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What are University Hybrid Technology Classrooms? 
University hybrid technology classrooms are classrooms  that are optimized for use in courses that have both online and in-person parts (hybrid courses). These classrooms are equipped with integrated, HD cameras that can pan, tilt, and zoom to meet the specific needs of each lecture. 
Compatibility with Zoom is a top priority in the university hybrid technology classroom design. In addition to cameras, each classroom features echo-cancelling technology that enables students to ask and answer questions, whether they are physically in the room or over Zoom. 
 
Training and Support 
Training is available via one-on-one instruction, group demos, and through a variety of on-demand sources, as listed below. 
Resources and Information 

University Hybrid Technology Classroom Quick Reference 
University Hybrid Technology Classroom - full manual 
Demonstration of University Hybrid Technology Classroom Hybrid Tech Cart Video Demo from July 16, 2020
University Hybrid Technology Classroom - Frequently Asked Questions

About Zoom
Zoom is a videoconferencing application that allows students to participate in hybrid technology classrooms over the internet. It is the primary tool used across MSU for remote learning. 
Whiteboard Application 
A built-in whiteboard application is provided in Zoom and can be accessed by clicking “Share Screen” and selecting “Whiteboard.” 
University hybrid technology classrooms have touch-enabled monitors allow instructors to draw on this digital whiteboard using a finger or stylus. 
Zoom Training 
The following video provides training for new users and instructions, including how to prepare Zoom for your course, share and present, use the whiteboard feature, and more: https://go.msu.edu/zoomtraining. 
 
For immediate support by a classroom technology technician, please contact the IT Service Desk at (517) 432-6200.  
The MSU IT Service Desk can also address all questions, concerns, and help set up training sessions. 
 
 

In order to facilitate a blended learning approach, the university is planning to install 200 high quality web cameras in many of the lecture halls across campus. The rooms will be equipped with echo cancellation to prevent room sound from feeding back into the mic. The camera will work with existing software that are commonly used on campus; such as: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Camtasia, and Kaltura Capture (located on mediaspace.msu.edu). 
 
Below you will find a recording of focus group conducted with educators across campus:
 

 
To contribute feedback of your own, click on the following qualtrics link:https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cMGiNyXeaWe7045

The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University has shared what to do if a difficult (also referred to as "hot") moment has arisen in your classroom.
While there’s often no single “right” response, as the instructor, how you address difficult moments in the classroom has implications for learning. Your response can communicate indifference or even hostility; alternatively, it can show that you’re aware of your classroom’s dynamics, you aim to promote learning even through struggle, and you care about your students’ well-being. Here are some tips for helping you to respond productively.

Attend to your own reactions. Take a moment to steady yourself. A couple deep breaths can be helpful here. Though it may be challenging, holding steady while navigating a difficult moment can help others feel safe, less reactive, and better able to slow down and explore the dynamics at work in the situation. There are likely many different, complicated responses playing out in the room. What are you feeling? Allow yourself a pause; you can even invite everyone in the room to pause along with you. How are others reacting to what is happening? You can offer everyone some time to think, write, or even leave the room for a bit. Observe your own reactions to what is happening. Try to distinguish between what you are experiencing, what is actually being said or done, and the various possible interpretations of what is happening. There’s a lot going on in this moment! Attending to your reactions is a skill to be practiced.
Understand the situation. It’s possible that, in the heat and complexity of the moment, there has been some misunderstanding. Maybe someone has misspoken or you’ve mistaken their meaning. Others in the room may be in the same situation, wondering whether they've heard and understood a comment correctly, for instance. It's important to make sure that your understanding of the situation is as accurate as possible and sensitive to the different perspectives present in the room. It may be fitting to ask the person or people involved for further explanation or clarification. If the difficult moment was sparked by a comment, you could try repeating back the comment or its logical implications – not as an accusation, but to allow the speaker to clarify their meaning. You might ask: “What makes you say that?” or “Can you say more about what you mean?” Try to discern if there is a learning opportunity here, or perhaps a need for articulating boundaries.
Deepen and nuance your short-term response. You’ve slowed down the situation, attended to your reactions, and asked for further explanation or clarification as needed. As noted above, the dynamics at play in this moment are complex! How can you deepen and nuance your response in the short-term? For one, try and separate the utterance, idea, or action from the person who articulated or performed it. Hold people accountable for what they say and do; also recognize that a single offensive or even harmful act doesn’t reveal the entirety of someone’s character and motives. You can make it clear that a comment or act is unwelcome in the classroom, even while admitting you’re not sure precisely why or how it came about. For another, you might acknowledge the various emotional responses in the room as material that can contribute meaningfully to class discussion. Can these responses reveal something interesting about a concept that is being studied or a method being practiced? This move can both validate the different kinds of responses unfolding for individuals in the room and communicate that lived experience is relevant for classroom learning.
Consider your long-term response. Your short-term response to a difficult moment need not be your only response. Do you think the moment requires follow-up action so that future classes aren’t negatively affected? Would it be helpful to check-in with the class or certain individuals either via email or during the next class meeting? If you perceived harm being done or unease being instigated, you may offer to talk with a student or students after class, over email or in-person. You may also consider how chances for feedback and communication of personal experience might be incorporated in the ongoing class structure. Perhaps invite everyone to write or share exit notes at the end of every class, or maybe you collect feedback at several points throughout the semester. Regular opportunities to articulate one’s experience in a course can do much toward alleviating the pressure placed on any one emotionally intense moment; they also help cultivate a practice of reflection and self-awareness.

Five Strategies to Interrupt Hot Moments from MSU IDI:

CURIOSITY: Ask powerful questions and listen generously to answers. Lead a dialogue balancing all voices in the class. Make sure to surface historically marginalized perspectives.
WRITING EXERCISE: Have students write responses to: 

“What I know about this topic…”
“What I want to learn…” 
“What I want to say….” 

You may ask them to respond anonymously, collect and review to determine how to proceed next time.


SMALL GROUPS: Divide students into groups of 2 or 3 and give them prompts (from above or others); debrief or have them write.
CONTENT/DATA SHARE: Create a graph and ask students what they already know about this topic, what they need to find out. What do we know about this issue historically?
NAMING AND FRAMING: Sometimes it is useful to actually stop the conversation and ask the group to name and explore something that just happened during the conversation. Move away from the specifics of the issue and ask class “what happened here?” Solicit ideas about what, why, how to move forward.

Looking for more resources? Check out the amazing work done by educator development team at the University of Michigan's Center for Research on Teaching and Learning. They provide strategies for anticipating and responding to difficult discussions as well as classroom incivility:

Guidelines for planning and facilitating discussions on difficult or controversial topics
Responding to incidents of hate speech
Teaching and learning in a tense election season
Strategies for making productive use of tense or difficult moments
Facilitating Challenging Conversations in your Classes (blog post)
Sample guidelines for class participation
Guidelines for responding to particular topics and tragedies
Responding to Incivility in the College Classroom

Thank you to colleagues in university educator development at the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University, the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at the University of Michigan, Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at Michigan State University, and others for their materials that informed or were adapted into this resource. Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

MSU's Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development has a great collection, "Resources for Difficult Dialogues in the Classroom" including but not limited to internal [to MSU] and external links on confrontation, bias, policies, and more. Here are a few of the resources:
The Art of Confrontation – COVID version

Prepared by Rick Shafer, Dean of Students Officehttps://remote.msu.edu/_assets/docs/The_Art_of_Confrontation_faculty_COVID_version.pdf

Bias Busters: Guides to Cultural Competence

Website Project of the MSU School of Journalism, College of Communication Arts and Scienceshttp://news.jrn.msu.edu/culturalcompetence/

IDI Education and Training Opportunities

Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusionhttp://inclusion.msu.edu/education/index.html

Ideas for Disciplinary Content

Compiled by the MSU Librarieshttps://www.lib.msu.edu/inclusiveteaching/

Office of Institutional Equity Policies

http://oie.msu.edu/

To My Professor: Student Voices for Great College Teaching

Book by MSU School of Journalism students and editor Joe Grimm, College of Communication Arts and Scienceshttps://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/09/12/new-book-advice-college-instructors-based-thousands-student-comments

Difficult Dialogues Guide

Annotated resources produced by Vanderbilt Universityhttps://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/difficult-dialogues/

Difficult Dialogues Handbook, Strategies and Resources

Resources produced by the University of Alaska Difficult Dialogues Project and the Ford Foundation

http://www.difficultdialoguesuaa.org/handbook
http://www.difficultdialoguesuaa.org/strategies_and_resources



Handbook for Facilitating Difficult Conversations

Resources produced by Queens College, City University of New York (pdf)Link to PDF document

Inclusive Practices for Managing Controversial Issues

Online document produced by Flinders University of Australiahttps://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/TIPS_controversial.pdf

Inviting Dialogue

Resource produced by Clark University (pdf)https://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ClarkUnivInvitingDialogue.pdf

Mindfulness and Discussing “Thorny” Issues in the Classroom (article)

Alexakos, K., Pride, L. D., Amat, A., Tsetsakos, P., Lee, K. J., Paylor-Smith, C., … & Smith, T. (2016). Mindfulness and discussing “thorny” issues in the classroom. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-015-9718-0 

Toolkit for Inclusive Learning Environments

Project by the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins Universityhttp://guides.library.jhu.edu/TILE

Books Available from oFASD
To borrow any of the following titles, stop by 2W of the Main Library (across from the Digital Scholarship Lab). Some titles are available electronically on stable links through MSU Libraries.

Brookfield, Stephen D. The Discussion Book: 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking.    

Book via electronic access, courtesy of MSU Libraries


Chickering, Art (Foreword)   Encountering Faith in the Classroom: Turning Difficult Discussions into Constructive Engagement

Book via electronic access, courtesy of MSU Libraries


Landis, Kay (ed.) Start Talking: A Handbook for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education.  

Book via electronic access


Nash, Robert J. How to Talk About Hot Topics on Campus: From Polarization to Moral Conversation.
Roderick, Libby. Stop Talking: Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning and Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education.
Wheatley, Margaret J.  Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future

Book via electronic access



BIAS AND RACE
#Charlestonsyllabus

Resource produced by the African American Intellectual History Societyhttp://www.aaihs.org/resources/charlestonsyllabus/

#FergusonSyllabus

Resources produced by Sociologists for Justicehttps://sociologistsforjustice.org/ferguson-syllabus

Eight Actions to Reduce Racism in College Classrooms

Article by Shaun R. Harper and Charles H. F. Davis III from Academe  (pdf)https://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/HarperDavis-EightActionsToReduceRacismInCollegeClassrooms.pdf

Learning to Talk about Race in the Classroom

Resource from Inside Higher Ed.’s Gradhacker (blog article)https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/learning-talkrace-classroom

Project Implicit (Implicit Bias)

Project by Harvard Universityhttps://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences That Make a Difference

Book by Stevenson, H. C. (2013). Teachers College Press.

Responding to Incidents of Hate Speech

Webpage produced by the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at the University of Michiganhttp://crlt.umich.edu/node/93036

Teaching Tolerance

Program of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Resources for K-12, but many transferrable ideashttp://www.tolerance.org/lets-talk

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Title: Incorporating Reflective Practices in Classrooms: Our Learning Assessment ModelPresenters: Salomon Rodezno, Dustin Petty (Bailey Scholars Academic Advisor, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources); Sarah Prior (Bailey Scholars Program Director, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Sociology Department, College of Social Science); Eric Abaidoo (Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources); Salomón Rodezno (Educational Administration, College of Education) A.L. McMichael (Director, LEADR; History and Anthropology, College of Social Science); Harlow Loch (Accounting Department, Eli Broad College of Business); Reva Durr (Educational Administration, College of Education); Guanglong Pang (Educational Administration, College of Education); Brandy Ellison (Center for Integrative Studies in Social Science, College of Social Science)Format: WorkshopDate: May 11th, 2023Time: 2:45pm - 3:45pmClick here to viewDescription:Reflective practices emotionally connect learners to their classroom experiences. This connection increases self-efficacy, retention, and integration of content. Incorporating reflective practices meaningfully into learning spaces and syllabi can be elusive given the substantive demands of the curriculum and the temporal limits of the semester. This workshop will address the benefits and challenges of using reflective practices as a central component of the assessment and/or grading processes. Bailey Scholars Graduate and Faculty Fellows will share their experiences using reflective practices in their classes within and beyond the Bailey Scholars Program.

 
 

 

 










 
Introduction
Academic integrity is critical in any teaching and learning environment, but with the move to more frequent online learning, this conversation becomes more important because of increased concern with student dishonesty on assessments, particularly exams. In this lesson, we will discuss how to promote a climate of academic integrity within your classroom. We will first examine factors that motivate students to cheat in courses. After that, we will examine strategies for minimizing academic dishonesty.
Why Students Cheat
Research shows that both students and faculty believe that cheating is more prevalent in online learning compared to face-to-face. However, many studies indicate this is not true and that cheating is no more common online than in person. Let’s examine some of the common reasons students turn to academic dishonest behaviors.
Many students enter courses with extrinsic motivation to succeed, meaning they are focused only on the end grade result and not the actual process of learning. When students tie their classroom goals to only a grade, they often view exams as not being valuable outside of a way to achieve a 4.0. Combine this view of assessments with the fact that grade competition is common, and the scenario for cheating becomes more attractive. For example, over half of medical school applicants will be denied admission, and admission prioritizes GPA, so grades are frequently a driving motivator for pre-med students.
Exam structure can also affect the likelihood of academic misconduct. When exams are high stakes, meaning they account for a significant percentage of the final grade, or cover a considerable amount of material, students are more likely to use dishonest behavior.
Student characteristics also play a role. Students may have test anxiety, preventing them from succeeding, so they rely on cheating. Students may also hold beliefs that the exams or the instructor are unfair, and so they see the effort they would put into studying as worthless. Finally, students may simply be unprepared for the exams.
There are also reasons related to academic integrity itself. An important issue discovered in integrity research is that there is a disconnect between faculty and student perceptions of what actions constitute cheating. Students will admit to dishonest behaviors, for example, asking a friend for their opinion on a question, but also claim they did not cheat, and that is because they do not view these actions as cheating. Research has also shown that students are more likely to cheat if they believe the consequences of being caught are minor.
Context Matters!
As we discuss these common reasons why students cheat, it is important to recognize that Spring 2020 was not a good example of online learning, student anxiety, or integrity. There was a significant increase in the number of faculty and student complaints regarding academic misconduct in the classroom, but the switch to emergency remote learning was challenging for everyone, and student actions in spring are not indicative of typical online learning experiences.
Strategies
Integrity Considerations
Managing discussions surrounding academic integrity can occur right at the beginning of the semester. When you inform students of the grading scale and exam dates, also mention the importance of academic integrity. Practicing integrity as a student is important for ethical practices in other courses and after graduation. Remind students about integrity expectations, particularly at the time of each exam or assessment.
Be transparent with your expectations. Define the behaviors you consider to be examples of academic dishonesty. If collaboration is allowed on some but not all assignments, make sure students understand those instructions. Likewise, explain to students the consequences of academic misconduct in your class, such as penalty grades and submission of an Academic Dishonesty Report.
Finally, have student sign an honor code or the Spartan Academic Pledge at the beginning of every assessment. Honor codes have been shown to decrease cheating particularly when they are used in a classroom or institution that promotes and values academic integrity.
Extrinsic Motivators
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an instructional framework that attempts to minimize barriers to allow for a diverse group of learners to all be successful in the classroom. One of the three main components of UDL is increasing student engagement in the course, which can result in an increase in intrinsic motivation and a decrease in extrinsic motivation.
Students are more likely to be engaged with content when they feel that the learning is valuable to their goals. By writing clear learning objectives for the course and having those objectives be relevant to student interests, it increases student participation and buy-in. This does not mean course content must only be limited to content students choose; it means by presenting the content chosen by the instructor as being valuable, students will become more motivated to participate. Explicitly explaining how the content of your course increases future success in another course or in a career path can motivate students that might not have seen those connections on their own. When students understand the broader purpose of a course or assessment, they are also less likely to complain about the work being unfair.
Integrating reflective or metacognitive assignments during the semester can also mitigate the effects of external motivators. These assignments allow students to think about their individual process of learning and can move focus away from getting a specific grade. Reflective work can help students self-assess their effort, determination, and persistence, and help them gain a growth mindset, which views errors and failures as learning opportunities.
Exam Structure & Student Considerations
There are multiple approaches that an instructor can take when managing exam structure, and some of these amendments can alleviate concerns related to the student characteristics as well.
Decreasing the amount of content that is covered on an exam and increasing the frequency of assessments can turn high stakes, high anxiety testing into something viewed as more manageable by the student. Additionally, deciding to make exams open book or collaborative will level the playing field for students since this removes some of the more traditional forms of academic dishonesty.
Allowing materials or collaboration, though, is more successful when exam questions are written to assess critical thinking or other higher-level skills. It is possible to write multiple choice questions that test problem solving. When this is accomplished, explaining how the assessment aligns with course learning goals and is relevant to student learning can help obtain student buy-in, which decreases the prevalence of cheating.
There are also ways to use D2L exam tools to reduce academic dishonesty during exams. Options such as selecting questions from a larger pool, randomizing questions and showing only one per page, and determining the appropriate amount of time for a student to complete the exam but not have extended time remain can take away opportunities for cheating.
Finally, scaffolding learning in the classroom with appropriate formative assessments provides students with opportunities for practicing skills and learning content. These activities will help students feel prepared when it is time for the assessment.
Conclusion
It should be noted that none of these strategies are guaranteed to stop cheating in the classroom. However, integrating these practices into your curriculum can decrease the likelihood of academic dishonesty. All decisions regarding assessment and integrity must weigh the risk of cheating with the overall effect on the course. The actions suggested here have been shown to decrease academic misconduct while also being equitable and creating a valuable educational environment.




 

 

 

 

So you've started to think about diversity, equity, and inclusion. You read DEI & Student Belonging and have reflected on your educator identity. But now you're wondering - how... how do I work to make sure my course is an equitable and inclusive space?

Start with your syllabus

Use the Interfaith Calendar when planning important dates for the course
Syllabus resources: The What and Why of a Syllabus, CELT Checklist Iowa State




Consider your course resources

Be mindful of choosing course materials (language, examples, photos) and whose voices you're highlighting
Older materials can be an opportunity to address DEI awareness over time


Think about your students

Pronunciation, pronouns & consistency
Consider everyone as individuals who are unique & don’t make assumptions about student identities (race, religion, orientation, gender)
Address growth mindset & possible anxiety


Be intentional in how you facilitate discussion

Establish ground rules, guidelines, norms
Use a random system for asking questions
Monitor so that no one dominates
Allow students to finish before responding
Avoid generalizations


Think critically about your communication

Language matters: avoid idioms, “common” figures of speech (CSU Inclusive Language Guide), abbreviations and acronyms should be explained
Use multiple forms of communication (seeing/hearing, and also explain key ideas in different ways)
Gather feedback from students 
Don’t assume quiet students don’t understand – there are numerous reasons why a student may not speak up


[Re]consider your classroom presentation/lecture/facilitation approach

Use gender neutral language and include varied examples
Promote a respectful classroom climate
Encourage participation (eye contact, wait time, talk with students outside of class)
Vary teaching methods to learning styles
Be very cautious of humor in class


Be intentional about setting up teams & group projects

Heterogeneous, but avoid tokenism
Check-in often
Use peer evaluations


Articulate assessment and evaluation expectations

Make sure your expectations are clear
Align your learning goals, content and evaluations



Photo by javier trueba on Unsplash

Blended Learning Instructional Skills: In the Classroom was a workshop offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI) presented by Jay Loftus and Ellie Louson. Below we have an outline, the workshop's takeaways, links to further resources, and to the slide deck and recording of our workshop. Please feel free to be in touch with Jay or Ellie with any follow-up questions about this topic.
OutlineThe seminar includes the following sections:

What do we mean by ’blended learning’?​
Design of blended learning​
Best Practices​
Strategies​ / Tips and Tricks
Wrap-Up​
Questions 

Takeaways

Importance of Explanations and Instructions – What? How? Why?​
Ensure that activities don’t become more important than the goals of instruction.​
Ensure activities adhere to equitable learning experiences – technical and social.

Further ResourcesOther blended learning resources from the CTLI (including a previous webinar) are available here.Slide DeckSildes from the workshop are available here which include many resources. Seminar RecordingThe recording of our 58-minute seminar is available below.Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash