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With COVID19 pandemic most, if not all, research activities placed on hold in 2020. The need for remote teaching and working was obvious. The increase number of older adults in the US and world wide place geriatric medicine as a priority in addressing health need in the near future. According to Association of American Medical Colleges [AAMC] there is increasing number of medical graduates who do not match to any residency program in the US. We started a virtual research fellowship in geriatric medicine as a tool to empower some of those unmatched medical graduates in Michigan state and other areas using funds provided by The Pearl J. Aldrich Endowment in Gerontology/Michigan State University. One of the goals of this fellowship is to train these graduates to know the basic steps of any research work and how to use the tools available in any research environment. We hope that these students understand the methodology of identifying a problem that faces older adults, and then carry the required steps to address and solve such problem in a systematic way. Currently we have four teams, who are involved in different research projects. We have submitted 10 abstracts to 2 different meetings, and so far 6 were accepted for oral presentation. We targeted The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Some of the topics address include COVID19 and its impact on the elderly. During this session our team will share our experience.
To access a PDF of the "Virtual Research Geriatric Fellowship for Unmatched Medical Graduates" poster, click here.Description of the PosterTitle: Virtual Geriatric Research Fellowship 
Author: Nadir Abdelrahman, MD, CMD 
Geriatric Division,  Dept of Family Medicine, MSU 
Introduction:
Between 2020 and 2030, the number of older adults is projected to increase by almost 18 million 1. 
The Association of American Medical Colleges expects that an additional 42,600 to 121,300 doctors will be needed by 2030 2.  
There is a huge need for geriatric-trained health care providers 3. 
Each year, there are more than 8 thousand Unmatched medical graduates [UMGs] in the US. Most of them are international medical graduates.  
Aim: 
The aim of this fellowship is to empower UMGs by improving their knowledge, skills, and experiences in geriatric medicine.  
Curriculum Development: 
This curriculum was developed based on Entering Research course.  
The primary goals of this fellowship are to create a supportive learning environment to introduce UMGs to the culture of research and to teach them valuable skills needed to become effective researchers. 
The fellowship was designed to help medical graduates find a research mentor, explore the culture of research, write a research project proposal, and begin doing research.  
They informally share their research experiences and learn about the diversity of experiences available through their peers. 
Through virtual meetings, research basics, communication skills and common geriatric principles were reviewed.  
Early discussions included current pandemic topics ranging from COVID19 incidence, hospitalization and mortality to prevention and vaccination. 
The content of these discussions came from the students, and their engagement in the weekly, 2-hour-long meetings.  
The course facilitator provided a framework for the discussions, relevant background reading materials, and structured assignments designed to help students develop positive relationships with their research mentors, define themselves as a member of the research community, and understand and communicate their research.  
Description of Curriculum 
The following tasks were identified for this program 

Recognize the research ethics principles.
Select a research topic.
Identify research question(s).
Describe various types of study designs.
Select appropriate study design.
Define study population.
Take an appropriate study sample.
Enumerate various study variables.
Discern various types of errors, including bias.
Identify confounding factors.
Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
Prepare for data management.
Set a work plan with time, budget, and a plan for dissemination. 

Results of Implementation 
A total of 6 Virtual posters were accepted in 2 national conferences:  American Medical Director Association/The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC21: 2 virtual posters) and American Geriatrics Society (AGS21: 4 virtual posters). 
Eight of the fellows were matched into residency programs starting July 2021. 
Discussion 
This virtual research fellowship in geriatric medicine is considered unique and innovative as there is an immediate need for geriatric-trained health care providers.  
The conceptual framework allows training program directors to identify and select appropriate activities to use with their trainees based on need and career stage. 
Activities were designed to teach UMGs principles of research, research design, and critical evaluation of results while also giving them practice with the real-world experience of creating and presenting posters in virtual environment.  
This fellowship achieved its goals using online tools. 
In the coming year, we hope to expand this concept, and establish it as a model for implementation at other institutions. 
 Figure 1. 
The four-box model 
 Disclosure 
The author has no conflict of interest to disclose. 
This fellowship is supported by:  
The Pearl J. Aldrich Endowment in Aging  
Demographic Changes and Aging Population – RHIhub Aging https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/aging/1/demographics 
Healthcare Suers When Medical School Graduates Don’t Match https://www.insightintodiversity.com/healthcare-suffers-when-medical-school-graduates-dont-match/  
Record number of unmatched medical graduates. CMAJ 2017 May 29;189:E758-9. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1095432 
Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. (1969). Management of organizational behaviour: Utilizing human resources. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 
 Tasks and Team approach 
Fellows were grouped into teams. 
Different tasks were assigned to each fellow. 
Teams leaders encouraged individual fellows 
Projects identified and project leaders assured completion of each Poster.  
 Fellows learned the basics of literature review, statistical analysis (using SPSS) and reference management (e.g EndNote) 
 Situational leadership skills and teams were incorporated using the four-box model 4 (See Figure 1) 
 References 
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=nursingposters 
https://slideplayer.com/slide/6319238/ 
https://www.mghihp.edu/poster-presentations-age-zoom 

Formative assessments can provide crucial data to help instructors evaluate pedagogical effectiveness and address students' learning needs. The shift to online instruction and learning in the past year emphasized the need for innovative ways to administer assessments that support student learning and success. Faculty often use multiple-choice (MC) assessments due to ease of use, time and other resource constraints. While grading these assessments can be quick, the closed-ended nature of the questions often does not align with real scientific practices and can limit the instructor's ability to evaluate the heterogeneity of student thinking. Students often have mixed understanding that include scientific and non-scientific ideas. Open-ended or Constructed Response (CR) assessment questions, which allow students to construct scientific explanations in their own words, have the potential to reveal student thinking in a way MC questions do not. The results of such assessments can help instructors make decisions about effective pedagogical content and approaches. We present a case study of how results from administration of a CR question via a free-to-use constructed response classifier (CRC) assessment tool led to changes in classroom instruction. The question was used in an introductory biology course and focuses on genetic information flow. Results from the CRC assessment tool revealed unexpected information about student thinking, including naïve ideas. For example, a significant fraction of students initially demonstrated mixed understanding of the process of DNA replication. We will highlight how these results influenced change in pedagogy and content, and as a result improved student understanding.To access a PDF of the "Automated analyses of written responses reveal student thinking in STEM" poster, click here.Description of the Poster 
Automated analyses of written responses reveal student thinking in STEM 
Jenifer N. Saldanha, Juli D. Uhl, Mark Urban-Lurain, Kevin Haudek 
Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) research group 
CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University 
Email: jenifers@msu.edu 
Website: beyondmultiplechoice.org  
QR code (for website):  
 
Key highlights: 

Constructed Response (CR) questions allow students to explain scientific concepts in their own words and reveal student thinking better than multiple choice questions. 


The Constructed Response Classifier (CRC) Tool (free to use: beyondmultiplechoice.org) can be used to assess student learning gains 

In an introductory biology classroom: 

Analyses by the CRC tool revealed gaps in student understanding and non-normative ideas. 
The instructor incorporated short term pedagogical changes and recorded some positive outcomes on a summative assessment. 
Additional pedagogical changes incorporated the next semester led to even more positive outcomes related to student learning (this semester included the pivot to online instruction). 

The results from this case study highlight the effectiveness of using data from the CRC tool to address student thinking and develop targeted instructional efforts to guide students towards a better understanding of complex biological concepts.   
Constructed Response Questions as Formative Assessments 

Formative assessments allow instructors to explore nuances of student thinking and evaluate student performance.  
Student understanding often includes scientific and non-scientific ideas [1,2].  


Constructed Response (CR) questions allow students to explain scientific concepts in their own words and reveal student thinking better than multiple choice questions [3,4]. 

Constructed Response Classifier (CRC) tool 

A formative assessment tool that automatically predicts ratings of student explanations.  
This Constructed Response Classifier (CRC) tool generates a report that includes: 


categorization of student ideas from writing related to conceptual understanding. 
web diagrams depicting the frequency and co-occurrence rates of the most used ideas and relevant terms. 

CRC Questions in the Introductory Biology Classroom :  
A Case study 
Students were taught about DNA replication and the central dogma of Biology. 
Question was administered as online homework, completion credit provided. Responses collected were analyzed by the CRC tool. 
CRC question: 
The following DNA sequence occurs near the middle of the coding region of a gene.  DNA   5'  A A T G A A T G G* G A G C C T G A A G G A  3'     
There is a G to A base change at the position marked with an asterisk. Consequently, a codon normally encoding an amino acid becomes a stop codon.  How will this alteration influence DNA replication? 

Part 1 of the CRC question used to detect student confusion between the central dogma processes.  
Related to the Vision & Change core concept 3 “Information Flow, Exchange, and Storage" [5], adapted from the Genetics Concept Assessment [6,7]. 

Insight on Instructional Efficacy from CRC Tool 
Table 1: Report score summary revealed that only a small fraction of students provided correct responses post instruction. (N = 48 students). 




Student responses 


Spring 2019 




Incorrect 


45% 




Incomplete/Irrelevant 


32% 




Correct 


23% 




 
Sample incorrect responses:  
Though both incorrect, the first response below demonstrates understanding of a type of mutation and the second one uses the context of gene expression. 

“This is a nonsense mutation and will end the DNA replication process prematurely leaving a shorter DNA strand” (spellchecked) 


“It will stop the DNA replication… This mutation will cause a gene to not be expressed” 

CRC report provided: 

Response score summaries 
Web diagrams of important terms 
Term usage and association maps 

The instructor Identified scientific and non-scientific ideas in student thinking  
This led to: 
Short term pedagogical changes, same semester  

During end of semester material review, incorporated: 


Small group discussions about the central dogma.  
Discussions about differences between DNA replication, and transcription and translation. 


Worksheets with questions on transcribing and translating sequences. 

Figure one: 
The figure depicts an improvement in student performance observed in the final summative assessment.  
Percentage of students who scored more than 95% on a related question: 
In the unit exam = 71% 
Final summative exam = 79% 
Pedagogical Changes Incorporated in the Subsequent Semester 
CR questions: 

Explain the central dogma. 


List similarities and differences between the processes involved. 
Facilitated small group discussions for students to explain their responses. 

 
Worksheets and homework:  
Transcribe and translate DNA sequences, including ones with deletions/additions.  
Students encouraged to create their own sequences for practice.  
Revisited DNA replication via clicker questions and discussions, while students were learning about transcription and translation. 
Table 2: 68% of students in the new cohort provided correct responses to the CRC question post instruction. (N = 47 students). 




Student Responses 


Spring 2020 




Incorrect 


19% 




Incomplete/Irrelevant 


13% 




Correct 


68% 




Conclusions 
The results from this case study highlight the effectiveness of using data from the CRC tool to address student thinking and develop targeted instructional efforts to guide students towards a better understanding of complex biological concepts.   
Future Directions 

Use the analytic rubric feature in the CRC tool to obtain further insight into normative and non-normative student thinking. 
Use the clicker-based case study available at CourseSource about the processes in the central dogma [8]. 


Incorporate additional CRC tool questions in each course unit. 

Questions currently available in a variety of disciplines: 
Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physiology, and Statistics 
Visit our website beyondmultiplechoice.org and sign up for a free account 
References: 

Ha, M., Nehm, R. H., Urban-Lurain, M., & Merrill, J. E. (2011).  CBE—Life Sciences Education, 10(4), 379-393. 


Sripathi, K. N., Moscarella, R. A., et al., (2019). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 18(3), ar37. 


Hubbard, J. K., Potts, M. A., & Couch, B. A. (2017). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 16(2), ar26. 


Birenbaum, M., & Tatsuoka, K. K. (1987). Applied Psychological Measurement, 11(4), 385-395. 


 "Vision and change in undergraduate biology education: a call to action." American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC (2011). 


Smith, M. K., Wood, W. B., & Knight, J. K. (2008). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 7(4), 422-430. 


Prevost, L. B., Smith, M. K., & Knight, J. K. (2016). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 15(4), ar65. 


Pelletreau, K. N., Andrews, T., Armstrong, N., et al., (2016). CourseSource. 

Acknowledgments.  
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE grant 1323162). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the supporting agencies. 

This week, we are featuring, Dr. Megumi Moore, Associate Director for Graduate Student Life and Wellness. Dr. Moore was recognized via iteach.msu.edu's Thank and Educator Initiative! We encourage MSU community members to nominate high impact Spartan educators (via our Thank an Educator form) regularly!
Read more about Dr. Moore’s perspectives below. #iteachmsu's questions are bolded below, followed by his responses!
You were recognized via the Thank an Educator Initiative. In one word, what does being an educator mean to you?  
Human
Share with me what this word/quality looks like in your practice?
To me, the most important part of being an educator is showing up and creating an environment where everyone’s humanity is recognized and valued. That is the foundation for any experience to be meaningful and for it to be potentially transformational. In terms of content, I think it’s important to talk about things that are humanizing. External expectations set by institutions, disciplines, cultures, etc. often teach us to attach our sense of self-worth to our products and our performance, a mindset that has a dehumanizing effect on us. How can we remain connected to our true selves and live out of them consistently even when our environment is compelling us to do otherwise? Being an educator means providing opportunities for people to be connected to others, to themselves, and to ideas in a way that affirms and reinforces who they are while inviting them to bring their best and true self to the work they are doing. 
Have your ideas on this changed over time? if so how?
My ideas on what education is and how it’s done have definitely evolved over time. I used to have a very limited understanding of teaching and learning, focusing on formal educational settings and academic products like grades and term papers. The older I’ve gotten, the more I realize how ridiculously inadequate that idea was. My experiences in formal and informal education settings have continued to shape my own practice. The more I am in humanizing educational settings, the shaper my ideas and practices become. 
Tell me more about your educational “setting.” This can include, but not limited to departmental affiliations, community connections, co-instructors, and students. (Aka, where do you work?)
I am the Associate Director of the Graduate Student Life & Wellness office. I lead workshops on well-being and leadership for graduate students and occasionally faculty and staff as well. I also mentor several graduate students who work in my office and provide consultations for individual students to help them find resources or address challenges related to their experience as grad students. Many of the programs in my office are led by graduate students for graduate students, and my role in those programs is to support those leaders. Graduate students have so much to offer the institution and each other, and I am a firm believer in giving them platforms to operate as full partners in our work. 
What is a challenge you experience in your educator role?
Like many others, I have really struggled in the virtual world we live in at this point in the pandemic. I miss in-person workshops and meetings for the energy and creativity that comes from being in the same room with other people. I’ve been surprised by how much quality connection can happen while staring at a set of screens, but it’s a constant challenge to not be discouraged by all that is lost when we are remote. 
Any particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this?
I have found it helpful to begin workshops by verbally acknowledge the limitations of the virtual environment and setting a very authentic tone. I am also intentional about sharing my own frustrations with our current circumstances – it is unique to all be going through something like a pandemic together, where the stressor is the same for everyone. The impact of that stressor is incredibly different for everyone, but I have found that starting with the commonalities has helped create a meaningful sense of community. I’ve also spent more time creating workshop series where the same group of students will be together for 4-6 weeks so that folks have a chance to build community together.
What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator?
It’s really crucial to get feedback in many forms and in many ways! It’s important to keep pushing myself to learn and grow as an educator. Everyone has a distinct style of communicating which works well in some settings and with some people, and I’m constantly trying to modify my own style while still being true to myself. I think the best educators are those that can read the room and make adjustments to connect with many different kinds of people. I also try to prioritize my own wellness and well-being so that the best version of myself shows up more often than not. If I let myself get run down or tired, I am more likely to miss things both in preparing for workshops and in facilitating. Good group facilitation is a very immersive experience and I need all of my senses and skills to be sharp.
What topics or ideas about teaching and learning would you like to see discussed on the iteach.msu.edu platform? Why do you think this conversation is needed at msu?
I only familiar with a few pages on the iteach platform, so I am not entirely sure what is there. I’d be interested in topics like the role of emotional intelligence in teaching and learning and how to develop some of the “invisible” skills of being a responsible and responsive educator (e.g. reading a room, setting the tone, knowing when and how to diverge from your plan). 
What are you looking forward to (or excited to be a part of) next semester?
Like everyone, I’m hoping for more in-person options! I’m also excited as it will be my second year in this position.  The first year of any job is exploration of the role and learning what it entails. The second year, you’re able to build on the foundation you have explored. There is still so much to learn but the learning curve is not quite so steep. 

This week, we wanted to highlight Stokes Schwartz and Garth Sabo, both educators with the MSU Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities. Stokes and Garth are also the co-facilitators of the “Reading Group for Student Engagement and Success” Learning Community this academic year! According to the Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Development (formerly AAN), this Learning Community is: A Zoom based reading group that pairs theory and praxis of student engagement techniques to drive greater student success in general education and prerequisite courses at the university. Bimonthly meetings (twice a month) consist of reading and discussing 2-3 recent articles and sharing best practices for applying methods in courses across the university. These two also use a group on the #iteachmsu Commons to share information about upcoming meetings, attach reading files, and continue to engage in asynchronous dialogue outside their meeting times!
Read more about these Learning Community co-facilitators’ perspectives below. #iteachmsu's questions are bolded below, followed by their responses! 
Q & A with Garth Sabo & Stokes Schwartz

You are facilitators of a Learning Community (LC) and decided to have a group on iteach.msu.edu for that LC. What about the #iteachmsu Commons appealed to you for this group?
Sabo: A major component of the LC structure at MSU focuses on providing some element of public dissemination of the work we do together, and Stokes and I both appreciated that #iteachmsu would allow us to make our group activities visible to the wider MSU community. We both felt a strong need for some type of digital meeting space/repository for things like meeting notes, agendas, etc., and we found that iteach.msu.edu offered a suite of those tools that were fairly easy to wrap our heads around and adopt as practice. 
Schwartz: Having a central place for learning community members (and interested parties) to check-in, share our thoughts, relevant documents, and planned talking points for meetings/discussions as well as any follow-up observations in the days following a meeting.  Personally, I have found iteach.msu.edu relatively easy to use.  
Sabo: Our LC meets digitally, and we also thought that it would be nice to structure things in a way that leaned into benefits of that structure rather than simply trying to imagine ourselves as an in-person community that only meets via Zoom, so we’ve also tried to use iteach.msu.edu as a platform for ongoing and supplemental conversations to the discussions that come up during our scheduled meetings.
Tell me more about your LC and what activity in your #iteachmsu Group looks like? (This can include, but not limited to goals, topics, general overview of membership, the kinds of things being shared in your group.)
Sabo: Our learning community is titled “Reading Group for Student Engagement and Success,” and the only thing I don’t like about it is the name. Stokes and I are both faculty in the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities, and part of the impetus for the group was a desire to dig deeper into pedagogy research that might help us crack the egg of engaging students in a required course. We wanted to find a format that allowed us to have pedagogy conversations that were data-driven and practical in focus, so that our community members could feel like our conversations were driving towards concrete actions.
Our Zoom meetings focus on talking through a few pre-designated texts that the entire group reads. We’ve been fortunate that our current roster has also agreed to take turns as interlocutors, with one person briefly presenting on some additional text(s) that add additional context to the material we all consumed
Schwartz: Typically, Garth and I plan 8-10 multipart discussion questions for our meetings on fostering student engagement and success, which we share via iteach.msu.edu a few days ahead of time. Team community members have also shared information and related ideas via our iTeach group.  We are also in the process of compiling a playlist.  
Sabo: Our iteach activity tends to be kind of evenly split between looking back at what we’ve already done with logistical stuff (like meeting agendas, Zoom links, etc.) and what we might do (like additional discussions or resources that members post or comment on in the Feed). Our current membership is a great mix of folks across the College of Arts and Letters in a range of roles, which has enriched our conversation in ways that I couldn’t have anticipated. We’re certainly open in having more folks join us if interested!
Schwartz: We have had four meetings so far and have our fifth coming up on December 3, 2021 from 10-11:30 EST and all are welcome! Please note, if you're interested in joining the 12/3/21 meeting, please reach out to either co-facilitator via email or on iteach.msu.edu, as the readings we'll be discussing are from a hardcopy book we've procured!
What has been a highlight of this semester for your LC and what are you looking forward to next semester?
Sabo: I love talking about teaching with people who love teaching, and I really feel like that has been the tone of our conversations all semester. I’ve been very appreciative of the fact that our group has been able to talk about the challenges of teaching while still being productive and hopeful about what good teaching can do for our students and the world. One thing that has certainly helped that has been the spirit of collaboration that’s breathed through this group since its beginning. Stokes and I have had a good rapport even since the planning stages of this community, and that has continued as we’ve gone from the process of proposing the group to actually planning its meetings. As you might be able to tell from how long my answers to these questions are, I tend to be wordy and big-picture in my focus, and Stokes does a great job of bringing things back around to ask, “Okay, but what would that actually look like?” in a way that has helped our conversations find a great balance between macro and micro issues of engagement and student success. Our members have been great about thinking and sharing proactively as well.
Schwartz: The highlight?  Two actually.  First, working with my co-facilitator Garth.  We seem to have established an effective working relationship and bat our ideas-plans back and forth until they take solid shape.  It has been fun sharing our ideas, developing our respective parts, coming back to the figurative table for another round of mashup, and then seeing what the final results are before the day of an actual meeting.  Second, the knowledge and personalities of our learning community members, all of whom bring interesting experience and perspectives to our meetings.  Thus far, I have really enjoyed the experience.  It has been like grad school in the best way possible (without the egos and constant stress). 
Sabo: Just to peek behind the curtain a little bit,  next semester we’re pivoting slightly to frame our conversations with the goal of producing tangible results of our collaboration, whether that be conference presentations, publications, or something else entirely. I’d love to see a step on that road being a bigger focus on producing material that we might share to the wider iteach community via the Articles feature.
Schwartz: Looking ahead, I am excited to continue working with our community in the new year and possibly develop a panel or presentation on concrete things we might do to engage our students in the general education or lower division prerequisite "classroom" (F2F or online) more effectively. Beyond that, I am already mulling over ideas for proposing another similar learning community for the 2022-2023 AY.  The cross-pollination possibilities offered/brought about by learning communities like these is fantastic and a good way to break out of our various silos here at MSU.
If you are interested in learning more about this year’s Learning Communities at MSU you can see the full list here. If reading this story peaked your interest in #iteachmsu Groups, you can view all the current groups here. Looking for a group on a particular topic or practice, but don’t see one - start it! Any MSU user can create a group, just login to iteach.msu.edu with your MSU netID to get started. Easy to follow instructions for starting a group are here. 

Greetings everyone! My name is Rashad Muhammad. I am a Learning Experience Designer in the Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology. As we begin the new year, I am excited to step into the role of the project manager for the Catalyst Innovation Program. Catalyst Innovation Program was designed to incentivize the MSU community to develop creative and innovative student learning experiences by funding projects that encourage discovery and experimentation. 
In this spirit, it is with great enthusiasm that I present this year’s 2019-2020 Catalyst Innovation Program recipients:

Alice Lynn McMichaelHistoryExperiential Environments: Modeling the Past for Embodied Learning
Allison EdenDepartment of CommunicationScreen-based versus immersive virtual training platforms for improving public speaking
Andrea BieremaCenter for Integrative Studies in General ScienceCreating Open-Sourced H5P Adaptive Learning Modules
Ashley HewlettAsc Provost For Undergraduate EducationNew Student Orientation Online Experience
Brad WIlcuts, Daniel TregoDepartment of Theatre/ Al Academic And Information Tech SupportSocial Dancing and Culture meets Extended Reality
Dean AslamElectrical And Computer EngineeringFlipped STEM Learning Using Smartphones and Hands-On FBEI (Functionalized Bricks with Embedded Intelligence) Modules
Jennifer DunnDepartment of ManagementPilot Use of Qualtrics 360 Tool to Provide Multi-Rater Feedback to Students
Jeno RiveraCollege of Agriculture and Natural Resources Office of Academic Student Affairs and Institute of Agricultural TechnologyJamming together: Educational technologies to enhance collaborative learning
John PaskusMI Natural Features InventoryIncreasing Student Engagement via Teamwork, Collaboration, and Real World Connections 
Judy WalgrenSchool of JournalismHarnessing the Power of Immersive Media With MSU’s School of Journalism Students
Michelle GrimmMechanical EngineeringInteractive Digital Experience as an Alternative Laboratory (IDEAL): Creative Investigation with Data Analysis 
Nick Lepeschkin-NoelIT Services – Advanced Academic and Research TechnologyRemaking the Future – An Education Focused Simulation Framework  
Quentin TylerSchool of Planning, Construction and Design and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources collaboration.Bridging Student Learning in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Through Virtual Reality
Rachel Morris and Michelle RussellBiomedical Laboratory Diagnostics ProgramUtilizing Genome Mutation Analysis Software to Enhance Student Learning, Preparation, and Engagement in Molecular Diagnostics 
Saul Beceiro-NovoBiomedical-Physical SciencesCurriculum reform for ISP209L
Zachary NealPsychologyBuilding a Social Simulation Makerspace

This year we increased the total number of winners from 10 to 16. Each proposal was double-blind peer-reviewed. Thirty-five applications were received, each seeking to improve the learning experience at MSU for and with students. 
Jeff Grabill, Associate Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Technology said “As we iterate toward a more explicit story about MSU’s digital learning future, it seems necessary to provide as many opportunities as possible for faculty and students to experiment, invent, make, and learn. This program is one of our small bets to create space for faculty and to see what happens.”
MSU’s Chief Digital Academic Officer Brendan Guenther points to the rapidity with which innovation happens, and how structures must adapt – “Catalyst awards give us a rapid investment lever for individuals in the #iteachMSU community, when they sense the need for innovation and have an inspired idea, we can give them the boost needed to make something happen.”
As the year progresses, we will share out stories to keep you updated on the progress these projects are making. Our goal is to empower our recipients to experiment, learn and share that knowledge with the rest of the MSU community. If you missed this application cycle, the next opportunity will be available in the Fall of 2020. Get your ideas ready!

click the image above to access a PDF file of the quick guideRemote Participation and Student Engagement
 
This document provides an introduction to maintaining student engagement as you move to remote teaching. It outlines key steps to Plan, Modify, and Implement when making this move to optimize student learning. As with any steps you take in moving to remote teaching, it’s important to anchor your decisions in course learning objectives and to be transparent, flexible, and generous with students.
Plan
In planning how you will continue to engage students in your course, remember that interaction can occur between the student and you, the student and other students, and the student and the course materials. 
Modify
When modifying in-class activities to a remote offering, you can start by cataloguing all of the ways people typically interact in your classroom. This list can then be used to identify particular digital strategies or technologies for adapting your current approach and translating your methods to an online space. For example, you might draft a table like the one below:
 




Interactions
Class Activity


Modify


Implement




Teacher to students:
During lecture, I ask questions to check student understanding.


Ask a poll question in a live Zoom session or D2L discussion forum whereas students respond to a prompt.


How to create a poll in Zoom:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/203749865-Polling-for-Webinars
 
How to manage D2L discussion forum:
https://documentation.brightspace.com/EN/le/discussions/learner/discussions_intro_1.htm




Student to material:
We watch and discuss a video.


Share a link with students in a variety of ways - i.e. post the link in a D2L discussion forum along with questions for response. 


How to create a link in D2L:  https://resources.depaul.edu/teaching-commons/teaching-guides/technology/desire2learn/tools/content/Pages/creating-links.aspx




Student to students:
I facilitate a classroom discussion and students respond to the prompt.


Create breakout rooms in a live Zoom session or a D2L discussion forum.


How to make and manage Zoom Breakout rooms:  https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206476313-Managing-Video-Breakout-Rooms
 
How to manage D2L discussion forum:
https://documentation.brightspace.com/EN/le/discussions/learner/discussions_intro_1.htm




Student to students:
I put students in small groups for more active discussions.


Create breakout rooms in a live Zoom session or D2L discussion forum whereas students respond to a prompt.


How to manage D2L discussion forum:
https://documentation.brightspace.com/EN/le/discussions/learner/discussions_intro_1.htm




Teacher to student:
I hold office hours to meet 1:1 with my students.


Utilize a Zoom link or connect with students via telephone.


How to operate a telephone: https://tech.msu.edu/network/telecommunications/
 




Implement
The above are just a few options for participation and engagement so as to mirror similar approaches utilized in your classroom. Remember to start small and stick to the tools you’re comfortable with.
Additional Help
For additional help and support, please check out other remote teaching articles on iteach.msu.edu or contact the MSU IT Service Desk at local (517) 432-6200 or toll free (844) 678-6200.
 
 
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This week, we are featuring Alicia Jenner(she/her), one of the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation's educational developers! Alicia was recognized via iteach.msu.edu's Thank and Educator Initiative! We encourage MSU community members to nominate high-impact Spartan educators (via our Thank an Educator initiative) regularly!Read more about Alicia’s perspectives below. #iteachmsu's questions are bolded below, followed by their responses!

You were recognized via the Thank an Educator Initiative. In one word, what does being an educator mean to you?EngagementWhat does this word/quality looks like in your practice? Have your ideas on this changed over time? If so how?​​Being an educator to me, means “engagement”. As I am classified as a Support Staff member at MSU, my role in a centralized unit has evolved over time. Many of us are seeking professional development opportunities and seeking alignment across campus. It’s critical for staff and faculty to come together to learn from each other and create a space where we can all find power in conversation and inquiry. Creating discussions and bringing perspectives to conversations has allowed me to expand my network and connect with colleagues in various positions across the university. I think sometimes we may not see ourselves as “educators” in the traditional sense (i.e., teaching, instruction, etc.), but we all have knowledge to share with the MSU community and beyond.Tell us more about your educational “setting.” This can include, but not limited to departmental affiliations, community connections, co-instructors, and students. What does being a part of CTLI mean to you?My educational setting includes several different non-traditional environments. I am a Senior Learning Experience Designer on the Online Program Management (OPM) team within the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI). My background as an instructional designer has provided me with experience in course consultations, training development, and online course development. While my role has evolved at MSU, where I am now supporting online programs centrally as the project lead for online.msu.edu and advocating for and speaking to the prospective student experience. Additionally, being a part of the CTLI means “engagement” to me. I have created opportunities to connect with online program directors or with staff who support online programs for monthly conversation, training, consultations, and initiatives. My role allows me to collaborate and coordinate as a liaison with external partners supporting student recruitment services and marketing and I have been an active collaborator for the MSU strategic planning initiative since summer 2020.Quick list:

Project lead for online.msu.edu with 90+ programs featured on the platform
Facilitator for Online Program Director monthly coffee hours
CTLI website developer
Manage online program management external partnerships

What is a challenge you experience in your educator role?I think a challenge for me and for those who are in a similar Support Staff role, we may feel as though we are not “educators” based on our classification at MSUAny particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this?Each of us have a critical role in supporting our university, whether that is in a service to student support or faculty, department support. Educators may struggle with managing their workload, changes in structures or systems, however, asking questions and reaching out to colleagues will demonstrate you are seeking assistance, guidance, mentorship, collaboration, etc. Stay proactive and follow your passions. What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator?There are several practices that I engage in to help me feel successful as an educator. I begin with setting clear goals to stay focused and motivated. In addition to setting clear goals, the most important practice I would say is to build relationships with stakeholders to understand their needs and interests. Lastly, staying up to date with the latest research and best practices. I often seek opportunities for professional development workshops, conferences, published research supporting adult learner data and market trends.What topics or ideas about teaching and learning would you like to see discussed on the iteach.msu.edu platform? Why do you think this conversation is needed at MSU?Building opportunities to bring people together to learn about educational pathways and lifelong learning would be an interesting topic to see discussed at the CTLI. What would/could this look like at our institution? Expanding access with non-credit micro-credentials that could be applied to credit programs across the university. What are you looking forward to (or excited to be a part of) next semester?This academic year I am excited about moving into a new space for the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. We have been in a temporary space since summer 2022 and I think building new routines and opportunities to engage in lifelong learning will generate new collaborations and conversations across campus.

Don't forget to celebrate individuals you see making a difference in teaching, learning, or student success at MSU with #iteachmsu's Thank an Educator initiative. You might just see them appear in the next feature!

After you have created an article, you may find that there is information that you want to update or maybe you want to delete the article altogether. By default, you will not see an edit or delete icon on your post once it is published. This article describes and provides a demonstration of how to edit or delete an article on the #iteachmsu commons.
 
Delete or Edit an Article Instructions:
To delete or edit an article, you have to:

Expand the Groups section, and select the group (#iteachmsu) that you posted your Article in.
Click on the Article tab for that group.
Navigate to the Article that you want to delete or edit. You should see the following icons on the post:


Click here to watch a video tutorial: