UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the all-virtual 2024 Schreyer Conference starting at noon on March 27. This year’s conference will focus on the connections between learning and emotion.
The biennial Schreyer Conference is a joint effort of the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence and the Schreyer Honors College, made possible through donations to each unit from the late William A. and Joan L. Schreyer.
Sarah Rose Cavanagh, senior associate director for teaching and learning in the Center for Faculty Excellence at Simmons University, will give an interactive presentation on “Energizing Learning with the Spark of Emotion,” from noon to 1 p.m., followed by breakout sessions led by Schreyer Institute consultants.
Cavanagh, also an associate professor of practice in the Department of Psychology at Simmons, researches the interplay of emotions, motivation, learning and quality of life. Her most recent project, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, convenes a network of scholars to develop teaching practices aimed at greater effectiveness and equity in undergraduate biology education.
She is author of four books, including “The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion,” and “Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Youth Mental Health with Compassionate Challenge.” She delivers keynote addresses and workshops at a variety of colleges and regional conferences, blogs for “Psychology Today,” and writes essays for venues like “Literary Hub” and “The Chronicle of Higher Education.”
Larkin Hood, one of this year's organizers of the Schreyer Conference, said Cavanaugh’s melding of research and experience was a perfect fit.
“What excites me about Sarah’s work is her focus on the emotional component of learning,” said Hood, who is associate director and associate research professor at the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence. “We have the opportunity to hear from a scholar who has research-based knowledge in the connections between emotion and learning and is also a practicing college teacher herself. I think that's really useful to the Penn State community.”
Hood explained that instructors across Penn State are reporting a qualitative difference in students’ pre- and post-pandemic learning. While there are many factors that impact those perceived differences, based on research, emotion is one of them. Mary Ann Tobin, conference organizer and associate research professor at the Schreyer Institute, said students have been experiencing disruptions to their learning for years. What’s needed now, she said, is not “a new normal.”
“We need something different,” Tobin said. “I believe that by learning about how emotions affect students’ ability to learn, or even our own ability to adapt to varying circumstances, we can move forward productively. The research that Sarah and her colleagues have to offer will help us create even more effective ways of teaching and learning, as well as more effective educational systems for this generation of learners and beyond.”
How to attend
The 2024 Schreyer Conference will be completely virtual, allowing faculty, staff and graduate students across Penn State to attend without the cost of travel. Every attendee will have access to Cavanagh’s presentation from noon to 1 p.m., which will be followed by optional breakout sessions with Schreyer Institute consultants from 1:10 to 2 p.m.
Registration is open now at schreyerinstitute.psu.edu. The Zoom link will be sent via email closer to the conference date.
The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education, the academic administrative unit that provides leadership and coordination for University-wide programs in support of undergraduate teaching and learning at Penn State.