Math, education, technology, productivity.

Sabbatical

During the 2017–2018 academic year, I will be on sabbatical from Grand Valley State University to work as a scholar-in-residence with Steelcase in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Specifically, I’ll be working with Steelcase Education and the Workspace Futures group to conduct research and provide professional development focusing on the use of technology and learning spaces to promote active learning. Some of the things I’ll be doing include:

  • Consulting with Steelcase engineers and designers on research and development of products for educational learning spaces, particular spaces that support active and blended learning
  • Providing professional development workshops for Steelcase employees on teaching and learning issues
  • Providing professional development workshops for teachers and higher education faculty on the use of active learning
  • Conducting research on active learning and faculty adoption of active learning techniques
  • Advising Steelcase Education on Active Learning Center grants

In addition to working with Steelcase, I will also be conducting two independent research projects:

  • A study of the effects of flipped learning environments on the development of metacognitive skills in university Calculus students (with Marcia Frobish)
  • A study of the experiences of students with documented learning disabilities in flipped learning environments (with Amy Schelling)

My sabbatical begins in September 2017 and runs through August 2018. During Summer 2017, I will be traveling during May and then focusing time on my family from June through August.

You can read more about my sabbatical, how it came about, and why I’m excited about it at this blog post. I hope to blog about my experiences as I go throughout the year, so stay tuned.

If you need to get in touch with me during the period from May 2017 through August 2018, please email at talbertr @ gvsu.edu or use one of the other contact methods you see in the sidebar. Please note:

  • I will still be available during the sabbatical to give talks and conduct workshops, although my availability is limited by my commitments to Steelcase. If you’re interested in having me speak or work with faculty at your institution, go ahead and contact me and we’ll work from there.
  • I will not be teaching during this period and will not be on campus at GVSU during this period except for a handful of meetings in the Fall. If you’re a GVSU student and have a request for me, please see my GVSU page for more information.

Thanks!