"Cool Class" creative ideas for encouraging and evaluating student learning in online, hybrid, and face-to-face courses

Concurrent Session 2
Leadership

Brief Abstract

A “Cool Classes Feature” by the EKU Center for Academic Creativity and learner feedback provide a scaffolding for this session encouraging and evaluating student learning. Our time together provides participants with creative ideas and applications in course design, content selection, application, assessment, evaluation, feedback, and community engagement.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Jim Fatzinger, Elon University

Dr. Fatzinger completed a Doctorate of Education at Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, a Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business, and a MBA/BBA from the University of Miami. A former Presidential Fellow at Auburn University, Dr. Fatzinger's fellowship included donor relations, governmental relations, media, alumni relations, athletics, audit and compliance, facilities, and shared governance. Previously, he also served as a member of a SACS/COC On-site Evaluation Team. Dr. Fatzinger completed post-graduate work in History, Politics, and Society at the University of Oxford, England, completed the Harvard University Institute for Management and Leadership in Education, and was a member of the Fulbright Specialist Roster. He also finished as a Semi-finalist for the White House Fellowship. In 2011, Dr. Fatzinger was selected as an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow hosted by Clemson University and subsequently, served as a co-mentor for an ACE Fellow. While an ACE Fellow, his projects included promotion and tenure review and NCAA D1 rulebook revisions. He is currently the President of the Kentucky Chapter of the Fulbright Association, Co-Chairperson of the ACE Outreach and Engagement Committee, and Chairperson of the AACSB Metropolitan Business School Affinity Group. Having taught undergraduate and graduate Business Courses for over a decade and as a member of the Vanderbilt School of Engineering faculty, Dr. Fatzinger's national presentations include AACSB, AAC&U, Emory, IUPUI, NASPA, and SACS/COC. He has also presented at Brown University, Emory University, Stanford University, the United States Air Force Academy, and the University of Miami. Dr. Fatzinger has published in Dean and Provost, College Athletics and the Law, The Successful Registrar, and Student Affairs Today. Additionally, he contributed to an eText on higher education administration authored by President Jay Gogue, a book Chapter on Student Engagement published by Wiley, and is currently contributing to a book on teaching 'best practices.' His grant work includes work with the American Council on Education (ACE) Innovation Lab supported by the Lumina Foundation, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Department of the Interior Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species (CITES), and Supervision of a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Campus Suicide and Prevention Grant. Teaching Strategy courses at Elon, Dr. Fatzinger served as a Senior Associate Provost and Chief Student Affairs Officer responsible for developing the 'Integrated Educational Experience' at the first four-year public institution of the 21st century growing the student enrollment from 118 students to a sustained enrollment of over 10,000 students. Serving over a decade in the role, he opened over $130M in new construction and worked with the Academic Deans Council in the development of institution-wide learning outcomes, assessment, and evaluation as part of a comprehensive strategic plan. He was recognized for the accomplishment on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives. Prior to being recruited to build Georgia Gwinnett College, Dr. Fatzinger served as Assistant Dean of the Graduate School and Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Miami where he worked with Graduate Program Coordinators overseeing the enrollment of over 150 graduate programs spanning 3 campuses. At the University of Miami, his responsibilities included the most competitive institutional fellowships including the University of Miami Fellowship, Maytag Fellowship, and the National Science Foundation Fellowship. He founded the Society of Fellows, Black Graduate Student Association, and advised the Graduate Student Association. He was also responsible for drafting the institution's graduate disciplinary policy and was a guest speaker in the University of Miami Law School. As the Director of Freshman Programs and Associate Director of the Academic Development Center at the University of Miami, Dr. Fatzinger developed the University of Miami Freshman Experience Program and Directed the academic alert retention/intervention process. Dr. Fatzinger's recognitions include the University of Miami Administrator of the Year and the University of Miami Outstanding Dedication Award for 'exemplary leadership and admirable dedication to the Graduate Student Association, and the Graduate Student Body,' He has also been recognized for his innovative teaching practices. He is a member of Iron Arrow, the highest honor attained at the University of Miami, Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, Golden Key International Honor Society, Order of Omega Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Alpha Epsilon Lambda National Graduate Honor Society. Dr. Fatzinger is an Eagle Scout and served on the National Junior Leader Instructor Camp Staff at Philmont Scout Ranch. He has served in leadership roles with the Boy Scouts of America in Korea, Holland, and at National Jamborees at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. He was also a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame USA Water Polo Team to Sweden. Prior to his career in higher education, Dr. Fatzinger authored the Chief Pilot's Resource Manual for American Airlines, revised system-wide boarding announcements for American Trans Air (ATA) Airline, and contracted with Midway Airlines.

Extended Abstract

According to Greenberg and Hibbert’s (2020) article appearing in the Academy of Management’s Journal of Learning and Education, “scholars are predicting this may be the ‘crucible’ moment when business schools have the opportunity to reinvent the educational environment for our students.”  As we’ve learned during COVID-19, key components of any course include student learning outcome development, assessment, and evaluation occurring over the lifecycle of the course. Content offered in this workshop originates from the belief that each course is a “learning laboratory” providing students, faculty members, and contributing community stakeholders with opportunities for enhancing student learning.  Organized using feedback received by learners, the presentation applies creative ideas grounded in theory by a former Senior Associate Provost for Student Affairs and faculty member with an Ed.D from Vanderbilt’s Peabody School of Education and Human Development and a DBA from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Using a “Cool Classes Feature,” (https://fctl.eku.edu/cool-classes-may-2022) by EKU's Center for Academic Creativity and student feedback as a scaffolding for the presentation. Ideas and applications in course design, content selection, application, assessment, evaluation, incorporating feedback, and community engagement will be featured as contributions for a upcoming book entitled, Creating and Scaling Excellent Learning Within the Disciplines.

Citation

Greenberg, D. and Hibbert, P. (2020).  “From the Editors COVID-19: Learning to Hope and Hoping to Learn.” Academy of Management Learning and Education. Vol. 19. No. 2. 123-130.