12th Annual Long Program

Session Title:

Cultivating Relationships and Mental Health as a Path to Professional Actualization

Presenter:

Dr. Emma Santa Maria and Dr. Stacey Perez Waterman

Description:

With a growing Hispanic population in the United States, the need for more research on academic achievement for this demographic is evident. Because Hispanics will likely influence the future of education, identifying resources utilized by Hispanics in overcoming perceived barriers and mental health challenges is essential to close the gap in educational attainment. The purpose of this session is to explore the perceived barriers Hispanics overcame while pursuing higher education, including those related to mental health. In doing so, we will identify resources and mental health programs utilized during their educational journey.

Room:

NLIB 124:                                                                               1.1

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally

Biography:

Dr. Emma Santa Maria is the Director of Professional Development and an Assistant Professor at the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine. Her areas of expertise include policy design and development at the State level, executive-level personnel management, professional development, and executive-level administration. Research interests include a wide range of social disparities, curriculum and instruction, program evaluation, and minorities in higher education. She is skilled and practiced in the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH).  In addition, Dr. Santa Maria is actively involved in supporting various components of City Council, non-profit organizations and charities, community service, and fundraising.

Dr. Stacy Waterman is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in the state of Texas. Her therapeutic experience includes work with Bexar County Drug Courts, Haven for Hope, substance use disorder intensive outpatient services, and medical students. Dr. Waterman's research interests include relational approaches toward substance use disorder treatment, social justice strategies to combat the opioid crisis, and multicultural factors that may influence substance misuse and treatment.

Session Title:

Strategies that Encourage Deeper Learning

Presenter:

Dr. Shelley Howell

Description:

We often discuss the need to ensure students have the resources and support they need to be successful during their college years. However, we don’t always talk about the need to ensure all students learn how to learn in order to be successful in life. Too often students are focused on grades and faculty are focused on testing facts, sometimes to the detriment of actual learning. In this session, Dr. Howell will share lessons learned in the redesign of a first-year course to include six strategies that can lead to deeper learning. 

Room:

NLIB 128                                                                1.2

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Dr. Shelly Howell is the interim Associate Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning Services at The University of Texas at San Antonio.  She works with UTSA faculty on instructional strategies and course design and leads campus initiatives designed to enhance faculty success in teaching and learning. Shelley has 30 years of experience working with students and faculty from a variety of academic disciplines and settings, in both the private and public sectors. Her experience includes developing faculty training and orientation, redesigning courses and programs, facilitating faculty groups, and teaching college students at all levels. Dr. Howell earned an Associate of Arts from State Fair Community College in Missouri, a Bachelor of Science degree in training and development from Southern Illinois University, a Master of Education in adult education from the University of Oklahoma, and a doctorate in higher education administration from Oklahoma State University. 

Session Title:

A Battle with Monsters

Presenter:

Prof. Michael Chapman

Description:

A problem faced by many teachers is that students have a hard time elaborating on points. The Monster Exercise is a great activity to show students the value of description, practice the use of figurative language, and offer a quick assessment as to how their ideas are actually coming across. The presenter adapted this activity from the English developmental textbook “The Write Stuff,” and is always pleased with the results and the revelations that the students have. It is a simple writing and drawing activity that can be adjusted for different levels of writing and requires no artistic talent.

Room:

NLIB 119                                                                                    1.3 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers

Biography:

Prof. Michael Chapman is a full-time English faculty instructor at NLC with a zest for teaching, and a love for writing, literature, and analysis. While dredging through the trenches of basic composition, Michael is always on the hunt for creative ways to present topics and incorporate the information in more meaningful or memorable ways.

Session Title:

Bringing History Makers Into Your Classroom

Presenter:

Dr. Jeanette Passty

Description:

Once a semester, Dr. Jeanette N. Passty joins with America's largest African American oral history archive to feature speakers in SPC classrooms who can serve as heroes, role models, and essay topics for ECHS and undergraduate college students. This Fall students met and wrote about Civil Rights heroes including The Honorable Nettie Patricia Brooks Hinton, a retired U.S. Diplomat;
Professor Oliver B. Jones, PAC Social Sciences faculty member; Mrs. Janelle Henry Holston, who came back safely from behind The Berlin Wall; Dr. Marie-Michelle St. Hubert, electronics innovator and anticancer nano-technology pioneer; 
Wounded Warrior Dr. William C. Davis, inventor of the instant mashed potato and soft-serve ice cream, and whose field studies in RIA helped Dr. Rosalyn Yalow win The Nobel Prize.

Room:

NLIB 221                                                                                 1.4

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices, Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally, Bridging Secondary and College Education

Biography:

Dr. Jeanette Passty, Associate Professor of English and Principal Investigator of the Dr. William C. Davis Biography Project at SPC, is the author of over thirty papers in literary studies, women's and multicultural studies, and developmental education. Eros and Androgyny, her bio-critical tribute to Dame Rose Macaulay, won an American Library Association "Outstanding Academic Book" award and a thank-you note from HRH Princess Margaret (1988). The numerous honors Dr. Passty has received for her research and teaching include a NISOD Medallion from UT Austin (2003), a Minnie Stevens Piper Professorship nomination (2012), and an Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award (2018). Professor Passty has long been an ardent exponent of two-year colleges.  She earned her A.A. in History from Los Angeles Valley College, her B.A. in English from UCLA, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in English from USC. For nearly a decade Dr. Passty has also coordinated semiannual events at SPC on behalf of THE HISTORY MAKERS, the Nation's largest African American Video Oral History Collection.

Session Title:

The Best Human-Centered Approach to Service Delivery

Presenter:

Mr. James Cooper

Description:

This presentation explains how a Human-Centered Approach to service delivery consists of three phases. In the Disrupt phase, you learn directly from the students you are serving and come to understand the barriers set before them. In the Empower phase, you make sense of what you learned from the students you connect with, identify opportunities for them to pursue, and support them while they explore those opportunities. And in the Enterprise phase, you bring the solution to overcome and address barriers to life, and eventually, to the institution.

Room:

NLIB 223                                                                                   1.5

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Teaching and Innovative Practices, Embracing Equity and Inclusion, Bridging Secondary and College Education, Gender Equality

Biography:

Mr. James Cooper earned his Master in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois and has served as an Athletic Director for City Colleges of Chicago where he learned that taking an observational approach towards a person’s paradigm would aid in providing effective communication. Mr. Cooper currently serves as Prevention and Education Coordinator in Student Success at St. Philip’s College and is an active advocate for change under domestic violence and gender inequality.

Session Title:

Tips and Tools for Accessible Courses

Presenter:

Ms. Amy Gates

Description:

Whether your students are online or face-to-face, use your accessibility superpowers to liberate your wonderful course content! Come join this session to learn about some easy tips and handy tools to make your course content accessible for diverse learners.

Room:

NLIB 225                                                                                       1.6

Time:

9:25 - 10:05

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Ms. Amy Gates is an Instructional Designer for Alamo Colleges Online, which supports the development of distance learning curricula within the Alamo Colleges District. She is based out of Northeast Lakeview College. Amy came to Alamo Colleges as an instructional designer from American Funds, one of the largest global investment managers, and Firstmark Credit Union, a financial organization founded by San Antonio educators. After spending over 15 years of training front-line financial services employees and creating a wide variety of training curricula, Amy is passionate about liberating content for diverse learners

Session Title:

Engaging Today’s Students Using Software for Class Management

Presenter:

Dr. Marie-Michelle St. Hubert

Description:

Certain simple software can make teaching easier and less time consuming while also increasing student success.  Doodle can book appointments with students, and with Zoom, you can meet with students even if they cannot come to your office.  The Remind App, specifically designed for educators, connects you so you can communicate not only with students to keep them on track, meet the assignment due dates or prepare for an upcoming test or event but also with parents and school administration.

     This presentation is repeated in Session Two.

Room:

NLIB 227                                                                                     1.7  

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Dr. Marie-Michelle (Michou) Saint Hubert is currently serving as Faculty Development Fellow for St. Philip's College. She graduated from SAC with an Associate in Applied Science in Computer Electronics Technology and began working as an R & D engineering technician for a manufacturing company. She later became director of Manufacturing Engineering for a leading video and 3D graphics engineering company.  Dr. Saint Hubert earned her BS in Electrical Engineering from UTSA and her Ph.D. from the UTSA/UTHSCSA Joint Graduate Program. Her research involved the development of an improved targeted drug delivery system and controlled drug release using novel LbL nanoencapsulation technology.   At the time Michou received her Ph.D., several articles were published about her amazing educational accomplishments as a non-traditional student who would never give up on her dream to be an engineer, despite the obstacles in her way.  She sees mentoring as an opportunity to encourage, inspire, and assist students in pursuing their dreams.

Session Title:

Comunidad as a Classroom:  Community Pedagogy through a Postcolonial Lens

Presenter:

Dr. Jason Aleman

Description:

For Latinx students in South Texas, the traditional classroom has historically been a space of oppression, oversight of one's identity, and counterintuitive to how we learn as individuals, familias, and comunidads. We learned from our abuelitas' consejos, we learned from our Tios/Tias' experiences. We learned from doing with our parents. This session will bring to light how we, as lifelong learners, can utilize postcolonial theory--the disruption of a colonial narrative--to educate an educational system that has miseducated us for far too long.

Room:

NLIB 230                                                                             18

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally, Embracing Equity and Inclusion

Biography:

Dr. Jason Alemán is an Adjunct Professor of Social Work at San Antonio College. He holds a Masters of Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin and a Ph.D. in Education from Texas State University-San Marcos. His research interests focus on Postcolonial theory, culturally-responsive practices, and Latino identity formation. Currently, he is also the Director of Collective Impact at United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County where he manages investments addressing poverty in San Antonio, the wage disparity between women of color and anglo men, and decreasing family violence. Over the past fourteen years, Dr. Alemán has led large macro social work efforts at the local, state, and national levels. He has done this work in Philadelphia, Albuquerque, and San Antonio. Today’s dialogue is an exploration of the intersectionality of the classroom, the community, and how Latinos share knowledge.

Session Title:

Preparing STEM Students for Pre-Calculus

Presenter:

Prof. Jessica Lopez

Description:

The STEM Enrichment by Design Project was designed to reduce degree completion time for STEM students entering at the developmental level. This presentation will explain how the project consists of an Accelerated Math Program (AMP) which prepares students for pre-calculus in one semester. The AMP consists of co-enrollment in elementary, intermediate, and college algebra. The courses use a self-paced designed platform to deliver content and assess progress. The AMP currently holds a 70% pass rate which is a 32% increase from the departments. The on-demand assistance and self-paced nature of the course are an innovative practice using technology.

Room:

NLIB 232                                                                                       1.9

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices, Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Prof.  Jessica Lopez earned her MS in Math from UTSA and teaches at St. Philip’s College.  Prof. Lopez enjoys spending time with her three children, watching movies, playing games, practicing yoga, and traveling.

Session Title:

Creating Empathy using Theatre Arts and Drama

Presenter:

Prof. Brianda Carrasco, M. Ed.

Description:

In this presentation, educators will learn how they can create a community in the classroom by using Theatre Arts and Drama. Teachers will find new ways they can teach students empathy by using voice and physical play. Educators will leave this presentation with several activities they can do in class to promote human connection.

Room:

NLIB 234                                                                                          1.10

Time:

9:25 - 10: 05

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers

Biography:

Prof. Brianda Carrasco earned her BFA in Theatre Performance and Production with an emphasis in Directing and Stage Management and her Master's in Secondary Education with a minor in Adult Education from Texas State University.

She is a recipient of acting and playwriting awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and has worked at theaters such as The Long Center, The Wimberly Playhouse, San Antonio School for the Performing Arts, and The Harlequin Theatre on Fort Sam Military Base.  Prof. Carrasco has worked in higher education for five years and has been an adjunct with NLC for two years.

Session Title:

Be as Superhero by Creating Super Content: Writing and Publishing for Academia

Presenter:

Dr. Megan Grimsley

Description:

Are you frustrated with the textbook options available for you and your students? Interested in creating your own content or learning more about OER? Curious about the process of chapter, article or book publishing? Or perhaps you have experience in these areas and are willing to share your experiences and expertise? We are excited to introduce the NLC Writer’s Group, a group that wants to share their knowledge and learn from their peers about writing and publishing opportunities. Presenters will provide an overview of these approaches, including the pros and cons of each, plans for future workshops and mentorship opportunities.

Room:

NLIB 115                                                                     2.1

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Dr. Megan Grimsley earned her Bachelor’s degree in exercise science, with a minor in nutrition from Baylor University, her Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotion from The University of Texas at San Antonio, and her Ph.D. in Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Wellness, from Arizona State University. She is also a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. She has been teaching a variety of classes at Northeast Lakeview College over the past ten years including several kinesiology activity courses and nutrition.  When not at work, Dr. Grimsley enjoys lifting weights, practicing yoga, and spending time with her husband and two dogs.

Session Title:

Zines as a Pedagogical Tool and an Exemplar of Faculty-Librarian Collaboration

Presenter:

Ms. Rose Rodriguez, Ms. Veronica Luna, and Ms. Dawna Upshaw

Description:

Northwest Vista College enhances the values of diversity and inclusion through self-published works called Zines. They empower self-expression and marginalized voices. The library offers zine-making workshops, utilizes zines as resources for library instruction, and collaborates with instructors to create zine-related assignments.
Our session will offer best practices for librarian-faculty collaboration on zine assignments and explore zines as a pedagogical tool that promotes information literacy and critical thinking. The session will offer zine-related research guides, lesson plans, and rubrics. To experience the validation and connection zines inspire, participants will contribute to a group zine about teaching superpowers.

Room:

NLIB 119                                                               2.2

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices, Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally, Embracing Equity and Inclusion

Biography:

Ms. Rose Rodriguez has been an instructional Librarian at Northwest Vista College for two years.  She has helped create several new services such as the Pop-up Library, Book a Librarian, and the NVC Zine Library.  She is interested in critical information literacy, teaching, and zines.   She enjoys reading graphic novels, writing, playing pinball, spending time with her dogs, and helping others. 

Ms. Veronica Luna is an adjunct faculty member in the Student Development department at Northwest Vista College and also teaches at UTSA in the Women’s Studies program. She has held various student support roles in K-12 and higher ed. and worked in the non-profit sector. She is passionate about critical pedagogy and creating inclusive learning environments.            

Ms. Dawna Upshaw works in the INRW Advocacy Center at Northwest Vista College offering support for students in ESL, INRW, and English 1301 Plus.

Session Title:

Zoom - Because Super Teachers Need a Powerful Web Conferencing Tool

Presenter:

Ms. La Trenda Walker

Description:

You are a super teacher!  One of your many Superpowers is the ability to reach your students outside of the classroom.  Zoom—used for web conferencing—is one tool to help you connect with your students. With Zoom, share video and audio, share your screen, even remote into your students’ computers and provide assistance.  Use Zoom to record your classes and make screencast videos.  Then use Zoom’s handy auto-transcribe feature to assist in being ADA compliant. And use Zoom to bring in guest speakers - from anywhere in the world.  This hands-on session will familiarize you with using Zoom, the easy-to-use and popular web conferencing tool which is now part of the Canvas Learning Management platform used across Alamo Colleges.  Zoom can be used for lectures, discussion, for office hours, conference with students, and many other activities.  Come and learn about this program that is better than Skype and Blackboard Collaborate combined.

Room:

NLIB 124                                                                                 2.3

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Ms. LaTrenda Walker is a technology specialist here at NLC who has an interest in education. She’s taught high school courses, exercise classes, dog behavior seminars, and computer workshops. At the IT department, she assists Alamo customers with computer issues. She has also made over 600 pictures and video instruction guides that have been shared on Alamo Share, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Media Site. LaTrenda holds 13 Microsoft Office certifications – including Microsoft Certified Educator.  Her Bachelor’s Degree is in Computer Studies, and she has a Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in Technology and a Master’s in Human Resources. 

Session Title:

Teaching Tips from Tolkien

Presenter:

Dr. Carol Bernard

Description:

While J.R.R. Tolkien is mostly known for his essay, "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics," and his translations of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, his lesser-known novels, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, offer some helpful tips for teachers.  This presentation will go through a series of points that can be gleaned from the novels, including not to despair in the face of sure doom that even one small person can make a difference and that friendship and fellowship can make even the worst times much more bearable.  While this talk will not offer specific pedagogical tools for the new teacher, it will help teachers remember that they aren't alone when they are facing a Mordor-sized stack of papers to grade!

Room:

NLIB 128                                                                                        2.4                                

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers

Biography:

Dr. Carol Bernard received her Ph.D. from the University of Houston in 2005.  Her dissertation looked at queer theory and J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, The Lord of the Rings.  Her research interests focus on pop culture and science fiction.  Prof. Bernard has been teaching for over 25 years, the last 12 of which have been at NLC.  She is an active yogi, and she and her husband have two cats.  She also reads a lot.

Session Title:

Writing Locally, Thinking Globally: Enhancing Composition 1 Curricula

Presenter:

Prof. Melinda Zepeda

Description:

With expectations to balance student learning outcomes while maximizing discipline-specific and pedagogical expectations, one might wonder, how can the writing composition classroom also incorporate global learning? This presentation provides a quick overview of the importance of globalizing curricula for our students and explains multiple approaches to enhance writing strategies and genres that highlight global explorations.

Room:

NLIB 130                                                                                     2.5

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally

Biography:

Prof. Melinda Zepeda teaches English and INRW at Northwest Vista College where she has taught for eighteen years. Her classroom approach prioritizes globalizing and diversifying the Composition I and Composition II classrooms.

Session Title:

Social and Linguistic Factors in the Spanish Classroom

Presenter:

Dr. Patricia Gonzalez Darriba

Description:

This presentation examines the language attitudes held by heritage language speakers towards instructors in language classes in Spanish, as well as toward the students’ own linguistic skills. The data comes from a survey of over 100 students taking heritage and non-heritage language courses in large US universities in distinct demographic communities.

Room:

NLIB 221                                                                                 2.6        

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally, Embracing Equity and Inclusion

Biography:

Dr. Patricia Gonzalez Darriba from NVC, holds an M.A. in Translation and Interpreting, an M.A. in Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition, and a Ph.D. in Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition, all from Rutgers University.  Dr. Gonzalez Darriba teaches Spanish and Translation courses and is one of the founding members of the community outreach organization RUBilingual, an organization that disseminates the benefits of being bilingual and debunks the many myths associated with speaking more than one language.  Her research focuses on Applied Linguistics, Psycholinguistics, Translation pedagogy, and Sociolinguistics.

Session Title:

Experiential Learning:  Act...  Reflect...  Apply!

Presenter:

Dr. Mary Zocchi and Prof. Ermine Orta

Description:

This session will cover a brief introduction to experiential learning theory, examples of experiential learning at NVC, followed by brainstorming on how YOU can incorporate experiential learning into your classroom.  Experiential learning is the process of learning through experience, and more specifically "learning through reflection on doing". Hands-on learning can be a form of experiential learning, but it does not necessarily involve students reflecting on their product.

Room:

NLIB 223                                                                                    2.7  

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Dr. Mary Zocchi of NVC, earned her Ph.D. from the University of Idaho, MA in Math Education from WGU, MA in Reading from UTEP and BA from the University of the South.  She taught K-8 for a decade and has been teaching in Higher Ed for a decade as well.  She loves teaching with a constructivist bent—whether it is hands-on, project-based, or experiential—her passion is teaching our future teachers how to teach math. When not in the classroom, Dr. Zocchi is fly-fishing, gardening or painting.

Prof. Ermine Orta teaches Math at NVC and has taught Statistics at UTSA since 2008.  Prof. Orta was the 2011 UT Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award Recipient. 

Session Title:

Lt KuraCloud:  An LMS for Life Sciences, Nursing, and Medicine

Presenter:

Dr. Lucero Martinez Delgado

Description:

Lt KuraCloud is an online learning platform with ready-to-use content for life sciences, nursing, and medicine and the use of cloud-based technology allows students to have on-the-go access to the material. As instructors, we strive to find ways to engage students with content, but sometimes it becomes a burden to keep up with the trends in the new generation's use of technology. Lt KuraCloud has ready-to-use lesson plans that are easily customized. The use of animations and didactic questions makes it appealing for students to complete assignments. This workshop is intended to give an introduction of the platform and have some examples of how activities can be built. The workshop will show a Human Anatomy and Physiology course set up.

Room:

NLIB 225                                                                                    2.8 

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Dr. Lucero Martinez Delgado graduated medical school from the University of Monterrey in Mexico in 2012.  She is an Assistant Professor in Practice for the Biology Department at UTSA, coordinates the Human Anatomy and Physiology Labs and has high enrollment lecture courses. She is also in charge of teaching pre-med concentration courses like Medical Physiology and Clinical Gross Anatomy. Dr. Martinez Delgado is currently Adjunct Faculty at SPC where she instructs Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II in a hybrid mode.  She has also taught at NVC.

She was recently nominated for the Minnie Stevens Piper Teaching Award as well as the UTSA President's Distinguished Achievement Award - Teaching Excellence.

She takes a special interest in medical distance learning, hybrid courses and flipped classes, to cope with institution challenges such as space as well as student circumstances like full-time jobs and parenthood. She is focused on bridging the gap between STEM careers and minority students.  

Session Title:

Engaging Today’s Students Using Software for Class Management

Presenter:

Dr. Marie-Michelle Saint Hubert

Description:

Certain simple software can make teaching easier and less time consuming while also increasing student success.  Doodle can book appointments with students and with Zoom you can meet with students even if they cannot come to your office.  The Remind App, specifically designed for educators, connects you so you can communicate not only with students to keep them on track, meet assignment due dates or prepare for an upcoming test or event, but also with parents and school administration.

This presentation is repeated in Session One.

Room:

NLIB 227                                                                                 2.9

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Dr. Marie-Michelle (Michou) Saint Hubert is currently serving as Faculty Development Fellow for St. Philip's College. She graduated from SAC with an Associate in Applied Science in Computer Electronics Technology and began working as an R & D engineering technician for a manufacturing company. She later became director of Manufacturing Engineering for a leading video and 3D graphics engineering company.  Dr. Saint Hubert earned her BS in Electrical Engineering from UTSA and her Ph.D. from the UTSA/UTHSCSA Joint Graduate Program. Her research involved the development of an improved targeted drug delivery system and controlled drug release using novel LbL nanoencapsulation technology.   At the time Michou received her Ph.D., several articles were published about her amazing educational accomplishments as a non-traditional student who would never give up on her dream to be an engineer, despite the obstacles in her way.  She sees mentoring as an opportunity to encourage, inspire, and assist students in pursuing their dreams.

Session Title:

Emotions in Foreign Language Learning

Presenter:

Dr. Maria P. Damron

Description:

New research in the field of language teaching has highlighted the considerable influence that affective factors (such as anxiety, self-esteem, empathy, and inclusion) can have on learning a foreign language. The success of our foreign language classes depends on accounting for these factors. It is necessary to get to know our students and adapt our methods to their needs to create an environment where they can develop their personality in the new language. As instructors, we have to help our students not only to succeed in their linguistic competence, but also in their personal development.

Room:

NLIB 230                                                                                 2.10

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Teaching and Innovative Practices, Embracing Equity and Inclusion

Biography:

Dr. Maria Pilar Damron is Professor of Spanish at Northwest Vista College. She earned her B.A. from the University of Seville, Spain, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Texas Tech University. Professor Damron specializes in teaching Spanish language and culture. She has been the head of the Language Department and taught for 15 years at NVC, creating and teaching all levels and formats of the Spanish courses. She has been leading a Study Abroad Program in Salamanca, Spain for the last 3 years with Alamo Colleges. In addition, Professor Damron has three book reviews in the language journal Hispania and she has collaborated actively with the North American Academy of the Spanish Language presenting papers in the last two conferences. She has presented papers on linguistics and culture for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language as well as for the Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. Professor Damron was the recipient of the Excellence Award, Community College Leadership Program by The University of Texas at Austin in 2009.

Session Title:

Sell your Course:  How to use Digital Marketing Tools in Education

Presenter:

Prof. Michael Saberian

Description:

This presentation is a working demonstration of how to use current digital marketing and analytic platforms to gauge student engagement and monitor content effectiveness.  The analytic platforms include QR code generators, link shortening, social media, and other forms of content creation.  Plus the presentation will discuss how to incorporate these platforms into the traditional, hybrid, and online course. 

Room:

NLIB 232                                                                                        2.11

Time:

10:15 - 10:55

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Prof. Michael Saberian currently serves as the Campus Test Coordinator at Smithson Valley High School in Comal ISD.  Previously, Mr. Saberian taught High School AP Social Studies courses and Dual Credit.  In addition, he has taught online courses for St. Philip's College.  Prior to his work in Social Studies, Mr. Saberian taught High School Mathematics and Speech.  Prof. Saberian received his Bachelor's in History and Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin.  He received his Master's Degree in History from Texas A&M University.  He is also an amateur content creator.  For his distance courses, he maintained a history podcast, and has been an on and off YouTube since 2012.

Session Title:

Helmet Hair is the New 'do:  Using Virtual Reality in the Classroom

Presenter:

Prof. Daisy Carmona and Ms. Bobbie Myatt

Description:

Immersive technologies can help students understand theoretical concepts more easily, keep them engaged in learning and give them the “Superpower” of object manipulation. Research shows that virtual and augmented reality simulations increase student motivation and improve collaboration and knowledge construction. In this session, Instructional Designer Bobbie Myatt and Education Faculty Daisy Carmona will provide classroom examples and showcase how NLC's Virtual Reality Lab is providing instructors with a new tool for students using technology that can increase cognitive retention, thereby increasing student success rates.

Room:

NLIB 115                                                                                  3.1 

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Prof. Daisy Carmona teaches Education at Northeast Lakeview College and holds a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning. 

Ms. Bobbie Myatt is an Instructional Designer of Online Courses at NLC and has worked in higher education for nine years including as the STEM Lecture Series Coordinator and at UT-Pan American.  Ms. Myatt holds a Master of Arts in Communication Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations, Advertising, and Communication. She is a Quality Matters Master Reviewer and Online and is currently earning her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership.

Session Title:

Teaching like a Maestro

Presenter:

Dr. Sara Etchison and Mr. Arthur Etchison

Description:

For this presentation, Dr. Sara Etchison (a psychology professor here at NLC) and her husband (a classically trained pianist) will co-present an informal discussion about what piano lessons get right about education and how we can adapt these insights to the classroom setting.

Room:

NLIB 119                                                                                 3.2 

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Dr. Sara Etchison earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Kansas and her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from McGill University. She has further research training from Princeton University and the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Prior to joining NLC where she now teaches full-time, she taught at McGill University, UCLA, and Santa Monica College. Her work has been published in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition and in Higher Education.

She and her husband and co-presenter, Arthur, live with their son Arthur and their rescued boxer Whiskey River.  Dr. Etchison enjoys reading non-fiction, finding great recipes, and watching shows on Netflix that feature strong female protagonists in her spare time.            

Session Title:

Successfully Engage Students by Avoiding Pitfalls in Active and Collaborative Learning

Presenter:

Dr. Stamatis Muratidis

Description:

This presentation will demonstrate tips for successfully engaging students by developing Active and Collaborative Learning techniques.  Part of the workshop will be in a hands-on group format and best practices for forming, molding and nurturing collaborative groups will be emphasized. The remainder will involve a presentation where attendees will actively participate.

Room:

NLIB 128                                                                                   3.3

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Dr. Stamatis Muratidis, Associate Professor of Chemistry at PAC has been presenting on Active and Collaborative Learning techniques for the past 8 years. He has received the NISOD award for Teaching Excellence 3 times and is trained in Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry with an emphasis on Relativistic and Electron Correlation effects. Dr. Muratidis enjoys traveling to Hawaii to visit family, swimming, and biking with his children.

Session Title:

Teacher Education and Study Abroad – Why, What, Who, and How?

Presenter:

Dr. Jeanette Jones

Description:

This presentation will provide responses to and discussion around the following questions: Why take students abroad? What are the benefits of study abroad for the student, faculty, and the college? Who studies abroad? What are the different types of study abroad opportunities? How does studying abroad benefit teaching and/or teacher education? I will include current research as well as first-hand examples of community college, university faculty, and student perspectives on studying abroad will be included in the discussion. 

Room:

NLIB 221                                                                                   3.4  

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally, Embracing Equity and Inclusion, Study Abroad

Biography:

Dr. Jeannette Jones is an Associate Professor and Education Department Chair at Texas Lutheran University. She has worked in higher education since 1995 and has taught pre-service teacher education since 2005. She has experience teaching ESL, Reading, Literacy Ed, and Multicultural Education at the college level. When Jeannette is not teaching, she enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling.

Session Title:

Cultivating Students' Sense of Belonging

Presenter:

Dr. Haetham Abdul-Razaq

Description:

With the increased demographic shifts of students in higher education, more students from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds are facing challenges. Colleges are striving to mitigate these challenges and are providing more support. However, without inner motivation, minority students will struggle to achieve success in college. A higher sense of belonging is one influential factor attracting high school graduates to enroll in college. This presentation will discuss how, as Hispanic Serving institutions, we are required to understand what motivates students and what counts as an inclusive and welcoming environment to assist students in achieving their academic and professional goals.

Room:

NLIB 223                                                                                   3.5  

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Bridging Secondary and College Education

Biography:

Dr. Haetham Abdul-Razaq is a proud Alamo College graduate. He started his journey as a student at San Antonio College and ended up as a full-time faculty of sociology at Northwest Vista College. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at San Antonio in Culture, Literacy, and Language, and he is halfway through his second doctorate degree in Higher Education Leadership. He has also taught as an adjunct professor of sociology at NLC and as a lecturer of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at the UTSA. Dr. Abdul-Razaq would like to share his experience, passion, and research with you regarding the role of support and inclusion in academic success, especially in Hispanic-serving institutions. As a first-generation and immigrant citizen, Dr. Abdul-Razaq is willing to serve the students and collaborate with other partners in the community as a way of saying “thank you” and giving back to the wonderful community of San Antonio. 

Session Title:

Simile and Metaphor in Science:  A Random Walk Through Plato’s Cave

Presenter:

Dr. William Bauta

Description:

Learning science involves both theory and visualization that usually takes the form of one or more metaphors. These metal pictures are shortcuts that describe complex theories in ways that can be enlightening but also deceptive. This presentation will cover the use of metaphors that apply in physics, chemistry, and biology, explaining their strengths and their limitations. Specific topics will include Newton's equations, quantum mechanics, the structure of the atom, the behavior of biomolecules, and metabolism.

Room:

NLIB 225                                                                                    3.6

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers

Biography:

Dr. William Bauta was born in Cuba and grew up in Chicago. His B.Sc. is from Loyola University and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry is from the University of Chicago. Dr. Bauta studied under fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the American Chemical Society and did an NIH Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin.  He has worked in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries since 1992, including Sandoz/Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Ilex Oncology, Genzyme, Southwest Research Institute, and bioAffinity Technologies. He is Senior Vice President of bioAffinity Technologies and also does adjunct teaching at UTSA and St. Mary's University.   He has been married for 28 years and has two children. His hobbies are reading, writing, math, guitar, gardening, hiking and designing gardens for Kingdom for Kids, a Rotary Club charity.

Session Title:

How to Get students involved:  Discourse Community Ethnography Assignment

Presenter:

Prof. Kelsey Willems

Description:

As a writing instructor, I am always trying to get students motivated and interested in their topics, while still trying to expose them to different skills. With the Discourse Community Ethnography (DCE) project, students are able to explore their area of interests, while working with multiple writing conventions that will be relevant in a “real-world” setting. The DCE project has multiple stages: research proposal, annotated bibliography, literature review, as well as the collection of field notes (observations and interviews). This workshop will review the assignment description as well as provide a lesson plan on how to facilitate this assignment.

Room:

NLIB 227                                                                                         3.7 

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Teaching and Innovative Practices, Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally

Biography:

Prof. Kelsey Willems is a part-time adjunct at Northwest Vista College and the University of the Incarnate Word. She has taught various courses including Composition I and II, World Literature, and Early American Literature. Due to her previous experience teaching high school English, her special interests focus on student engagement and classroom management. Additionally, Prof. Willems is also interested in trauma rhetoric, post 9/11 studies, comic studies, and early modern studies. She is currently working on a dissertation topic focusing on the correlation between post 9/11 students and “invisible” trauma where the Marvel series can be seen as a coping mechanism.  When she is not busy grading or creating lesson plans, she enjoys crafting seasonal décor.

Session Title:

Engaging Undergraduate Students in Online Environmental Science:  A Multiple-Methods Approach

Presenter:

Dr. Scott Walker

Description:

This presentation will show you a different way of teaching online by examining a new online course in Environmental Science.  This truly original class is designed with “intentional transparency,” combining storytelling, visual media, self-grading, technology, project-based learning, OER, and writing.  The unique design of this class is applicable to other academic disciplines. At the heart of this course are “core activities” that add up to 70% of a student’s score. And students select the remaining “ancillary activities” to aim for the score they want to earn. Attend if you would like to walk on a new online teaching path.

Room:

NLIB 230                                                                                        3.8

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Dr. Scott Walker has over twenty years in higher education beginning his career in the Education Department at OLLU where he developed and started Texas’ first 100% online Master Technology Teacher, MEd degree program. Dr. Walker taught Geography Education at Texas State University and currently teaches human geography, physical geography, and environmental science at NVC and is the recipient of three teaching awards.  He conducts research on psychosocial learning environments and transformative learning. Dr. Walker holds a Science Education Doctorate from Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and a Master’s of Applied Geography from Southwest Texas State.  He is the author of four book chapters, including: “Assessment as art, assessment as science” in Geographic Literacy in the United States and is working on a fifth about online psychosocial learning environments. He enjoys fly fishing in the Guadalupe River or wild swimming in New Braunfels.

Session Title:

Super Syllabi

Presenter:

Mrs. Susan Cunningham

Description:

Is your syllabus learning-focused or content-focused?  Do first impressions really matter?   Can a syllabus quiz predict the success of your students?  Does your syllabus meet all the legal requirements?  Learn what the best practices are for creating syllabi that motivate student success and explore syllabus quizzes and their efficacy.  The document matters; learn why and learn how you can make the most of yours.

Room:

NLIB 232                                                                                3.9  

Time:

11:05 - 11:45

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Bridging Secondary and College Education

Biography:

Mrs. Susan Cunningham is a Faculty Development Specialist for Alamo Colleges.  Susan loves teaching and does it professionally as well as voluntarily for her church.  She teaches public speaking and interpersonal communication online for San Antonio College.  She loves traveling, especially if it leads her to one of her six kids or nine grandchildren. 

Session Title:

Building Teamwork Skills through Personal Responsibility

Presenter:

Prof. Marie Coffey

Description:

A 2015 Association of American Colleges and Universities study found employers feel college graduates are only 37% ready for teamwork on the job and only 64% of graduates feel prepared. For such an important social skill, those numbers are disturbing. Because of her own painful experiences, the presenter wants to ensure that her teamwork assignments develop social skills rather than dread. In this session, the presenter will address the parameters she gives her students about personal responsibility and provides samples for evaluating teamwork.

Room:

NLIB 114                                                                                    4.1 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Prof. Maria Coffey is currently adjunct faculty at NLC and has been teaching in San Antonio for about 15 years, mostly English Composition classes. She loves Composition since she is always able to tell students how or why they will use what they learn in class. Her research interests tend toward educational technology, children’s literature, and speculative fiction.

Session Title:

New Accessibility Features in Microsoft Office 365 Online

Presenter:

La Trenda Walker

Description:

Super teachers know that their Super students are diverse, each with their own unique capabilities.  Come and learn how you can use some new features in Office 365 to address your students’ diverse needs - like Microsoft Word’s immersive reader and PowerPoint’s real-time Closed Captioning!

Room:

NLIB 115                                                                            4.2 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education, Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally, Tools for flipped classrooms

Biography:

Ms. LaTrenda Walker is a technology specialist here at NLC who has an interest in education. She’s taught high school courses, exercise classes, dog behavior seminars, and computer workshops. At the IT department, she assists Alamo customers with computer issues. She has also made over 600 pictures and video instruction guides that have been shared on Alamo Share, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Media Site. LaTrenda holds 13 Microsoft Office certifications – including Microsoft Certified Educator.  Her Bachelor’s Degree is in Computer Studies, and she has a Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in Technology and a Master’s in Human Resources. 

Session Title:

The Impact of Reader's Theater on Reading Comprehension

Presenter:

Prof. Vincent Hardy

Description:

Reader’s Theater—engaging students by having them read parts in a script—increases fluency, confidence, and listening skills.  According to current research, placing poor readers in a reader’s theater experience can improve their ability to comprehend what they read.  Reader’s Theater is an easy-to-master tool that can quickly become a regular part of the curriculum.

Room:

NLIB 126                                                                                 4.3 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers

Biography:

Prof. Vincent Hardy holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Northwestern University and an MFA in Acting from Cornell.  He has an extensive background as an actor, director, and producer and has penned a few plays.  Prof. Hardy has taught Elementary School in the South Bronx, acting and related courses at City College of NYC, and middle school here in San Antonio at King Middle School.  Currently, he serves as the Fine Arts/Kinesiology Chair at St. Philip’s College.

Session Title:

Gettin’ Jiggy Wit’ Scenarios in an Online Classroom

Presenter:

Prof. Jennifer Fox

Description:

Effective group work in an online environment is challenging from an instructor and student perspective.  In this FLASH session, participants will learn how to combine the “Jigsaw” teaching technique with student-developed scenarios to create a novel teaching method that promotes engagement, critical thinking, synthesis of content, and collaboration in an online course.  The presenter will present her teaching method in an interactive format that includes an overview of the Jigsaw, a group activity, and a follow-up discussion.  Upon completion of this session, participants will understand the method and be able to implement it within their own online classrooms.

Room:

NLIB 128                                                                                4.4 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Teaching and Innovative Practices, Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Prof. Jennifer Fox is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Advisor of Psi Beta at Northwest Vista College.  In the past 16 years, Dr. Fox has taught General Psychology, Lifespan, Child Psychology, Adolescent Psychology, Social Psychology, and Human Sexuality.  Her educational background is in Clinical Psychology, and she has professional experience working with children on the autism spectrum, adolescents with an intellectual disability, mental health diagnosis, and juvenile delinquency issues.  As a community health advocate, she has served on the Rio Grande Valley’s Mental Health Coalition board and participated in community volunteer opportunities: NAMI Walks, Out of Darkness Walk, Adopt-A-Road, Special Olympics, Magdalena House, Relay for Life, and CASA.  In addition to her roles as educator, advisor, and advocate, she is a member of NVC’s Mental Health Initiative, Co-Coordinator of NVC’s Sexual Assault Awareness and Activism Week, assists with NVC’s Human Sexuality Research lab, and has co-authored two NOBA modules on Human Sexuality.

Session Title:

Helping Students Think Globally

Presenter:

Dr. Veronica Morrison

Description:

Participants will discuss a variety of assignments to broaden students' horizons as global citizens.

Room:

NLIB 130                                                                                     4.5 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Teaching Locally, Thinking Globally

Biography:

Dr. Veronica Morrison has worked in higher education as a teacher and administrator for 30 years and currently works as an adjunct faculty at San Antonio College.  Dr. Morrison has a Masters in English, a Masters in Adult Education, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Pennsylvania..

Session Title:

The Secret Sauce of MathWorld

Presenter:

Dr. Shannon Patterson

Description:

MathWorld, a math support program at St. Philip’s College, is designed to assist students with study skills and gaining an understanding of math concepts. In her recent study, Dr. Patterson discovered the interactive nature of MathWorld’s design, which requires participation from students, math faculty, and MathWorld staff. The integration of three components—developing content-specific skills, supporting life skills, and providing holistic interventions for student transformation—make up the secret sauce of MathWorld.

Room:

NLIB 230                                                                                4.6 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Teaching and Innovative Practices, Technology in Instruction and Education, Embracing Equity and Inclusion, Bridging Secondary and College Education

Biography:

Dr. Shannon A. Patterson is an assistant professor of mathematics at St. Philip’s College. In addition to her more than 20 years of experience in secondary and higher education, she also has provided educational service to residents at a local juvenile correctional treatment center. She has taught at the University of the Incarnate Word, where she earned her doctoral degree in mathematics education. She conducted research to identify core practices for successful supplemental instruction of community college math students. In 2019, she participated in the 23rd Annual American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Session Title:

Power Up Your Math Instruction with Desmos!

Presenter:

Prof. Barbara Smith

Description:

Desmos is a free online graphing calculator with many amazing features. It is well-liked by instructors and students. This session will introduce the Desmos website and show off several useful features.

Room:

NLIB 227                                                                                  4.7

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Technology in Instruction and Education

Biography:

Prof. Barbara Smith is a proud Aggie who has taught at three community colleges in Texas including at NLC in the Math Department.  She travels frequently but spends her trips missing her border collie.

Session Title:

Reflections on Oral History:  An Experiential Learning Practice

Presenter:

Prof. David Galindo

Description:

Experiential learning has been integral in the development of human beings for generations. As Confucius explained, “I hear, I know. I see I remember. I do, I understand.” A century ago Rogers explained the usefulness of such a model, and subsequent modifications contributed by Montessori, Dewey, and Kolb substantiated its value. Implementing experiential learning is essential to develop a student’s understanding of History as a craft. This session discusses how to utilize oral history as an experiential learning practice in higher education using data retrieved over a four-year span. The oral history project students complete is an experiential learning practice that stresses family preservation and illuminates to students how historians conduct research and develop historical interpretations. 

Room:

NLIB 232                                                                                       4.8 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Building a Toolkit for New Teachers, Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Prof. David Galindo currently teaches U.S. History at Northwest Vista College and previously taught at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Northeast Lakeview College. Prior to that, he earned my AA in Teaching from NVC, and BA and MA in History from UTSA and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in History with Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK.  Prof. Galindo has been recognized with an Excellence in Teaching Award from NVC and a NISOD Excellence Award.

Session Title:

A “Climate” for Learning - Local Weather as an Engaging Tool for Cooperative Learning

Presenter:

Dr. Michael Savana

Description:

This FLASH session will discuss the multiple benefits of a semester-long project during which students collected weather data, producing 600 data points to emphasize the concept of “connections” among 19 weather-related variables. At the semester’s end, students working in two-person teams analyzed the data and built learning ownership and agency through their own hands-on experiences, inquiry, and collaboration.

Room:

NLIB 234                                                                                    4.9 

Time:

12:20 - 1:00

Topic:

Teaching and Innovative Practices

Biography:

Dr. Michael Savana has taught physical geography at Northwest Vista College since 2006.  He previously was an adjunct instructor at the UTSA’s College of Business.  In his physical geography course, he emphasizes collaborative and cooperative learning:  “Do Geography to learn Geography”.  He emphasizes Systems Theory to aid understanding of how phenomena within Earth’s environmental spheres are interconnected.  He retired from the Air Force after 22 years and subsequently worked in the aerospace industry.  His Ph.D. examined the effects of multiple representations of multimedia information on knowledge retention.  He has lived in England, Morocco, Labrador, Alaska, South Korea, and the Philippines.  His interests include archaeology, meteorology, cartography, and astronomy.