Pacific Presents Kevin Gannon 'The Tattooed Professor'

Pacific University’s College of Arts & Sciences will be hosting national teaching and learning expert Kevin Gannon on Tuesday, Oct. 3.  There will be several opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to interact with Gannon, also known as “the Tattooed Professor.”

9-10 a.m. | Evaluating Teaching Effectively and Equitably

This meeting of current department chairs and members of the Faculty Personnel Committee and Annual Review Committee will focus on fair evaluation of teaching.  

Tran Library Conference Room – open by invitation only

11:30-12:45 p.m. | Teaching the Students We Have

In this not-quite-post-covid chapter in higher ed, things seem different. Many of us are struggling with disconnected students and sporadic attendance, and as a result, there’s been a lot of discussion about “returning to rigor” and “restoring standards.” But what if, in these efforts, we actually make our problems worse? In this session, we’ll talk about “rigor,” what it means, how it’s often used, and the ways in which it might actually be working against what we hope to accomplish in our teaching.

We’ll also think about ways we can maintain structure and challenge in our courses without creating barriers to student learning. Finally, we’ll consider the importance of trust and motivation in restoring our students’ sense of connection.

MPR – Faculty and staff, RSVP requested

1:30-2:30 p.m. | Facilitating Student Learning

In this session for student TAs, class mentors, peer tutors and the faculty they work with, Dr. Gannon will discuss what is what is helping students learn, what they need, and the particular role of student near peers in facilitating student success. 

Location TBD, please RSVP to get the location - For teaching assistants, class mentors, peer tutors, and their faculty. Students will receive a Starbucks gift card for attending this session!

4- 5:30 p.m. | Teaching and Learning in an age of AI

This panel session will feature Dr. Gannon, and a current Pacific undergraduate student, and a faculty member, in conversation with each other and the audience about the new realities of artificial intelligence. Reception with light refreshments to follow.  

MPR – open to all

Monday, Sept. 25, 2023