Faculty Development Days
On Monday, 7 February Faculty Development Day I of the 2005 Spring Semester was held in Bethlehem University. Presentations were made on the findings of the internal research grants. There were three presentations: Iman Al-Hadweh and Ra’ed Shomali presented their findings on Indications of Good Teaching: Implications for Bethlehem University; Rima Dabdoub and Aziz Khalil presented the findings of their Evaluative Study of the Senior Seminar in Bethlehem University; and Karim Abdul Nour and Mohammad Breigheith presented their findings on the Dismissal Policy in Bethlehem University. In the afternoon sessions, Bethlehem University faculty continued working on their departmental development plans, and discussed methods for implementation of the external reviewers’ recommendations.
(From Left to Right) Brother Fergus McArdle, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Barry Stierer, Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching, University of Brighton, UK
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On 15 and 16 February 2005, Faculty Development Days II and III were held, under the motto “Setting an Agenda for Strengthening the Link Between Teaching and Research.”
Brother Peter Iorlano, Director of Institutional Values, opened with a prayer. Members of the various faculties in Bethlehem University were in attendance.
Dr. Barry Stierer, Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching, University of Brighton, U.K., led the program. The topics addressed were the relation between teaching and research, the role of research as an element of student learning within the curriculum, assessment of the learning process, and tools for evaluating effective teaching.
Bethlehem University faculty members worked in small groups, and on the first day the discussion focused on the relation between teaching and research, and how to evaluate the learning process. The group discussions of the second day focused on the tools needed for effective teaching.
Brother Fergus McArdle, Vice President for Academic Affairs, concluded the two-day event by thanking Dr. Barry Stierer. In a note distributed to Bethlehem University faculty, Brother Fergus wrote: Each year the London Sunday Times compiles a ranking of the British universities on various indicators - teaching, research, student/staff ratios, etc. In 1999 Brighton University was voted by them as "University of the Year." This year Brighton University was described as one of the UK's outstanding modern universities. Aren't we blessed to have their Director of Teaching and Learning working with us !
Reflecting on his experience in Bethlehem University, Dr. Steirer said: “It is an honor and a privilege to be here in Palestine, and to have the opportunity to work with colleagues at Bethlehem University. I am very impressed by the creativity, enthusiasm and dedication of the faculty members and their efforts to improve teaching for the benefit of their students.”
