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| Ashwin Lall recently shared this excellent article with me, “What to Expect in Your First Year of Work at a Small College,” in the hopes that our colleagues in the Denison Teaching Seminar (DTS) may benefit. While it aims to help recent hires from large PhD programs transition to small liberal arts colleges, the advice and suggestions reach far beyond this target audience. |
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.
Teaching: How Knowing Useless Stuff Helps Me Learn
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| I know a lot of seemingly useless stuff. The name of Aragorn’s adopted horse? Brego- Old English for “chief or leader.” For a superior French omelet, opt for carbon steel over a non-stick pan. Building a deck? Position the boards so they cup upwards, not down- counterintuitive, isn’t it?
Why is this important? As our friends in psychology will tell you, the more prior knowledge you have, the easier it is to learn. |
Teaching: It Can Wait
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| In this new bi-weekly column, “Caught in the Act,” Denison faculty share neat techniques their humble colleagues use in their classes. This week, Lori Kumler and Hoda Yousef caught Cheryl McFarren in the act of some great teaching!
As a professor of theater, it’s crucial for Cheryl’s students to be fully present- both mind and body. |
Tidbit: Finding Your Fireflies
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| I am not one for poetry. I am not saying this as a judgment, more as a fact. I’ve had very little exposure to poetry, probably to my detriment. So, you may find it odd that I am sharing a poem this week. It came to me via Bonni Stachowiak’s Teaching in Higher Ed podcast with John Warner. |
Teaching: Plagiarism and AI
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Carleton College provides students with a guide to “Plagiarism and AI.” It contains some sample scenarios to help students (and faculty) think through the thorny question of whether particular uses of AI may constitute plagiarism or a violation of academic integrity. Here is an example:
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Tech Tip from ETS: A new Canvas whiteboard option and more- Lucid Integration
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Were you unhappy when Google ended Jamboard? We now have a built in alternative in Canvas through Lucid. If you would like to create a whiteboard in Canvas, all versions of the “rich content editor” (for example when you create an assignment or a page) include a Lucid tool, as shown below:
To create your whiteboard, create a new assignment or page in the module where you want it. |
Tech Tip from ETS: Merge your courses in Canvas
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| Did you know you can combine class sections in Canvas? Save time from double-posting and merge your classes! This guide will walk you through how to do it!
Important Note: Canvas refers to merging classes (combining sections) as “cross-listing.” |
Teaching: Mid-semester Feedback
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| It is the mid-point of the semester; an important time to gather student feedback. The feedback can help you make minor adjustments. It can also help you know you need to explain why certain things are structured the way they are. If you have a feedback form already, awesome! If not, there are plenty of examples available in this post from the TTT archive. |
Teaching: Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst
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| As a math instructor, I face many challenges in my classroom– math anxiety, dislike of math, and disparities in preparation. Typically, the “outside” world rarely infiltrates our discussions. However, everything changed on November 9, 2016, when student reactions to the election blindsided me. I was unprepared, and it did not go well.
I know many of you are more informed and better prepared to handle such issues, and for that, I am grateful. |
Teaching: Student Mental Health Part II
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| Recently, I shared an article by Mays Imad that explored the challenges our students are facing, how struggle is natural, and how we can help them develop resilience. In this second installment, she digs deeper into the biological underpinnings of stress and resilience, sharing a systemic approach to resilience from Michael Ungar that she applies with her students. |