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Monica Mills, the Engagement Assessment Development Specialist at Michigan State University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation [CTLI], brings a unique blend of psychology, cognitive science, and educational expertise to her role. Her journey into this field wasn’t a straight path but rather a series of explorations that shaped her deep understanding of how people learn and how they can be better engaged in the classroom.
Growing up in Central Florida, Monica’s early interests ranged from becoming a high school teacher to an animal behaviorist. It wasn’t until she encountered the field of psychology at the University of Central Florida that she found her true calling. “Cognition and behavior can be analyzed and changed was very interesting to me,” Monica shared, reflecting on her fascination with cognitive psychology. Her curiosity led her to pursue graduate education in psychology at the University of Nebraska, where she delved into the nuances of human attention, perception  and environmental factors that shape thinking.
Monica’s transition from academia to instructional design was driven by a desire to apply her knowledge of cognitive psychology from the research lab to real-world educational challenges. Now, with her experience in research, teaching, and instructional design, she is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Her role at CTLI allows her to make a significant impact on the way education is delivered, particularly in fostering student engagement and enhancing instructional practices.
In her role at CTLI, Monica draws upon her diverse experience to foster meaningful engagement in the classroom. Her time as an adjunct professor at Alma College provided her with invaluable insights into the challenges instructors face. “You can say to instructors all day long what the textbook says you need to do, but unless you’ve felt those pushbacks in the classroom, you don’t have a leg to stand on,” she explained. This hands-on experience has been instrumental in her ability to relate to professors and offer practical, empathetic advice.
One of Monica’s most memorable projects, a research project that spanned three years, involved experimenting with different instructional approaches to improve student engagement. “Does giving autonomy and choice to students improve engagement?” was the research question Monica sought to answer. The results were clear: small changes can have significant impacts. This experience solidified her belief in the power of experimentation and the importance of giving students a voice in their own learning journey.
At the heart of Monica’s work is a commitment to transparency and inclusivity. She believes that no student should be left in the dark about how they are being assessed. Her dedication to creating equitable learning environments is evident in her advocacy for ‘Transparent Assignment Design’, where she explains a framework that provides clear expectations and support for students.“It’s about making clear the expectations in how students are being assessed ,” Monica emphasized, underscoring her belief in the importance of student-centered education.
Looking ahead, Monica remains passionate about innovation in education. Whether it’s experimenting with new assessment techniques or exploring the potential of educational technology, she is constantly “tinkering” with ways to improve the learning experience. For Monica, success in higher education is not about reaching a final destination but about the journey of continuous improvement and discovery.

Dr. Jennifer Wagner

Title
Instructional TechnologistD2L and Data CoordinatorInstructional Technology & Development TeamMSU IT - Educational Technology
Education

Certificate in Data Analytics, Google
Certificate in E-Learning Instructional Design, University of California, Irvine
Certificate in Geographic Information Systems, Michigan State University
Associate in Computer Information Systems, Mott Community College
Bachelor’s in French & Linguistics, University of Michigan-Flint
Master’s in Linguistics & Teaching English as a Second Language, Oakland University
PhD in Applied Linguistics, University of South Australia

Work Experience
I have worked in higher education in three countries for the past 15 years. I started as a Writing Center tutor and then taught English, French and linguistics to undergraduate students in the US, France, and Australia. I had always enjoyed using technology to teach my courses, and so I decided to transition to helping both instructors and students navigate the many educational technology tools available today. I was an E-Learning Developer as well as a Helpdesk Support Technician before joining Michigan State University as an Instructional Technologist in 2020.
Professional Interests
I am interested in improving course design by integrating technology and accessibility, while offering technical support and training for instructors and learners. I also enjoy updating the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in our D2L content templates to add more consistency and interactivity to online courses. Additionally, I create ETL dataflows in Domo Analytics to query the D2L data sets and generate reports for instructors.
Links
LinkedIn ProfileGitHub Profile
MSU Tools & Technologies Course (MSU NetID required)
 

The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Veterinary Medicine . For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".

Jennifer Thomas: Jennifer Thomas has gone above and beyond to help the veterinary students at MSU be as successful as possible in a completely novel learning environment. She is genuinely invested in the success of every veterinary student, and is a model of teaching excellence. She excels in her craft, and her care for creating an excellent and optimal learning environment is evident to all. There are few who deserve to be recognized for being a superb educator more than Jennifer Thomas.  

Janet Hengesbach: Year after year, Janet introduces the fourth-year veterinary and veterinary nursing students to the diagnostic laboratory and provides them their safety instruction on the post-mortem floor.  With a new group of students every 3 weeks, it could get old and boring, but she covers this important information with enthusiasm, energy, and humor.  For the rest of the 3 weeks, she is the "go-to" person for all the students, reminding them of all the safety guidelines, showing them new techniques, and helping them deal with what for some is a new and challenging environment.  Not only this, but she is an amazing support for the numerous different faculty who come out to teach each day.  Every day, Janet is the consistent positive encouraging face the students see and her spirit is contagious around the laboratory.

Micaela Flores: I would like to thank Ms. Flores for always being willing to partner with the College Assistance Migrant Program and the students we serve. She always goes above and beyond to ensure that students are aware of the resources available to them. She demonstrates humility and a genuine interest in student success. I appreciate specialists like her. 

Jule Strachota: Dr. Strachota strives everyday to make the curriculum relevant and exciting for the students.  She prepared extensive study guides to help them prioritize the reading material (helping them learn HOW to read advanced medical literature) and combined this with presenting real-life cases and experiences to enhance their motivation and "big-picture" view.  She spends hours each day attentively answering the students' questions, making them feel like professionals because they asked questions - and not making them feel inferior because the material is tough.  Her empathy makes students want to learn. 

Sarah Shull: Dr. Shull is an endless resource of creative and productive ideas on how to reach the students in subject areas that are challenging for even the best students.  She has approached this in both big and  little ways.  She has developed an extensive video collection of important techniques for the subject area and also made the small but very meaningful suggestion that the course moderator ceremoniously welcome the students to the next course in their curriculum (demonstrating that the instructors AND the students are all a team).  The students can tell when the instructors enjoy their subjects and their colleagues, and Dr. Shull goes out of her way to demonstrate both. 
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.

Please apply here by February 19:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1N3H76YYEDzlYuN1jZKp3EVy6K7mbo9AivP-142eyd9I 
Epistemic Justice Fellows: Incorporating Students’ Home and Community Knowledge in Teaching and Learning 
 
To instructors in the arts, humanities, and natural sciences and STEM fields: 
We invite faculty (of any appointment type), academic specialists who teach, and graduate students who teach to apply for the interdisciplinary Epistemic Justice Fellowship for this Spring 2025.   
 
This Fellowship is designed to support instructors who want to add or change an assignment, activity, or module/unit in a course to incorporate students’ home and community knowledge, such as students’ home languages, student knowledge about their communities, or home and community knowledge about the natural world. Incorporating and valuing student experiences as assets can positively impact student learning about subject matter as well as enhance student engagement, enjoyment, and belonging. 
 
Fellows will receive $500 at the conclusion of the fellowship. Fellows are expected to:

Develop a new or change an existing activity/assignment/module to incorporate students’ home or community knowledge, and present this work to the cohort
Provide a collegial community for the rest of the cohort who will also be working on their own courses
Attend three Fellow meetings (most in person) from 10AM-12PM on the following Tuesdays:

February 25: Kickoff - foundational concepts and identifying changes to your courses
March 25: Midpoint meeting - check in and group discussion on fellows’ projects, followed by mini-workshop on “Facilitating Teaching Workshops”
April 22: Presentations of fellows’ change or addition to their courses 

Attend the lecture/workshop series connected to this topic, consisting of 3 public talks, some in person and some virtual, throughout the semester (dates TBA - but exceptions/alternatives can be made if those dates are not feasible for a fellow)  
Commit to offering a workshop or mentorship opportunity in the future for colleagues in your own field related to valuing home and community knowledge  

Please apply here by February 19:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1N3H76YYEDzlYuN1jZKp3EVy6K7mbo9AivP-142eyd9I 
 
Please note that if you are not sure if your course would be make sense for this fellowship, you are very welcome to contact the organizers at mollelle@msu.edu and troutma1@msu.edu to ask; for example, if you wanted to allow an existing assignment on any topic to be written in the student’s home language for a first draft, that could apply to any subject matter in any course with any writing. 
 
This Fellowship and lecture series are graciously supported by:
Creating Inclusive Excellence Grant from Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
Office of the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Arts and Letters
Office of the Assistant Dean for STEM Education in the Office of Undergraduate Education
 
Organizers: Denise Troutman, Sophie Huss, Ellen Moll
Additional PIs: Kristin Arola, Marcie Ray, Stephen Thomas

What is TurnItIn? 
TurnItIn is a service that allows universities to uphold academic integrity by giving instructors the opportunity to offer feedback on student assignments and detect possible issues of plagiarism. 
 
How can TurnItIn be used for instruction? 
Despite its reputation as a deterrent to plagiarism, TurnItIn can also help instructors in assisting students in their understanding of proper citations and the correct formatting for their writing. Instructors have the ability to control various aspects of TurnItIn and how it is used for evaluating student assignments.  
 
How do I access TurnItIn? 
Instructors can access TurnItIn via D2L when creating assignments. Under the “Evaluation and Feedback” tab, choose “TurnItIn Integration”. From there, instructors can choose how they want to evaluate student assignments.  

 
Where can I find more information about TurnItIn? 
D2L’s help site has a page featuring how to get started with TurnItIn.   
 

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash
 
What is active learning?
When visualizing a “traditional” college classroom, what often comes to mind is a room filled with students being lectured to by an instructor. Although some students have come to expect this type of model, the majority of students prefer (or may come to prefer) opportunities in class to discuss, test, or apply their knowledge. Through the incorporation of active learning strategies, a shift in learning occurs; classrooms shift from instructor-centered environments to student-centered ones, with students now more engaged with the material.
 
This process can occur in many different ways, and thus, active learning can also take on a variety of forms, some of which may be more feasible in specific teaching environments. According to Bonwell and Eison (1991), who popularized the idea of active learning, there are certain characteristics of active learning, including more involvement and engagement from students, a greater emphasis on skill development, and increased participating in higher orders of thinking (applying, analyzing, evaluating, creating) instead of memorization and recall. Overall, these types of strategies have led to a “better and deeper understanding of the material and the development of learning skills that extend beyond the subject matter at hand and into lifelong learning” (Hettler 2015). Clearly, these strategies are beneficial to students; however, there has still yet to be a complete redesign of college classrooms, mostly due to administrative and logistical roadblocks.
 
Strategies:
“Bookending”
One simple method is to frame brief lectures (10-15 minutes) by short periods of discussion (3-5 minutes), usually by providing the students with some type of discussion-based question. By breaking up the class, students are able to evaluate their knowledge. Questions can be complex, or could follow a multiple-choice format, but they need to be thought-provoking and discussion worthy.
 
Think-Pair-Share
In this method, after a question is posed, students individually work through the problem, then pair with neighboring student(s) to discuss, then these groups share their answer with the class. Discussion can then occur at the classroom level, with multiple groups sharing and discussing their solutions.
 
Formative Assessment
By interrupting lecture to ask a question, not only can you determine if you have been effective in teaching, you can also use the opportunity for further discussion, if needed. Technology, such as clickers, are helpful in this measure, as it provides instant feedback, as well as anonymity. If it is clear students know the answer to the question, you may move on to a new idea, while if students appear to be struggling, you may need to revisit that topic or use the opportunity for student discussion.
 
Problem-Based Learning & Case Studies
Finally, methods of problem-based learning, such as case studies provide a way for students to apply their knowledge to real-life situations. With these types of exercises, students engage in more active, as opposed to passive, learning where they can apply their knowledge with the help of others in the class. Not only does this encourage group skills, but it allows students to think about things in ways they may have not otherwise.
 
Further Reading

Allen, Deborah, and Kimberly Tanner (2005) Infusing active learning into the large-enrollment biology class: seven strategies, from the simple to complex. Cell Biology Education 4:262-268.
Bonwell, Charles C., and James A. Eison (1991) Active learning: Creative excitement in the classroom. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Reports.
Hettler, Paul L. (2015) Active learning in economics: increasing student engagement, excitement and success. International Advances in Economic Research 21(4):357.

For Dr. Bierema’s ISB202 courses, two different approaches to discussion boards are applied- one that requires initial posts, and one that doesn’t. Here are the instruction overviews for each.

Initial Post Required: Students are engaged in online, asynchronous discussion during most weeks. “Engagement in asynchronous discussion” means that students are responding to instructor questions and replying to one another with new information, explanations, examples (cited or personal), and thought-provoking questions throughout the week at times that are convenient to the students.




Initial posts to each question and peer responses are required. Initial posts are due by Tuesday of each week. Peer responses can occur on any day throughout the discussion week-including the day that initial posts are submitted- provided that they happen on three different days. The purpose of having a required number of days rather than a required number of posts is to facilitate back-and-forth discussion. Students need to be engaged in the discussion, not just making posts on a discussion board. Posts must also only occur during the respective week, which starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday. For instance, posts made in the Week 1 forum during Week 2 do not count toward engagement of either week. This is to further facilitate engagement in active discussion. Peer responses can occur in any of the threads for that week. Therefore, a student may respond to peers three times (each on a different day) in one thread only and receive full credit, provided that the rubric is followed. Responses can occur to initial posts or to other peer responses.






Notice that there are two criteria in the rubric for peer responses, and that there is not one for just the number of posts. This means that simply making posts (such as “I agree with…”) on three days will not earn points. Instead, both critical thinking and comprehension must be illustrated on each of these days to earn credit for those posts. Examples of critical thinking include posting follow-up questions that extend the discussion, new examples (either personal or cited), or viewpoints of those not previously identified.






Completing initial posts does not count toward the number of days because the “number of days” in the rubric refers to peer responses. Initial posts are due by Tuesday but students are encouraged to begin as soon as they complete the prep assignment for that week. This way, students can also start their peer responses earlier in the week- students do not have to wait until after the initial post due date to start responding to peers.



Frequently asked Questions

What is the discussion board?




The discussion board is a D2L feature. Students post on the discussion each week. Weekly links are found in the corresponding weekly (e.g., Week 1) content folder. To access the discussion board directly, click on the “communications” tab and then “discussions.” See this video for a brief tutorial.




Why are we engaging weekly in the discussion board?




The engagement allows students to not only apply the content that they learned from the online preps, but it also gives them a chance to learn from other perspectives by interacting with their peers and teaching team. The course is a three-credit course that only meets face-to-face once a week; the other two contact hours are arranged online.




What does “asynchronous” mean?




This means that students can post during times that are convenient to them- there are no set times that students have to be in the online classroom but there are due dates.




How many posts do I need to do?




Post an initial post to each thread- the number of threads vary each week depending on the amount of work for each one. Then post peer responses on three days of the week. Make sure to read through the discussion board rubric located in the “Course Materials” content folder. Responses are not just counted; they are checked for comprehension and critical thinking.




How many initial posts do I have to do each week?




The number of questions vary each week. All threads (i.e., initial questions) need an initial response.




Do I need to post a peer response to each thread?




No, students are required to do three peer responses overall. This can be in any combination across the threads (i.e., initial questions) or even just in one thread.




Can I post a peer response on the same day as an initial post?




Yes, a peer response can be posted on any day of the discussion week (Sunday through Saturday), including days that initial posts are completed/due.




What happens if I do all my peer responses in one day?




As seen in the rubric, points for peer responses are provided by day, not by post. Therefore, posting three responses on one day is equivalent to posting one response. To receive full credit, students need to post on separate days.




How long does each post have to be?




There is not a length requirement on posts. The length will vary with the type of post. For instance, posting a cited example will be a longer post than posting a thoughtful question.




When are peer responses due?




Students can complete peer responses on any day of the respective week, which runs Sunday through Saturday. The last peer response has to be submitted by Saturday.




Are late posts accepted?




The initial post is due on Tuesday but is accepted late for partial credit. Posts and peer responses have to occur during the respective week, which runs Sunday through Saturday (the last day for posting a peer response is Saturday). The purpose is to promote a back-and-forth discussion.




Are any of the discussion board tasks dropped?




One discussion board task is dropped. The lowest grade is dropped, even if the lowest grade is 100% or zero. This is automatically updated in the gradebook. Therefore, if a 100% is dropped but later you receive an 80%, then the 80% will be dropped, and so on.




Do my posts need to include citations?




The instructions for the initial posts will explain if a citation is needed. Supporting ideas with cited information is a way to illustrate critical thinking. Make sure to include a citation whenever using information that was not part of your prior knowledge.




I included a citation in one of peer responses, but it did not count as critical thinking. Why?




Although a citation may be included, none of the content from the cited source was incorporated into the response.




Why is it some of the discussion boards are locked?




Discussion boards remain locked until the week begins. This is so that students can see the questions if they want to prepare ahead of time but also encourages students to engage in discussion during the specified timeframe so that they can interact with their peers.




I thought that there were over 100 students in this class. Why are there so few engaging in discussion?




The class was split into multiple groups for the discussion board. This was to help make it so that the number of posts was not overwhelming for students.




What do I do if I feel like another student was being disrespectful on the discussion board?




Disagreements and challenges (with the use of evidence) will happen but students are expected to always be respectful to each other. Disrespect can make for an unwelcoming environment. Therefore, if you think someone is being -or at least coming across as- disrespectful, then the student can either talk with that student privately or ask the instructor to talk with the student. Please do this via email rather than on the discussion board.




Initial Post NOT Required: Students are engaged in asynchronous discussion during Weeks 1-6. “Engagement in asynchronous discussion” means that students are responding to instructor questions and replying to one another with new information, explanations, examples (cited or personal), and thought-provoking questions throughout the week at times that are convenient to the them. To clarify the language used when referring to the D2L discussion board: If you click on the D2L tab labeled “Discussions”, it takes you to the discussion board. The board is separated into forums. Our class has a few forums, including one that houses everything for “engagement.” Within the forum, are “topics”- one for each week. Within each topic is a list of threads.


Several threads are posted each week for engagement, but not all of them are required. Students are required to:




Respond to the weekly case study thread (can be done any time of the week, but the earlier, the better)






Respond to the weekly reflection thread (can be done any time of the week, and should be toward the end of the week)






Complete three additional posts, each on a separate, non-consecutive day (discussion boards are open Monday through Sunday)




The three additional posts (last bullet point above) must be made on at least three non-consecutive days. “Non-consecutive” means that the days are not back-to-back. Therefore, waiting until Friday to start posting will result in a low grade. Rather, it must start earlier in the week to have time for non-consecutive days. The purpose of having a required number of non-consecutive days rather than a required number of posts is to facilitate back-and-forth discussion. The graded task is titled “engagement” rather than “discussion board” because students need to be engaged in the discussion, not simply posting on a discussion board. Posts must also only occur during the respective week. In other words, posts cannot be made before the week begins nor after the week ends. This is to further facilitate engagement in discussion.




Notice in the rubric (which is at the end of this document) that there is not a separate criterion for number of posting days. Instead, it is incorporated into the following criteria: critical analysis, variation, and comprehension. “Mastery” for nearly every critical element includes “three non-consecutive days.” This means that not only does that critical element need to be addressed in the posts but that posts occur on at least three non-consecutive days.






The rubric has a criterion titled “variation.” This means that students will need to do a variety of types of posts. For instance, if a student only responds to every topic posted by the instructor then that student will receive a “0%” for “Variation.” The purpose, again, is to facilitate engagement in discussion. For example, a student may post a current news event (which is a weekly thread), respond to one peer with a personal example, and respond to another peer with a thought-provoking question. This student would receive a 100% on “Variation.” If that student also posted on three non-consecutive days during the week, had the posts relate to course content, used correct spelling and punctuation, and had a professional and respectful tone, then that student would receive 100% on engagement. This is just one example of how a student can receive 100% on engagement. The following are types of posts:








Responding with an initial post to a non-required thread










Posting a news story by following the instructions in the “Current events” thread










Responding to a peer or teaching team member with










A thought-provoking question (not just- “why did you respond in this way?”)










A personal example










The viewpoint of another stakeholder (a stakeholder is a group of people that have similar interests/investments/influences)










A cited example (include the citation)






This is the interactive part of this online course, so have fun while learning new things from different perspectives!


Example rubrics are attached. 

 

Email: Correspond digitally

As your initial form of communication with students, it is important to inform students often about course changes and expectations.
Use the Instructor Systems email tool from the Registrar’s website to send messages to your whole class, or you can use Spartan Mail for individual and small group communications.
access your email login here: https://spartanmail.msu.edu/