The posts below are from the CfLT newsletter which includes curated, research-based digital resources to support ongoing faculty development and pedagogical engagement. As of August 2025, CfLT Director Karen Spierling oversees the content. Posts from July 2020-May 2025 were compiled by previous Director Lew Ludwig.
Yes, it’s that time of year again. You promised yourself you wouldn’t end up here, but here you are, preparing to enter the all-too-familiar “grading jail.” As we revisit the article “How to Escape Grading Jail,” Kevin Gannon offers long-term strategies for “next time.” However, he also provides practical tips for leveraging technology to streamline our grading processes.
On many occasions you may want to share previous student work. For example, students often like to see examples of an assignment to help them understand what they are being asked to do. Or you may want to share an anonymous example in your teaching portfolio or at a presentation for colleagues. As you know, instructors need to get student permission to share their work, as the student retains copyright.
Recently, I bemoaned the poor attendance record of my students this semester. By mid-semester, over half were chronically absent, having missed 10% or more of their classes. I followed that piece with this one: It’s Time to Start Teaching Your Students How to Be a Student. This led some faculty members to call for a larger Denison-wide conversation on this issue.
In each ‘Down the AI Rabbit Hole’ post I aim to provide a tip on AI and then a broader perspective. This week, I am struggling as the two are blending together. I will start with a jaw-dropping tip that I discovered a few days ago, followed by the implications of this tip and the wider lens.
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It was a good run, but I am happy to announce that my students finally broke their attendance streak I mentioned in my last post. On Monday, after the break, I had 100% attendance for the first time in eight weeks, meeting four days a week. I share this news with a mix of light-heartedness and a dose of concern.
While most of us have used Google slides, you may not have used the many features available in presentation mode yet. Of these, live captioning is a key feature that may help your audience keep up with your presentation regardless of audibility. Once turned on, your device microphone will capture your words, putting them onto the slide as captions while you speak (see image below; although captions do not have punctuation, they enable the reader to see what you are saying).
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How can a simple acknowledgment of a student’s curiosity foster a greater sense of belonging and self-efficacy? ‘That’s a Great Question!’: The Value of Positive Faculty Feedback highlights the significant impact of faculty responses to student inquiries, especially in STEM fields. Authored by Lora E. Park, this research emphasizes the positive outcomes for students—particularly women—when faculty engage with student questions in a supportive manner.
In this week’s ‘Down the AI Rabbit Hole,’ I share insights from Dr. Dominic Ashby’s recent Denison session, “Writing with AI: Building a Constructive Culture.” Plus, I tackle a curious enigma in generative AI: Why do 60% of faculty steer clear of using it?
Listen to Down the AI Rabbit Hole Part 1: Tips on Writing with AI
Listen to Down the AI Rabbit Hole Part 2: Fostering a Playful Mindset
This week’s tips:
During his recent presentation, “Writing with AI: Building a Constructive Culture,” Dr.
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| For more than a year, the issue of attendance has come up in various conversations in the Center. Students take self-described mental health days or they just don’t show up. Last year, I was on sabbatical from teaching. This year, my fall class was fine, just one chronic attendance issue who was on numerous radar screens. |
Spring Break is in the past, and registration is upon us. How to manage the many student meetings? Google appointment schedule provides an excellent solution.
Appointment schedule will allow you to:
