excerpt from the play “Justice,” created by William H. Bowen School of Law visiting professor Peter Alexander. He has used the play to teach his students about issues of justice in a criminal case, and ATLE Players will use it to show professionals an advanced way of keeping students on their toes while in the classroom. Following the presentation will be a question-and-answer. For more information, contact ATLE co-director Amar Kanekar at axkanekar@ualr.edu, or .

Professors will discuss how to incorporate service learning in online classes

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:17:18 +0000

Two professors at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will discuss their innovative courses, which incorporate service learning in online classes, during a Lunch and Learn session Wednesday, March 1.�� The event, hosted by the, will take place at noon in Donaghey Student Center Room 205D. The presenters include Dr. Katie Helms, coordinator of the Sport Management program, and Dr. Amar Kanekar, coordinator of the Health Education program. Fill out this to register for the event. Additional March events include:

��Thursday, March 9: Roundtable discussion with the 2016 Faculty Excellence Award winners
��Friday, March 17: “Why Students Don’t Learn What We Think We Teach” by Dr., director of the Center for Music Learning at the University of Texas at Austin

For more information, visit the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence website.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock