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.
Tidbit – TTT
Something that may be of interest
Tidbit – Writing your first grant by Meg Galipault
As the authors note right off the bat in this recommended article, “Writing Your First Grant,” grant writing can be intimidating. The good news is you’re not all on your own. Denison’s Office of Foundation & Corporate Relations (FCR) is here to help.
New professors might be used to working with a “sponsored program office” or a “research office.”
Tidbit – Trapped in the Quagmire of Digital Recommendation Letters
It’s that time of year. Students are looking for summer opportunities, trying to land that first job, or contemplating graduate school. Yes, recommendation letter writing season is in full swing! A recent Chronicle article bemoans how the digital age has ruined this process.
Never fear! Recall, the Lisska Center has created this video to provide you with suggestions on writing letters of recommendation, including things to focus on and what to ask of students.
Tidbit – Some Publishing Resources from our Friends at The Lisska Center
The below list of helpful publishing tips was compiled by the Faculty Development Center at Hollins College.
- 25 Ways to Increase Your Chances at Publication, from Inside Higher Ed,
- How to get published in an academic journal: top tips from editors, from The Guardian,
- Publishing Journal Articles: Tips for Early-Career Scholars, from Inside Higher Ed,
- From Tufts, https://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/c.php?g=685277&p=484246
Tidbit – From the Archive – Midterm Course Evaluations
As we near the half-way mark, consider getting mid-semester feedback from your students. Mid-semester evaluations:
- provide a chance to correct student misconceptions or make changes to the course schedule, activities, etc. if necessary.
- give students an opportunity to reflect on their own expectations, efforts, and learning.
- let students know you care about their input.
Here are some sample mid-semester evaluations you can use or adapt for your course:
- This check-off format from Seattle University makes it easy for your students to provide specific feedback, as well as some open-ended questions.
Tidbit – Plagiarism Education by Rachel Mitton-Fry
As Process Advisor for Academic Integrity, I often see cases involving misuse of source material. Instances include inadequate paraphrasing, quotations missing references, and direct use of entire passages without attribution. Speaking with students, it becomes clear that many of them have a poor understanding of what constitutes plagiarism, despite the integrity statements they see in their syllabi. This short article from Faculty Focus highlights the value of plagiarism education. It
Tidbit – Preparing Students for Beyond Denison
Denison students will spend their spring semester diving into important topics in their classes and figuring out how to answer one of two questions:
“What will you be doing this summer?” or
“What are your plans after graduation?”
For most students, the answers are directly related to internships and jobs – the work experience they need to launch from their Denison education.
Tidbit – a tricky question
What will students remember from your class in 20 Years? In this article, James Lang tackles this thorny question that has no set answer. However, as we are mapping out our semester, consider how your course might:
- inspire a passion for the subject
- provide a sense of disciplinary literacy
- give an understanding of how the discipline matters in other realms
- develop an eye for the bigger picture
Tidbit – What Ted Lasso taught me about my first semester of teaching
Whether you’re a fan of Apple’s hit series or not, the fictional character Ted Lasso has some words of wisdom for those teaching for the first semester or thirtieth. Check out this short piece from The Teaching Professor, What Ted Lasso taught me about my first semester of teaching.
Tidbit – What Ted Lasso taught me about my first semester of teaching
Whether you’re a fan of Apple’s hit series or not, the fictional character Ted Lasso has some words of wisdom for those teaching for the first semester or thirtieth. Check out this short piece from The Teaching Professor, What Ted Lasso taught me about my first semester of teaching.