About
The Program for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning was developed to provide USA faculty with opportunities and resources that will enable them to learn about and implement innovative and improved teaching strategies. PETAL provides the following types of services.
Teaching Seminars
PETAL Teaching Seminars are one-hour sessions facilitated by a USA faculty member who shares personal experiences and innovations in an interactive session. Upcoming topics include:
- Service Learning
- Active Learning Strategies in the Hard Sciences
- Handling Disruptive Students
- Learning from Teaching Evaluations
Roundtable Discussions
PETAL Roundtable Discussions provide an open forum where faculty can share ideas on a particular topic in a free-form discussion with no presenter or facilitator. Upcoming topics include:
- Engaging Students
- Improving Attendance
- Teaching Diversity
- Teaching Critical Thinking
Panel Discussions
PETAL Panel Discussions bring together faculty from a variety of disciplines to talk about a particular issue or teaching strategy. Upcoming topics include:
- Using Web 2.0 Technologies
- Violence Prevention
- Issues Facing New Faculty
- Critical Thinking in the STEM
Technology Workshops
PETAL Technology Workshops introduce faculty to instructional technologies with an emphasis on the pedagogical applications of those technologies. Upcoming topics include:
- The Clicker
- Turnitin
- Teaching with PowerPoint
- Podcasting