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.
16 Denison faculty members participated in the Center’s TILT workshop in January. TILT stands for Transparency in Learning and Teaching, which provides a simple three-step structure: purpose, task, and criteria.
Maybe you were curious about the idea, but you were too busy, had a schedule conflict, or life got in the way. Dr. Anabel Stoeckle from the Office for Teaching & Learning at Wayne State University developed a TILT 2.0 version for all of us too busy to rework our assignments.
This week ETS shares a top 5 list of Gmail and Drive “must know” features that could make your digital life easier. Our top 5 are Gmail templates, confidential mode, delayed sending, blocking downloading, printing, and copying, named revisions, and a bonus tip. (Yes, this makes 6, but, hey, everyone needs a bonus.) Take a look at our blog post “Up Your Game with Google” for details.
As Daniel Cole notes – You can’t avoid it anymore: students have submitted their papers, and now you have to read, comment on and grade them. How can you give good feedback yet, at the same time, avoid overworking yourself?
Take a look at his two-page article from Inside Higher Ed, Tackling the Stack, for tips on end-of-semester grading.
The only way to really understand mathematics is to learn and discover it on one’s own. Thus students will select a mathematical topic, read and teach themselves any necessary background to understand it and then investigate the topic. Various interim reports will be collected throughout the term. Projects are graded based on the following:
Mathematical content 1/3
Creativity 1/3
Quality 1/3
This was an actual assignment I gave students in a non-majors course in the early stages of my career.
From Matt Kretchmar and your Selections and Elections Committee: This timely Chronicle article reminds us of the importance of giving ourselves to the broader mission of the college through our service work. The article reminds us that the best and most rewarding work is that which speaks to our hearts and connects with our talents. This is a good article to review before engaging with the upcoming governance ballot.
We are at that time of the academic year when we feel pressed for time. Voice Typing may offer you a time saving solution. We generally speak faster than we type, even if we possess pretty good typing skills. The Voice Typing tool allows you to dictate and format in Google Docs and in the speaker notes section of Google Slides.
When colleagues want me to observe their class for formative feedback, I always ask them to share two or three things they are working on in which feedback would be helpful. For example, working to involve more students, trying to summarize class in the last five minutes, organizing my board work, etc. This helps me to focus the observation and provide more useful feedback.
I know there are only a few weeks left, and many eyes are on the exit, but this short article about improving class discussions caught my eye. There were several techniques new to me – warm calling, half-formed thoughts, and doubting-and-believing squares – and can fit in your last few classes to add some variety.
You’ve done your part. You have presented the material, laid the groundwork, and given the possible arguments while your students listened with rapt attention. The air is ripe with anticipation. Your teaching senses tingle. It is time to ask a well-phrased question that will demonstrate that your students fully understand and are ready to take their learning to the next level.
While the pandemic changed the fabric of higher education and life in general, people had to find a way to keep going. Students kept learning. Teachers kept teaching. Parents kept parenting. It was not always pretty. Often it was (and is) downright exhausting. Many of us experienced lengthy periods of burnout. Many still struggle finding motivation. Human resilience shone through.
