ECU hosts the Academy of Leisure Sciences Teaching Institute

East Carolina University’s Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies in the College of Health and Human Performance hosted the 2016 Academy of Leisure Sciences Teaching Institute Feb. 24-26.

Nearly 90 professionals nationwide attended the event themed: Honoring the Past, Treasuring the Present and Shaping the Future.

“The ALS Teaching Institute provided all participating faculty and students interested in teaching the opportunity to learn best practices and new pedagogical innovations to help reach a new generation of students,” said Dr. David Loy, associate professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.

ECU Associate Professor Dr. Richard Williams speaks at the 2016 Academy of Leisure Sciences Teaching Institute (Photos by Chuck Baldwin)

Session topics included faculty collaboration between and within disciplines, fostering digital literacy and utilizing online and technological resources as educational tools.

The department’s planning committee included Drs. David Loy, Paige Viren, Clifton Watts and Nelson Cooper.

“Our planning committee for the teaching institute wanted to demonstrate East Carolina University’s leadership in integrating technology in higher education,” said Loy. “What a great opportunity for our peers to see the wonderful things we are doing here as East Carolina.”

ECU Professor Dr. Abbie Brown, Department of Mathematics, Science and Instructional Technology Education, delivered the keynote address entitled, The Networked Teacher: Instruction that Honors the Past, Keeps Pace with the Present and Looks to the Future.

“The Academy of Leisure Sciences Teaching Institute has a long history,” said Cooper.

ECU hosts the 2016 Academy of Leisure Sciences Teaching Institute Feb. 24-26.

“Recreation, parks, tourism, sport, and leisure educators from across the nation gather biennially to discuss best practices and share success stories of successful teaching and learning in our discipline. This was the first time East Carolina hosted the Teaching Institute and we were really excited to be selected.”

The institute aims to share information among recreation, parks, tourism, sport and leisure educators concerning traditional and new trends related to education, education administration, teaching, research so that educators can remain current in the techniques, content, and skills needed in higher education, according to the website.

–Kathy Muse