Missouri Western State University will host the eighth annual Conference on Applied Learning in Higher Education March 21-23. There are 140 people registered to attend the conference from all over the U.S., including six from Hawaii.
The conference will begin with a round table discussion Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m., three keynote speeches on Friday, and a poster session of students and faculty work from 4-5:20 p.m. Friday. Activities will wrap up after a fourth keynote address on Saturday.
The four keynote speakers at the conference are Tony Jenkins, vice president for academic affairs of the National Peace Academy, New York; Ross Eisenbrey, vice president of the Economic Policy Institute, Washington D.C.; Dr. David Daniel, professor of psychology at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.; and Dr. Julio Rivera, provost and professor of geography at Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis. All talks will be held in the Fulkerson Center.
Ross Eisenbrey, vice president of the Economic Policy Institute, will speak from 9-10:20 a.m., March 22. His topic is “Unpaid Internships: An Economic, Legal, and Ethical Analysis.” He will explore how unpaid internships are increasingly common and are contributing to a general decline in wages and incomes for young workers and working families. He will also discuss how employment of college-educated adults in unpaid internships raises disturbing questions about the economic returns to education and the value of a college degree in today’s labor market
Tony Jenkins, vice president for academic affairs of the National Peace Academy, will speak for the lunch and plenary session from 11:30 a.m.- 12:50 p.m. His topic is “A Pedagogy of Relationships: A Practical Framework for Intentional, Transformative Learning.” He will discuss how to facilitate learning that will lead to the full development of an individual’s human potential as well as nurture critical, reflective and engaged citizenship.
David Daniel, professor of psychology at James Madison University, will speak at 6-7:45 p.m., also on Friday, on “Experiential Learning: Making It Both.” He will discuss how to leverage the science of learning and other areas of inquiry to structure experiences that maximize student impact. This session will encourage participation and focus upon the acquisition of useable and transferable knowledge, skills and perspectives in multiple contexts.
The final keynote, from Dr. Julio Rivera, provost and professor of geography at Carthage College, will be held from 11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. on Saturday. His topic is “Extending the Reach of Undergraduate Research: Partnerships with the Community.” He will discuss how important it is for undergraduate researchers to get outside of the lab and into the community among business and non-profit organizations.
Applied learning refers to student learning that occurs in nontraditional contexts on college and university campuses. Common examples of applied learning include co-curricular programming, internships and practica, service learning, study abroad, and undergraduate research.
Presenters at this year’s conference will be eligible to submit their work for consideration for publication in the Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, which is published by Missouri Western. Conference attendees will also receive a complimentary copy of the 2012 edition.
Participants will enjoy more than 100 sessions, workshops, and poster presentations focused on best practices in applied learning.
For more information on CALHE call Carolyn Schindler at 816-271-4364 or send an email to cschindler@missouriwestern.edu or visit the website at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/appliedlearning/conference.asp
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.
—end—