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Teaching, Tech, and Tidbits Digest
The posts below are from a bi-weekly digest that encapsulates a range of evidence-based best practices and cutting-edge insights on innovative teaching strategies, effective use of technology, student engagement techniques, and effective assessment, to name a few. The content, diligently curated or crafted by the director Dr. Lew Ludwig, is grounded in robust research and drawn from a wide array of innovative articles, books, and online resources. The goal is to support timely, ongoing faculty development with the most current and impactful knowledge in the field.
Tech: Denison faculty and student perception of AI and its use
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In the fall, Dr. Paul Djupe and I carried out a survey involving more than 120 Denison faculty members, focusing on generative AI and its applications. Subsequently, Paul surveyed over 500 Denison students, asking similar questions. He has summarized his findings in a concise report that discusses both student and faculty perceptions of AI use, as well as the ways in which students have reported using AI. |
Teaching- Creating a Course Calendar for the Rhythms of the Semester
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| Happy New Year! One of the trickier things about these posts is timing. If they are too early, you forget about them when the time comes; too late, and well, they’re too late to use.
In an effort to thread that needle, I hope you find this article by Lolita Paff on planning your course calendar useful. |
Tidbit: Which is Better, Active Learning or Lecture?
During my time on the MAA Instructional Practices Guide project team, we drew heavily on the 2014 Freeman et al. meta-study, “Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics.” This study is often simplified to “active learning is good; lecturing is bad.”
However, our perspective on this has evolved. The debate between lecturing and active learning isn’t a binary choice but rather a nuanced blend of both approaches.
Tech: Fall wrap-up and spring planning- Consultations, AI, and Syllabi
First, ETS is happy to help with wrap up and planning- click to schedule a consultation. We are also hosting walk-in AI labs in the CfLT (Library A07) on January 5, 10-12pm and January 9, 1-3pm.
The syllabus is perhaps the most important document in our courses. A former colleague used to wear a t-shirt to the first day of class that read, “It’s in the syllabus!”
Teaching: Resources to support the neurodivergent
At the Carleton College faculty workshop on AI that I recently attended, I was introduced to an innovative AI tool called Magic To Do that is designed to assist neurodivergent students with executive functions. This presentation complemented the insights from another keynote speaker, Lorre Wolf, who focused on “Supporting Neurodiversity through the Lens of Autism.” As we strive to support this expanding student demographic, here are some valuable resources to consider.
Tidbit: How Do Humanities Majors Fare in the Work Force?
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| I wish this report, Employment Outcomes for Humanities Majors: State Profiles, would have come out before we entered advising. With the high cost of an education, our students are often driven to a major by its perceived earning potential. With a daughter who graduated with a liberal arts degree in English and French, I grow weary of trying to defend her choices over our son’s math and computer science major. |
Teaching: Discussing course evaluations with your students
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Tidbit: Students mental health and emotional contagion
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Faculty members have shared that they are feeling the strain of their students’ mental health issues. Whether it’s a request for an extension or an e-mail apologizing for missing class because they’ve got “stuff going on.” In Professors Struggle With Demands to Tend to Students’ Mental Health, Kelly Field gives a realistic assessment of what faculty are facing, particularly this time of year. |
Tech: Faculty Showcase- Teaching with Technology (10/24/23)
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