Please find a message below from Rachel Horak, an Education Specialist at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

I would like to announce a few teaching-related professional development opportunities for members who teach undergraduates. ASM Education offers a variety of resources and events to help you on your teaching journey! We are ready to help you advance your career with as little as a few minutes. Or take the plunge and register for a multi-week webinar series to really dive into hot topics in undergraduate education.

Do you have only a few minutes? Check out a recent article about Backward Design in the Microbiology Classroom or follow the #ASMCUE hashtag on Twitter!

Do you have lots of questions about active learning? Join us for 2 upcoming webinars (live event and on-demand viewing available) about active learning for biology and microbiology classrooms. The presenters will be able to address questions about your own classroom or experiences!

1. On November 18, Mary Mawn and Jen Herzog will discuss “Active Learning: A Strategy Supported by Data,” where you will learn the basics of engaging microbiology students in their learning.

2. On December 9, Phil Mixter and Jen Herzog will discuss “Active Learning: Creating Connections Between Students and Knowledge.” In this webinar, you will have new activities to engage your students for any classroom environment, face-to-face, hybrid, or online, and you will be able to assess the impact of your activities on student learning.

Ready to really dig into learning about undergraduate teaching? Join us for two exciting webinar series in the Winter/Spring 2020 season. Registration is available for individual webinars within the series or register for the entire series for a 6-webinar package discount with package-only benefits that include one-on-one mentoring at 2020 ASMCUE.

1. Teaching Undergraduate Biology, a 6-webinar series led by Loretta Brancaccio-Taras. This series introduces the fundamental concepts of evidence-based teaching as well as career development tips for undergraduate educators. Topics include inclusive teaching, curriculum design, and active learning techniques. January – April, 2020.

2. Biology Education Research: Getting Started, a 6-webinar series led by Stephanie Gardner and Laurence Clement. Learn how to develop your own classroom study with this faculty learning community. Best for biology educators who are new to education research, and based on the highly successful ASM/NSF Biology Scholars Program (2005 – 2017). February – March, 2020.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for ASMCUE, July 9-12, 2020 in Bellevue WA! ASMCUE is the premier conference for biology and microbiology undergraduate educators to learn best practices, consider new classroom strategies, and hear biology education research updates. Come learn from your peers and network with educators who teach the same courses you teach. New this year: additional networking opportunities and test-drive an active learning technique in the Activity Test Kitchen. Submission portal for sessions, posters, microbrews will open in early November 2019.

Please contact me, Rachel Horak, education@asmusa.org, with any questions about these programs.