We found 139 results that contain "diversity"

Leadership Fellows

2017-2020: Alex Wright
2020-2021: Acacia Ackles & Lindsay Williams
2021-2022: Katie Westby & Samridhi Satija
2021-2023: Daniel Puentes

Alex Wright (2017-2020)Alex Wright leveraged his position as the first Natural Science Leadership Fellow to build lasting relationships within the college and inform guidelines and feedback mechanisms for peer-mentoring. Working closely with Dean Phillip M. Duxbury, Alex authored, promoted, and helped implement strategies from his Peer Mentoring Program Guide. Alex ended his three-year fellowship in 2020 by working with stakeholders within the College to develop feedback mechanisms to measure and improve faculty mentoring and departmental graduate program policies. His successes helped secure funding for an additional Natural Science Leadership Fellow the next year, and we were able to welcome Acacia Ackles and Lindsay Williams as Fellows for 2020-2021.
Acacia Ackles (2020-2021)One of two 2020-2021 Natural Science Fellows, Acacia Ackles worked with a network of instructors across multiple institutions to draft an article on creating more equitable graduate admissions in the biological sciences. Their team drafted an article for submission to the American Naturalist’s call for special section papers on Nature, Data, and Power. Though the article was rejected, Acacia’s team is currently seeking a home for the proposal and the article itself. The proposal pulled together existing literature on equitable admissions, as well as expertise from faculty working across public, regional, and private institutions, from R1 to primarily teaching. The article aims to create a guide for Michigan State University and other biological science departments to assess and revise their admissions processes.Lindsay Williams (2020-2021)Lindsay Williams used her Fellowship to improve advertising and availability of career services and information on alternative careers for graduate students within the College of Natural Science. Lindsay began creating a guide for alternative career pathways for graduate students and working with Elizabeth Averkiadi, a Communication Arts and Sciences Ph.D. student, to create an undergraduate workshop titled “Ways of Researching” to introduce undergraduates to the research experience outside of academia.Katie Westby (2021-2022)Katie, drawing on over a decade of professional teaching experience, decided to address the unique accessibility needs within math education. Working closely with two faculty members in her department, Katie gained institutional support and funding to create a professional development workshop series for mathematics Graduate Teaching Assistants about compliance and inclusion from an anti-deficit, anti-ableist perspective. The goals of her workshops were to increase knowledge among GTAs about accommodations, understanding disability through a sociopolitical lens, and becoming comfortable creating a more inclusive learning environment.  The workshop also helped participants write diversity and teaching statements.  
Samridhi Satija (2021-2022)Samridhi decided to focus on supporting graduate students who identify as women. She collaborated with Heather Shea, the director of the Women*s Student Services office, to host the SmartStart program, a program designed to help women with salary negotiations in professional settings. Salary negotiation skills are one way to address the wage gap that exists across genders. Daniel Puentes (2021-2023)Daniel’s project focused on advocating for guaranteed transitional funding for graduate students who are forced to move to new labs or assistantships due to issues with their supervisor. Graduate students are financially vulnerable, especially when their funding is tied to a particular advisor or lab, and this funding would provide a safety net and financial security so students can prioritize their wellbeing. He created a survey to highlight the need for this type of emergency funding and in the process of submitting a proposal to the Graduate School based on benchmarking of similar programs at other institutions.

What is the Leadership Fellowship? The Leadership Fellowship is a year-long, cohort-based program housed in the office of Graduate Student Life & Wellness. It was created to build a stronger and healthier graduate student community at MSU by supporting and providing space for graduate student leaders to engage in change-oriented projects. Fellows aim to increase belonging and community within their colleges and take initiative on projects that increase graduate student inclusion, interconnectedness, and ultimately success.
 
This is a funded experience that provides each Fellow with a peer-network, mentorship, and professional development opportunities. An explicit goal of this program each year is to develop a diverse cohort that reaches across the Colleges. As such, we typically select one to two Fellows per College depending on available funding and applicants. Fellows' projects have made meaningful impacts within their Colleges, among certain student populations, and beyond.
 
Examples of our Fellows' projects:

Creating a Peer Mentoring Toolkit that led to both college-level changes to mentoring approaches and assessment, as well as changes at the unit level (i.e. one unit he worked with has moved to an entirely new system for assessing mentoring). (Alex Wright)
Advocating for structural consistency at the college level. Two Fellows began reviewing their college’s by-laws, and learned that there were two designated committees that did not exist.  Thanks to their advocacy, their college now has a Student Advisory Committee and a Curriculum Committee  (Stephanie Aguilar-Smith and Adrianna Crossing).
Conducting department- and college-level needs assessment surveys to determine how student leaders, GSOs, and professional development programming can best support graduate students

Leadership Fellows

2018-2019: David Hernandez Escobar & Olivia Chesniak
2019-2020: Hamid Karimi
2020-2022: Chelsie Boodoo

David Hernandez Escobar (2018-2019)As one of the first College of Engineering Leadership Fellows, David worked with Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services, Dr. Katy Colbry, to develop a needs assessment survey to identify the concerns of graduate students in the College of Engineering. The assessment collected over 100 responses, included open-answer personal reflections from graduate students and ideas on effective actions that could be taken to strengthen the graduate student community within the College of Engineering. Jacob also focused on his own leadership development by collaborating with other Fellows as a strong, cross-disciplinary team who attended professional development sessions together and discussed program communication, building buy-in, and a variety of other topics.
Olivia Chesniak (2018-2019)Olivia’s Fellowship focused on bringing together graduate student organizations focused on women in STEM with the goal of sharing resources, networking, and providing peer mentorship. Olivia’s relationship-building efforts reinforced a cosponsored event among her connections in the College of Natural Science, the College of Engineering, and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. During the Spring semester, Olivia worked with Lydia Weiss to develop, advertise, and facilitate discussion sessions for graduate students following the Academic Womens Forum, known as the gradAWF. The Academic Womens Forum has been a valuable and unique space for women in the university to connect with fellow faculty, staff, and administrators. However, the lack of space for graduate students was reflected in unsteady attendance. Olivia was able to work across the university to create a space for graduate student women and ensure its promotion within her College.
Hamid Karimi (2019-2020)Hamid worked with Assistant Dean Dr. Katy Colbry and engaged with stakeholders across the College to identify the need for professional development sessions regarding graduate students' knowledge of and preparedness for the job market following the completion of their degrees. Hamid also explored how to build DEI awareness within the lab setting and promote the benefits of diverse teams in STEM.
Chelsie Boodoo (2020-2022)Chelsie organized the MSU SciComm Conveyance Conference, a virtual science communications conference that brought experts and students from various disciplines together to discuss scicomm practices and the role of science in today’s society. The conference offered an incredible twenty-two sessions including workshops, lectures, networking opportunities, and social events. Sessions included Science, Equity, and Advocacy in the Nuclear Weapons Field, Science vs. Journalistic Writing, Podcast Kickstarter, Creating Effective Data Visualizations, and Building Trust in Scientists, among others. Through her program, students were able to gather valuable information on the science communication field and experts were given the opportunity to connect with peers and provide advice to the next generation. Chelsie led a team through the difficulties of hosting a virtual conference and the process of learning skills related to event planning, public relations, marketing, grant-writing, and innovative-technology use. In her second year as a Fellow, Chelsie worked on developing a Science Art Tool Kit to help graduate students in the science field to communicate about their research using the arts. Her goal was to equip scientists to utilize physical and digital art to more effectively convey data and information. Her tool kit has a wide array of practical examples and resources.

The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from Other Educator Units. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
The Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (formerly Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology)
Dave Goodrich: Dave has been at the core of Spartan QM and Quality Matters quality initiative, and authored the primary report summarizing the quality initiative undertaken by the Provost and MSU IT during the pandemic to ensure our online courses all had an opportunity to receive peer review. His collaboration with IT, Library, and EDLI on Quality Matters adoption will help us carry forward peer review and faculty training as key strategies going forward, with a solid grounding in evidence based practices. In addition to these efforts, Dave continues to be a willing colleague who steps in to share expertise and time when demand arises. Plus he has the winningest external mics!…The planning and facilitation committee for the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit has continued to invaluablely contribute to shaping the ways MSU thinks about, supports, and recognizes educators. Through thoughtful synchronous activities to active engagement as a team, multiple modality asynchronous opportunities, and working collaboratively to generate outcomes from our charge, this group has been getting it done! I'm grateful to have fellow educators and colleagues like them to work with!…This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Summer Issawi: Summer volunteered multiple times to facilitate workshops in online teaching which were vital to MSU's pivot to remote learning and served as a Spartan QM peer review process coach. Summer also worked on numerous learning experience design projects this year to help clients complete redesigns, often including a greater digital component because of the pandemic. Summer is a kind and considerate colleague who goes out of her way to check in with others and kindle/maintain interpersonal relationships despite remote work environments. 
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The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Jay Loftus: Jay Loftus helped MSU prepare for a return to in-person instruction by modifying ASPIRE into a blended teaching primer that is designed to help faculty make choices about what portions of a course ought to be taught face to face vs. in a distance learning modality. This was important as we attempted to maximize in-person experiences for quality while preserving gains in digital activities made during the pandemic.Jay provides a really valuable perspective to ongoing conversations about educator development, and his willingness to collaborate with others is invaluable.
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The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Angie Martin: Angie has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to enable the distribution of faculty and staff incentives for commissioned works, peer-review facilitation, and participation in special faculty development during the pandemic. Angie has also been critical to the startup of MSU's Science Gallery and Apple Developer Academy initiatives. Angie is a great example of the expanded definition of "educator". Her efforts to help others navigate the context of MSU successfully - through multiple and ongoing transitions- has been so valued. 
Rashad Muhammad: Rashad volunteered multiple times to facilitate workshops in online teaching which were vital to MSU's pivot to remote learning and served as a Spartan QM peer review process coach. Rashad also worked on a sweeping inventory of educational technology tools and gathered metrics on their increased use during the pandemic, culminating in the Mapping the Ed Tech Landscape report. He has continued to prove himself invaluable in the ongoing development of iteach.msu.edu as MSU matains external developer relationships, and is a refreshing alternative perspective in many conversations. Plus he has great music recommendations!
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The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Michael Lockett: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Alicia Jenner: Alicia volunteered multiple times to facilitate workshops in online teaching which were vital to MSU's pivot to remote learning and served as a Spartan QM peer review process coach. Alicia also worked on mapping of the online student experience, and has helped the graduate school with our student onboarding process. The work she has done and continues to do surrounding online.msu.edu is almost as astounding as her commitment to improving student experiences at MSU. Alicia is kind and generous- always helping our team feel like a work family despite not being in a shared space. 
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The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Jerry Rhead: Jerry has volunteered to facilitate Spartan QM course review groups and has reviewed much of our advice for online faculty before publication. Jerry also has volunteered to serve on the lifelong learning committee and 60 year curriculum group. He is a wonderful colleague with the best way of explaining ideas so people understand. He cares deeply about his work as well as the people he works with. MSU is lucky to have him!
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The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Brendan Guenther: Brendan has been instrumental in the multiple transitions the Hub team has undergone since last summer. His leadership and expertise are extremely valuable in the multiple initiatives led by the OPM team, in addition to keeping some semblance of "normal" despite working remotely and layers of uncertainty. He has been a great advocate for the team in rooms where they do not have a voice (management) and is truly invested in supporting educators to make MSU the best learning and working experience possible. 
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The planning and facilitation committee for the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit has continued to invaluablely contribute to shaping the ways MSU thinks about, supports, and recognizes educators. Through thoughtful synchronous activities to active engagement as a team, multiple modality asynchronous opportunities, and working collaboratively to generate outcomes from our charge, this group has been getting it done! I'm grateful to have fellow educators and colleagues like them to work with!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Makena Neal: Just had to send a note to affirm one of the many roles you play on CTLI meetings. Higher ed literature [and other disciplines] talk about the importance of members of a team who focuses on the emotional aspects of working together – being aware of saying thank you, monitoring “temperature” of members of the group around certain issues or the ebb/flow of life in general, considering how different ideas may be understood within and outside the group. You exemplify what the literature talks about more than I have typically ever seen and just wanted to give a shout out about that. It’s exceptional and very beneficial to all.
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Ellie Louson: Just had to send a note to affirm one of the many roles you play on CTLI meetings. Higher ed literature [and other disciplines] talk about the importance of members of a team who focuses on the emotional aspects of working together – being aware of saying thank you, monitoring “temperature” of members of the group around certain issues or the ebb/flow of life in general, considering how different ideas may be understood within and outside the group. You exemplify what the literature talks about more than I have typically ever seen and just wanted to give a shout out about that. It’s exceptional and very beneficial to all.
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The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
 
Provost Communications
Kelly Mazurkiewicz: Kelly has been a critical resource in organizing the Keep Teaching website, the primary magnet of advice and policy dissemination during MSU's remote pivot. She also has planned and composed periodic announcements that have been critical to keeping instructors informed and equipped with actionable advice in rapidly changing times. Kelly has also been a key asset in the launch and promotion of #iteachmsu. Additionally, Kelly shows up in a pinch - when colleagues need quick insights or feedback on ideas, she is always there (which for a person in her position and demand is astounding). She is accessible, down-to-earth, and a wealth of knowledge. MSU is lucky to have an educator like her, helping us think through best ways to build community and advance initiatives through storytelling. 
Erica Venton: Erica has been a key asset in promoting the #iteachmsu Commons, working with spreading work about fellowships and opportunities for faculty development, and in communicating the excellent work of our exemplary educators working with Catalyst grants and fellowships. Erica has also helped improve the student experience for online students. She brings a level of enthusiasm to her work, and campus generally, that is unmatched!
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The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
Office for Enrollment Management and Academic Strategic Planning
Ashely Braman: During our pivot to remote teaching, Ashley organized many groups and did lots of thankless work behind the scenes to gather information and resources for the Keep Teaching Site, the teams working on SOIREE, ASPIRE, and the Blended Teaching Primer. Logistically she helped ensure faculty knew how and where to participate and made sure that stipends and awards that were earned by educators were given their due recognition and made it to the recipient. In addition, she maintained composure under difficult circumstances and still continues to be a resource and grounding source for colleagues. …This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Emilio Esposito: Emilio has helped with multiple learning research projects, including the startup of the Apple Developer Academy and has assisted colleagues with data analytics and survey research using the Hub Toolkit. Emilio also agreed to take on the role of project mentor for a Hub Graduate Fellow and has proven to be a thoughtful guide and collaborator for the students working on his projects. He continues to juggle lingering Hub projects despite transitioning unit affiliations.
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This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
 
Center for Integrative Studies in General Science
Stephen Thomas: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (IDI)
 Patti Stewart: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
Kognito 4 Education
Sheila Marquardt: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
MSU Libraries
Sarah Miller: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit! 
Terri Miller: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit! 
Rachel Minkin: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit! 
Ben Oberdick: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit! 
Jessica Sender: The planning and facilitation committee for the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit has continued to invaluably contribute to shaping the ways MSU thinks about, supports, and recognizes educators. Through thoughtful synchronous activities to active engagement as a team, multiple modality asynchronous opportunities, and working collaboratively to generate outcomes from our charge, this group has been getting it done! I'm grateful to have fellow educators and colleagues like them to work with!
Abraham (Abe) Wheeler: Abe is always so helpful and detailed with his responses to questions. He is great to work with and usually has suggestions and alternatives for issues and challenges related to digital resources, copyright, and tools.
 
MOASIC (Multicultural Unity Center)
Maggie Chen-Hernandez: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
MSU IT Services
Jason Beaudin: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Nick Noel: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
…
Nick is my pedagogical go-to/expert! Knowing how technology works is one thing, and being able to explain it and use it to keep courses engaged is a true art and Nick does it so effortlessly. How it started: classroom support, How it's going: instructional technology and development; every organization needs a Nick! Any time Nick needs me to assist with a document or a live training session, I'm there; he's one of my teachers here at MSU. Keep us learning, and thank you!
 
Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Development (OFASD)
Marilyn Amey: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
Omsbudsperson’s Office
Shannon Burton: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD)
Leslie Johnson: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
The Graduate School
Stefanie Baier: The planning and facilitation committee for the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit has continued to invaluably contribute to shaping the ways MSU thinks about, supports, and recognizes educators. Through thoughtful synchronous activities to active engagement as a team, multiple modality asynchronous opportunities, and working collaboratively to generate outcomes from our charge, this group has been getting it done! I'm grateful to have fellow educators and colleagues like them to work with!
Hima Rawal: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
University Outreach and Engagement (UOE)
Diane Doberneck: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
 
WorkLife Office (WLO)
Jaimie Hutchison: The last two years have taxed and tested us all in more ways than we could possibly have projected. Jaimie has worked far beyond the scope of her roles and responsibilities to address countless needs that have emerged during this time - building connections among campus members around identities we often don't hold up like caregiver and single parent; providing regular information and outreach that has guided so many to campus and off-campus resources of value; reminding us through her efforts that our lives comprise more than job tasks and need to be an important focus if we are to feel at all effective in our university roles; and always sharing her brightness, care, and hope in everything she does. As an educator, Jaimie models what we aspire to be as lifelong learners engaged with and supportive of each other, regardless of how we "show up" across the university.
 
Apple Developer Academy
Sarah Gretter: Sarah was the founding educator in MSU's iOS Design Lab, and worked closely with Apple to extend the curriculum to better serve cross functional design teams. She was vital in successfully transferring this program to the College of Arts and Letters prior to moving to Detroit to serve as the founding Director of the Apple Design Academy in Detroit. During her time "on campus", Sarah proved to be an outstanding leader and mentor - especially for her fellow women-identifying colleagues. Apple Design Academy is LUCKY to have her at the helm.
…
This group of colleagues [Makena, Summer, Alicia, Brendan, Michael, Jay, Rashad, Gerry, Dave, Emilio, Ashley, Sarah, Ellie, Erica] have been so supportive and willing to give of their time during a period of incredible transition. They have shared, taught, explained, and been very patient helping me and others understand their important work and the contributions they make to our overall achievement of student success and academic excellence. I have learned so much and cannot thank them enough!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.

Leadership Fellows

2015-2016: Zach Frenzel
2016-2017: Kyle McCarthy
2017-2020: Tracy Melvin
2019-2021: Clara Graucob
2020-2021: Alex White
2021-2022: Liz Stebbins

Zach Frenzel (2015-2016)Zach Frenzel not only served as the first Agriculture & Natural Resources Leadership Fellow, he was selected to be the first ever Fellow after participating in the 2014 Leadership Academy. Zach conducted several needs assessment in the College, finding that graduate students in several departments did not feel their home departments were a cohesive as it related to research, scholarship, and sense of community.  He used the results of those assessments to inform his work strengthening the community of graduate students in CANR by hosting department-specific events to facilitate inter-departmental connections. Zach also worked closely with Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs) and departments on leadership frameworks, enabling both groups to state that they felt Zach helped them make significant progress towards becoming a more unified team.
Kyle McCarthy (2016-2017)Zach’s work to facilitate communication and collaboration among the GSOs, departments, and stakeholders that shape graduate students’ lives within the college served as an inspiration for Zach’s successor, Kyle McCarthy, the 2016-2017 CANR Leadership Fellow. Kyle leveraged results from the survey that Zach distributed to GSO leadership as well as his connections with leaders from nine of CANRs GSOs to identify the need for a CANR-specific GSO handbook to facilitate greater collaboration & engagement among the groups. Kyle ended his Fellowship by giving a presentation about his findings and the handbook draft he and other CANR leaders developed to the graduate program directors.
Tracy Melvin (2016-2020) | Coordinator (2020-2021)Zach and Kyle’s diligent work building relationships within the college and with the Institute laid the foundation for Tracy Melvin to organize CANR Rising in 2018, an event where Tracy brought in a panel of respected CANR faculty and administrators to vulnerably share their lived experiences with overcoming failure. Her event had a significant impact on both the graduate students involved, who commonly suffer from Imposter Syndrome and feel that failure is not an option, as well as on the presenting faculty members, who reported that the process of sharing helped them better understand their past experiences and shifted their ways of thinking about failure. Though Tracy’s second CANR Rising was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19, she was determined to not let her work with the Institute come to an end. She was brought on as a Co-Coordinator of the Leadership Institute from 2020-2021 and was instrumental in reshaping the Fellowship’s curriculum and structure.
Clara Graucob (2019-2021)Tracy’s success with the CANR Rising event during the 2017-2018 helped secure funding for an additional Agriculture and Natural Resources Leadership Fellow, Clara Graucob. As an international student from Germany, Clara recognized the lack of congruence between the resources provided to international grad students by the Graduate School and the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS). After distributing a survey to international graduate students in 2019 regarding the accessibility and publicity of resources intended to ease their transition into the American education system, Clara leveraged iteach.msu, a collaborative educational resource-sharing platform developed by Institute Co-Coordinator Makena Neal. Clara’s playlist, “Resources for new Spartans,” serves as a one-stop-shop for resources to help new Spartans transition into life at MSU, addressing topics such as housing, grocery shopping, social activities, nature/outdoor activities, postal services, health care, insurance, mental health, IM sports teams, navigating campus, and many others. The dedication, thoughtfulness, and drive evident in Clara’s work and her approach to leadership enabled her to develop connections with Office of International Students and Scholars and secure an assistantship, through which she will continue supporting international grad students at MSU.
Alex White (2020-2021)Alex White conducted a Field Safety Week for graduate students who enter the program with different levels of comfort in forested environments. Alex designed the training to serve as a risk mitigation intervention that would prepare students with the basic skills needed to conduct field work safely. The trainings included hitching and backing a trailer, safety concerns for field researchers from underrepresented backgrounds, overview of safety equipment, snakes of Michigan, land navigation, and self-defense. The field safety week also included the opportunity to get a Wilderness First Aid Certification with the Great Lakes EMS Academy. Alex worked with Lauren Noel, Kelly Millenbaugh, Laura Bix, and CANR Diversity Office to organize logistics, secure funding, and recruit speakers. In a post-event survey, participating grad students said the training made them feel safer in the field and expressed an interest in participating in the training again. Alex continues to promote a culture of field safety in the department as she completes her program.
Liz Stebbins (2021-2022)Liz was interested in finding ways to connect graduate students, old and new, to community resources within and external to MSU. She worked with College of Education Fellow, Sarah Galvin, to create plans for a “Community Orientation” to help get new graduate students engaged in their local community. They connected with the Center for Community Engaged Learning and the Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship, as well as several Lansing and East Lansing-area organizations. They made plans for an involvement fair that they hoped to launch in the Fall of 2022 where they would invite members of the community to come meet interested graduate students.

All of this year's #iteachmsu Educator Award recipients will be receiving a certificate of achievement from Dr. Jeff Grabill, Associate Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Technology and Director of the Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology. This certificate will also include the "Thank an Educator" story that was submitted for each recipient that resulted in their award recognition. A sample of this year's award is below. 
 
Additionally, Intermin Provost Teresa Sullivan shares her congratulations to each award recipient in a letter that each educator will also receive via email. The body of the letter reads as follows:
"Dear 2020 #iteachmsu Educator Award recipient,
 
Congratulations on being recognized as a recipient of this year’s #iteachmsu Educator Award. Your outstanding work supports Michigan State University’s teaching and learning missions and contributes to student success in a vital way.
 
For the 2019-2020 academic year, over seventy educators from across campus were nominated for this award for the positive impact their work has had on students and student learning. This year’s recipients represent a diverse community of educators from units across campus: information technology staff, academic advisors, librarians, faculty members, and learning designers. Each of you have stepped up in your role in ways that added value and inspired others.
 
I encourage you all to continue to grow in your practice and share your expertise with other educators in the MSU community. The #iteachmsu Commons and Thank an Educator Initiative aim to recognize and support the community of individuals who help MSU students succeed. If you haven’t already, please join the #iteachmsu Commons at iteach.msu.edu, so we can continue to celebrate the innovative contributions to teaching and learning that educators make on our campus throughout the year.
 
Again, congratulations and thank you for your ongoing efforts to make the MSU student experience the best it can be. Thanks also to the individuals who extended the care and took the time to recognize your contributions. This year’s award recipients work at the forefront of our commitment to undergraduate education, and I am grateful for your skills and dedication."
 
While we wish circumstances allowed us to host a reception in celebration of these educators, we hope that the sentiments from Dr. Sullivan and the certificate from Dr. Grabill help show how grateful MSU is to have educators like you!
 

 
 

Instructional Guidance Is Key to Promoting Active Learning in Online and Blended Courses Written by: Jay Loftus Ed.D. (MSU / CTLI) & Michele Jacobsen, Ph.D. (Werklund School of Education - University of Calgary)
Abstract - Active learning strategies tend to originate from one of two dominant philosophical perspectives. The first position is active learning as an instructional philosophy, whereby inquiry-based and discovery learning are primary modalities for acquiring new information. The second perspective considers active learning a strategy to supplement the use of more structured forms of instruction, such as direct instruction. From the latter perspective, active learning is employed to reinforce conceptual learning following the presentation of factual or foundational knowledge. This review focuses on the second perspective and uses of active learning as a strategy. We highlight the need and often overlooked requirement for including instructional guidance to ensure active learning, which can be effective and efficient for learning and learners.
Keywords - Active learning, instructional guidance, design strategy, cognitive load, efficiency, online and blended courses
 
Introduction
Learner engagement in online courses has been a central theme in educational research for several years (Martin, Sun and Westing, 2020). As we consider the academic experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020 and started to subside in 2022, it is essential to reflect on the importance of course quality (Cavanaugh, Jacquemin and Junker, 2023) and learner experience in online courses (Gherghel, Yasuda and Kita, 2023). Rebounding from our collected experience, learner engagement continues to be an important element of course design and delivery. This fact was highlighted in 2021, when the United States Department of Education (DOE) set forth new standards for institutions offering online courses. To be eligible for Title IV funding, new standards require non-correspondence courses to ensure regular and substantive interactions (RSI) between instructors and students (Downs, 2021). This requirement necessitates the need to find ways to engage students allowing instructors the ability to maximize their interactions. One possible solution is to use active learning techniques that have been shown to increase student engagement and learning outcomes (Ashiabi & O’ Neal, 2008; Cavanaugh et al., 2023).
Active learning is an important instructional strategy and pedagogical philosophy used to design quality learning experiences and foster engaging and interactive learning environments. However, this is not a novel perspective. Many years ago in their seminal work, Chickering and Gamson (1987) discussed the issue of interaction between instructors and students, suggesting that this was an essential practice for quality undergraduate education. The newfound focus on active learning strategies has become more pronounced following an examination of instructional practices from 2020 to 2022. For example, Tan, Chng, Chonardo, Ng  and Fung (2020) examined how chemistry instructors incorporated active learning into their instruction to achieve equivalent learning experiences in pre-pandemic classrooms. Similarly, Misra and Mazelfi (2021) described the need to incorporate group work or active learning activities into remote courses to: ‘increase students’ learning motivation, enforce mutual respect for friends’ opinions, foster excitement’ (p. 228). Rincon-Flores & Santos-Guevara (2021) found that gamification as a form of active learning, ‘helped to motivate students to participate actively and improved their academic performance, in a setting where the mode of instruction was remote, synchronous, and online’ (p.43). Further, the implementation of active learning, particularly gamification, was found to be helpful for promoting a more humanizing learning experience (Rincon-Flores & Santos-Guevara, 2021).
This review examines the use of active learning and presents instructional guidance as an often-overlooked element that must be included to make active learning useful and effective. The omission of explicit and direct instructional guidance when using active learning can be inefficient, resulting in an extraneous cognitive burden on learners (Lange, Gorbunova, Shcheglova and Costley, 2022). We hope to outline our justification through a review of active learning and offer strategies to ensure that the implementation of active learning is effective.
Active Learning as an Instructional Philosophy
Active learning is inherently a ‘student-centered’ instructional paradigm that is derived from a constructivist epistemological perspective (Krahenbuhl, 2016; Schunk, 2012). Constructivism theorizes that individuals construct their understanding through interactions and engagements, whereby the refinement of skills and knowledge results over time (Cobb & Bowers, 1999). Through inquiry, students produce experiences and make connections that lead to logical and conceptual growth (Bada & Olusegun, 2015). Engaging learners in activities, tasks, and planned experiences is an overarching premise of active learning as an instructional philosophy. As an overarching instructional philosophy, the role of instructional guidance can be minimized. As Hammer (1997) pointed out many years ago, the role of the instructor in these environments is to provide content and materials, and students are left make ‘discoveries’ through inquiry.
Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is an instructional practice that falls under the general category of ‘active learning’. The tenets of IBL adhere to a constructivist learning philosophy (de Jong et al., 2023) and can be characterized by the following six elements (Duncan & Chinn, 2021). Students will:

Generate knowledge through investigation of a novel issue or problem.
Work ‘actively’ to discover new findings.
Use of evidence to derive conclusions.
Take responsibility for their own learning through ‘epistemological agency’ (Chinn & Iordanou, 2023) and share their learning with a community of learners.
Use problem-solving and reasoning for complex tasks.
Collaborate, share ideas, and derive solutions with peers.

Historically, inquiry-based learning as a form of active learning was adopted as an overall instructional paradigm in disciplines such as medicine and was closely aligned with problem-based learning (PBL) (Barrows, 1996). Proponents of PBL advocate its use because of its emphasis on the development of skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking (Dring, 2019). Critics of these constructivist approaches to instruction highlight the absence of a structure and any form of instructional guidance (Zhang & Cobern, 2021). Instead, they advocate a more explicit form of instruction such as direct instruction (Zhang, Kirschner, Corben and Sweller, 2022).
The view that a hybrid of IBL coupled with direct instruction is the optimal approach to implementing active learning has been highlighted in the recent academic literature (de Jong et al., 2023). The authors suggest that the selection of direct instruction or active learning strategies, such as IBL, should be guided by the desired outcomes of instruction. If the goal of instruction is the acquisition of more foundational or factual information, direct instruction is the preferred strategy. Conversely, IBL strategies are more appropriate ‘for the promotion of deep understanding and transferrable conceptual understanding of topics that are open-ended or susceptible to misconceptions’ (de Jong et al., 2023 p. 7).
The recommendation to use both direct instruction and approaches like IBL has reframed active learning as an instructional strategy rather than an overarching pedagogical philosophy. Active learning should be viewed as a technique or strategy coupled with direct instructional approaches (de Jong et al., 2023).
Active Learning as an Instructional Strategy
Approaching active learning as an instructional strategy rather than an overarching instructional philosophy helps clarify and address the varying perspectives found in the literature. Zhang et al. (2022) suggested that there is a push to emphasize exploration-based pedagogy. This includes instructional approaches deemed to be predicated on inquiry, discovery, or problem-based approaches. This emphasis has resulted in changes to curricular policies that mandate the incorporation of these instructional philosophies. Zhang et al. (2022) discussed how active learning approaches can be incorporated into science education policy to emphasize ‘inquiry’ approaches, despite adequate evidence for effectiveness.  Zhang et al. (2022) stated that the ‘disjoint between policy documents and research evidence is exacerbated by the tendency to ignore categories of research that do not provide the favored research outcomes that support teaching science through inquiry and investigations’ (p. 1162). Instead, Zhang et al. (2022) advocate for direct instruction as the primary mode of instruction in science education with active learning or ‘inquiry’ learning incorporated as a strategy, arguing that conceptual or foundational understanding ‘should not be ‘traded off’ by prioritizing other learning outcomes’ (p. 1172).
In response to Zhang et al. ’s (2022) critique, de Jong et al. (2023) argued that research evidence supports the use of inquiry-based instruction for the acquisition of conceptual understanding in science education. They asserted that both inquiry-based (or active learning approaches) and direct instruction serve specific learning needs. Direct instruction may be superior for foundational or factual learning, while inquiry-based or active learning may be better for conceptual understanding and reinforcement. The conclusion of de Jong et al. ’s (2023) argument suggests the use of a hybrid of direct instruction and active learning techniques, such as inquiry-based designs, depending on the stated learning objectives of the course or the desired outcomes.
This hybrid approach to instructional practice can help ensure that intended learning outcomes are matched with effective instructional strategies. Furthermore, a hybrid approach can help maintain efficiency in learning rather than leaving the acquisition of stated learning outcomes to discovery or happenstance (Slocum & Rolf, 2021).  This notion was supported by Nerantzi's (2020) suggestion that ‘students learn best when they are active and immersed in the learning process, when their curiosity is stimulated, when they can ask questions and debate in and outside the classroom, when they are supported in this process and feel part of a learning community’ (p. 187). Emphasis on learner engagement may support the belief that active learning strategies combined with direct instruction may provide an optimal environment for learning. Active learning strategies can be used to reinforce the direct or explicit presentation of concepts and principles (Lapitan Jr, Tiangco, Sumalinog, Sabarillo and  Diaz, 2021).
Recently, Zhang (2022) examined the importance of integrating direct instruction with hands-on investigation as an instructional model in high school physics classes. Zhang (2022) determined that ‘students benefit more when they develop a thorough theoretical foundation about science ideas before hands-on investigations’ (p. 111). This supports the earlier research in post-secondary STEM disciplines as reported by Freeman, Eddy, McDonough and Wenderoth (2014), where the authors suggested that active learning strategies help to improve student performance. The authors further predicted that active learning interventions would show more significant learning gains when combined with ‘required exercises that are completed outside of formal class sessions’ (p. 8413).
Active Learning Strategies
Active learning is characterized by activities, tasks, and learner interactions. Several characteristics of active learning have been identified, including interaction, peer learning, and instructor presence (Nerantzi, 2020). Technology affords students learning opportunities to connect pre-, during-, and post-formal learning sessions (Zou & Xie, 2019; Nerantzi, 2020). The interactions or techniques that instructors use help determine the types of interactions and outcomes that will result. Instructors may be ‘present’ or active in the process but may not provide adequate instructional guidance for techniques to be efficient or effective (Cooper, Schinske and Tanner, 2021; Kalyuga, Chandler and Sweller. 2001). To highlight this gap, we first consider the widely used technique of think-pair-share, an active learning strategy first introduced by Lyman (1981). This active learning strategy was introduced to provide all students equitable opportunities to think and discuss ideas with their peers. The steps involved in this technique were recently summarized (Cooper et al., 2021): i) provide a prompt or question to students, (ii) give students a chance to think about the question or prompt independently, (iii) have students share their initial answers/responses with a neighbor in a pair or a small group, and (iv) invite a few groups a chance to share their responses with the whole class.
Instructional guidance outlines the structure and actions associated with a task. This includes identifying the goals and subgoals, and suggesting strategies or algorithms to complete the task (Kalyuga et al., 2001). Employing the strategy of think-pair-sharing requires more instructional guidance than instructors may consider. The title of the strategy foreshadows what students will ‘do’ to complete the activity. However, instructional guidance is essential to help students focus on the outcome, rather than merely enacting the process of the activity. Furthermore, instructional guidance or instructions given to students when employing think-pair-sharing can help make this activity more equitable. Cooper et al. (2021) point out that equity is an important consideration when employing think-pair-share. Often, think-pair-share activities are not equitable during the pair or share portion of the exercise, and can be dominated by more vocal or boisterous students. Instructional guidance can help ensure that the activity is more equitable by providing more explicit instructions on expectations for sharing. For example, the instructions for a think-pair-share activity may include those that require each student to compose and then share ideas on a digital whiteboard or on a slide within a larger shared slide deck. The opportunity for equitable learning must be built into the instructions given to students. Otherwise, the learning experience could be meaningless or lack the contribution of students who are timid or find comfort in a passive role during group learning.
Further considerations for instructional guidance are necessary since we now use various forms of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to promote active learning strategies. Web conferencing tools, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, were used frequently during the height of required remote or hybrid teaching (Ahshan, 2021). Activities that separated students into smaller work groups via breakout rooms or unique discussion threads often included instructions on what students were to accomplish in these smaller collaborative groups. However, the communication of expectations or explicit guidance to help direct students in these groups were often not explicit or were not accessible once the students had been arranged into their isolated workspaces. These active learning exercises would have benefited from clear guidance and instructions on how to ‘call for help’ once separated from the larger group meetings. For example, Li, Xu, He, He, Pribesh, Watson and Major, (2021) described an activity for pair programming that uses zoom breakout rooms. In their description, the authors outlined the steps learners were expected to follow to successfully complete the active learning activity, as well as the mechanisms students used to ask for assistance once isolated from the larger Zoom session that contained the entire class. The description by Li et al. (2021) provided an effective approach to instructional guidance for active learning using Zoom.  Often, instructions are verbalized or difficult to refer to once individuals are removed from the general or common room. The lack of explicit instructional guidance in these activities can result in inefficiency (Kalyuga et al., 2001) and often inequity (Cooper et al., 2021).
The final active learning approach considered here was a case study analysis of asynchronous discussion forums. To extend engagement with course content, students were assigned a case study to discuss in a group discussion forum. The group is invited to apply course concepts and respond to questions as they analyze the case and prepare recommendations and a solution (Hartwell et al., 2021). Findings indicate that case study analysis in discussion forums as an active learning strategy “encouraged collaborative learning and contributed to improvement in cognitive learning” (Seethamraju, 2014, p. 9). While this active learning strategy can engage students with course materials to apply these concepts in new situations, it can also result in a high-volume-low-yield set of responses and posts without sufficient instructional guidance and clear expectations for engagement and deliverables. Hartwell, Anderson, Hanlon, and Brown (2021) offer guidance on the effective use of online discussion forums for case study analysis, such as clear expectations for student work in teams (e.g., a team contract), ongoing teamwork support through regular check-ins and assessment criteria, clear timelines and tasks for individual analysis, combined group discussion and cross-case comparison, review of posted solutions, and requirements for clear connections between case analysis and course concepts.
Active Learning & Cognitive Load Theory
In a recent review of current policy and educational standards within STEM disciplines, Zhang et al. (2022) argued that structured instructional approaches such as direct instruction align more closely with cognitive-based learning theories. These theories are better at predicting learning gains and identifying how learning occurs. Cognitive load theory is one such theory based on three main assumptions. First, humans have the capacity to obtain novel information through problem-solving or from other people. Obtaining information from other individuals is more efficient than generating solutions themselves. Second, acquired information is confronted by an individual’s limited capacity to first store information in working memory and then transfer it to unlimited long-term memory for later use. Problem-solving imposes a heavy burden on limited working memory. Thus, learners often rely on the information obtained from others. Finally, information stored in long-term memory can be transferred back to working memory to deal with familiar situations (Sweller, 2020). The recall of information from long-term memory to working memory is not bound by the limits of the initial acquisition of information in working memory (Zhang et al., 2022).
Zhang et al. (2022) state that ‘there never is a justification for engaging in inquiry-based learning or any other pedagogically identical approaches when students need to acquire complex, novel information’ (p. 1170). This is clearly a one-sided argument that focuses on the acquisition of information rather than the application of acquired information. This also presents an obvious issue related to the efficiency of acquiring novel information. However, Zhang et al. (2022) did not argue against the use of active learning or inquiry learning strategies to help reinforce concepts, or the use of the same to support direct instruction.
The combination of active learning strategies with direct instruction can be modified using assumptions of cognitive load, which highlights the need to include instructional guidance with active learning strategies. The inclusion of clear and precise instructions or instructional guidance is critical for effective active learning strategies (Murphy, 2023). As de Jong et al. (2023) suggest, ‘guidance is (initially) needed to make inquiry learning successful' (p.9). We cannot assume that instructional guidance is implied through the name of the activity or can be determined from the previous learning experiences of students. Assumptions lead to ambiguous learning environments that lack instructional guidance, force learners to infer expectations, and rely on prior and/or potentially limited active learning experiences. In the following section, we offer suggestions for improving the use of active learning strategies in online and blended learning environments by adding instructional guidance.
Suggestions for Improving the Use of Active Learning in Online and Blended Courses
The successful implementation of active learning depends on several factors. One of the most critical barriers to the adoption of active learning is student participation. As Finelli et al. (2018) highlighted, students may be reluctant to participate demonstrating behaviors such as, ‘not participating when asked to engage in an in-class activity, distracting other students, performing the required task with minimal effort, complaining, or giving lower course evaluations’ (p. 81). These behaviors are reminiscent of petulant adolescents, often discouraging instructors from implementing active learning in the future. To overcome this, the authors suggested that providing a clear explanation of the purpose of the active learning exercise would help curb resistance to participation. More recently, de Jong et al. (2023) stated a similar perspective that ‘a key issue in interpreting the impact of inquiry-based instruction is the role of guidance’ (p. 5). The inclusion of clear and explicit steps for completing an active learning exercise is a necessary design strategy. This aspect of instructional guidance is relatively easy to achieve with the arrival of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools used to support instructors. As Crompton and Burke (2024) pointed out in their recent review, ‘ChatGPT can assist teachers in the creation of content, lesson plans, and learning activities’ (p.384). More specifically, Crompton and Burke (2024) suggested that generative AI could be used to provide step-by-step instructions for students. To illustrate this point, we entered the following prompt into the generative AI tool, goblin.tools (https://goblin.tools/) ‘Provide instructions given to students for a carousel activity in a college class.’ The output is shown in Fig. 1. This tool is used to break down tasks into steps, and if needed, it can further break down each step into a more discrete sequence of steps.

Figure 1 . Goblin.tools instructions for carousel active learning exercises.
The omission of explicit steps or direct instructional guidance in an active learning exercise can potentially increase extraneous cognitive load (Klepsch & Seufert, 2020; Sweller, 2020). This pernicious impact on cognitive load is the result of the diversion of one’s limited capacity to reconcile problems (Zhang, 2022). Furthermore, the complexity of active learning within an online or blended course is exacerbated by the inclusion of technologies used for instructional purposes. Instructional guidance should include requisite guidance for tools used in active learning. Again, generative AI tools, such as goblin.tools, may help mitigate the potential burden on cognitive load. For example, the use of webconferencing tools, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, has been pervasive in higher education. Anyone who uses these tools can relate to situations in which larger groups are segmented into smaller groups in isolated breakout rooms. Once participant relocation has occurred, there is often confusion regarding the intended purpose or goals of the breakout room. Newer features, such as collaborative whiteboards, exacerbate confusion and the potential for excessive extraneous load. Generative AI instructions (see Figure 2) could be created and offered to mitigate confusion and cognitive load burden.

Figure 2. Zoom collaborative whiteboard instructions produced by goblin.tools
 
Generative AI has the potential to help outline the steps in active learning exercises. This can be used to minimize confusion and serve as a reference for students. However, instruction alone is often insufficient to make active learning effective. As Finelli et al. (2018) suggest, the inclusion of a rationale for implementing active learning is an effective mechanism to encourage student participation. To this end, we suggest the adoption of what  Bereiter (2014) called Principled Practical Knowledge (PPK) which consists of the combination of ‘know-how’ with ‘know why’ (Bereiter, 2014). This perspective develops out of learners’ efforts to solve practical problems. It is a combination of knowledge that extends beyond simply addressing the task at hand. There is an investment of effort to provide a rationale or justification to address the ‘know why’ portion of PPK (Bereiter, 2014). Creating conditions for learners to develop ‘know-how’ is critical when incorporating active learning strategies in online and blended courses. Instructional guidance can reduce ambiguity and extraneous load and can also increase efficiency and potentially equity.
What is typically not included in the instructional guidance offered to students is comprehensive knowledge that outlines the requirements for technology that is often employed in active learning strategies. Ahshan (2021) suggests that technology skill competency is essential for the instructors and learners to implement the activities smoothly. Therefore, knowledge should include the tools employed in active learning. Instructors cannot assume that learners have a universal baseline of technological competency and thus need to be aware of this diversity when providing instructional guidance.
An often-overlooked element of instructional guidance connected to PPK is the ‘know-why’ component. Learners are often prescribed learning tasks without a rationale or justification for their utility. The underlying assumption for implementing active learning strategies is the benefits of collaboration, communication, and collective problem-solving are clear to learners (Dring, 2019; Hartikainen et al., 2019). However, these perceived benefits or rationales are often not provided explicitly to learners; instead, they are implied through use.
When implementing active learning techniques or strategies in a blended or online course one needs to consider not only the ‘know-how,’ but also the ‘know-why.’ Table 1 helps to identify the scope of instructional guidance that should be provided to students.
 
Table 1. Recommended Type of Instructional Guidance for Active Learning




 


Know How


Know Why




Activity


Steps


Purpose / Rationale




Technology


Steps


Purpose / Rationale




Outcomes / Products


Completion


Goals




 
The purpose of providing clear and explicit instructional guidance to learners is to ensure efficiency, equity, and value in incorporating active learning strategies into online and blended learning environments. Along with our argument for “know-why” (Bereiter, 2012), we draw upon Murphy (2023) who highlights the importance of “know-how’ by stating, ‘if students do not understand how a particular learning design helps them arrive at a particular outcome, they tend to be less invested in a course’ (n.p.).
Clear instructional guidance does not diminish the authenticity of various active learning strategies such as problem-based or inquiry-based techniques. In contrast, guidance serves to scaffold the activity and clearly outline learner expectations. Design standards organizations, such as Quality Matters, suggest the inclusion of statements that indicate a plan for how instructors will engage with learners, as well as the requirements for learner engagement in active learning. These statements regarding instructor engagement could be extended to include more transparency in the selection of instructional strategies. Murphy (2023) suggested that instructors should ‘pull back the curtain’ and take a few minutes to share the rationale and research that informs their decision to use strategies such as active learning. Opening a dialogue about the design process with students helps to manage expectations and anxieties that students might have in relation to the ‘What?’, ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ for the active learning exercises.
Implications for Future Research
We contend that a blend of direct instruction and active learning strategies is optimized by instructional guidance, which provides explicit know-how and know-why for students to engage in learning tasks and activities. The present discussion does not intend to evaluate the utility of active learning as an instructional strategy. The efficacy of active learning is a recurring theme in the academic literature, and the justification for efficacy is largely anecdotal or based on self-reporting data from students (Hartikainen, Rintala, Pylväs and Nokelainen, 2019). Regardless, the process of incorporating active learning strategies with direct instruction appears to be beneficial for learning (Ahshan, 2021; Christie & De Graaff, 2017; Mintzes, 2020), and more likely, the learning experience can be harder to quantify. Our argument relates to the necessary inclusion of instructions and guidance that make the goals of active learning more efficient and effective (de Jong et al., 2023). Scardamalia and Bereiter (2006) stated earlier that knowledge about dominates traditional educational practice. It is the stuff of textbooks, curriculum guidelines, subject-matter tests, and typical school “projects” and “research” papers. Knowledge would be the product of active learning. In contrast, knowledge of, ‘suffers massive neglect’ (p. 101).  Knowledge enables learners to do something and allows them to actively participate in an activity. Knowledge comprises both procedural and declarative knowledge.  It is activated when the need for it is encountered in the action. Instructional guidance can help facilitate knowledge of, making the use of active learning techniques more efficient and effective.
Research is needed on the impact of instructional guidance on active learning strategies, especially when considering the incorporation of more sophisticated technologies and authentic problems (Rapanta, Botturi, Goodyear, Guardia and Koole 2021; Varvara, Bernardi, Bianchi, Sinjari and Piattelli, 2021). Recently, Lee (2020) examined the impact of instructor engagement on learning outcomes in an online course and determined that increased instructor engagement correlated with enhanced discussion board posts and student performance. A similar examination of the relationship between the instructional guidance provided and student learning outcomes would be a valuable next step. It could offer more explicit guidance and recommendations for the design and use of active learning strategies in online or blended courses.
Conclusion
Education was disrupted out of necessity for at least two years. This experience forced us to examine our practices in online and blended learning, as our sample size for evaluation grew dramatically. The outcome of our analysis is that effective design and inclusion of student engagement and interactions with instructors are critical for quality learning experiences (Rapanta et al., 2021; Sutarto, Sari and Fathurrochman, 2020; Varvara et al., 2021). Active learning appeals to many students (Christie & De Graaff, 2017) and instructors as it can help achieve many of the desired and required outcomes of our courses and programs. Our review and discussion highlighted the need to provide clear and explicit guidance to help minimize cognitive load and guide students through an invaluable learning experience. Further, instructors and designers who include explicit guidance participate in a metacognitive process, while they outline the purpose and sequence of steps required for the completion of active learning exercises. Creating instructions and providing a rationale for the use of active learning in a course gives instructors and designers an opportunity to reflect on the process and ensure that it aligns with the intended purpose or stated goals of the course. This reflective act makes active learning more intentional in use rather than employing it to ensure that students are present within the learning space.
 
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According to the Residential College of Arts and Humanities (RCAH), "India Plough joined the RCAH in 2012. She teaches Language and Culture and is the director of the RCAH Language Proficiency Program. Her research interests and publications are in the areas of second language acquisition, language instruction, and test development and validation. India returns to her alma mater after almost 15 years during which time she worked in a variety of contexts from secondary and post-secondary institutions to the non-profit, foundation sector. In addition to giving invited talks in Peru and Greece, India has worked with students, teachers, and administrators in Brazil, China, Greece, Japan, Peru, South Africa, and the U.S. on collaborative projects including learner assessment, teacher training, and program development."
 
Dr. Plough has made a great impacts on the MSU community as an educator. Here's what four Spartans had to say about her: 

"The mission statement of MSU's Residential College in the Arts and Humanities states that "Through interdisciplinary study, imagination, and community partnerships, RCAH inspires and prepares graduates to be collaborative learners and visionary change-makers." I am forever thankful to India because that's precisely what she has done for me and the other graduate students in the interdisciplinary program she oversees. She has inspired and prepared us because she doesn't just deliver content or give orders. Instead, she provokes curiosities, encourages, provides resources, and listens. The consistency between what she says, her teaching, her research and how she treats people is something I aspire to emulate as a future faculty. ¡Muchas gracias, India!"
"I am thankful to India for always thinking for our graduate student language fellows' interests, for going out of her way to ensure our wellness and growth professionally and personally, for modeling positive attitudes, work ethics, and how to treat others with kindness and dignity, and for encouraging and acknowledging our contributions to the CLAC program."
"Professor Plough has been running the ILO program in RCAH. As a graduate fellow, I have to admit that her commitment to leading, energizing, and promoting the program is impressive. She is the kind of professor who carefully listens to people who work with her. Her leadership and teaching approach is unique by which ILO has successfully been running for many year." 
"Dr. Plough hired me to work in her CLAC program as a French language fellow in RCAH. Because of this and her leadership in the program, I am part of a dynamic, passionate team where we share and learn about collaborative, engaged teaching practices, as well as many thoughts and opinions. I have been able to grow so much in my teaching and as an intellectual because of this experience and the atmosphere and ambience she instills in this space. I have met other graduate students she has also hired on the team whom I call friends and dear colleagues. I love being part of a collaborative team comprised of diverse races, nationalities, languages, and disciplines, and my life is very enriched because of it. Grateful is the word for what I feel for the opportunity she has given me."