CTE Services for Faculty

Blackboard Assistance
Each semester, faculty in more than 1,000 courses use Blackboard to share documents such as syllabi, lecture notes, and assignments with students. Some professors use Blackboard to facilitate communication through the use of discussion boards, private e-mail, and chat for course members. Others use the online surveys and exams.

Training Opportunities
CTE can provide faculty with scheduled training workshops, drop-in assistance, one-on-one tutorials by appointment, computer-based training modules, and online documentation for a variety of software programs. Some of the most popular applications include PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Endnote, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver. We also teach research workshops to professors' classes of students. These include sessions in SPSS, STATA, SAS, and Eviews.

The Ann Ferren Teaching Conference
A one-day teaching conference exclusively for AU faculty, held each January. Register online or call (202) 885-3904 for more information.

Areté
CTE's bi-yearly newsletter for faculty publishes articles ranging from teaching to technology.

Audio & Video Systems & Services
If you need to show a movie or hook up your laptop to make a presentation for your class or special event, the Audio & Video Systems & Services Group can help. Call (202) 885-2296 or email av@american.edu to make a reservation.

The Faculty Corner
A one-stop resource, designed exclusively for faculty to assist with their technology and teaching needs.

Small Grants Program
$100 reimbursement per semester for each professor who is currently teaching a course, which may be used in any way that supports teaching. Small grants have been used for books, technological items such as iPods and presentation remotes, subsidizing field trips, art supplies for classes, the purchase of DVDs to show in class, and the ever-popular pizza parties. We encourage you to be creative in your use of these funds. Questions? Call (202) 885-2117 or email ctegeneral@american.edu.

Noontime Teaching Seminars/Workshops
CTE sponsors two to three Noontime Conversations per semester focused on topics of special interest to faculty. Past seminars have included training on Endnote bibliographic software, use of the Gradebook feature in Blackboard, and Doing Justice to Ethics in the Classroom. Watch the online Today@AU message board for announcements of upcoming events.

Pedagogical Consultations and Professional Development
CTE’s Director, Professor John Richardson, and CTE Associate Director, Professor John Doolittle, are available to help faculty make realistic assessments of their teaching skills and to offer suggestions for developing their methods and approaches. Sometimes, it can also be useful to have a support person at hand, who has experienced the process and is knowledgeable about American University’s institutional culture, but not directly involved in evaluating the faculty members’ performance. All consultations are confidential.

Teaching With Technology Training
This series of workshops covered a wide variety of topics, from using Blackboard to podcasting your lectures, from Endnote to PowerPoint. Workshops are held at the beginning of each academic year.

Online Teaching Resources for AU Faculty
This online teaching manual is an essential guide for AU faculty, whether you are just getting started or are looking for new ideas.   Or download the pdf version.

Office
Director's Office

Location
Hurst Hall, Room 206-D

Hours
Mon - Fri: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Contact
Phone: (202) 885-2117
Email: ctegeneral@american.edu

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Related Links
-New and Adjunct Faculty Orientation