Dixie State University Library and Learning Services Newsletter: Enhancing Student Success, Schemes and Mind Maps of Design

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Library Links

3rd Edition

Library and

Learning Services

Newsletter

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

Kelly Peterson-Fairchild

When people think of the library and learning services, they usually

think of books and tutoring. While these are a large part of what we

do within the Holland building, our work includes much more. We

are here to help the university community becoming intellectually

engaged and curious. As Matthew Sanders stated in his “Becoming a

Learner” book (used in all of our Trailblazer Connections FYE classes),

we want “to develop you into a person who can reason, think deeply

and creatively, and be a lifelong learner” (11).

Librarians, for example, have responsibilities such as teaching

courses, being liaisons to departments, working on program

assessment, and developing professionally, as well as evaluating and

carefully choosing books, journal articles, and electronic resources to

offer in our library. Ultimately, librarians make sure students, faculty

and staff have the information they need to be successful learners,

teachers and professionals.

Likewise, those who work in learning services

do much more than tutoring. They teach

courses, create training programs, work

within campus departments, participate in

retention efforts, and of course, help

students learn the skills needed to pass

exams or finish a writing assignment. These

are skills necessary for success in college, but

they are also essential for becoming a valued

and capable employee in any field.

MAKER CERTIFICATE Hailey Faiola

The Mechanical Engineering department at DSU is now offering

a Maker Certificate. “[This certificate] bolsters the prototyping

capabilities of entrepreneurs who are seeking to start a business [or]

obtain a patent,” advises Mechanical Engineering faculty member,

David Christensen; “Certificates give valuable skills in a short amount

of time. The Maker Certificate does just that.”

CONTINUED

This certificate is comprised of four Mechanical Engineering

classes: MECH 1000/05, MECH 1100, MECH 1150, and MECH 1200/05.

In each of the courses, students will learn a variety of skills

including programming in Matlab (a high-performance software

used for technical computing), laser and vinyl cutting, welding,

composite laying, 3D printing, and vacuum forming.

Students who take MECH 1200/05 participate in Dixie Design

Day by designing and building robotic obstacles for mini golf. The

Certificate includes stackable courses for students who are

majoring in Mechanical Engineering. “Anyone interested in

Innovation Plaza would benefit greatly from the Maker

Certificate,” Christensen reminded. Since this certificate entails

many of the required courses for completion of a Mechanical

Engineering degree, students are encouraged to pursue this

certificate during their time in the program.

CONTINUED

The night before the window panes were to be paid for, Neilson could not sleep. He came to the conclusion that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was in greater need of the money than he was. He sacrificed the $600 to purchase the windows for the Tabernacle. In honor of Peter Neilson, the legacy pavers are priced at $600 as a reminder of the sacrifice that he made to construct the St. George Tabernacle. To purchase a Legacy Paver, an online form can be filled out at https://development.dixie.edu/holland-patio- legacy-pavers/. They can also be purchased by mail or in person at the Development Office in the Burns Office Complex. Once your brick is installed, a notification of its location will be sent to you. This is a unique opportunity to support Dixie State University and to leave a legacy.

IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Kendell Mapp Dixie State University is always looking for ways to improve for the students. DSU facilitates the enhancement of faculty through the encouragement of attending professional development conferences. Recently, Rob Gray, DSU’s Director of Learning Services, attended the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) national conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico with a few colleagues. Gray said, “CRLA certifies our Writing Center and Academic Performance Center[s], and each year they provide the most current information and trends in the tutoring industry.” Gray goes on to commend CRLA for their teaching skills sessions. He gives credit to them for his new knowledge on supplemental instruction and educational resources, which are two initiatives that DSU is currently pursuing. Some people think of these educational conferences as a vacation, but what most people don’t realize is attendees are in classes all day. On top of attending classes, they have to complete their regular work, like grading, course prep, and answering emails. Dianne Aldrich, DSU’s Public Services Librarian, who attended the biannual Library Instruction West Conference said, “In my opinion, this is the most focused, quality conference for librarians that teach. It was an excellent experience and I was able to make contact and share ideas with other librarians throughout Colorado, Utah, Washington, Oregon, and others.” Aldrich continued to give the conference praise by saying that going to conferences, such as this one, is an excellent way to grow professionally. People attend these conferences and gain new ideas that they can mix and match to fit the community and improve their campus.

CONTINUED

Not only does this program help the students in the course, it helps the peer tutor as well. Makae Rose has been a tutor in the SI program for a year now. She explained, “I get to learn the material way better. I am a biology major, and Bio 1010 is what started it all. It's easy to forget that when you get further into things.” Supplemental Instruction will enhance the learning experience for students at Dixie State University. There will be more opportunity for learning and understanding. The program has proven successful at other universities, and it will be exciting to see the results at DSU.