We found 553 results that contain "classroom engagement"

Robots Talking to Robots
5 ways to fix online discussions
We have long touted the discussion board as a way to build community in virtual classrooms: Pose a question in a thread. Two points for a post, one point for a response. These perfunctory interactions are at most an assessment of knowledge, but hardly ever the critical analysis that leads to productive conversation.
And now, with a quick copy and paste to an LLM, students can post and respond with even less effort.

In this post, I’ll give you five ways to implement human authentication to mitigate discussion posts becoming conversations between AI. Then, I'll address some general pedagogical considerations for online discussions.
Only Replies
The instructor initiates the discussion with an opening post. Students can only reply to the previous response, simulating a natural conversation. Each reply should conclude with a question or statement that encourages further dialogue.
Optional: Award points based on the engagement generated by each student's post.
Human Aspect: This approach makes it challenging to simply copy and paste responses. Students must carefully consider how their replies will stimulate ongoing discussion.
In our recent lecture on social stratification, we discussed the concept of social mobility. Consider the factors that influence upward social mobility in contemporary society. What role does higher education play in this process? You may only reply to subsequent replies. Try to end each reply with a question or a statement that others can respond to.
Source Search
The instructor provides a specific topic from class, and students must find a relevant source that meets given criteria.
Optional: Students can include a quote from their source and explain its connection to the topic.
Human Aspect: While AI tools can find sources, they often struggle with relevancy, accurate quotations, and may even hallucinate information.
Find a peer-reviewed article published in the last two years that discusses the impact of climate change on Michigan's freshwater ecosystems. Your post should include the article's title, authors, publication, and a brief summary of the findings. How do these findings relate to our recent field trip to the Red Cedar River?
Multimedia
Students post video or audio files in discussion threads instead of written responses.
Optional: Have students experiment with MSU supported tools like Flip, Mediaspace, or Camtasia.
Human Aspect: This format allows students to present their natural selves, showcasing personality and communication skills that are difficult for AI to replicate.
Create a one minute video response to today’s lecture, or post an audio response to another student’s video.
Learning Reflections
Students reflect on their progression through a concept or discuss aspects of the course they find challenging.
Human Aspect: These personal reflections on the learning process are unique to each student's experience and difficult for AI to authentically generate.
As we conclude our unit on stereochemistry, reflect on your learning journey. Discuss concepts you initially struggled with, moments of clarity, and areas where you still have questions. How has your understanding of molecular structure and its importance in organic reactions evolved?
AI Critique
The instructor posts an example provided by an LLM and asks students to critique the information.
Optional: Students use AI to critique AI-generated content, and then reflect on the patterns they observe.
Human Aspect: This exercise encourages students to analyze how generated text compares to their own work or the course material in general, fostering conversation about AI's capabilities and limitations.

“All news outlets should transition to fully AI-generated content. AI can produce articles faster and more efficiently than human journalists, covering a wider range of events without bias. This change would allow for 24/7 news coverage while significantly reducing operational costs.”
Analyze the above AI-generated statement about AI in journalism. Identify any biases, oversimplifications, or logical flaws. Then, use an AI tool of your choice to generate a critique of this statement. Compare your analysis with the AI-generated critique. What patterns or differences do you notice?

Why are We Using Discussion Posts Anyway?
At MSU, discussion forums on D2L Brightspace allow students to post and reply. This is an asynchronous discussion; an online bulletin board that simulates the same level of conversation as a Reddit post. But without a clear objective to link the activity, discussion posts just end up being public knowledge checks. Which begs the question, why not just have students submit an assignment?
It is an intimate thing to share our work, and students are more likely to turn to AI if their work is reviewed publicly. Consider then, that discussion posts do not build community, but a classroom community can use discussions to achieve collaboration-based objectives. Some examples of collaboration objectives include:

Practice giving and receiving constructive feedback.
Engage in peer-to-peer learning by responding to classmates' ideas.
Develop interpersonal communication skills through discussions.

Don’t ditch the discussion posts, just align them with a goal that will help students develop skills to engage with others. How do you run discussions in your class? Comment below or drop me a line at freyesar@msu.edu.Freyesaur out.

Instructions: Click on the registration link and sign-up for the sessions that you're interested in. After completing your registration you will receive an email with the Zoom link for the session.




Keynote Address




Welcome and Keynote IITeaching for Equity in Treacherous Times9:00 - 9:45 am




Time

Block 1



10:00 - 11:15 am

 

 


Implementation of the Student Perceptions of Learning Environments Policy (SPLEP) and Student Perceptions of Learning Survey (SPLS)


Teaching Knowledge Workers of the 21st century


Incorporating equitable pedagogy into your classroom


Turning Your Teaching & Administration Work into Research and Publication Projects


What About Student Voice in Department and Program Level Spaces?


"How Can You Get A Job With That?": Practical Skills for Undergraduate Studio Art Students




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Paper Sessions (25 min. each)

Foster Inclusive Research Opportunities Through A Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)
JamBoard: Where Academic and Intellectual Collaboration Meets Creativity
The Power of Education Abroad: Lessons from Sustainable Community Development in Tanzania


Learning Tech Demo (25 min. each)

Beyond Zoom: A Beginner’s Guide to Unlocking the Transformative Potential of Virtual Reality in Education (25 min)
Exploring Perusall and summarizing findings from GEO & ISS courses. (25 min)
Rise: A Tool to Building Interactive Online Courses (25 min)


 
 
 
 


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Time


Block 2




11:30 - 12:30 pm

 

 


Excel accessibility 101


Rethinking Access: Fatigue, Hostility and Intimacy in Teaching and Learning


How to Encourage Student Engagement: Using PearDeck and Interactive Slideshows
 


Translingual Theory in Action, and in Support of Multilingual Learners 


The Happiness Ripple Effect: Exploring the 4 Levels of Happiness and How Educator Happiness Might Impact Student Learning


Hyflex Course Design: Creating Accessible Learning Spaces





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Recognizing Burnout and Mapping Your Stress Response


Learning Tech Demo (20 min each)

NOAA’s Science On a Sphere at the MSU Museum
“That Doesn’t Work For Me!”: Tools for Students with ADHD
Cohort Programs and Student Success at MSU


 

 


 

 



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Lunch12:30 - 1:30 pm



Time


Block 3




1:30-2:30 pm
 

 


A journey of summative assessments



MSUvote and Democratic Engagement at MSU



Finding Your True North: Equitable access to career education through core curriculum integration


Decolonizing the Classroom



Creating a “Friendlier” Syllabus: One that Considers Brain Science and Promotes Student Equity, Belonging, and A Growth Mindset


 
 




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Welcome to My Classroom (20 min each)

Designing Against the Hidden Labors of Adult Learning
Teaching English in Chinese way? International Engagement in a Writing Course
Exploring the effects of the flipped classroom approach in an undergraduate lab math course



Teaching GIF animation in pre-service art teacher education courses

 

 

 
 



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Time


Block 4




2:45 - 3:45 pm 
 

 


Exploring Inclusive Practices Across the Curriculum: Results from the Inclusive Pedagogy Fellows Program in the College of Arts & Letters at MSU


Incorporating Reflective Practices in Classrooms: Our Learning Assessment Model


Increasing learners' motivation in gender and sexuality study through making activist animation and video game


Teaching Gender in a Global Context: Pedagogy, Practice, and Prospects for Expanding Narratives(Cancelled)


Exploring the Social Change Wheel: Approaches, Tools, and Techniques for Incorporating Community Engaged Teaching and Learning


MSU Libraries: Partners in Student Success




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Welcome to my classroom: COIL


Using H5P to Help Students Learn!

 
 
 
 



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This article provides some resources for faculty resuming courses in February 2023 and is a cross-post from the original post on the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) website.
Per guidance from the Provost's office, faculty are encouraged to be flexible and accommodating with themselves and their students. Some courses may resume as planned, and others may need to make pedagogical changes in order to accommodate faculty and student needs. These changes may be very different depending on your specific course and will require some flexibility in thinking through options. As you assess the needs of your students and courses we encourage you to adopt a flexible and student-centered approach.

During the first week of returning to classes, you may wish to hold conversations or conduct activities that allow you and your students to understand where you are at and what your needs are for the remainder of the semester. You may wish to provide a survey to your students to allow those who may not be attending classes in person to contribute and to allow for anonymous contributions as you plan for any changes you wish to make.

Ideas for what you might do during this first week back include:


Reflect on where you are.  Reflect on where your students are.
It is ok to not require any academic work this next week. Students may not want to, or be able to, work on academic material in the first days/weeks.
Don’t make any large adjustments. Don’t rewrite the syllabus now but do take notes on what you are hearing or thinking in terms of longer-term changes.
Provide opportunities that allow students to come together, but without the necessity to speak. You could show a film or do some other activity that allows students to engage as they wish.
If you are feeling a particular way, talk about it, and be open about it.


As you consider what changes you may need to make in your courses remember that you may need to reset expectations, but do keep in mind the following:


Keep your course goals and learning objectives at the forefront of any redesigned assignments or activities.
Communicate your plan to your students. (link includes template and email language that may be useful to copy/paste)
Discuss needs with your students and try to be flexible with accommodations.
Adopt practices and approaches that enable students to engage with you and other classmates as much as they are comfortable and able, and in ways that work for you and for them.


Some examples of changes you may wish to make either temporarily or in the long-term best interest of your course and students:


Modify attendance policies to allow students to attend remotely or to take the time they need to process the events. 
Consider changing assignment due dates or the number/length of assignments. If you need to drop an exam or assignment, just do so.
Recording or streaming class sessions to allow students who may need opportunities to revisit course content to do so or to allow students who were not able to be present on campus to access course sessions. 
Accommodating students who are not able to be on campus can be as simple as opening a Zoom session and/or recording your class. Most MSU classrooms are equipped with cameras and software capable of facilitating this style of teaching. 


Some Additional Resources that may be helpful are listed below. 

Making changes to your class


Adapting a Syllabus During the Semester (provided by Ellen Moll, Director of Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities)
Guide to Modifying Your Course Mid-Semester
Multimodal instructor guide - Contains recommendations for classroom set-up in a multimodal or hyflex-style course.
EDLI Online and Hybrid Course Development Process - Considerations and guidelines for creating online or hybrid courses.


Capturing and Streaming Your Class


MSU Hybrid Classroom Support & Tips - Guide to using MSU Classroom equipment to capture or stream your class.
Live streaming in-person classes Guide - a short guide to learning the process of live streaming in-person classes.
Zoom Meeting Top Ten - A reminder of the top ten most important settings on Zoom.
Preferred Zoom Settings - Recommended Zoom settings for teaching.
Recording Videos in Zoom and Uploading to MediaSpace - Learn how to record your Zoom Meetings to the cloud and then upload them to MediaSpace


Communicating With Your Students


Template & Considerations for Student Notification in Temporary Course Modality Change - A guide to communicating with your students in the event of a temporary course modality change.
Whole Spartan Framework


Further information and resources can be found on the #iteachMSU website. These resources will continue to be updated in the coming days so please check back if you do not find what you are looking for at first.

This post was co-authored by Makena Neal, Scott Schopieray, Jessica Sender, and Jeremy Van Hof.

Topic Area: Information Session
Presented by: Stephanie Brewer, Michelle Snitgen, Renee Brown
Abstract:
During this session, you will learn about and explore elements of strong partnerships to effectively co-create community engaged learning opportunities for students. Hear examples of how existing faculty/community partnerships were successfully transitioned to the virtual learning environment, discuss considerations for initiating and sustaining partnerships in the virtual environment, and explore resources to assist you in partnership development and/or enhancement. This workshop is loaded with helpful tools that are relevant for in-person or virtual community engagement, and whether you’re already working with community partners or you are new to working with community partners. Join the conversation and map out community engaged learning strategies for student success.Session Resources: (log in to G-Drive with your MSU netID)Elements of Successful Community Engaged Partnership (PDF)Community Engaged Learning Course Development Guide (PDF)Building Community Partnerships Canvas (PDF)Social Change Wheel Toolkit (PDF)Planning During Disruption (DOCX)Virtual Community Engagement (PDF)101 Ways to Reflect (PDF)Peralta Online Equity Rubric (PDF)Global Community-Engaged Learning Rubric and Best Practice Guide (PDF)Storytelling and Social Change (PDF)

MSU’s religious observance policy is in place to ensure that students and their instructors are free to observe cultural and religious traditions without academic penalty. This year, with Finals Week falling at a time when many religious observances are likely to be happening, it is worth reflecting on how we as educators can best build a culture of flexibility and accommodation into our teaching. Each class and each scenario will require a unique response, so blanket policy statements can only provide broad guidance; our responses when accommodation requests come in must be bounded by that guidance, but must also be responsive to the specific demands of our class and the individual needs of the students making the requests. 
MSU's religious observance policy underscores the importance of believing students' needs for accommodations without requiring them to prove their religious commitments. It's crucial for instructors to be open and encouraging towards such self-advocacy, creating a classroom atmosphere that is both welcoming and safe, while providing clear mechanisms for students to communicate with the instructor any accommodation requests that they may have.
It’s also essential to acknowledge that accommodations need to be flexible and tailored to the specific context of each class, considering factors such as course size, modality, type, timing, structure, and many others.  Instructors should be responsive to the needs of their individual students, adapting as necessary while keeping the educational objectives in focus. The goal is always to ensure an equitable learning experience, which is more easily accomplished when a class employs the principles of Universal Design for Learning. 
By being open to modifying our approaches based on the unique needs and circumstances of our students, we can create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. This not only benefits students who require accommodations but enriches the educational experience for the entire class.

This discussion of Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks (published by Routledge in 1994) was held on April 16, 2024. Should you wish to read and reflect on your own (or in the comments) this title is available in print at the MSU Main Library (Call Number: LC196 .H66 1994) or as an eBook (via Taylor & Francis eBooks). This book was a selection of the CTLI Graduate Fellows for the 2023-24 academic year and has been a regular source of pedagogical discussion for our cohort. 

If you missed the discussion or want to continue your reflection, in addition to the great reflection questions incorporated in each chapter of the book, here are the prompts we used for our discussion:


In what ways does bell hooks advocate for the integration of personal experiences and emotions into the learning process? How might this approach impact the dynamics of the classroom?
What are your thoughts about the way bell hooks addresses the intersection of race, gender, class, and other identities in the classroom? How can educators facilitate meaningful discussions and collaboration within diverse classroom settings?
What could we take from bell hooks’ approach to teaching and learning to respond to current anti-DEI trends? 
Discuss bell hooks' perspective on the relationship between education and social change. How does she argue that education can be a tool for liberation and resistance?
What role does courage play in bell hooks' approach to teaching? How can educators foster courage for themselves and among students and create inclusive learning environments? 
Reflect on your own experiences as a student or educator. How might bell hooks' insights and strategies in "Teaching to Transgress" inform your approach to teaching and learning?


Additional resources shared:

Addy, T. M., Dube, D., Mitchell, K. A., SoRelle, M. E., Longmire-Avital, B., & Felten, P. (2021). What inclusive instructors do: Principles and practices for excellence in college teaching. Routledge.
Collins, H. P., & Bilge, S. (2016). Intersectionality. Polity Press.
King, R. (2018). Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out. Sounds True.

Ideas from the discussion:

There are ways to acknowledge and express humanity through pedagogical design.
Engaged pedagogy that is inclusive of all learners' bodies and knowledge can help move the liberation needle, but only when it is authentic and not performatively. 
Engaged pedagogical design weaves inclusivity and care into the fabric of the course through learning outcomes, instructor facilitated inquiry, and the subsequent alignment of materials, assignments, and assessments.
A “culture of care" doesn’t have to be rhetorical; educators can be trained to embody that work / do that work in the classroom. Resources like the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation can help!
Building opportunities for learners to share their experience and knowledge with the classroom community is essential. 
“It is important to think critically about who counts as knowers and what counts as knowledge.” How might educators frame or norm what is considered “knowledge” in the classroom?
When we think about engaged pedagogy and the commitments (and labor!) of doing this work, we call upon courage. How can educators courageously build a community that promotes solidarity and facilitates the dismantling of unsafe spaces in higher education?


 
“The academy is not paradise. But learning is a place where paradise can be created. The classroom, with all its limitations, remains a location  of possibility.  In  that field of possibility we have the opportunity to labor for freedom,  to demand of our­selves and our comrades, an openness of mind and heart that allows us to face reality even as we collectively imagine ways to move  beyond  boundaries,  to  transgress.  This  is  education  as the practice of freedom” (hooks, 1994, p.207).

If you’d like to nominate a title for a future CTLI book discussion and/or volunteer to co-facilitate a discussion, please reach out to Makena Neal at mneal@msu.edu

Cover photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

2024 Educational Technology Development Opportunities
Instructional Technology and Development at the Educator Seminar  
Save the dates! Instructional Technology and Development is participating once again in the annual Fall Educator Seminar. ITD will be hosting five virtual sessions from August 22 to 23, 2024.  
The Educator Seminar is a virtual event that features a variety of no-cost trainings and webinars to help MSU educators and staff prepare for the fall semester and beyond. The seminars will focus on ways to enhance student success and connect to an array of resources. 
The Fall Educator Seminars are developed by MSU IT’s Educational Technology department, MSU IT Training, MSU Libraries, the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI), and the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI). 
 
Classroom Technology Overview: Maximizing Student Learning and Engagement Across Modalities  August 22, 2024, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., Virtual 
Presented by Rhonda Kessling and Sarah Freye, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT 
This session explores the diverse range of classroom technologies, from traditional to high-tech, empowering you to make the most of your learning environment. You'll be able to confidently identify the technologies available in classrooms, distinguish between different classroom types, and engage in informed discussions on the most suitable modalities in a variety of situations.  
D2L Brightspace Essentials: Navigation, Gradebook Creation, and Structuring Accessible Content 
August 22, 2024, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Virtual
Presented by Dr. Lindsay Tigue and Kareem Downer Shojgreen, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT 
This informational webinar will cover the basics of setting up your course in D2L Brightspace. See an overview of the interface and learn how to set up tools for assessment and engagement, including the gradebook, assignments and assignment collection, quizzes, discussions, syllabus, digital document distribution, announcements and more. Examples will also be shown for uploading and organizing content with links to activities, so that learners can navigate the course efficiently. 
 Removing Barriers to Learning: Improve D2L Course Usability and Accessibility with Ally 
August 22, 2024, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., Virtual 
Presented by Kevin Henley and Sam Abele, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT 
D2L Brightspace is a powerful learning management system, however, the wide range of content types and user activities can produce accessibility roadblocks for some users. We'll cover how to identify and remediate accessibility issues associated with your course content using Ally, an automated accessibility tool integrated into D2L. We will also demonstrate other accessibility features included with D2L and discuss overall best practices for improving course usability and accessibility. 
 
Setting up your Gradebook in D2L Brightspace 
August 23, 2024, 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., Virtual 
Presented by Dr. Cui Cheng and Dr. Jennifer Wagner, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT 
Access to accurate and up-to-date grades is very important to students. The D2L online gradebook gives private views to students and a spreadsheet view to instructors. This training will lead you through how to set up a points-based or percentage-based (weighted) gradebook. We will also cover how to connect existing activities or assessments, such as discussions, assignments and quizzes, to the gradebook. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:    
 Achieving your Course Goals with Backward Design 
August 23, 2024, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., Virtual 
Presented by Rhonda Kessling and Kareem Downer Shojgreen, Instructional Technology and Development, MSU IT  
The backward design process begins with the final learning outcomes and works backward from there. When we ask ourselves precisely what the student should know or do, then we have a starting point for building the course, the lesson or the program. We will work together to create learning outcomes and to align them with assessments. This design process will help you become more intentional with your activities and assessments and make them more meaningful to your students.    

AppendixThis is the ninth and final article in our iTeach.MSU playlist for the Spartan Studios Playkit.This appendix includes categories related to different elements of interdisciplinary, experiential teaching and course design, and includes what we hope are useful annotations.
Research from the Spartan Studios project

Heinrich, W. F., Louson, E., Blommel, C., & Green, A. R. (2021). Who Coaches the Coaches? The Development of a Coaching Model for Experiential Learning. Innov High Educ 46, 357–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-020-09537-3 

This paper is an overview of the Spartan Studios project and our results for students and faculty who ran prototype courses. It outlines the GORP model as well as the benefits and challenges of this approach to teaching and course planning.

Heinrich, W. F., Lauren, B., & Logan, S. (2020). Interdisciplinary teaching, learning and power in an experiential classroom. Submitted to Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education.

This paper [under review] describes the first iteration of what became the Studios pattern at MSU and introduces the GORP framework.

Research from the James Madison University X-Labs, our colleagues in Virginia working in a similar course model

McCarthy, S., Barnes, A., Briggs, F., Giovanetti, K., Ludwig, P., Robinson, K., & Swayne, N. (Fall 2016). Undergraduate Social Entrepreneurship Education and Communication Design. SIGDOC 2015 Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1145/2987592.2987625 

This report describes some communication strategies within the X-Labs’ drones course, how students documented and presented their works and how faculty plan to iterate the course.

Ludwig, P. M., Lewis, E. J., Nagel, J. K. (2017). Student learning outcomes from a pilot medical innovations course with nursing, engineering and biology undergraduate students. International Journal of STEM Education, 4(33) https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-017-0095-y 

Describes an X-Labs multidisciplinary course on medical innovations and its assessment using qualitative content analysis about students’ attitudes and perceptions of different occupations.

McCarthy, S., Barnes, A., Holland, S. K., Lewis, E., Ludwig, P., & Swayne, N. (2018). Making It: Institutionalizing Collaborative Innovation in Public Higher Education. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’18) 1,549–1,557. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.8560  

A descriptive case study of the academic maker space in the JMU X-Labs, both describing specific courses and how X-Labs is administered. Offers this model as applicable elsewhere in higher ed.

Kishbaugh, A. (2018). An Exploratory Case Study of Cross-Disciplinary Project-Based (i.e. Maker) Curricula as a Catalyst for Entrepreneurship. International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces. https://jmuxlabs.org/app/uploads/2018/10/ISAM_2018_akish_v6.pdf 

Describes cross-disciplinary courses as promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, by looking at startups coming from these courses. Offers a framework based on multidisciplinary problem-solving, Design Thinking approaches, and a lean startup methodology.

Selznick, B. S., Mayhew, M. J., & Swayne, N. (2018, November 20). Stop Blaming Innovation. (Correspondence from Chronicle readers). The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/letters/stop-blaming-innovation/ 

A rebuttal to an argument that higher ed’s emphasis on innovation is misguided. Argues that innovation has positive student outcomes, is different from entrepreneurship, and that their interventions are effective.

Swayne, N., McCarthy, S., Selznick, B. S., & Fisher, K. A. (2019). Breaking up I/E: Consciously Uncoupling Innovation and Entrepreneurship to Improve Undergraduate Learning. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.24251/HICSS.2019.651  

Describes the X-Labs as evidence for uncoupling entrepreneurship and innovation, and argues that conceptually they are separate; teaching innovation needs to precede teaching entrepreneurship

Lewis, E. J., Ludwig, P. M., Nagel, J., & Ames, A. (2019). Student ethical reasoning confidence pre/post an innovative makerspace course: A survey of ethical reasoning. Nurse Education Today, 75, 75-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.01.011 

Describes gains to ethical reasoning after the Medical Innovations X-Labs course.

El-Tawab, S., Sprague, N. & Stewart, M. (2020). Teaching Innovation in Higher Education: A Multidisciplinary Class. In D. Schmidt-Crawford (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 8-13). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/215725/. 

Describes a case of the X-Labs autonomous vehicles course, its support of students’ technical and soft skills, and its reproducibility.

McMurtrie, B. (2019) No Textbooks, No Lectures, and No Right Answers. Is This What Higher Education Needs? Chronicle of Higher Education 10 Feb.  https://www.chronicle.com/article/no-textbooks-no-lectures-and-no-right-answers-is-this-what-higher-education-needs/  

Chronicle of Higher Education story about the JMU X-Labs course model.
Interdisciplinarity

Harden, R. M. (2000) The integration ladder: A tool for curriculum planning and evaluation. Medical Education, 34(7), 551–557. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2000.00697.x 

Offers a framework for thinking about different disciplinary connections, from disciplines being isolated/siloed from each other through transdisciplinarity.

Carmicheal, T. & LaPierre, Y. (2014). Interdisciplinary Learning Works: The Results of a Comprehensive Assessment of Students and Student Learning Outcomes in an Integrative Learning Community. Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies, 32(3), 53–78. http://hdl.handle.net/10323/6647 

Evidence-based assessment of student learning outcomes and academic growth metrics as a result of participation in a first-year integrative learning community. The author outlines the interdisciplinary learning goals and processes of the program, and shows that students that participated in the program consistently outperformed students outside of the program in both short term and long term learning and academic growth benchmarks. 

Ivanitskaya, L., Clark, D., Montgomery, G., & Primeau, R. (2002). Interdisciplinary Learning: Process and Outcomes. Innovative Higher Education, 27, 95–111. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021105309984 

A review of expected benefits, learning outcomes, and processes (and potential roadblocks) of interdisciplinary education. Review applied to an interdisciplinary discussion based course. The authors claim that interdisciplinary learning can significantly contribute to intellectual maturity and cognitive development of students, and provide a framework of milestones that students may hit in the process of cognitive development through interdisciplinary ed. 

Kezar, A. & Elrod, S. (2012). Facilitating Interdisciplinary Learning: Lessons from Project Kaleidoscope. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 44(1), 16–25, https://doi.org/10.1080/00091383.2012.635999 

This magazine article argues for the benefits of interdisciplinary education for both students and institutions, and provides ways to encourage interdisciplinary education on a systemic level. The authors give key strategies and tips for facilitating interdisciplinary learning and creating student experiences. The barriers to interdisciplinary learning/education are recognized (specifically institutional) and potential solutions are given as well. 

Stentoft D. (2017) From saying to doing interdisciplinary learning: Is problem-based learning the answer? Active Learning in Higher Education, 18(1). 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787417693510

Author argues that PBL is an effective strategy to facilitate interdisciplinary learning and vice versa. The author also acknowledges three barriers to effective interdisciplinary education: curriculum organization, student competencies to navigate interdisciplinary problems, and instructor competency - and proposes how to address these barriers.  

Imafuku, R., Kataoka, R., Mayahara, M., Suzuki, H., & Saiki, T. (2014). Students’ Experiences in Interdisciplinary Problem-based Learning: A Discourse Analysis of Group Interaction. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1388 
Kruck, S. E. and Teer, Faye P. (2009). Interdisciplinary Student Teams Projects: A Case Study. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(3), 325–330. https://aisel.aisnet.org/jise/vol20/iss3/7  


Problem-Based Learning/Project-Based Learning 

Ertmer, P. A., & Simons, K. D. (2006). Jumping the PBL Implementation Hurdle: Supporting the Efforts of K–12 Teachers. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1005

While focused on problem based learning at the K-12 level, this paper covers topics relevant to higher education instruction, including implementation challenges, creating collaborative classroom culture, teachers adjusting to changing roles, scaffolding student learning, initiating student inquiry, maintaining student engagement, aiding conceptual integration, and promoting reflective thinking

Fukuzawa, S., Boyd, C., & Cahn, J. (2017). Student motivation in response to problem-based learning. Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching, 10, 175-188. https://doi.org/10.22329/celt.v10i0.4748

Study of student perceptions of problem-based learning in an anthropology course found that students with more subject matter experience didn’t necessarily have greater intrinsic motivation about the course. Also includes strategies for transitioning students to PBL when they are used to traditional lectures.

Guo, P., Saab, N., Post, L. S., & Admiraal, W. (2020). A review of project-based learning in higher education: Student outcomes and measures. International Journal of Educational Research, 102, 101586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101586

A review of literature around project based learning that includes 76 papers. Topics covered in the review include cognitive outcomes of PjBL including knowledge and cognitive strategies, affective outcomes including perceptions of the benefits of PjBL and perceptions of the experience of PBL, and behavior outcomes including skills and engagement

Lee, J. S., Blackwell, S., Drake, J., & Moran, K. A. (2014). Taking a leap of faith: redefining teaching and learning in higher education through project-based learning. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1426

Study of instructors who implemented PjBL that focused around their challenges and successes with community partnerships, student engagement, and assessment

Moro, C., & McLean, M. (2017). Supporting students’ transition to university and problem-based learning. Medical Science Educator, 27(2), 353-361. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-017-0384-6   

15 strategies for scaffolding learning and supporting students in PBL programs includes using a phased approach to PBL, getting student feedback in the first few weeks of the program, and develop learner’s reflective skills before self-assessment

Pepper C. (2010). ‘There’s a lot of learning going on but NOT much teaching!’: Student perceptions of problem‐based learning in science. Higher Education Research & Development, 29(6), 693-707. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.501073 

Overview of student responses to problem based learning at an Australian university. Developed a continuum of how students react to problem based learning that includes missing the point, working in groups, splitting the workload, completing the task, assessing the task, learning new information, sharing ideas, and being self directed learners

Perrault, E. K., & Albert, C. A. (2018). Utilizing project-based learning to increase sustainability attitudes among students. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 17(2), 96-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2017.1366882 

While PjBL is often concerned with knowledge gain, this study suggests that PBL can also shift student attitudes around the topic. For this study, students designed a communications campaign for an office of sustainability. The students themselves were found to have more favorable views around sustainability by the end of the course

Boston University Center for Teaching & Learning. (n.d.). Project-based learning: teaching guide. http://www.bu.edu/ctl/guides/project-based-learning/

Brief overview of what project based learning is and four key steps to implementing it (defining the problem, generating ideas, prototyping solutions, and testing)

Strobel, J., & van Barneveld, A. (2009). When is PBL more effective? A meta-synthesis of meta-analyses comparing PBL to conventional classrooms. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1046  

Combines the results of many meta-analyses around PBL over the last few decades to compare PBL to traditional classroom learning. The study finds that PBL results in more satisfaction among students and faculty, leads to better long term retention of knowledge (traditional was better for short-term), and better skill development

Vogler, J. S., Thompson, P., Davis, D. W., Mayfield, B. E., Finley, P. M., & Yasseri, D. (2018). The hard work of soft skills: augmenting the project-based learning experience with interdisciplinary teamwork. Instructional Science, 46(3), 457-488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-017-9438-9 

Two-year study of an interdisciplinary problem based learning task and student outcomes. Study used student feedback during each year to understand how students were feeling about the course. The instructors learned that students felt the instructors had inconsistent and unclear expectations and hence, experienced anxiety about grades. The instructors took this to mean that they needed to do a better job of articulating the learning outcomes and end of course goal. The instructors also learned that students often do not know how to collaborate interdisciplinary and decided to add scaffolding to the course

Learning Objectives and Bloom’s Taxonomy 

Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

Overview of the original 6 levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and the 6 levels of the Revised Taxonomy: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. Includes the four types of knowledge: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive.

Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center. (n.d.). Design & Teach a Course. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/learningobjectives.html

Strategies and tips for articulating and writing learning objectives including that learning objectives should be student-centered, break down the task and focus on specific cognitive processes, use action verbs, and be measurable.

Ferguson, C. (2002). Using the revised taxonomy to plan and deliver team-taught, integrated, thematic units. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 238-243. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_6 

Example of an interdisciplinary high school course (English & social studies) where the two instructors used a taxonomy table to map their learning objectives onto the 6 levels of the Revised Taxonomy and 4 types of knowledge. Such a table may be useful for thinking about the learning objectives in your course

Kidwell, L. A., Fisher, D. G., Braun, R. L., & Swanson, D. L. (2013). Developing learning objectives for accounting ethics using Bloom's taxonomy. Accounting Education, 22(1), 44-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/09639284.2012.698478 

An example of using Bloom’s Taxonomy in accounting ethics to create learning objectives. For each larger course theme, the authors list examples how learning objectives could be created from each level of the Taxonomy.

Mayer, R. E. (2002). Rote versus meaningful learning. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 226-232. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_4 

Includes 19 processes/action verbs, how they map to the 6 levels of the Revised Taxonomy, and simple examples of what a task for students to do might look like. Examples of included verbs are “compare,” “implement,” “organize,” “critique,” and “generate”

Tyran, C. K. (2010). Designing the spreadsheet-based decision support systems course: an application of Bloom's taxonomy. Journal of Business Research, 63(2), 207-216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.03.009 

An example of using Bloom’s taxonomy to map course activities to ensure students have the prerequisite knowledge to complete the assignments 

Reflection; Reflection as Assessment

Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009). Learning through critical reflection: A tutorial for service-learning students. Ash, Clayton & Moses.

Introduces characteristics of critical reflection and the DEAL model.

Eyler, J., Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., & Schmeide, A. (1996). A practitioner's guide to reflection in service-learning: Student voices & reflections. Vanderbilt University.

Argues that successful reflection is continuous, challenging, connected, and contextualized.

Earl, L. M. (2012). Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning (2nd edition). Corwin Press.

Especially chapter 10, Using Assessment for Reflection and Self-Regulation

Ash, S. L., Clayton, P. H., & Atkinson, M. P. (2005). Integrating reflection and assessment to capture and improve student learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 11(2), 49-60. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.3239521.0011.204 

Sees coupled reflection and assessment as mutually informing and reinforcing for students in service learning. Describes tools to guide reflective writing processes. Focus on both individual student learning and reflection as part of program-wide approaches to reflection.

Assessment of Experiential Education & Interdisciplinary Learning 

Conrad, D., & Hedin, D. (1981). National assessment of experiential education: Summary and implications. Journal of Experiential Education, 4(2), 6–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382598100400202  

A summary of the research of the Evaluation of Experiential Learning project which sought to (1) assess the impact of experiential learning on secondary school students and (2) use that data to identify the elements of the EE programs that contributed the most to such student development.

Field, M., Lee, R., & Field, M. L. (1994). Assessing interdisciplinary learning. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 1994(58), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.37219945806 

In-depth discussion of assessment techniques for interdisciplinary study in higher education

Heinrich, W. F., Habron, G. B., Johnson, H. L., & Goralnik, L. (2015). Critical thinking assessment across four sustainability-related experiential learning settings. Journal of Experiential Education, 38(4), 373–393. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053825915592890  

Implications of critical thinking coupled with engaged citizenry within experiential education courses.

Mansilla, V. B., & Duraising, E. D. (2007). Target assessment of students’ interdisciplinary work: An empirically grounded framework proposed. The Journal of Higher Education, 78(2), 215-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2007.11780874  

Introduction of a framework for targeted assessment of interdisciplinary student work. Also a good review of relevant literature of assessment and interdisciplinary learning in higher education.

Yates, T., Wilson, J., & Purton, K. (2015). Surveying assessment in experiential learning: A single campus study. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2015.3.4  

Exploration of experiential assessment within a Canadian University. Exploration intended for the use in identifying common methods and facilitating development of best assessment practices for higher education, specifically experiential higher education.

You, H. S., Marshall, J. A., & Delgado, C. (2019). Toward interdisciplinary learning: Development and validation of an assessment for interdisciplinary understanding of global carbon cycling. Research in Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-9836-x  

Development and validation of an assessment which measured the understanding of the carbon cycle for high school and undergraduate students.
Building and Managing Student Teams & Team Dynamics 

Burke, A. (2011) Group Work:  How to Use Groups Effectively. Journal of Effective Teaching, 11(2), 87-95. https://uncw.edu/jet/articles/vol11_2/burke.pdf 
Cano, J. L., Lidon, I., Rebollar, R., Roman, P., & Saenz, M. J. (2006). Student groups solving real-life projects. A case study of experiential learning. International Journal of Engineering Education, 22(6), 1252-1260. https://www.ijee.ie/articles/Vol22-6/16_IJEE1811.pdf 
Fearon, C., McLaughlin, H., & Yoke Eng, T. (2012). Using student group work in higher education to emulate professional communities of practice. Education + Training, 54(2/3), 114–125. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911211210233  
Fellenz, M. R. (2006). Toward fairness in assessing student groupwork: A protocol for peer evaluation of individual contributions. Journal of Management Education, 30(4), 570–591. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562906286713   
Furman, R., Bender, K., & Rowan, D. (2014). An experiential approach to group work. Oxford University Press.
Smith, G. G., Sorensen, C., Gump, A., Heindel, A. J., Caris, M., & Martinez, C. D. (2011). Overcoming student resistance to group work: Online versus face-to-face. The Internet and Higher Education, 14(2), 121–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.09.005  
Hassanien, A. (2006). Student Experience of Group Work and Group Assessment in Higher Education. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 6(1), 17–39. https://doi.org/10.1300/j172v06n01_02  
Kayes, A. B., Kayes, D. C., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Experiential learning in teams. Simulation & Gaming, 36(3), 330–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878105279012  
Napier, N. P. & Johnson, R. D. (2007). Technical Projects: Understanding Teamwork Satisfaction In an Introductory IS Course. Journal of Information Systems Education. 18(1), 39-48. http://www.jise.org/volume18/n1/JISEv18n1p39.html 
Winsett, C., Foster, C., Dearing, J., & Burch, G. (2016). The impact of group experiential learning on student engagement. Academy of Business Research Journal. 3, 7-17. 


Online Experiential Education and Innovative Online Teaching & Course Structures

Bolan, C. M. (2003). Incorporating the experiential learning theory into the instructional design of online courses. Nurse Educator, 28(1), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006223-200301000-00006  

Provides insights on how to implement an experiential learning framework into an already developed online course.

Christian, D. D., McCarty, D. L., & Brown, C. L. (2020). Experiential education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A reflective process. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2020.1813666  

Provides insight on how experiential learning can occur in an online format which acknowledges the new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes case studies.  

Sharoff, L. (2019). Creative and innovative online teaching strategies: Facilitation for active participation. The Journal of Educators Online, 16. https://doi.org/10.9743/jeo.2019.16.2.9  

Piece on how to keep students thoughtfully engaged with online courses.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Bricklemyer, J. (2019, April 29). DEI online course supplemental checklist. https://codl.ku.edu/sites/codl.ku.edu/files/docs/DEI%20Online%20Course%20Supplemental%20Checklist%2029Apr19.pdf

A set of five principles around designing a course for inclusion geared specifically toward online courses. Also includes links to other resources for more in-depth resources 

Canning, E. A., Muenks, K., Green, D. J., & Murphy, M. C. (2019). STEM faculty who believe ability is fixed have larger racial achievement gaps and inspire less student motivation in their classes. Science Advances, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau4734  

Students in classes where the instructor believed that student potential was fixed earned lower grades than in courses where the instructor believed student potential changed over time. In addition, the difference in grades between students from underrepresented racial groups and white/Asian students was larger in the classes with instructors who thought mindset was fixed. 

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

A set of broad guidelines for ensuring that all learners can engage in learning, regardless of culture, language, or disability status. Each guideline includes practical examples of how it could be implemented in a course and the research supporting the guideline. 

Dewsbury, B., & Brame, C. J. (2019). Inclusive teaching. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-01-0021  

Guide that covers why instructors need to develop self-awareness and empathy for students and consider classroom climate before pedagogical choices for inclusivity. Also includes an interactive webpage about inclusive teaching with literature citations and a checklist for instructors. 

MyPronouns.org Resources on Personal Pronouns. (n.d.). https://www.mypronouns.org/ 

A guide about personal pronouns and best practices for using them: include your pronouns when introducing yourself, avoid using “preferred” in front of pronouns, and using “go by” instead of “uses” when introducing pronouns. E.g. My name is Sparty and I go by him/his pronouns. 

University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. Inclusive Strategies Reflection. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UK3HFQv-3qMDNjvt0fFPbts38ApOL7ghpPE0iSYJ1Z8/edit?usp=sharing

A self-reflection tool for instructors about their teaching practices measured along five dimensions: critical engagement of difference, academic belonging, transparency, structured interactions, and flexibility. Each dimension includes ideas for instructors to add to their own courses 

Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning.(n.d.) Inclusive Teaching Strategies. https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/InclusiveTeachingStrategies 

Includes 9 recommendations instructors can take to create a more inclusive classroom including incorporating diversity into the curriculum, examining implicit biases, adding a diversity statement to the syllabus, and soliciting student feedback 

Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/resources/inclusive-teaching-guide/

Photo from LubosHouska from Pixabay