This is an archive of the ACE Workshop website. While all of the original content is available, some features (like forms) may no longer work and there may be broken links (indicated with a strike-through). 

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The ACE 
Framework

A guide for decision-making and professional development planning during times of crisis.

The ACE Framework 4-Week Workshop

A facilitated learning experience for Summer 2020 faculty development

This 4-week workshop is aimed at faculty, and walks through the ACE Framework with the goal of helping instructors design their fall courses so that they are responsive to the uncertain and rapidly changing landscape around the pandemic.

The workshop orients faculty to a course design process squarely centered on pedagogy and students, rather than on technology tools, modalities, or one-size-fits-all solutions.

Schedule

Week One

Orientation to the Workshop resources, schedule, and program and learning about the first ACE value, Adaptability.

Week Two

Exploring the second ACE value, Connection, and opportunities to learn more about the tools/technologies that can assist you and your students.

Week Three

Exploring the third ACE value, Equity, and opportunities to learn more about the services and techniques for supporting students.

Week Four

Pulling together all your work from the last three weeks; preparing and completing your guided self-assessment.

Workshop Resources

Resource Description PSU Uses Other Schools Could Use
Discussion Forum
An online space where all the members of the Workshop can share ideas and reflections and build community.
Microsoft Teams
Teams, Slack, their own Learning Management System, or some other tool that facilitates informal conversation and chat.
Participant Workbook
An online space for individual participants to record their reflections and assignments for the Workshop. Should be sharable, but only when/if participants wants.
Office 365 File space (accessible via Teams)
Office 365, Google Docs, or any other online document system that allows for sharing.
VidSpace
A space for synchronous video meetings among participants that can be recorded and shared.
Zoom Room (accessible via Teams)
Zoom, Teams Video Chat, Google Hangout, or any other video tool that allows group participation and recording/sharing
Workshop Mentors
Individuals who are identified by Workshop Facilitators to mentor small cohorts of participants (for larger groups)
CoLab Faculty Affiliates (will be assigned at the start of the Workshop)
Additional learning center, library, instructional technology staff or faculty with significant course development experience
Workshop Facilitators
A group of people responsible for stewarding progress through the Workshop, including organizing learning activities, finding/assigning mentors, and managing online tools.
Robin DeRosa & Martha Burtis
Learning Center staff, faculty developers, instructional designers, or even just a group of interested faculty at one or more institutions who want to work together

Using the Workshop Elsewhere

Teams from other institutions are welcome to run this workshop using our curriculum (which you may modify as you wish). We are also open to opportunities to sync learning communities among participating institutions. 

Please fill out the “ACE Interest beyond PSU” form below so we can be in touch.

Resources for Workshop Facilitators

Workshop Facilitators at other institutions may find the following online resources useful for planning purposes. All of these are shared in a Google Folder (link provides access for viewing and downloading) so they can easily modify, remix, and distribute them.: 

  • Full Workshop curriculum: This includes all four weeks of activities in a single document. 
  • Full Workshop checklist: This combines all the weekly checklists in one place. 
  • List of questions included on the Intake Questionnaire: These are the questions developed at PSU for the Workshop intake process. 
  • Participant Workbook template: This is a structured document that participants use to complete their weekly work. 
  • Guided Self-Assessment template: This is the structured document that participants complete during Week Four and use with a Mentor/Reviewer to assess their preparation for Fall.

Thank you to the Davis Educational Foundation for their generous support of this workshop. The Davis Educational Foundation was established by Stanton and Elisabeth Davis after Mr. Davis’ retirement as chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets, Inc.

About the Workbook

The Workbook is an online space for you to record your reflections and assignments for the Workshop.

Participants at PSU will be using an Office 365 Word Document (available via the “Files” section of the “General” channel in the ACE Workshop Teams space).

Participants at other institutions should check with their Workshop Facilitator(s) about where to work on their Workbook.

About the Discussion Forum

The Discussion Forum is an online space where all the members of the Workshop can share ideas and reflections and build community

Participants at PSU will be using the ACE Workshop Teams space).

Participants at other institutions should check with their Workshop Facilitator(s) about where to access their Discussion Forum.

About the VidSpace

The VidSpace is an online space for synchronous video meetings among participants (that can also be recorded and shared for asynchronous access).

Participants at PSU will be using Zoom (available via the Zoom tab in the ACE Workshop Teams space).

Participants at other institutions should check with their Workshop Facilitator(s) about where to access their VidSpace. 

About the ACE “Institutional Level”

The ACE Framework is primarily designed for faculty who are readjusting their curriculum during times of regional, national, or global crisis. But in order for the work that faculty do with their assignments and courses to be most effective, it should be aligned with the institutional mission, which should guide policy and structural planning related to curriculum and teaching.

The institutional level of the framework is a reminder to faculty that if their adjustments at the assignment- or course-level are difficult to operationalize successfully, it could be due to larger policies and structures that are mis-aligned with the ACE Framework; advocacy may be warranted to bring the institution into alignment.

The institutional level of the framework is also a call to university policy-making committees, administrators, Boards of Trustees, and legislators that there is much work to be done to prepare university policies and structures to support students and faculty who are learning and teaching through challenging times.