10/11/12 ema

HAYS, Kan. -- As part of the Red Balloon Project speaker series, Dr. Jose Bowen, dean of the Meadows College of Arts at Southern Methodist University, University Park, Texas, will visit Fort Hays State University on Thursday, Nov. 1, to share thoughts about teaching effectively in today's classroom.

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities launched its Red Balloon Project to challenge American higher education institutions to "re-imagine undergraduate education." Colleges and universities, first designed in the 11th century and operating on the agrarian calendar of the 19th century, have to prepare students for life and work in the 21st century.

Bowen holds four degrees from Stanford University. He has a joint doctorate degree in musicology and humanities, a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, a Master of Arts in music composition and a Master of Arts in humanities.

He has written more than 100 scholarly articles for many journals including the Journal of Musicology, the Journal of Musicological Research and Performance Practice Review, among others.

His book, "Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning" shows how technology is most powerfully used outside the classroom and, when used effectively, how it can ensure that students arrive to class more prepared for meaningful interaction with faculty.

Bowen will present three workshops at FHSU.

He will present a workshop in the Trails Room of the Memorial Union at 11 a.m. The focus of "Teaching Naked: Motivating and Supporting Change in Faculty" is to introduce deans and chairs to the idea that "Teaching Naked" is not an anti-technology approach, but technology is a tool that is only as good as the larger content into which it is fitted. Bowen will motivate faculty to redesign courses with clear learning outcomes, assessment and serious thinking about motivation and environment.

Bowen will present a workshop titled "Teaching Naked: Technology and E-Communication for Student Engagement" at a luncheon beginning at noon in Stouffer Lounge in the Memorial Union. He will discuss his belief that face-to-face interaction between faculty and students remains the most precious teaching technique, so the most important benefits to technology occur outside the classroom.

"Reassembling the Pieces: New Activities and New Course Designs" will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Faculty members will have the opportunity to discuss the question, "If technology can give us more classroom time, how can we design experiences that will maximize change in our students?"