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


You were recognized via the Thank an Educator Initiative. In one word, what does being an educator mean to you?  
Praxis 
What does this word/quality looks like in your practice? Have your ideas on this changed over time? If so how?
When I think about being an educator, I also think of being a lifelong learner. I really like the word “praxis” because it can describe so many things when it comes to teaching and learning. As an educator, I see my role as designing and facilitating learning experiences in ways that engage participants in reflection and meaning making. Praxis for me is moving beyond content, to the application of that new content in one's everyday life. Because each learner’s positionality and experiences are unique, the ways they could practically employ new information in their life is also unique. My role as an educator is to intentionally build space and opportunities for learners to engage in this practice. 
Praxis also connects directly to my on-going growth and development as an educator. As I seek out opportunities to learn new skills and information, interact with new individuals in the Educator Network, and collaborate across new spaces… I too must engage in a practice of reflection and meaning making. My own praxis as an educational developer means intentionally connecting new knowledge with what I already know, and using that knowledge collectively to engage in the practice of educator development. 
Here are some definitions of/ideas about praxis from other scholars that resonate with me:

Paulo Freire (1972, p. 52) described praxis as “reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it”.
Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt (2001, p.15) defines praxis as “The interdependence and integration – not separation – of theory and practice, research and development, thought and action.”
Five assumptions about knowledge and knowing that underpins praxis (White, 2007):

Knowledge/knowing is inherently social and collective
Knowledge/knowing is always highly contextual
Singular forms of knowledge/knowing (e.g. empirical or experiential) are insufficient for informing complex, holistic practices like [youth, family work and community work)
Different knowledges/ways of knowing are equally valid in particular contexts
Knowledge is made, not discovered. (p. 226)


My ideas around who “counts” as an educator and a knower, what teaching and learning is and where it can [and does] happen, have all shifted drastically over my years at MSU. I credit my learning and experiences in MSU’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program (both as an undergraduate and a graduate fellow) as a catalyst for the changes in my perspectives. Followed by my doctoral research in the Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education program at MSU (specifically the mentorship of my committee- Drs. Marilyn Amey, John Drikx, Steve Weiland, and Diane Doberneck) I am very proud of the work I now do to advocate for and serve a broadly defined and intentionally inclusive community of educators in my role. 
Tell us more about your educational “setting.” This can include, but not limited to departmental affiliations, community connections, co-instructors, and students. (AKA, where do you work?)
I am an educational developer with MSU’s Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI). I focus on efforts and initiatives that recenter teaching and learning for Spartans by advancing MSU’s culture toward recognition and support for all educators. I take a hands-on approach to collaboration, and enjoy working across a variety of units on campus. A lot of really wonderful educator work happens at MSU, and I am dedicated to advancing aligned educator development in our decentralized spaces by cultivating and continually engaging in MSU Educator Network.

Director of CTLI’s Graduate Fellowship experience with Dr. Ellie Louson
#iteachmsu Commons Champion and Coach
Founder of the Thank an Educator initiative
Lead on CTLI’s Affiliates program
Author of the Educator Development Competency Framework with Maddie Shellgren

What is a challenge you experience in your educator role?
There are two challenges that I’ve experienced as an educator, regardless of my formal role. 

Ground-level buy-in to the broad definition of educator… we can intentionally build offerings and lead experiences for an inclusive group of folx at MSU, but if people don’t identify with the “educator” nomenclature, they won’t show up.
Capacity… I always want to do more, but need to navigate my own professional development, my life’s other roles and responsibilities, and the scope of CTLI. 

Any particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this? What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator?
Working with individuals to highlight their impacts on the teaching and learning, outreach, and/or student success missions of the university WHILE engaging positional leadership in similar efforts can help. This is one of the reasons I’m very proud of the Thank an Educator Initiative, and connected #iteachmsu Educator Awards. We established the Thank an Educator initiative and are recognizing those individuals with the #iteachmsu Educator Awards to:1. help demonstrate the diversity of educators across roles on campus2. celebrate the amazing individuals we have shaping the learning experiences and success of students on our campus. 3. help individuals associate their name/work with “educator” and embrace their educator identity
What topics or ideas about teaching and learning would you like to see discussed on the iteach.msu.edu platform? Why do you think this conversation is needed at MSU?
I am always looking for ways to integrate core teaching & learning best practices into the ways we design and facilitate offerings and experiences. One example of this would be to not limit ourselves to “one-off” programs on diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and  belonging (DEIJB)- but to integrate DEIJB into all our work and model some ways educators can think, apply, reflect DEIJB in their contexts. 
I would also encourage educators to use the iteach.msu.edu platform as a way to engage in on-going dialogue about your practices. The functionality of the platform exists to support educators in sharing ideas and resources, connecting across roles, and growing in their practice. It is a space built for educators, by educators- theoretically this is awesome, but practically this means the site can only be what people make it; can only serve as a place for resources and ideas if educators share their resources and ideas. What are you looking forward to (or excited to be a part of) next semester?
The 2023-24 academic year will be the first full year with a fully established CTLI. I’m very excited to be moving into a year of fully articulated core offerings and experiences with my colleagues. All of this along with a new CTLI Director and a physical space in the MSU Library!
References:
Freire, P. (1972). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Penguin.
White, J. (2007). Knowing, Doing and Being in Context: A Praxis-oriented Approach to Child and Youth Care. Child & Youth Care Forum, 36(5), 225-244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-007-9043-1  
Zuber-Skerritt, O. (2001). Action learning and action research: paradigm, praxis and programs. In S. Sankara, B. Dick, & R. Passfield (Eds.), Effective change management through action research and action learning: Concepts, perspectives, processes and applications (pp. 1-20). Southern Cross University Press, Lismore, Australia. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/23a6/89ad465ddfe212d08e4db3becca58bdbf784.pdf  

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

Title: Engagement & Assessment Educator Development SpecialistDepartment: Center for Teaching and Learning InnovationBio: 
Monica L. Mills (she/her) is an Academic Specialist at MSU’s Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation who specializes in providing educational development on classroom assessments and engaging instructional practices. Monica’s research interests include innovative and real-world assessment strategies, learner engagement, learning analytics, learning with Extended Reality (XR), educational technology, collaborative learning, competency-based learning, digital accessibility, first-generation students, adult learners, and user/learner experience. Prior to joining MSU, Monica was a Senior Instructional Designer at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and taught undergraduate courses in Cognitive Psychology, Research Methods, and Statistics in-person, online, and remotely at Alma College. Monica has a BS in Psychology and a minor in Cognitive Science from the University of Central Florida. She also has an MA in Cognitive-Social Psychology with a minor in Teaching, Learning, & Teacher’s Education with a specialization in Innovative Learning Technologies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she is also a Ph.D. candidate. Monica is a Quality Matters (QM) certified course peer reviewer and serves on the 2023-2025 EDUCAUSE Young Professionals Advisory Committee. Monica enjoys spending time with her young daughter and husband on their small family farm and trail riding/camping with her horses.
website

Attention Faculty, Staff and Students:  
The Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation is pleased to announce the finalists for the Teaching Center Director position. Candidates will visit campus next week. 
Each finalist will host a public presentation/open forum where they will share their views on a critical educational topic of their choice; their vision for the teaching center at MSU, and their response to a case-study scenario prepared by the search committee. You are welcome to attend in-person (details to come) or via Zoom webinar. Time will be provided for audience interaction with the candidates in each of the three segments. 
Jeremy Van Hof Public Presentation/Open Forum  
Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2023  
Time: 1:00p – 2:30p  
Location: 443 Hannah Administration Bldg. or Zoom  
Zoom Registration Link for Jeremy Van Hof’s Presentation 
 
Crystal Dawn Howell Public Presentation/Open Forum  
Date: Wednesday, July 26, 2023  
Time: 1:00p – 2:30p  
Location: 443 Hannah Administration Bldg. or Zoom  
Zoom Registration Link for Crystal Dawn Howell’s Presentation 
 
Kate Birdsall Public Presentation/Open Forum  
Date: Thursday, July 27, 2023  
Time: 1:00p – 2:30p  
Location: 443 Hannah Administration Bldg. or Zoom  
Zoom Registration Link for Kate Birdsall’s Presentation    Public presentations will be recorded and posted to the search webpage afterward and include a candidate feedback survey link.Photo adapted by Jan Huber on Unsplash

The Graduate School and the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation (CTLI) at Michigan State University invites applicants for the 2024-2025 graduate fellowship cohort. Applications will be accepted until May 15, 2024. Fellows can expect to join a welcoming community to learn with us, influence the future of higher education, and further develop as leaders and public scholars by becoming a Graduate School/MSU CTLI Fellow.
Graduate fellows will explore spaces where educators come to learn and think differently about teaching and learning, while building and exercising skills in design, facilitation, and collaboration. The CTLI Grad Fellowship is one of the MSU Graduate School’s teaching cohort fellowships but is not a conventional teaching or research fellowship, meaning its end goal is not solely the production of an academic peer-reviewed research product. CTLI Fellows’ work contributes to real outcomes that impact campus. Being a CTLI Grad Fellow means joining a diverse team of interdisciplinary experts to improve MSU as a teaching and learning institution.
Any PhD student interested in learning more is invited to check out the recording from fellowship co-directors, Drs. Makena Neal and Ellie Louson, and current CTLI Grad Fellow Nicole (Nic) Macon-McKendree below. 



Individuals logged in to Google Drive with their MSU credentials have access to view this session's slides. More details about who should apply, expectations and compensation, and more can be found at the CTLI Grad Fellows webpage. 

This week, we are featuring Dr. Eleanor (Ellie) Louson, one of the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation's educational developers! Ellie earned her bachelor’s degrees from Bishop’s University, her master’s degree in the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Toronto, and her Ph.D. in Science & Technology Studies at York University. She has a joint-appointment as an educator in Lyman Briggs College, MSU, where she teaches courses in the History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science. Her research interests include wildlife films’ representation of animal behavior and interdisciplinary, experiential teaching and learning. Her teaching, research, and learning design backgrounds have taught her the value of interdisciplinarity, storytelling, and engagement for higher education. Ellie is originally from the Montreal area and plays in a rock band. Ellie has also been a recipient of the #iteachmsu Educator Award!
Read more about Dr. Louson’s perspectives below. #iteachmsu's questions are bolded below, followed by her responses! 


In one word, what does being an educator mean to you?  
My one word is “care” but it’s more care-as-doing than the emotional dimension of caring. As a teacher, I want to support my students being able to thrive in our class and in their broader lives. I do many things before and during class to support them, including a pre-course survey to learn about their tech and accessibility needs, as well as anything relevant to their situation during the pandemic. I design my classes with lots of flexibility and many assignments are open format. I use an Annotated Syllabus activity so that students can ask questions and make suggestions before I finalize it.
What does this word/quality looks like in your practice? Have your ideas on this changed over time? If so how?
I check in with students in lots of ways. At certain points in the semester, I check in to make sure they understand their progress towards the learning goals and flag any missing assignments. I also start each class with a check-in to give them a mindful moment to reflect on how they’re doing in 3 words, and I turn those check-ins into a word cloud to visualize patterns and to help me be responsive to the class’ energy levels. [Here’s an example word cloud. I use www.wordclouds.com to generate them]
 

I don’t have late penalties, but weekly assignments are spread throughout the syllabus as a marker of the expected pace of work. Students have full lives beyond the course and sometimes it’s reasonable for them to focus on other things. But I also care about their learning. I build in tutorials and extra office hours leading up to major assignments to make sure they can get the help they need. Those assignments also have a draft stage where I give feedback on their in-progress work. And they can revise assignments to improve their grades. I hope this contributes to a climate where it’s ok to try things and fail.
Tell us more about your educational “setting.” This can include, but not limited to departmental affiliations, community connections, co-instructors, and students. (AKA, where do you work?)
I work as an educational developer in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation, MSU’s new teaching center, which launched this fall. My colleagues and I work to support and connect MSU’s educators. Before that, I was part of the Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology. I’m also one of the teaching faculty in Lyman Briggs College, where I teach courses in the History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science to mainly STEM undergrads. I’m also fortunate to be a director of the CTLI Grad Fellowship, alongside my colleague Makena Neal.
What is a challenge you experience in your educator role? Any particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this? 
One challenge for me is that I’m too eager to say “yes” to opportunities that improve academic communities. I like to help, and I know the value of academic service work, so I’m glad to be able to contribute my design or communications skills to a project. But if I take on too many commitments, I am less able to be useful to those efforts. Another downside is that I get overwhelmed! By having stronger boundaries around my downtime and waiting 24 hours before taking on any new commitments, I can better protect my time and energy and make more of a positive difference for the things I deliberately take on..
What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator?
I learned a lot during the pivot to online teaching about building effective and engaging online courses, and many of those things translate to hybrid and in-person courses as well. I try to give students clarity about expectations, assignments, and the cadence of the class. I think I feel most successful when I share practices that work for me and then fellow educators tell me that they tried them in their own courses and that it helped. I write (and co-author) pedagogy articles for my HPS disciplinary newsletter that I hope help people in my discipline improve their teaching or meet the challenge of online learning. My favorite so far is called “You Can Teach Online! Designing effective and engaging online courses.”
What topics or ideas about teaching and learning would you like to see discussed on the iteach.msu.edu platform? Why do you think this conversation is needed at MSU?
I love iteach.msu as a space for educators to connect and share our ideas and teaching practices. I like learning about new tools and teaching tips on the platform. And I’ve had great experiences sharing resources on iteach.msu. I’ve had MSU educators connect with me after they discovered our playlist for the Spartan Studios Playkit, which is a set of resources for interdisciplinary, experiential teaching based on a pilot project of courses. It’s also really useful that #iteachmsu articles can have audiences beyond MSU. For example, when I present the Spartan Studios project at external conferences, I can share links with the audience and the content is accessible.
I’m interested in learning more about ungrading, both because I think ungrading practices give students more ownership into their own learning and metacognitive reflection, and (probably more selfishly) because I want less grading to do.
What are you looking forward to (or excited to be a part of) this semester?
I’m teaching a Science and the Environment course for Lyman Briggs, and one of the major assignments has students researching conservation initiatives. They also vote (as well as decide on a voting process) to make a real donation to one of the initiatives. It can be a conservation charity, awareness campaign, research institute; any organization that is focused on conservation research or practice. In the past this activity really engaged the students because they end up advocating for the groups, they think are the most impactful or need our donation the most. Since it’s “real” in a way that many academic assignments aren’t, they seem to care about how we make the decision. They also learn about the economics of conservation, and last year a few students got really interested in ranked-choice voting processes. I’m looking forward to improving the assignment based on feedback from last year and learning more about how to teach students to build effective presentations, because communicating in a variety of formats is a key learning objective for the course.
 
Don't forget to celebrate individuals you see making a difference in teaching, learning, or student success at MSU with #iteachmsu's Thank an Educator initiative. Submitted educators recieve a message of gratitude from #iteachmsu and are recognized annually with the Provost's #iteachmsu Educator Award. Submissions are also used to select educators to appear in our Educator Stories features! 

Welcome to the CTLI's cool HushPod Recording Studio, a super high-tech spot meant to take your training experience to the next level. Tucked away in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation, this awesome studio is all about giving creators and educators a sweet place to work, with top-notch gear and a comfy vibe.
When you step into our HushPod Recording Studio, you're walking into a space designed to make learning awesome. Picture warm lighting and a chill atmosphere that gets those creative juices flowing. Inside our spacious and bookable Hushaccess.L booth, you can dive deep into your training materials without any distractions.
We've decked out our studio with all the latest gear to meet your needs. From top-of-the-line Shure SM7B microphones to the easy-to-use Rhodecaster Pro 2, everything's chosen to make sure your recordings sound amazing. Plus, our soundproofing tech keeps things quiet so you can focus.
But our studio isn't just a room—it's a place where you can try out different setups to suit your style. Whether you're running webinars, making screen recordings, doing two-person chats, or producing podcasts, we've got you covered.
And if you're itching to learn more about how everything works, our fifth module dives into the nitty-gritty of software and hardware. You'll pick up all the skills you need to make the most of our studio setup.
The HushPod Recording Studio isn't just about gear—it's about pushing the boundaries of education. Step inside and get ready to explore, create, and make your training dreams a reality. Welcome to a space where your ideas come alive. Welcome to the future of training in higher education. Welcome to the HushPod Recording Studio!

Module 1: Start Here :: An Introduction to our HushPod Recording Studio
Module 2: Webinar Hosting
Module 3: Screen Recording
Module 4: 2-Person Webinars
Module 5: Podcast Production
Module 6: Advanced Software and Hardware Components

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the recording of our 80-minute Blended and Hybrid Learning webinar presented by the CTLI.Here is a link to the Blended and Hybrid Learning slide deck which includes further links to resources on slides 27-30. The main external resources we recommend are:

Multimodal Instructor Guide https://hcommons.org/deposits/item/hc:46633/  
List of Big Class Discussion Strategies https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/ 
Educause (7 Things You Should Know About the HyFlex Course Model) https://library.educause.edu/resources/2020/7/7-things-you-should-know-about-the-hyflex-course-model 
Online Learning Consortium (The Blended Institutions of Higher Education) https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Blended-Institution-for-Higher-Education.pdf  
Blended Learning Guidebook https://www.blpmooc.org/guidebook 

Please feel free to follow up with Jay Loftus or Ellie Louson from the CTLI with any questions or to request a consultation.Image from Pexels by Kampus Production.