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Topic Area: Student Success
Presented By: Jesse Beal, Heather Shea
Abstract:
In this interactive, data- and practice-informed presentation, we will explore LGBTQA+ student success as a vital component of University student success efforts. Due to the lack of data on traditional student success metrics (persistence, retention, time to degree, and graduation) for LGBTQA+ students, LGBTQA+ student success work must be creative, collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and expansive. We will show how developing LGBTQA+ inclusive policies and practices supports student success and increases a sense of belonging. We will share the impact of implementing LGBTQA+ inclusive data collection practices on understanding student success on other campuses. We will explore the mental health challenges LGBTQA+ students face due to LGBTQA+ oppression, how these challenges have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, available mental health support services, and promising practices for intervention and support. We will also discuss ways in which each of us, as educators, can make a real and tangible difference for our LGBTQA+ students. The ability of LGBTQA+ students to learn, develop, and succeed is inextricably tied to their sense of belonging and the support provided to them by the University to face and overcome challenges. This session will provide an introduction to theories of LGBTQA+ student success, as well practical application, creative solutions, and methods of intervention.

With our guiding principles for remote teaching as flexibility, generosity, and transparency, we know that there is no one solution for assessment that will meet all faculty and student needs.  From this perspective, the primary concern should be assessing how well students have achieved the key learning objectives and determining what objectives are still unmet. It may be necessary to modify the nature of the exam to allow for the differences of the remote environment. This document, written for any instructor who typically administers an end-of-semester high-stakes final exam, addresses how best to make those modifications.  In thinking about online exams, and the current situation for remote teaching, we recommend the following approaches (in priority order) for adjusting exams: multiple lower-stakes assessments, open-note exams, and online proctored exams.  When changes to the learning environment occur, creating an inclusive and accessible learning experience for students with disabilities should remain a top priority. This includes providing accessible content and implementing student disability accommodations, as well as considering the ways assessment methods might be affected.  
 
Faculty and students should be prepared to discuss accommodation needs that may arise. The team at MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) will be available to answer questions about implementing accommodations. Contact information for Team RCPD is found at https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/teamrcpd. Below you will find a description of each of the recommendations, tips for their implementation, the benefits of each, and references to pertinent research on each.
There are three primary options*: 

Multiple lower-stakes assessments (most preferred)  
Open note exams  (preferred)  
Online proctored exams (if absolutely necessary)

*Performance-based assessments such as laboratory, presentation, music, or art experiences that show proficiency will be discussed in another document



Multiple lower-stakes assessments
Description: The unique circumstances of this semester make it necessary to carefully consider your priorities when assessing students. Rather than being cumulative, a multiple assessment approach makes assessment an incremental process. Students demonstrate their understanding frequently, and accrue points over time, rather than all at once on one test. Dividing the assessment into smaller pieces can reduce anxiety and give students more practice in taking their exams online.  For instance, you might have a quiz at the end of each week that students have to complete. Each subsequent quiz can (and should) build on the previous one, allowing students to build toward more complex and rigorous applications of the content. Using this approach minimizes your need to change the types of questions that you have been asking to date, which can affect student performance (e.g. if you normally ask multiple-choice questions, you can continue to do so).   For the remainder of the semester, use the D2L quizzes tool to build multiple smaller assessments. Spread out the totality of your typical final exam over the month of April. This can be as simple as dividing a 100 question final exam into eight 12-question “synthesis activities” that students complete bi-weekly.
Benefits as noted from the literature: 

No significant differences were observed in terms of keystroke information, rapid guessing, or aggregated scores between proctoring conditions;
More effective method for incentivizing participation and reading; 
Encourages knowledge retention as each subsequent assessment builds on the last

Rios, J. A., & Liu, O. L. (2017). Online proctored versus unproctored low-stakes internet test administration: Is there differential test-taking behavior and performance?. American Journal of Distance Education, 31(4), 226-241. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08923647.2017.1258628  Schrank, Z. (2016). An assessment of student perceptions and responses to frequent low-stakes testing in introductory sociology classes. Teaching Sociology, 44(2), 118-127. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0092055X15624745  VanPatten, B., Trego, D., & Hopkins, W. P. (2015). In‐Class vs. Online Testing in University‐Level Language Courses: A Research Report. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 659-668. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/flan.12160 
 
Open note exams 
Description: Open note assessments allow students to refer to the Internet and other materials while completing their assessments. By design, this disincentives academic dishonesty. Often instructors put time parameters around open note exams. These types of exams also lend themselves to collaborative work in which multiple students work together to complete the assessment. With an open note strategy, you can keep your general exam schedule and point structure, but you may need to revise questions so they are less about factual recall and more about the application of concepts.  For instance you might give students a scenario or case study that they have to apply class concepts to as opposed to asking for specific values or definitions. If you plan to make such changes, communicate your intent and rationale to you students prior to the exam.  One effective open note testing technique is to use multiple-true/false questions as a means to measure understanding. These questions (called “multiple selection” questions in D2L) pose a scenario and prompt students to check all the boxes that apply. For example, students may be prompted to read a short case or lab report, then check all statements that are true about that reading. In this way a single question stem can assess multiple levels of complexity and/or comprehension. 
Benefits as noted from the literature: 



Open-book exams and collaborative exams promote development of critical thinking skills. 
Open-book exams are more engaging and require higher-order thinking skills. 
Application of open-book exams simulates the working environment. 
Students prefer open-book exams and report decreased anxiety levels. 
Collaborative exams stimulate brain cell growth and intricate cognitive complexes.  



Johanns, B., Dinkens, A., & Moore, J. (2017). A systematic review comparing open-book and closed-book examinations: Evaluating effects on development of critical thinking skills. Nurse education in practice, 27, 89-94. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595317305486
 
Couch, B. A., Hubbard, J. K., & Brassil, C. E. (2018). Multiple–true–false questions reveal the limits of the multiple–choice format for detecting students with incomplete understandings. BioScience, 68(6), 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy037 
 
Implementation for multiple lower-stakes and open note assessment strategies: 

Timed vs. untimed: On the whole, performance on timed and untimed assessments yields similar scores. Students express greater anxiety over timed assessments, while they view untimed assessments as more amenable to dishonest behavior. 

NOTE: If you typically have a time limit on your face-to-face assessments, increase it by 20% to allow for the added demands the remote environment places on students. </li >


If the exam is meant to be taken synchronously, remember to stay within your class period. Adjust the length of the exam accordingly.
Reduced scope: Decreasing content covered in the exam may be necessary to create an exam of appropriate length and complexity, given the unique circumstances this semester. 
Question pools: Create a pool of questions, and let D2L randomly populate each student’s quiz. This helps reduce dishonest behavior 

For example, a 10 question quiz might have 18 total questions in the pool, 10 of which are randomly distributed to each student by D2L. 


Randomize answer order: In questions in which it makes sense, have D2L randomize the order in which the answer options appear. 
Individual question per page: This can reduce instances of students taking the assessment together. It is even more effective when question order is randomized and a question pool is used. <//li>
Honor code attestation: Give students an opportunity to affirm their intent to be honest by making question one of every assessment a 0-point question asking students to agree to an honor code.  You can access the MSU Honor Code: https://www.deanofstudents.msu.edu/academic-integrity 
Live Zoom availability: In D2L Quizzes, set a time window during which the assessment will be available to students. 
Hold a live open office hours session in Zoom at some point during that window, so that students who want to can take the assessment while they have direct access to you - this way they can ask questions if any arise. 

Ultimately, our guiding principles for remote teaching are flexibility, generosity, and transparency.  Try to give students as much of an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge as possible.  

Consider allowing multiple attempts on an assessment. 
When conditions allow, consider allowing multiple means of expression. 
Can students choose to demonstrate their knowledge from a menu of options

M/C test
Written response
Video presentation 
Oral Exam (via Zoom) 


Consider giving students choices. Perhaps they can opt out of answering a question or two. Perhaps they can choose which of a series of prompts to respond to. Perhaps students can waive one test score (to help accomodate for their rapidly changing environments) 

Proctored assessments 
Description: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Respondus Monitor are tools for remote proctoring in D2L. More information is available at https://help.d2l.msu.edu/node/4686. Please consider whether your assessments can be designed without the need for Respondus. While Respondus may be helpful in limited circumstances (e.g., when assessments must be proctored for accreditation purposes), introducing a new technology may cause additional stress for both students and instructors, and academic integrity is still not assured.   High-stakes exams (those that are a large percentage of a student’s grade) that use new technologies and approaches can decrease student performance and may not reflect students’ understanding of the material.  Please do not use an online proctored approach unless your assessment needs require its use.   
 
Benefits: 
Increases the barrier to academic dishonesty. Allows for use of existing exams (assuming they are translated in D2L’s Quizzes tool). 
Implementation:

Any online proctored exam must be created and administered using D2L’s Quizzes tool. 
Prior to offering a graded proctored exam, we strongly recommend that you administer an ungraded (or very low-stakes) practice test using the proctoring tool. 
Clear communication with students about system and hardware requirements and timing considerations is required. 
MSU has gained temporary no-cost access to a pair of online proctoring tools provided by Respondus: https://help.d2l.msu.edu/node/4686 
Respondus Lockdown Browser requires that students download a web browser.
When they click into your exam, the Lockdown Browser opens, and prevents users from accessing anything else on their computer. 
Respondus Monitor requires use of Respondus Lockdown Browser and a webcam.
Students are monitored via the webcam while they complete the exam in Lockdown Browser. 

Additional Resources: 

Remote Assessment Quick Guide 
Remote Assessment Video Conversation 
D2L Quizzes Tool Guide
Self-training on D2L Quizzes (login to MSU’s D2L is required; self-enroll into the training course) 

 References: Alessio, H.M.; Malay, N.; Mauere, K.; Bailer, A.J.; & Rubin, B.(2017) Examining the effect of proctoring on online test scores, Online Learning 21 (1)  Altınay, Z. (2017) Evaluating peer learning and assessment in online collaborative learning environments, Behaviour & Information Technology, 36:3, 312-320, DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2016.1232752 
Couch, B. A., Hubbard, J. K., & Brassil, C. E. (2018). Multiple–true–false questions reveal the limits of the multiple–choice format for detecting students with incomplete understandings. BioScience, 68(6), 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy037  Cramp, J.; Medlin, J. F.; Lake, P.; & Sharp, C. (2019) Lessons learned from implementing remotely invigilated online exams, Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 16(1).  Guerrero-Roldán, A., & Noguera, I.(2018) A Model for Aligning Assessment with Competences and Learning Activities in Online Courses, The Internet and Higher Education, vol. 38, pp. 36–46., doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2018.04.005. 
Johanns, B., Dinkens, A., & Moore, J. (2017). A systematic review comparing open-book and closed-book examinations: Evaluating effects on development of critical thinking skills. Nurse education in practice, 27, 89-94. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595317305486  Joseph A. Rios, J.A. & Lydia Liu, O.L. (2017) Online Proctored Versus Unproctored Low-Stakes Internet Test Administration: Is There Differential Test-Taking Behavior and Performance?, American Journal of Distance Education, 31:4, 226-241, DOI: 10.1080/08923647.2017.1258628 Schrank, Z. (2016). An assessment of student perceptions and responses to frequent low-stakes testing in introductory sociology classes. Teaching Sociology, 44(2), 118-127. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0092055X15624745  Soffer, Tal, et al. “(2017) Assessment of Online Academic Courses via Students' Activities and Perceptions, Studies in Educational Evaluation, vol. 54, pp. 83–93., doi:10.1016/j.stueduc.2016.10.001. 
Tan, C.(2020) Beyond high-stakes exam: A neo-Confucian educational programme and its contemporary implications, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 52:2, 137-148, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2019.1605901 
VanPatten, B., Trego, D., & Hopkins, W. P. (2015). In‐Class vs. Online Testing in University‐Level Language Courses: A Research Report. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 659-668. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/flan.12160 

Title: Teaching Gender in a Global Context: Pedagogy, Practice, and Prospects for Expanding NarrativesPresenters: Pat Arnold, Potentially GenCen staffFormat: WorkshopDate: May 11th, 2023Time: 2:45 pm - 3:45 pmClick here to registerDescription:Representing the diversity of gender identities, experiences, and narratives is a core commitment and learning outcome of gender studies programs as well as general university curriculum in many cases. Its importance cannot be understated particularly in a cultural context where issues of injustice against women as well as transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) communities are so often trending. However, stereotypes and myths about women and gender outside the privileged confines of the U.S. abound, a theme captured well by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her popular TedTalk “The Dangers of a Single Story.” Just a single story can be deeply transformative for how we view the experiences of people in different cultural contexts, yet just a single story can equally be limiting and stymie efforts to promote values of gender inclusion. In this presentation, we compile assessment data and reflections from 300 students across three years of teaching WS102: Navigating Sex and Gender in Everyday Life to illustrate both the challenges as well as the transformative prospects for centering global narratives in the context of teaching gender equity and diversity. From the perspective of faculty, we highlight the tension they experience between the value and importance of including global gender perspectives, yet the barriers to fully incorporating it into their courses. We end by outlining how departments and university teaching centers can support faculty development and build confidence by developing open curricular resources on women and gender in a global context, as well as professional development for global, decolonial, and indigenous pedagogies.

Leadership Fellows

2019-2021: Kanza Khan

 
Kanza Khan (2019-2021)The first College of Law Leadership Fellow, Kanza Khan, spent her Fall semester relationship-building and raising awareness of the Institute and her as resources for the College’s graduate student community. During the Spring semester, Kanza built on her network across the College to identify her Fellowship’s focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She met with professors and faculty to advocate for a Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce for the College. With the assistance of Dr. Maybank, Kanza organized a “Human Library” event for the Diversity Week in March, though it was unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19.

Conducting a hybrid or virtual event isn’t solely dependent upon the use of external tools or third-party resources. Michigan State currently has several internal assets that can be used to support efforts.

D2L: You can use D2L to provide content and resources associated with your You can even provide your content in course-oriented form.
SharePoint: SharePoint is a web-based, collaborative platform that can be used to create an intranet or team sites. It can also be used to store and share You can access SharePoint at spartan365.msu.edu.
Microsoft Teams: This resource provides a means of sharing content and conducting continuous chats and engagement with attendees, participants, and team You can access Teams at spartan365. msu.edu.
Stream: Microsoft Stream is a secure video service so you can manage who views your video content and determine how widely to share within your It can be used in conjunction with Teams and SharePoint.

To help ensure inclusion of hybrid and virtual content, consider these resources from the MSU Web Accessibility page:

Captioning Resources
Spartan Ally Accessibility Tool
Classes & Workshops
Basic Accessibility Checklist
Evaluation and Validation
Web Accessibility Policy Liaisons
Contact Information
Faculty Accessibility Questions about Digital Content

For additional accessibility support, policy questions should be directed to the Digital Experience (DigitalX) team at webaccess@msu.edu.
Technical questions should be handled by your college or department’s Web Accessibility Policy Liaisons. IT staff have community support through the MSU WebDev CAFE (join the WEBDEVCAFE listserv).

Step into the CTLI office, and you are immediately enveloped in an atmosphere of collaboration and respect. This welcoming environment is largely attributed to LeChele Parris (she/her), the Project Intake & Event Coordinator whose attention to detail and inclusive leadership ensures that everyone, from seasoned administrators to new student employees, feel part of the team.
LeChele’s role at the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation [CTLI] is multifaceted and essential to the organization’s smooth operation. With a keen eye for efficiency, she ensures that all team members have the resources and support they need to perform their jobs effectively. Her responsibilities include [but are certainly not limited to] monitoring various CTLI communication channels, such as emails and intake forms, to guarantee that inquires are promptly addressed and directed to the appropriate personnel. LeChele’s expertise in delegating problems to the right team members ensures that issues are solved efficiently and effectively, contributing to the overall productivity of the center. 
Beyond her administrative duties, LeChele plays a crucial role in managing the daily schedules of CTLI administrators. Her meticulous coordination of meetings and appointments optimizes productivity, allowing the center to function seamlessly. Perhaps one of her most impactful contributions is her oversight of student employees. LeChele provides invaluable guidance and mentorship, fostering an environment where young professionals can grow and thrive. Her approach is personalized; she takes time to get to know everyone individually, always offering a friendly face and a listening ear in the workspace.
In 2022, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology through Central Michigan University’s Global Campus. Her decision to return to school came later in life, after her children had become more independent. However, like many others, her educational plans were impacted by the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of remote learning and the ongoing global crisis, LeChele persevered, completing her degree and subsequently joining CTLI in 2023.
Her personal experience as a non-traditional student has given LeChele a unique perspective on higher education. She openly shares her journey of completing her Bachelor’s degree after establishing a family and career path, making her decision to work in higher education truly motivating. Initially hesitant about entering the field, LeChele found her calling in supporting online education at MSU.
“Coming here [to CTLI] and hearing about how my coworkers administrate the online programs here at MSU, I wanted to support them in that,” LeChele explains. “I want to be a part of making an online program better for MSU students”. This sentiment encapsulates her dedication to improving educational experiences and her commitment to lifelong learning.
LeChele’s presence at CTLI goes beyond her official duties. She brings a wealth of life experience, empathy, and a passion that enriches the center’s culture. Through her work, LeChele continues to make a significant impact on the CTLI team and the broader MSU community, embodying the values of perseverance, inclusivity, and continuous growth.

The "Welcome to My Classroom" series functions like a pedagogy and practice show and tell where educators from throughout MSU's ecosystem share something from their teaching and learning practice. Valerie shared the ways she has integrated practices in her courses to enhance and center equitable opportunities for learning!

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


When it comes to syllabus language, be transparent about your choices and don't be afraid to cite sources for your rationale. We ask students to cite their sources, we should too. If you need help surfacing and/or naming your pedagogical practices, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation!
Fostering a sense of belonging is important to student success. Instructors can design interactions at three levels to help promote a students sense of belonging: learner-learner interations, learner-instructor interactions, and learner-content interactions. Check out the recording (below) for more on each!
Being flexible can make a big impact.  Where and when do students in your course have a sense of choice or agency in their learning? Are you sharing content in ways that allow people multiple modes of engagement? What barriers to accessing your learning experience exist? What are your current late work policies (and why do they exist - see takeaway bullet one)?
Not all the things "we've always done" are the best way of ding things. When it comes to grading, one simple way to make your practices more equitable is to remove participation and attendance based grades. If you want to consider bigger shifts, you might think about giving students multiple attempts at quizzes. Valerie incorporates feedback and learner reflection into this practice, and has ultimately moved away from a point-based grading system to what she calls "ungrading-lite"
A more student-center course with a focus on equitable practices has ultimately contributed to a more accommodating and empathetic environment for all!

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

Slide Deck: Access Valerie’s Welcome to My Classroom slide deck which outlines why equitable pedagogy is important, shares examples of how Valerie fosters a sense of belonging through a welcoming course structure, and highlights key considerations of equity in assessments and grading.
Syllabus Example: In the Q&A following Valerie's formal presentation she shared an example of one of her course syllabi to demonstrate the language she uses to set the tone for her learning environment, describe her approach to grading, and more.
Online Discussion: Do you have excamples of equitable, inclusive educator practices that you'd be willing to share broadly? Consider adding an article describing your practice, outlining an activity, or even reflecting on an experience! You can also share how Valerie's talk sparked ideas and questions about equitable pedagogy in the comments below. Both can be done by logging in to the #iteachmsu commons (you're already here!) with your MSU netID (click "log in" in the upper right corner)! 
Recording: In case you missed the session or would like to revisit it, you can view the full recording on MediaSpace (also embedded below).

The cover photo for this article was sourced from "EquityTool". 

MSU offers an array of development options for employees to enhance skills and continue professional growth. Explore a list of campus trainings, courses, and free media resources below. Campus Trainings MSU offers a wide range of learning opportunities to help academic staff meet their professional development goals. These include:

ElevateU is a free online training resource, offering programs that cover leadership, IT & desktop, business, finance, change management, project management, interpersonal skills and more. Courses are offered through videos, books, and preparation for a professional certificate. You can access ElevateU by logging into the EBS portal and locating the ElevateU tile under the "My Career & Training" tab, or by clicking on the image below. 
The Office of Faculty & Staff Development offers programs and additional training opportunities for advisors, including leadership development, career enhancement and growth, and professional development workshops that foster engaging conversations and collaboration among academic specialists.
The Organization and Professional Development division of MSU Human Resources provides instructor-led courses and workshops on a broad-range of topics. This includes leadership development, methods for enhancing communication skills, and opportunities to expand knowledge in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Kognito for Faculty & Staff helps us learn to notice signs of distress, use techniques to discuss our concerns, and, if necessary, refer students to appropriate resources. Practice these challenging conversations at your own pace through role-play with virtual students. In a national study of effectiveness, this simulation has been shown to increase the number of student referrals to counseling.

Tuition Assistance All academic specialists with fixed term, probationary, or continuing appointment status and who have a minimum of 24 FTE (full-time equivalent) university service months and are appointed 50% time or more are eligible to apply.
Coverage is limited to four (4) credits per semester with a maximum of twelve (12) credits per academic year at the rate corresponding to the student’s academic level. Only MSU credit courses are covered.
Additional information and eligibility requirements can be found on the  Academic Specialists Professional Development Support Program (this link opens in a new window/tab) page of the Human Resources site. 
To apply, navigate to the Enterprise Business Systems (EBS) portal, select Educational Assistance System under the My Careers & Training category, and then Apply at the top left of the page. The application will be sent to your supervisor for approval before being submitted to HR for final review. 
Free Media MSU Libraries have purchased licenses to various news sources so MSU students and employees can access them for free. These include:

The Chronicle of Higher Education: A leading source for news coverage on the academic sector, student life, online learning, college and university job openings, and more.

From a computer on campus, simply go to the Chronicle website: chronicle.com. The entire MSU IP range is covered by the new subscription, so no login or password is needed. From a computer off-campus, you must connect through the library’s proxy server: http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://chronicle.com. Without this step, the Chronicle site will not be able to authenticate you as an MSU user. Sign in with your MSUnet ID and password for full access to Chronicle content.




Major Daily Newspapers: Access Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal through MSU Libraries' Newspaper Guide. Additional newspaper databases and and alternatives to mainstream media are also offered through MSU Libraries.