The Newsletter of the BCCC
Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
Volume XI, No. 1
April 2006
From the Facilitator:
Rounding out the fall 2005 semester, the new faculty enjoyed a holiday
luncheon in Tyler Hall with Provost Annette Conn and President James
Linksz.
At left, Susan Hagen and Shelley Milhous from the Department of the Arts
enjoy a laugh with the President. With the start of the second semester, we
were happy to welcome Ed Ferdinand, Dept. of the Arts; Jim Gilligan,
Counseling; and Carolyn Woods, Learning Resources, as new tenure track
and special term contract full-time faculty.
Another “gala” event was the February Dean’s Reception honoring all the contestants in the Faculty Centersponsored contest for the best ideas of activities designed to engage students in learning on the first day of
class. Seven of the contestants provided a poster session so that they could share their ideas with their
colleagues during the reception. (See the pictures below.)
Caryn Babaian explains her
poster to Marta Kauffman.
Bill Ford shares a laugh while
explaining his first day activity
for Psychology 110.
Emily DiBala (left) offers
tips to Kelly Gredone.
These are just a few of our outstanding faculty. Please read on for more information about your colleagues
and their activities during the spring semester.
Rebecca Stevenson, x 8065, stevenso@bucks.edu
Facilitator
Outstanding Part-time Faculty Receive Awards
The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning sponsors the annual awards to outstanding part-time faculty
nominated by their departments. This year’s winners include: from Health, Phys. Ed & Nursing – Ann
Marie Strecker; from Arts, Robin Corsino and Jeff Baumeister; from Math/Computer and Information
Science – Laurie Bernstein and Emerson Shaw; from Behavioral and Social Sciences – Christopher
Quinn, Jennifer Giles, and John Petito; from Science and Technology – Frank Grimes; from Learning
Resources – Julie Piper; from Business Studies – Emma LeSaint and Heather Thomas; and from
Language and Literature – John Foster, Kimiko Manes, and Jacqueline Bowers. They will be honored
during a special luncheon at which they will receive their awards of $100 each and certificates of
recognition.
Faculty Enjoy Text and Technology Day
Publishers and faculty again had an opportunity this year to get
together at the Annual Text and Technology Day, sponsored by the
BCCC Bookstore and the Teaching and Learning with Technology
Roundtable (TLTR).
TLTR is co-chaired by Dean Annette Conn and Arta Szathmary of
the Math/Computer and Information Science Department. TLTR
Action Teams include Professional Development, Emerging
Technologies, Flashlight Online Tools, and Portal Solutions. If you
have an interest in joining one of the teams, contact Arta
Szathmary, szathmar@bucks.edu.
The Believing and Doubting Game
(From Dr. Stephen doCarmo’s Writing to Learn Tips on the BCCC Intranet.)
“It's simple. First you have students write informally -- either in class or at home -- in support of some idea,
proposal, hypothesis, concept, methodology, or what have you. Next you ask them to write about it again,
this time as critics or skeptics. And then, of course, you ask them to share their thoughts. The activity
inevitably heightens students' understanding of concepts by inviting them to see them from at least two
distinctly different angles.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Writing to Learn, contact your member of the WTL team: for
Business Studies and Health, Phys. Ed., Nursing – Colleen Dunn; for the Arts and Behavioral and Social
Sciences – Dr. Rik Booraem; for Science and Technology and Math/Computer and Information Sciences –
Dr. Steve Sullivan, or speak to the Resource Fellow – Dr. Stephen doCarmo, Language and Literature.
John Petito and Alan Rubin are also a part of the 2005-2006 team.
Faculty of the Future 2006: Friday, June 2
Don’t miss our annual faculty conference! Check with your Assistant Academic Dean about registration. And check the website www.bucks.edu/fotf2006 for information on the schedule of presentations.
Special Thanks!
Special thanks are due to Mark Grisi, Exec. Director, Physical Plant,
and to C. Martin Snyder, Director, Buildings and Grounds Services,
for their help in obtaining a new Faculty Center sign and posting
board. Upcoming Faculty Center events will be posted on this board,
located outside the Faculty Center on the pole that holds the Faculty
Center flag.
Professional Development Opportunities:
DeVry University's Educator Fellowship Program: The program offers community college and high school
faculty and faculty administrators the opportunity to take classes at no cost.
Contact:
Sid Holmes, Director, Community Relations
Devry University, Philadelphia Metro
1140 Virginia Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034-3204
sholmes@phi.devry.edu
866.303.3879 x5740
http://www.devry.edu/philadelphia/
Fulbright Scholar Program: Competition opens March 1, 2006;
Application deadline is August 1, 2006.
For information, contact Rebecca Stevenson at x8065.
Conferences and Meetings:
NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development International Conference on Teaching
& Leadership Excellence
May 28-31, 2006, Austin, Texas www.nisod.org
BCCC Faculty of the Future Conference, June 2, 2006
League for Innovation – Learning College Summit
June 11-14, 2006, St. Louis, MO www.league.org
League for Innovation – Conference on Information Technology
October 22-25, 2006, Charlotte, NC www.league.org
EDUCAUSE national conference (Information technology in higher education)
October 9-12, 2006, Dallas, TX www.educause.edu
Professional Development Activities
N.B. This section of the newsletter is based on information received in the Academic Affairs Office between Nov. 2005 and April 10, 2006.
Attending/Presenting at Conferences:
A team of faculty and staff attended the NADE (National Association for Developmental Education)
conference in Philadelphia in February. They later shared their experiences at a Faculty Center session on
April 5. The team included: Marge Zipin, Disabilities Services; Julie Piotrowicz, Act 101-GOALS;
Rebecca Stevenson, Academic Affairs; Marlene Barlow, Adult and Multicultural Student Services; Lisa
Angelo, Math/CIS; Nicole Tracey, Tutoring Center; Carol Munson, Lang. & Lit., Dr. Bill Ford,
Behav./Soc. Sci.; Denise May, Lang. & Lit.; Mary Ann Klicka, Math/CIS; Jim Gilligan, Counseling;
Sherry Eichert, Lang. & Lit.; Susan Darrah, Lang. & Lit.; John Petito, Socl/Beh. Sci.; Betsy Farber,
Math/CIS.
Tony Siciliano and Dave Snellman, Learning Resources, attended Extron training in California.
Dr. Michaeleen Lee attended the national Two-Year College Chemistry meeting.
Dr. Priscilla Rice presented at the Women of Color Conference in Philadelphia.
Fran Orlando, Arts, attended the annual conference of the American Association of Museums.
Nicole Tracey and Carolyn Woods, Learning Resources, attended a library conference.
Marzenna Ostrowski, Learning Resources, attended a workshop on PALINET.
Elaine Fitt, Math/CIS, gave a presentation on “The Halo Effect” at the Psychometric Assessment and
Scoring Conference. She also presented on “Open-ended Questions” at the National Council for
Measurement in Education.
Doreen Cornell, Kay Chen, Marilyn McCarron, Ralph Hunsberger, and Bob Porche, Math/CIS,
attended the Course Technology Forum in Baltimore in March.
Dr. Roberta Mayer and Cameron McMillan, Arts, attended the College Arts Association meeting in
Boston.
Will Gee, Arts, attended the Society of Photographic Education Conference in Chicago on digital
technology within the academic setting, March 23-26.
Dr. Michael Hoffman, Arts, attended the Conference of the International Association for Jazz Education in
New York City.
Al Rieger, Beh./Soc. Sci., attended the 2006 Teaching Economics Conference in Pittsburgh sponsored by
Robert Morris University and McGraw Hill/Irwin Publishing Co., Feb. 16-18.
Marilyn Puchalski and Dave Snellman, Learning Resources, presented at the EDUCOM conference.
Dave Snellman, Learning Resources, presented on Personal Computer Security at the Faculty Center on
11/29/05. He was also named to the Royal Order of Marconi Madness for his work in preserving Camp
Evans in New Jersey.
Pam Leutwyler, Math/CIS, attended a workshop on teaching Linear Algebra at Drexel University.
Kay Chen and Arta Szathmary, Math/CIS, attended the “4Cs of New Jersey” conference at Essex County
Community College and the American Computing Machinery Users’ Group meeting in Princeton . Arta
Szathmary also attended the PA Educators of Technology Exposition and Conference and the first Annual
On-Course Conference in St. Louis, MO.
John Crowley, Math/CIS, attended a “Fundamentals of Cisco Router Configuration” training session in
February.
Michael Hennessey, Lang. & Lit., presented on Paperless Essay Grading in the Faculty Center.
Dr. Bill Ford, Soc./Beh. Sci.; Arlene Franklin, Math/CIS; Dr. Maureen McCreadie, Learning Resources,
and Dr. James Linksz, President, served on a Faculty Center panel to discuss Middle States standards
and visiting teams.
Arlene Franklin, Math/CIS, attended the Prentice Hall and Course Technology conferences in California in
April.
Georglyn Davidson, Learning Resources, led a Faculty Center discussion on handling difficult situations in
online classes.
Dr. Bill Ford, Soc./Beh. Sci.; Kelly Gredone, Bus. Studies; and Eileen Cohen, Lang. & Lit., presented on
their winning First Day Activities at the Faculty Center.
Emily DiBala, Lang. & Lit.; Caryn Babaian, Sci/Tech.; Dr. Bill Ford, Soc./Beh. Sci.; Patricia Moore, Arts;
Eileen Cohen, Lang. & Lit.; and Margaret Montet, Learning Resources, presented a poster session on
student engagement ideas at the February Dean’s Reception.
Kathy Webb, Sci./Tech.; John Harrison, Math/CIS; and Catherine McElroy, Ac. Affairs, attended the
Nanofabrication Partners’ Conference at Penn State, 2/19-21.
Marilyn Puchalski , Learning Resources, gave a presentation on “Technologies for Learning: Engaging
the Digital Natives” at the Smart Technologies Education Conference in New York.
Mary Marco, Math/CIS, has been named a Smart Technologies Exemplary Educator and attended the
Smart Technologies Education Conference in NYC.
Denise May, Lang. & Lit., and Dr. Bill Ford, Soc./Beh. Sci., were invited to speak at Delaware County CC’s
professional development days.
Doug Rosentrater, Arts, traveled to Peru for six weeks to participate in a National Endowment for the
Humanities Institute.
Honors, Awards, Exhibitions, and Publications:
In the fall (2005) Mark Sfirri, Arts, was a featured demonstrator and lecturer at the annual Texas
woodturning conference titled “Texas Turn or Two” in Wichita Falls, TX. His other activities include
the Tylersport PA Carving and Wood Turning Fair and serving as visiting artist for the Craft Department at
Virginia Commonwealth University. His work will be part of nine invitational museum and university
exhibitions this spring and summer. The Collectors of Wood Art’s publication Forum also featured an
interview with Mark.
Jim Freeman, Lang. & Lit., was featured as a local author in March at the Bucks County Visitors’ Center.
He has also had book signings for his latest novel, Parade of Days.
Robert Dodge, Jack Gevins, Alan Goldstein, and Helen Weisz, all recently retired BCCC faculty from the
Department of the Arts, were honored with an exhibition of their work, “In Tribute,” at the Hicks Art Center
Gallery.
Brian Johnstone, Learning Resources, contributed information on policies, procedures and status of
BCCC’s wireless laptop lending program to a book being written by Louise E. Alcorn, Neal-Schuman
Publishers.
Jeff Baumeister, Arts, had “The Realization of a Line” featured as Download of the Day at
AllAboutJazz.com. He was also interviewed on “Jazz with Jeff Duperon” on WRTI.
Caryn Babaian, Sci./Tech., was featured in an article about using art to teach biology in the Courier Times.
Susan Hagen, Arts, served as judge for the Van Hess Scholarship, presented at Moore College of Art on
her work and influences in the arts, and she rejoined the board of Directors of the Wood Turning Center.
She also had articles published in The Philadelphia City Paper entitled “Chinatown Revisited,” “Q & A:
David Barquist,” and “Magic Eye.” A film documentary on her work aired Jan. 13 on the Drexel University
cable station.
Margaret Montet, Learning Resources, had her work entitled “Information Literacy: Survival Skills for the
Hi-Tech Information Jungle” published in the Spring 2006 edition of Mature Years.
John Mathews, Arts, and his father, Paul Mathews, had an exhibition entitled “Like Father Like Son?” at
Chandler Hall in January and February.
John Crowley’s Math/CIS new course, Introduction to Wireless Networking was featured in a Philadelphia
Inquirer article.
Dr. Roberta Mayer, Arts, published an article on Thomas Eakins in a recent issue of 19th Century.
Sherry Eichert, Lang. & Lit., hosted an ESL roundtable for ESL teachers at BCCC and from area high
schools.
Tom Lawton, Arts, was interviewed and his CD reviewed in “All About Jazz,” an online jazz magazine.
Dr. Rik Booraem, Soc./Beh. Sci., published an article on Grover Cleveland in New York Archives.
Debra Geoghan, Math/CIS, was featured on CBS 3 news in February talking about the new consumer
electronics course. She was also featured in articles in the Intelligencer and in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Bob Porche, Math/CIS, had his new gaming club, THE HUB, featured in an article in the Bucks County
Courier Times.