We found 151 results that contain "#career #careereducation #careerservices"

Below is a list of resources that promote student success. All links provided are direct links (ONE CLICK) connecting you to contact information or an educator who can respond to your questions and/or help your students who need help planning for their careers. Thank you for helping our students achieve their goals.
My Spartan Story Student engagement and learning beyond-the-classroom is formally recognized by MSU through My Spartan Story and the Spartan Experience Record, complementing the student’s academic transcript.

What's next to learn? If you're interested in learning more about transferable skills, try the "Using Transferable Skills in Your Career" playlist.
 
If you're interested in more middle-of-grad-school resources, try the "Working with Your Committee" playlist or the "Maintaining Professional Networks" playlist.
 
If you want to consider a totally different facet of grad life, try the "Using Your Teaching Skills" playlist or the "Funding Your Research" playlist.

At the heart of Michigan State University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation [CTLI] is Tom Cheng [he/him], a Senior Learning Experience Designer whose journey from Hong Kong to East Lansing embodies the transformative power of education.
Growing up in a grassroots community in Hong Kong, Tom understood the importance of equitable education from an early age. Despite attending a high school where university admittance was hard to achieve, Tom’s intellectual curiosity and drive propelled him forward. Wanting to become a local English teacher, he pursued a double degree at The Chinese University of Hong Kong [CUHK], earning a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies and a Bachelor of Education in English Language Education.
Tom’s educational journey took him beyond Hong Kong’s borders. Through his university program, he taught in Beijing and rural South Korea, experiences that would later shape his perspective on diverse educational needs.
After becoming a first-generation graduate in 2018,  Tom began his career teaching English at various high schools in Hong Kong. It was during his second year of teaching that COVID-19 emerged, sparking his interest in online learning processes. This pivotal moment led him to pursue a Master’s in Learning Design and Technology at Stanford University, fully funded by a unique scholarship. The Bei Shan Tang Scholarship provides support to an ‘outstanding [CUHK] graduate’ to pursue postgraduate study at the Graduate School of Education of Stanford University.
“Teachers don’t just teach,” Tom reflects on his time in K-12 education. “Of course, I can teach exam skills or what’s in a textbook, but a lot of what teachers do is show care to students, especially if they’re not getting care at home.” This experience taught Tom to be more sympathetic and to consider things from a student’s perspective – skills that prove invaluable in his current role. 
Now at MSU’s CTLI, Tom brings his diverse background in education to bear on several exciting projects. He’s currently working on improving online.msu.edu and teachingcenter.msu.edu, as well as developing a self-directed course for MSU educators called ‘Spartan Learning Experience Design’. Based on the nationally recognized ‘Quality Matters’ framework, this course aims to help educators, especially one’s just beginning their career in education, design effective online and in-person courses. Tom is also collaborating with the Forest Carbon Management Program at MSU on a successful Coursera course, with more modules in development. These projects showcase Tom’s commitment to making quality education accessible to a wider audience.
As a relatively new face at MSU, having only started six months ago, Tom is focused on establishing himself within the community. He is running the Spartan Learning Experience Design Sessions, aiming to build the kind of reputation that his long-standing colleagues retain. Tom acknowledges the unique challenges of working in higher education, where one often advises highly knowledgeable educators on changing their teaching practices. “It can be an uphill battle,” he admits, emphasizing the importance of building credibility and rapport within a university.
For Tom, success isn’t about wealth or quantifiable metrics. “It’s about how much positive impact you can make to the community you care about,” he explains. “Sometimes it’s just about touching lives, and in education, you never know how many lives you’ve touched until one day someone tells you, ‘Hey, you recommended this tool, and it works great.’”
As Tom continues to innovate and inspire at MSU’s CTLI, his journey serves as a testament to the power of education to transform lives and communities. His work bridges cultures, technologies, and teaching methodologies, embodying the very essence of learning experience design in the 21st century.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
 
Issue #1: Students Don’t See the Value of Independent Projects
 
Tips

Emphasize the real-world skills that students gain. This can be particularly valuable for students who aren’t necessarily interested in the subject matter but can see the benefits they gain in other areas, such as problem solving and managing a team.


Explain how each component of the independent project emulates a real practice in the discipline. This communicates to your students that you are putting them through this experience to help them develop their competencies, not to waste their time.


Treat every pitfall as a lesson, not as an opportunity to point out deficiencies. If something goes wrong, help the students figure out a way to move forward. Then, ask the students what they learned from the experience (e.g., how to better communicate, the value of a contingency plan, time management) and how they might strategize differently if confronted with a similar situation.

Issue #2: Designing and Conducting Independent Projects is Overwhelming
 
Tips

Break down the project into manageable goals. Create a guide for students that details out the specific steps that lead to the end product, which includes due dates for smaller components of the project. This will help students feel competent as they achieve each small task and to better manage their time.


Provide iterative feedback. If the only evaluation students receive on their work is their final project grade, they don’t have the opportunity to improve and learn along the way. Checking in with students as they reach each small goal allows both students and instructor to keep track of progress and to make adjustments if a group has gotten off-course.


Take time in class to praise students for their progress. Students may have trouble perceiving their accomplishments, so bringing them up will help to increase student confidence moving forward with the project.


Help groups work through challenges in a structured manner. Ask groups to bring up challenges they have encountered lately, and run a brainstorming session with the entire class to overcome these challenges. Often, other groups will have encountered similar challenges, so working through them together helps students feel more competent and build a sense of community among classmates.

Issue #3: Group Members do not Contribute Equally
 
Tips

Have students create a team contract. Provide students with a general template for a group contract with space to detail procedures for written communication among teammates, goals for the project, and consequences for group members who don’t pull their weight. All students should contribute to the creation of the contract and sign it. If an issue arises at any point during the project, the group has a clear path forward to correct the issue.


Build in opportunities for every member to contribute. The threat of being held individually accountable is often enough motivation for students to pull their weight. Take time in class to consult with each group individually or run brainstorming sessions with the entire class, asking individual students to share their experience or discuss project results.

Issue #4: Group Members Have Disparate Goals
 
Tips

Form groups based on mutual interests. Ask students to sit in different sections of the classroom based on potential project topics, then organize the students into groups based on their “interest zone.” An added bonus to this approach is that student groups will automatically have something in common, which can help them form social bonds and increase the enjoyment of working together.


Make time at the start of the project for students to discuss goals. Talking about how the project might relate to their goals for the course, their undergraduate education, and/or their career helps students understand the motivations of their teammates. When group members understand each other’s motivations, they can adjust their expectations and support the achievement of a variety of goals.

While your students may not enjoy the long hours, issues with teammates, and frustrations that accompany the independent group project, they may come to appreciate the lessons learned from their experiences. An example of working through a road block on their project could become a scenario they describe in a job interview. Dealing with an uncooperative group member could inform their approach to team management in their career. Engaging in inquiry could become the foundation for a student’s decision to pursue graduate school. Keep these outcomes in mind, and make every effort to put a positive spin on student progress.

Are you interested in creating an event or program to build community for your students population? There are a variety of ways to actively connect with your students and foster a sense of community. In this article, explore programming ideas and additional tools that can assist. Event and program ideas:

Information sessions on important curriculum information
Career/alumni panels
"Creating Your Next Semester Schedule" workshop
Webinar on locating co-curricular opportunities
Study skills workshop
Navigating test anxiety discussion with representative from CAPS
Group advising for first year students
Graduate/professional school preparation seminars
Registered Student Organization fair that relate to a specific topic
Study spaces during mid-terms and finals week
Semester kick-off and end-of-year celebration

There are free resources available to MSU staff and faculty to support your events and programs. These include:

MSU Brand Studio provides a variety of tools and downloads that adheres to MSU branding guidelines. This includes color palettes, typography, logos, signatures and office toolkits, flyers, manuals, facts sheets, and more. 


25LivePro is MSU's room reservation system. If hosting an event on-campus, check 25Live for open classrooms.

A job aid for using 25LivePro is available here(this link downloads a file).




Zoom is an excellent tool to host virtual meetings and webinars. You can also record and share sessions in Zoom for anyone that was not able to attend the live session. 


Kaltura MediaSpace is MSU's media hub designed to store and share media collections. For video recordings that you wish to share, upload to Kaltura MediaSpace to create a shareable link or embed code, and add closed captioning. A video tutorial for using Kaltura MediaSpace is available here.


Canva is a versatile design tool that offers many free templates for flyers, infographics, worksheets, and so much more. 


Camtasia provides faculty with the ability to create, edit, and upload their screen recordings or presentations. This helps students navigate their online courses, provide assignment feedback, and more. This program is offered free through MSU IT Services. 


TechSmith SnagIt allows faculty, staff and students to create beautiful documentation, images, screen captures, diagrams, and other media that can be used along with D2L. This is also free through MSU IT Services. 

The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from College of Arts & Letters. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Scott Schopieray: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Kaelyn Muiru: Thank you for introducing your WRA 101 students to the library this semester! By emphasizing the importance of a student-library relationship, you helped promote information literacy and research skills, and hopefully initiated a positive association that the students will carry through their college careers. I want to also thank you for being in tune with and aware of your students' needs, and allowing them to opt into asynchronous instruction. Treating students with care means valuing their emotional and mental well-being, and trusting them as adults to help determine the course of their instruction. It was a pleasure to create and compile videos to introduce the library and specific resources to help them find success on their WRA 101 assignments. The analytics show me the resources were utilized, so I also thank you for promoting them! 
Alexis Black: For her empathy for all students. For her concern to make all feel heard and involved. For her terrible puns. Alexis is an amazing educator who cares deeply about her students' success. She is constantly checking in with students to see how they are doing and her innovative practices in intimacy coordination have helped out students navigate difficult times. 
Brad Willcuts: Brad is innovative and uses cutting edge technology to teach dance and musical theatre. He is constantly evolving as an educator and blends old and new techniques to reach students. 
Cheryl Caesar: I've worked with Cheryl for over ten years now and I wanted to thank her for teaching me a lot about being a compassionate and caring teacher. The learning environment that Cheryl creates with her classes allows students to feel safe and comfortable being honest and open with their thoughts, feelings and views. I have seen the amazing progress and benefits her students have gained from being a student in her class and I am honored to call her a colleague and friend.
Elizabeth Spence: Dr. Spence demonstrates the teaching method I personally endorse above all others - a pedagogy of care for her students. Dr. Spence clearly cares for each student as an individual, recognizing the unique values and experiences they bring to the classroom. She knows them not just by name, but knows about their work and personal lives too. She takes time to meet with them in individual consultations throughout the semester, and when visiting her classroom, it is evident that she takes time and thoughtfulness with each student and their appreciation and engagement is exceptional for a virtual setting. I especially appreciate that she gives time for library instruction, setting an example to her students that information literacy has high value. Newer to educating myself, I have learned so much from her, and wish to follow in her caring footsteps. 
Kathy Hadley: Thank you, Dr. Hadley, for dedicating a class each semester to bring your students to the library! Your commitment to library instruction encourages students to find value in information literacy and because of you, they begin a relationship with the library that will  help them be successful throughout their MSU careers. 
Jill McKay-Chrobak: Dr. McKay-Chrobak, thank you for dedicating a class each semester to bring your students to the library. Your commitment to information literacy helps ensure students place a high value on it. Thank you for showing your enthusiasm for the library's resources and services; it is contagious! Your students clearly enjoy your friendly and engaging style of teaching and your example has encouraged me to prioritize fun and camaraderie in my own teaching. 
Ilse Schweitzer: Dr. Schweitzer, thank you for dedicating a class to bring your students to the library! Your commitment to information literacy encourages students to value it highly, and by introducing them to the library, you begin a relationship between library and student that fosters success. Your students clearly enjoy and respect your leadership; I was continually impressed with their level of engagement. Thank you for encouraging, mentoring, and caring for these first-year students - I have learned from you and intend to follow your example!
Floyd Pouncil: Thank you so much for bringing your students to the library for an introductory session! By doing so, you impress upon them the importance of information literacy and research skills, and give us a chance to situate the library and its resources as an important asset for their college careers. 
I want to also thank you for your very thoughtful scaffolding of the WRA 101 assignments, and attention to detail and modification of the standard. Your students were clearly connecting the dots between rhetorical analysis of the culture of an artifact and the culture of their disciplines and the writing found therein. Also, by emphasizing the importance of a personal interview, you recognize the value in alternate ways of knowing (as opposed to relying on "peer-reviewed literature"). 
Your students were my most engaged of the semester - you did an excellent job of cultivating a safe classroom culture in which students felt encouraged and motivated to participate. That makes such a big difference in how I am able to impact them in our short time together, so for that I am grateful. 
Sharieka Botex: Thank you for bringing your WRA 101 students to the library this semester! In doing so, you emphasized the value of information literacy and research skills and encouraged a relationship with the library that hopefully will serve your students well throughout their college careers.
Your students were some of my most engaged of the semester - you clearly have nurtured a safe space for students to be themselves and participate openly in discussion, which makes my job much easier and way more rewarding, and speaks highly of your classroom culture.
Also, it was very clear from the assignment modifications you made and the relatively calm and collected demeanor of your students that you have taken a pedagogy of care approach, putting their mental and emotional well-being right up at the forefront alongside their academic experience. This is so important in this time and place, especially with our vulnerable first-year students, and I appreciate your approach so much. 
It was a pleasure getting to know you and your students, and I am grateful for your leadership in encouraging a positive and lasting library-student relationship!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.

Co-TeachingThis is the second article in our iTeach.MSU playlist for the Spartan Studios Playkit.
Studios courses are interdisciplinary. Students and faculty benefit from interacting and collaborating with other disciplines. Working across disciplines is an opportunity for both discourse around your discipline’s approaches and methods as well as tensions between areas of expertise. It is helpful for students to be exposed to those conversations: it helps them not be siloed within their major and it reflects how they might serve on diverse teams in their career.
Interdisciplinary teaching comes with bureaucratic and logistical challenges for instructors. It’s important to engage your department leadership (chair, dean, ADTL) around the creation of a new course. Financial support and released time for new courses by units under resource constraints can be a challenge.
🔧Studies by the Spartan Studios project and other universities offering similar courses describe beneficial outcomes for students and faculty that might help motivate administrators. (see our Playkit Appendix, section 9). 

Early Spartan Studios prototypes were taught as overload and supported by a stipend.
For sustainable courses, investigate whether a special topics course can be allocated as a co-taught experiential course with faculty and students from other majors.
Another option is the “bring your own students” model where each instructor teaches a course from their own teaching appointment (with its own course code) and brings students from that discipline into the collaborative course (see “Attracting Students to the Course” in our Planning article).

▶️Select your instructor team. Think about the faculty members or other disciplines that would be a good fit for the course you have in mind. Courses with 2-4 faculty work best. What skills or learning goals could other disciplines bring to the table? Think broadly: real-life challenges and wicked problems are multifaceted and can benefit from solutions incorporating communication, marketing, packaging, the natural, social, or applied sciences, humanities, etc.
▶️Set, share, and examine expectations. As you plan your course, discuss your expectations around workflow and shared responsibilities both around and within your teaching time. Be explicit and transparent with each other about your estimated availability for the course, as well as your expectations for classroom management, responsibilities for particular topics, and managing external partnerships. This can be codified in a co-teaching agreement or remain informal; either way, be sure to avoid making assumptions about teammates’ expectations that can lead to misunderstandings later in the course.
▶️Meet regularly with your teaching partners both before and during the course. It’s especially important to touch base throughout the course’s run to make adjustments based on how things are going. We call this meeting a scrum (originating in rugby, and also by teams in fields like software development). You can discuss upcoming needs, reflect on the past week’s events, and assign tasks. A short regular meeting helps you surface issues and make concrete plans better than emails back and forth.
▶️Consider the identities of your co-instructors and students. Think about the different axes of diversity in the classroom: diversity across student backgrounds and cultural experiences and diversity across disciplines  
🔧Hub scrum template with prompt questions for weekly reflection and planning.
🔧MSU’s Center for Interdisciplinarity (C4I) is a resource for interdisciplinary research and teaching.Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

MSU IT presents a series of Zoom webinars helping new students utilize the educational technology tools encountered in classes at MSU. The following sessions cover D2L Brightspace, Zoom, Microsoft Office 365, using generative AI as a college student, and more! 
Navigating Your MSU Courses: D2L Brightspace Basics for Students 
August 13, 2024, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., Virtual 
Presented by Rhonda Kessling and Sarah Freye, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT 
Register on Zoom 
Join us for an engaging workshop designed especially for students who are new to D2L Brightspace, our primary platform for digital learning. Master the essential skills you will need to succeed in your classes at MSU. MSU IT staff will equip you with a thorough understanding of D2L Brightspace to set you up for success. We look forward to seeing you there!  
MSU Tech Essentials: A Guide to Course Technology Tools for Students 
August 14, 2024, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Virtual 
Presented by Lisa Batchelder and Sarah Freye, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT 
Register on Zoom 
This informational webinar will introduce and demonstrate technology commonly used in classes at MSU, including D2L Brightspace, Microsoft Office 365, Google Apps, Kaltura MediaSpace, and more. We will also share resources for quick and easy access to tech support for students. 
 
AI: A Student’s Guide 
August 15, 2024, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., Virtual 
Presented by Sarah Freye and Rhonda Kessling, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT 
Register on Zoom 
This webinar will empower students to use generative AI effectively and responsibly during their college career. We will explore how AI can be a partner in various academic tasks for planning, collaboration, writing, and editing. We will also cover how using AI fits into university expectations about academic integrity, as well as cover examples of how instructors include AI policies in their syllabi. This virtual event will end with a question-and-answer session. Join us to unlock the potential of AI to elevate your academic experience!