Join Learning Innovation and nationally-known speaker Dr. Derek Bruff for a discussion of better approaches to guide the use of educational technology in teaching.

Chalkboards and projectors are familiar tools for most college faculty, but when new technologies become available, instructors aren’t always sure how to integrate them into their teaching in meaningful ways. For faculty interested in supporting student learning, determining what’s possible and what’s useful can be challenging in the changing landscape of technology.

Arguing that teaching and learning goals should drive instructors’ technology use, not the other way around, Derek Bruff in "Intentional Tech" explores seven research-based principles for matching technology to pedagogy. Through stories of instructors who creatively and effectively use educational technology, author Derek Bruff approaches technology not by asking “How to?” but by posing a more fundamental question: “Why?”

In this session, we’ll explore several of the teaching principles for matching technology to pedagogy presented in the book, principles that can help us make intentional and effective use of technology in our teaching.

Light refreshments will be served, and attendees could win a copy of Dr. Bruff's book!

About the Presenter:

Derek Bruff is director of the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching and a principal senior lecturer in the Vanderbilt Department of Mathematics. As director, he oversees the Center’s programming and offerings for faculty and graduate students, helping them develop foundational teaching skills and explore new ideas in teaching and learning. He also consults regularly with campus leaders about pedagogical issues, seeking to foster a university culture that supports effective teaching.

Bruff is the author of Intentional Tech: Principles to Guide the Use of Educational Technology in College Teaching (West Virginia University Press, 2019) and Teaching with Classroom Response Systems: Creating Active Learning Environments (Jossey-Bass, 2009). His scholarly interests include educational technology and faculty development, and he writes about these and other topics on his blog, Agile Learning. Bruff is also producer and host of the podcasts Leading Lines, VandyVox, and One-Time Pod.

Bruff served on the board of directors of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network from 2010 to 2013. He also served as co-PI from 2013 to 2018 on a National Science Foundation grant supporting two open, online courses on evidence-based teaching practices for future STEM faculty. Bruff has taught at Harvard University and has a PhD in mathematics from Vanderbilt University.