Hybrid, hyflex, synchronous, mixed-mode, transitional…. While the list of different class types (and what everyone calls them) could go on and on, one thing is certain: this academic year has been unpredictable. Even if you start the semester with all of your students in the classroom, there’s still a chance one of them could end up remote at some point before May.
CfLT Newsletter
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.
Teaching – Student Workload Conundrum
Students say they are doing more work than ever. Faculty say they are lessening breadth and focussing on just the key ideas of the course. How can we have these two seemingly opposing ideas?
In this week’s deep dive, I look into the Chronicle article, Students Say Their Workload Increased During the Pandemic. Has It?
Tidbit – A Useful Google Calendar Hack
I am hosting a book group with other centers around the nation. I needed a way to provide a Google calendar event with Zoom links to anyone who wanted to sign up. In this video, I show a quick way to create such a link that can be used inside or outside of Denison.
Tech – Help Students Navigate Notebowl
Congrats on finishing the first week of Spring 2021 in the midst of a global pandemic. Hopefully, your beginning of the semester to-do list is progressing nicely for you. This week, ETS provides some resources on how you can help students have better success navigating their courses in Notebowl. Read “Helping Students Navigate Notebowl Courses” to find out more.
Teaching – Combat Linguistic Prejudice in Your Class
This recent piece from the Chronicle, How professors can and should combat linguistic prejudice in their classes, gives ten tips on making sure our grading and expectations do not privilege one group of students over another. Kaly Thayer, our Coordinator for Multilingual Learning, takes a deep dive into several points in this article and how it relates to our Denison students.
Teaching – Vulnerable students
Hosted by Chris Hakala and Lew Ludwig
Topic: Vulnerable students
Articles:
- Do You Truly Grasp Why That Student Keeps Missing Class
- What Do Our Most Vulnerable Students Need This Fall To Be on Campus
Resources mentioned during the meeting:
Tidbit – Schedule Your Class Visit Now
Enhance your courses with hands-on learning from cultural and art objects.
-
- Integrate works from the permanent collection or current exhibition into lectures and discussions that link directly to your course
-
- Discuss visual literacy or object-based learning opportunities and pedagogies
-
- Work with the museum to create a semester long academic exhibition.
In-person – Hybrid – Virtual class visit options are available.
Tidbit – Join the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge
Do you want to have a deeper understanding of racial equity? Are you ready for change? Take your first step — join the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge starting Monday, February 8 through February 28.
The Denison University 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge is an educational tool to advance a deeper understanding of the intersections of race, power, privilege and oppression.
Tidbit – Using Office Hours to Promote Inclusivity
For Those Who Need it Most: Using Active Inclusivity to Increase Office Hour Attendance and Extracurricular Activities. This article provides four useful tips on how to create active inclusivity with your office hours. Increase traffic during your office hours by transforming the meetings into “catching students doing something right.”
Tech – Linkedin Learning for Denison Faculty
Have no fear, if you missed the Denison Faculty session for LinkedIn Learning on January 12, you can still take advantage of LinkedIn Learning for your classes. As a faculty member at Denison, you already have access to LinkedIn Learning at www.linkedin.com/learning. See this page on MyDenison for general information on accessing LinkedIn Learning. In addition, LinkedIn Learning is hosting a general webinar for faculty members at universities using the service.