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Designing your MSU Syllabus is a workshop regularly offered by the CTLI, including most recently in Spring 2024 hosted by Ellie Louson and Makena Neal. Below we have an outline, the seminar's takeaways, links to further resources, and to the slide deck and recording of our seminar. Please feel free to be in touch with Ellie or Makena with any follow-up questions about this topic.OutlineThe seminar includes the following sections:

What IS a syllabus?
MSU Must-haves
Nice-to-haves

Example: AI syllabus language


Consider inclusion and flexibility
Creative formats/ practices
Tips for getting started
Q&A

Takeaways

Think about your syllabus as a learning tool AND an agreement within your classroom community.
Some syllabus components are must-haves; others are nice-to-haves (try not to overwhelm!)
Consider inclusion and flexibility
MSU and departments / colleges have many resources available to help support you build your syllabus

Further ResourcesMSU's Inclusive Syllabus Resources including a new Inclusive Syllabus Template Other syllabus resources from the CTLI are available here.Slide DeckSlides from this seminar are available here which include links to many other resources. RecordingHere is our workshop from Spring 2024Image by Memed_Nurrohmad from Pixabay.

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

As teachers or students, we each enter the classroom with expectations and norms that have been cultivated by the communities and cultures from which we come. As in many social spaces shared by people with diverse identities and backgrounds, it takes explicit effort to ensure that equity and inclusion are truly guiding principles for interactions in the classroom. These are important considerations for all educators; in your reflections and preparations for classroom instruction, interactions with graduate teaching assistants and advisees, and even in many engagments with other educators.CLASSROOM DYNAMICS

Be aware of power attached to social roles and power attached to social identities. Unequal power manifests in the classroom, for one, due to the differing social roles of instructor and student. Instructors exercise power in designing courses, leading class discussions or activities, deciding grades, and offering mentorship and connection to resources for student support and development. 
Acknowledge and counter bias in the classroom. In the classroom, bias shows up implicitly and explicitly by way of course materials, classroom discussions, grading, evaluations, and more.When critically examining your course or classroom for bias, you may consider explicit and unacknowledge norms and expectations, financial burden of your course, representation in your syllabus (reading materials, cases, scenarios etc.), weight of class participation in grades, and other class policies. 
Recognize and counter stereotype threat and lift. Stereotype threat is a phenomenon in which certain groups’ academic performance is negatively impacted due to increased vigilance about possibly confirming existing stereotypes. It's important to respect each of your students as individual learners and encourage a growth mindset in the classroom. This means normalizing mistakes and failures, emphasizing the value of challenge, and offering students a variety of ways to demonstrate their learning. 

EARLY IN THE TERM

Introduce yourself to your class. Tell them about your background: how you first became interested in the subject, how it has been important to you, and why you are teaching this course. Genuinely convey your enthusiasm for the field and the subject; sharing your "why" for teaching in an authentic way. If you are comfortable doing so, introduce yourself so that your students know more than your name and contact information (e.g., outside interests, family, academic history, personal experiences). Centering yourself as a whole-human can set the tone for students doing the same. 
Give students an opportunity to meet each other. Ask students to divide themselves into groups of three to five and introduce themselves. Or go around the room and ask all students to respond to one question, such as “What’s the one thing you really want to learn from this course?” or “What aspect of the course seems most appealing to you?”
Invite students to fill out an introduction card. Suggest that they indicate their name, year in school, major field of study, goals in the course, career plans, and so on.
Learn students’ names. By learning and using your students’ names, you can create a comfortable classroom environment that will encourage student interaction. Knowing your students’ names also tells them that you are interested in them as individuals. Did you know 
Divide students into small groups. Give groups a small task, such as a brainstorming exercise, then place responses on the board for discussion and interpretation. These groups can change over time, regardless setting group agreements should be an established practice. CTLI has a student-facing survey library that includes a group agreement form. Learn more on accessing this library here.
Encourage students to actively support one another. Help them connect with at one or two other students in the class whom they can contact about missed classes, homework assignments, study groups and so on. You might also use the learning management system to create an online discussion forum where students can respond to each other's queries.  

THROUGHOUT THE TERM

Let students know that they are not faces in an anonymous audience. In large courses, students often think that their classroom behaviour (eating, talking, sleeping, arriving late, etc.) goes unnoticed. Remind students that you and their classmates are aware of -- and affected by -- their behaviour. 
If your class has extra seating space, ask students to refrain from sitting in certain rows of the classroom. For example, if you teach in a room that has rowed seating, ask students to sit in rows 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and so on so that you can walk through the audience where there is an empty row.
Recognize students’ extracurricular accomplishments. Read your campus newspaper, scan the dean’s list, pay attention to undergraduate awards and honours, and let students know that you are aware of their achievements.
Listen to students with warmth and respect. Give them your full attention. Be personable and approachable – remember the positive power of a smile.
Validate all comments and questions, even those that might seem irrelevant.
Welcome criticism and receive it with an open mind. Model for your students how you would like them to reflect on the feedback that you will be providing to them. 
When you don’t know something, ask your students for help. For example, during class, ask someone with a laptop to do a Google search for a fact or piece of information that pertains to class discussion. 
Be inclusive. Use gender-inclusive language and when giving examples make them culturally diverse.
Capitalize on outside events or situations, as appropriate. Relate major world events or events on campus both to your class and to the fabric of your students’ lives outside the classroom.
Arrive early and chat with students. Ask how the course is going. Are they enjoying the readings? Is there anything they want you to include in lectures?
Seek out students who are doing poorly in the course. Write “See me during my office hours” on all exams graded C- or below to provide individualized feedback.
Acknowledge students who are doing well in the course. Write “Good job! See me after class” on all exams graded A- or above. Take a moment after class to compliment students who are excelling.
Schedule topics for office hours. If students are reluctant to come, periodically schedule a “help session” on a particular topic rather than a free-form office hour.
Talk about questions students have asked in previous terms. Mention specific questions former students have asked and explain why they were excellent questions. This lets students know that you take their questions seriously and that their questions will contribute to the course in the future.
When feasible, give students a choice in the type of assignments they can do. For example, rather than assigning a traditional essay, give them the option of making a podcast, analysing a case study, giving a poster presentation, and so on. 
Consider providing options for how the final grade will be calculated. For example,  individual students can decide that the midterm will be worth 25% and a major project worth 35% -- or vice versa. 
Listen attentively to all questions and answer them directly. If you will cover the answer during the remainder of the lecture, acknowledge the aptness of the question, ask the student to remember it, and answer the question directly when you arrive at that subject.
Try to empathize with beginners. Remember that not all of your students are as highly motivated and interested in the discipline as you were when you were a student. Slow down when explaining complex ideas, and acknowledge the difficulty and importance of certain concepts or operations. Try to recall your first encounter with a concept – what examples, strategies, or techniques clarified it for you? 
When a student seems disgruntled with some aspect of the course, approach him or her in a supportive way and discuss the feelings, experiences, and perceptions that are contributing to the issue.
Celebrate student or class accomplishments. Instigate a round of applause, give congratulations, share cookies! 

Thank you to colleagues in university educator development at the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University, the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, and others for their materials that informed or were adapted into this resource. 
Resources

Eble, K. E. (1988). The Craft of Teaching: A Guide to Mastering the Profession and Art. 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Forsyth, D. R, & McMillan, J. H. (1991). Practical Proposals for Motivating Students. In Menges, R. J., & Svinicki, M. D., eds. College Teaching: From Theory to Practice. New Directions in Teaching and Learning, No.45. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, p.53-65.
Gross Davis, B. (2009). Tools for Teaching, 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Ralph, E. G. (1998). Motivating Teaching in Higher Education: A Manual for Faculty Development. Stillwater, Oklahoma: New Forums Press, Inc.
Wlodkowski, R. J. (1978). Motivation and Teaching: A Practical Guide. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association.
Fostering Student Morale and Confidence. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

2023 Educator Seminars are presented by MSU Libraries, the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI), MSU IT Educational Technology, the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) and MSU IT Training​. 
Day 1: August 23, 2023
Instructions: Click on the registration link and sign-up for the sessions you're interested in. After completing your registration you will receive an email with the Zoom link for the session.

9:00 - 9:30 am Opening Remarks (All Teams)
Join us for a session to kickoff the 2023 Fall Educators Seminars. This is your chance to meet representatives from the teams presenting the seminars. Each will provide an overview of the sessions offered over the three-day schedule and explain the services they provide to campus.
View the MediaSpace Recording 

9:30 - 10:30 am     Introduction to Quality Matters: Ensuring Excellence in Online Education
Facilitators: Dave Goodrich & Jay Loftus (CTLI)
The Introduction to Quality Matters (QM) session is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the QM framework and its significance in ensuring excellence in online education. This session serves as a starting point for educators, instructional designers, administrators, and anyone involved in developing and delivering online courses to familiarize themselves with QM and its core principles.
By the end of this Introduction to Quality Matters session, participants will have a solid foundation in the QM framework, enabling them to integrate best practices in online course design, promote learner engagement, and ensure the delivery of high-quality online education experiences.
View the MediaSpace Recording

10:30-11:30 pm       Introduction to Your Classroom Technology 
Facilitators: Rhonda Kessling & James Bender (IT & D)
This session is an interactive overview of the classroom technology, explaining the varying layouts, hardware and software available. Using this information, we will explore the affordances and constraints for blended and face-to-face courses. 
View the MediaSpace Recording

11:30am - 1:00pm      BREAK

1:00-2:00pm      Mid-semester Course Feedback 
Facilitator: Jeremy Van Hof (EDLI)
Student feedback can be a helpful tool for making course changes during a semester to allow students to meet course learning goals. This session will cover why and how to collect mid-semester feedback from students in ways that provide educators with actionable results.
View the MediaSpace Recording

2:00-3:00pm      Introduction to the MSU Libraries 
Facilitator: Holly Flynn (Libraries)
Enhance your teaching and research by learning about the Libraries’ extensive collections, services, spaces and expertise.
View the MediaSpace Recording

3:00-4:00pm      Spartan 365 Overview 
Facilitators: Michael Julian & Todd Ring (IT: Training)
This live Virtual Instructor-Led Training session will introduce learners to the suite of software that will help users store data, collaborate, and work efficiently. Spartan 365 has powerful tools that allow users to get more done with Microsoft apps like Outlook, Forms, OneNote, and OneDrive. Also learn how to work remotely with Microsoft Teams, the hub for teamwork.
View the MediaSpace Recording

2025 Educator Seminars are presented by MSU IT Educational Technology, MSU Libraries, the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI), the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI), and MSU IT Training​. 
Day 2: August 22, 2025
Instructions: Click on the registration link and sign-up for the sessions you're interested in. After completing your registration you will receive an email with the Zoom link for the session. Any questions or concerns contact us at ITS.FallEducatorSeminar@msu.edu.

 
9:30 - 10:30am   AI: MSU Policies and Thinking About Your Approach in the Classroom
Facilitators:  Caitlin Kirby and Hala Sun (EDLI)
Generative AI continues to provide challenges and opportunities in the classroom. This session will cover MSU-related policies and general practices for thinking about your approach to genAI in the classroom.
Registration Link

10:30 - 11:30am    Training: Forms - Creating Forms and Surveys  
Facilitators: Michael Julian & Lindsey Howe  (IT Training)     
A live training session that will explore Forms, the go-to app for collecting data and storing it in Excel. Learn how to get started in Forms with areas in form and survey creation, formatting, branching, data collection, and sharing. 
Registration Link

11:30am - 12:30pm      BREAK

12:30 - 1:30pm    Removing Barriers to Learning: Improving D2L Course Usability and Accessibility with Ally
Facilitators: Kevin Henley (IT&D)
Registration Link

1:30 - 2:30pm   Crafting clear, ethically grounded AI policies 
Facilitators: Jeremy Van Hof (CTLI)
In this interactive workshop, participants will explore strategies for crafting clear, ethically grounded AI policies tailored to their specific courses. You'll leave with a draft policy and a framework for aligning AI use with your teaching values and student learning goals.
Registration Link

2:30 - 3:30pm  Setting up Your Gradebook
Facilitators: Dr. Lindsay Tigue and Dr. Cui Cheng (IT&D)
Registration Link

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

Learn the underlying principles behind the QM Rubric and the critical elements of the QM quality assurance process. Learn about drafting helpful recommendations as you apply the Rubric to an actual course.

Delivery Mode: Online (Asynchronous)Instruction: FacilitatedFee (Single Registration): $25 tech fee per enrollment (capped at 20 participants) Cost is being covered through the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI)

Please refer to the Schedule & Checklist for more information on workshop requirements. Note that the Schedule & Checklist for Independent sessions may vary from the Schedule & Checklist provided here. 
QM's flagship workshop on the QM Rubric and its use in reviewing the design of online and blended courses is intended for a broad audience, including but not limited to faculty, instructional designers, administrators, and adjunct instructors. It is particularly helpful to those new to QM or those considering the adoption of a quality assurance process for online and blended learning.
In addition to learning about the QM Rubric and the course review process, participants will learn to apply the concept of alignment and draft helpful recommendations for course improvement.
The APPQMR is the prerequisite for the Peer Reviewer Course, which is the required course to become a QM Peer Reviewer.


Recommended For:

Those looking to understand the QM Rubric and course review process.
Members with a stand-alone CPE membership.
Those who wish to complete the Higher Ed Peer Reviewer Course.



Learning Objectives:

After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:

Recognize the foundational concepts of Quality Matters.
Identify the critical elements of the QM quality assurance program, including the QM Rubric, materials, processes, and administrative components.
Apply the QM Rubric to review online courses.
Make decisions on whether the demo course meets selected QM Rubric Standards.
Apply the concept of alignment.
Draft helpful recommendations for course improvement by citing annotations from the QM Rubric and evidence from the course.




What Participants Need:


At least 10 to 12 hours of time per week to spend on achieving the learning objectives.
Some participants report spending at least 15 hours per week.

The "Welcome to My Classroom" series functions like a pedagogy and practice show and tell where educators from throughout MSU's ecosystem share something from their teaching and learning practice. Today, Casey shared the ways he has adapted two of his XA courses to be designed with generative AI integrated from day one!

Here are some key take-aways from Dr. McArdle:


Be open and honest with students, don't run and hide. Being open for students to bring up their concerns so they can be addressed together is critical.
Intentionality is key. Work with your units and/or curriculum committee to develop policies that work for program learning outcomes and goals. (Every decision should connect intentionally back to your learning outcomes and goals)
Inputs matter.  If users aren't exact with inputs, generative AI will pull data and make a guess. "“Generative AI enables users to quickly generate new content based on a variety of inputs. Inputs and outputs to these models can include text, images, sounds, animation, 3D models, or other types of data.” - NVIDIA
Know your limits. When it comes to using these types of systems, understand their limitations. Even ChatGPT acknowledges it "may occasionally generate incorrect information", "may occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased content", and "has limited knowledge of the world and events after 2021"
MSU has LOTS of resources! Chech out MSU's generative AI resources on iteach.msu.edu! You may be intersted in Michigan State University on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) [playlist], Generative AI Use Codes [article], Generative AI Syllabus Guide [playlist], and ChatGPT FAQ for MSU Educators [article]. 

Resources for Continued Growth:
To support your ongoing professional development please consider these resources:

Slide Deck: Access Casey’s Welcome to My Classroom slide deck which has an overview of MSU’s guidance on generative AI, examples of how Casey acknowledged AI in his conversations with learners, and examples of AI-integrated activities from two courses, by logging into Google with your MSU netID.
Online Discussion: Based on the content of Casey’s presentation, you may be interested in joining the asynchronous online discussion happening in the “AI & Education” group on iteach.msu.edu. Login with your MSU netID to connect with fellow educators, exchange ideas, and seek further guidance.
Recording: In case you missed the session or would like to revisit it, you can view the full recording on MediaSpace (also embedded below).

Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation’s (CTLI) Welcome to My Classroom with Dr. Casey McArdle session on 09/14/23.