Workshops

Workshops

Workshops

The Excel Multiliteracy Center offers a variety of workshops designed to support faculty in classrooms or students in groups/organizations across the UCCS community. Take a look at the workshop catalog below to find which workshops best support your needs. Each interactive workshop is facilitated by our highly trained peer consultants and staff. All workshops are roughly 30-60 minutes in length except the Multiliteracy Center Introduction, which is often paired with other workshops.

To request an existing workshop or inquire about a custom workshop, please reach out to a center director with details of your request. For writing workshops, please email Matt Balk, Senior Director at mbalk@uccs.edu. For communication workshops (public speaking, interview skills, etc.), please email Tess Kyner, Director of Communication Programs at tkyner@uccs.edu. Please request workshops at least two weeks in advance to allow time for processing or three weeks for custom workshops.

We cannot guarantee that all workshop requests will be fulfilled. Please be patient as we do have limited staffing and resources.

Multiliteracy Center Introduction

The Introduction to the Multiliteracy Center is an overview of the services we offer to students and how to schedule appointments with us. This presentation is often given in conjunction with other workshops but can also stand alone. Instructors may also bring classes on a "field trip" to the center for this introduction.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable at the beginning of the semester or before students are required to use our services but can be provided any time.

Length: 10-15 minutes

Citation Style Workshops: APA, Chicago, or MLA

The APA, Chicago, and MLA Citation Style Workshops present the basics of their respective citation formatting and address the relationship between plagiarism and citations using real-life examples and sources. These workshops challenge students to recognize citation errors and introduce them to useful resources.

When to schedule: These workshops are valuable when students are beginning to collect research.

Length: 45-60 minutes

Brainstorming Workshop

The Brainstorming Workshop provides information on how students can dive into the writing process and provides an opportunity to try various brainstorming techniques.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable at the beginning of the writing process.

Length: 45-60 minutes

Critical Reading Workshop

The Critical Reading Workshop introduces students to close reading techniques and best practices for approaching academic texts. 

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable before students conduct research or before they read a challenging text.

Length: 45 minutes

Peer Response Workshop

The Peer Response Workshop outlines strategies for students to offer one another generative criticism on works in progress, both one-on-one and in small groups. First, our presenters describe and define peer response. Then, students break into groups and spend the majority of this workshop offering peer response feedback to classmates. Presenters listen in on these conversations and offer feedback when necessary.

Students will need to bring a rough draft of the assignment.

When to schedule: This workshop should be scheduled to allow students ample time to revise between the workshop and the project's due date.

Length: 45-60 minutes

Personal Statements Workshop

The Personal Statements Workshop provides students tips for getting started writing personal statements.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable before students begin writing personal statements.

Length: 20-30 minutes

Resumes, Cover Letters, and/or Interview Skills Workshop

The Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interview Skills Workshop provides students with best practices for writing resumes and cover letters and communicating in job interviews. Time and class size permitting, our consultants can review students' resumes and cover letters and/or conduct short mock interviews with students (please specify if you want this component added when you make the workshop request). This workshop can also be offered as just a standalone Resume and Cover Letter Workshop or Interview Skills Workshop.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable when students are preparing for the job market.

Length: Varies

Eight Competencies of Public Speaking Workshop

The Eight Competencies of Public Speaking Workshop introduces students to eight essential areas for effective speech organization and delivery. Practical tips are included in the discussion of each area.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable before students begin organizing and practicing presentations.

Length: 30-45 minutes

Outlining Speeches Workshop

The Outlining Speeches Workshop introduces students to the standard components of speech outlines and provides tips for organizing ideas into a cohesive and impactful presentation. This workshop can be combined with the APA workshop if citations are required in students' speech outlines (please specify if you want this component added when you make the workshop request).

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable before students begin organizing and practicing presentations.

Length: 45-60 minutes

Visual Aids Workshop

The Visual Aids Workshop introduces student to the SCRAP Method (a tool for creating effective, non-distracting visual aids) and invites students to suggest design changes for ineffective slides.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable when students are in the early stages of organizing presentations.

Length: 30-45 minutes

Group Dynamics and Conflict Management Workshop

The Group Dynamics and Conflict Management Workshop introduces students to Tuckman's Stages of Group Development and the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI). Students are challenged to consider their own conflict management styles and when each conflict management style could be beneficial or detrimental.

When to schedule: This workshop is valuable before students embark on group projects.

Length: 30-45 minutes

Custom Presentation or Workshop

The Excel Multiliteracy Center offers custom presentations and workshops that may combine aspects of our standard workshops or draw on the particular expertise of a specific consultant. We are happy to work with you to create a workshop that will meet the needs of your students if it is within our scope. We also work with student groups/organizations to create customized workshops. Please allow at least three weeks for the creation of custom workshops.

Length: Varies