October 23, 2021
Faculty members at Mayville State University were recognized for earning a national credential co-endorsed by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE) during a pinning ceremony that took place at Mayville State on Oct. 6, 2021. The credentialed faculty members include instructors and teaching staff representing all divisions of Mayville State.
The faculty who were recognized demonstrated their commitment to student success by completing a year-long course in Effective Online Teaching Practices. The intent of the course is to equip faculty with the instructional skills shown to promote student motivation, learning, and persistence.
The pinning ceremony was hosted by the Mayville State Office of Academic Affairs and ACUE course facilitators Chris Gonnella and Jeni Peterson. Enrollment in the course was funded through Mayville State’s institutional improvement Department of Education Title III grant and CARES Act funding.
Mayville State employees who have earned the credential are Dr. Carolyn Baker, Lindsay Bontjes, Yvonne Cannon, Collette Christoffers, Donna Craigmile, Chris Gonnella, Dr. Cindy Gregg, Dr. Brittany Hagen, Aprill Hastings, Carey Haugen, Jeff Hovde, Dr. Cody Hunter, Janell Juelich, Sarah Kallock, Dr. Erin Kunz, Dr. John Pederson, Jeni Peterson, Taylor Simon, Kayla Smith, Fred Strand, Carly Theis, Mary Townsend, Michele Willman, and Misti Wuori.
During the pinning ceremony, Mayville State Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Tami Such expressed her pleasure in sharing the outstanding accomplishment of the faculty and teaching staff who earned the credential. She said, “They have demonstrated their commitment to teaching excellence and to ensuring that our students receive the best education possible by completing ACUE’s rigorous course. Those teaching practices are proven to help students learn more, stay engaged, and graduate in higher numbers, as well as close equity gaps.”
Comments made by those who completed the course included the following:
“Thank you for a well-organized and engaging course. While I have implemented many strategies that were highlighted here, I have reflected on more that I need to do in order to make my courses more effective and student-centered. I look forward to working with and collaborating with my colleagues as I continue to refine and align my courses.”
To earn the Certificate in Effective College Instruction, faculty members completed a 25-module course that required them to learn about and implement new evidence-based teaching practices in their courses and reflect on the experience. Aligned with the latest research in cognition and adult learning, ACUE’s courses address more than 200 evidence-based teaching practices, covering how to design an effective course, establish a productive learning environment, use active learning techniques, promote higher order thinking, and utilize assessments to inform instruction and promote learning.
“I am so impressed with our faculty members,” course facilitator and Mayville State instructional designer Chris Gonnella said. “During these difficult times when we were all overwhelmed with the pandemic, they rolled up their sleeves and worked hard to learn how to improve their courses, one new evidence-based practice at a time. The course provided a platform for them to collaborate with and learn from each other and they took full advantage of it. It was a joy and a privilege to be part of it.”
Faculty participants will continue to learn about pedagogy and receive career-long support through ACUE’s Community of Professional Practice, which provides access to member forums, expert webinars, biweekly newsletters, the ‘Q’ Blog, and “office hours” with leading scholars in college instruction. Mayville State’s Center for Teaching and Learning will provide continuing support to sustain use of evidence-based teaching practices by faculty members.