Welcome!

We would like to announce a change in management for our popular online course.  After nearly six years during which Optimize Learning offered “Significant Learning by Design” (SLD-I and SLD-II), Linda Jacoby is shifting her organization towards new directions.  We are grateful for her work designing and expertly facilitating these courses for many years! 

We are thrilled to announce that, beginning in January 2020, Bridget Arend and her company, Intentional College Teaching, will be taking over management and facilitation of the course.

Linda and Bridget have worked closely to create a smooth transition and ensure there will be no pause in the offering of these courses.  The courses will still have the same learning outcomes and structure (using the model of Integrated Course Design, of course), and will also be updated with current resources.

Bridget has 20 years of experience supporting teaching and learning in higher education.  She is the former Executive Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning at the University of Denver (DU) where she continues to teach part time.  Bridget is co-author of a comprehensive book about instructional practices, Facilitating Seven Ways of Learning: A Resource for More Purposeful, Effective and Enjoyable College Teaching.  She also continues to pursue research interests around teaching strategies in higher education, encouraging critical thinking in discussions, the role of reflection in learning, and alternative ways to evaluate teaching.

You can find out more about the current offering of the course at:  www.intentionalcollegeteaching.org

Dee Fink was interviewed in early 2019 by Anna Sabramowicz, a person who posts lots of material on YouTube about instructional design, higher education, and training.  In this case, she interviewed him for ~1 hour on the general subject of “Active Learning and Learner-Centered Design.”

Much of the discussion is about the origin and significance of the ideas in his book, Creating Significant Learning Experiences (orig. ed., 2003; Updated ed., 2013).  Fink comments in some depth about the Taxonomy of Significant Learning and the model of Integrated Course Design, as well as the reaction of people to these ideas since the publication of his book.

URL:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u_TzuOjPBY&t=2165s

On May 25-27, 2016, Dee Fink & Associates will again offer their National Workshop on “Designing Courses for Significant Learning” in Chicago, IL.

This year Loyola University Chicago is co-hosting the Workshop with us.  We will hold it at their Water Tower Campus located on the near north side of downtown Chicago.  Some participants might want to take advantage of this and stay over a few nights to explore the fun city of Chicago!

Special Option:  This year there will again be an optional, half-day workshop at the end of the regular workshop, on “Leading Your Own Workshop on Integrated Course Design”.

For more information about the workshop, go to:

http://www.deefinkandassociates.com/index.php/workshops/chicago-2016/

In February of 2015 Dee Fink visited Catholic University of Uruguay to give a course design workshop. While there he gave a presentation for campus leaders, i.e., chairs, deans, and provost office personnel, about what they could and would need to do to make their institution more “learning-centered”. There where simultaneous translators at work for those in the audience who needed or wanted it.

Video of that presentation is below:

On May 19-21, 2015, Dee Fink & Associates will again offer their National Workshop on “Designing Courses for Significant Learning” in Chicago, IL.

New Feature:  This year there will be an optional, half-day workshop at the end of the regular workshop, on “Leading Your Own Workshop on Integrated Course Design”.

For more information about the workshop, go to:

http://www.deefinkandassociates.com/index.php/workshops/chicago-2015/