We found 42 results that contain "interdisciplinary"

CIRCLE’s second interdisciplinary teaching & learning workshop, held on February 14th, focused on collaborative teaching and co-teaching. We showcased 2 panelists experienced in co-teaching and collaborative teaching: Rachel Barnard  (Lyman Briggs Chemistry and ULA Director) and Stephen Thomas (Assistant Dean of STEM Teaching and Learning, NatSci Digital Curriculum Coordinator, and Associate Director for CISGS). This workshop focused on collaborative teaching and co-teaching within interdisciplinary courses and other learning experiences. Our goal was for both new and seasoned interdisciplinary educators to move their own practices forward, emphasizing classroom and co-teaching practices.
Attendees discussed effective interdisciplinary co-teaching, strategies to address potential challenges, and the potential benefits of interdisciplinary courses for instructors and students. Participants had the opportunity to reflect on their own interdisciplinary teaching philosophies and work on individualized action plans.
You can watch Stephen Thomas' panel contribution video below, in which he describes some of his experiences plannign and teaching interdisciplinary courses. You can also access CIRCLE's interdisciplinary co-teaching resources at this link. Our resources include:

a tip sheet of co-teaching tips
a handout of course and campus resources to support intersidciplinary co-teaching
a personalizable planning worksheet that you can print and complete

If you have any questions about interdisciplinary course design, you can contact Ellie Louson, CIRCLE's associate director of interdisciplinary teaching & learning (lousonel@msu.edu), or our panelists Rachel Barnard (rbarnard@msu.edu) and Stephen Thomas (sthomas@msu.edu).
If you are interested in further programming from CIRCLE, please apply to become one of our affiliates here: https://research.msu.edu/circle/affiliate-faculty-program  (we accept applications on a rolling basis).
 
 
 
This was CIRCLE’s second teaching & learning workshop for 2024-25. Our first workshop focused on interdisciplinary course design and course planning; resources from that workshop are available here.

In mid-November, CIRCLE hosted a workshop on interdisciplinary course design and teaching. It was a generative conversation that gave MSU educators interested in interdisciplinary teaching the chance to connect and share resources and tactics. We showcased 2 panelists with experience designing and teaching interdisciplinary courses: Erin Dreelin (Fisheries & Wildlife and Center for Water Studies) and Garth Sabo (Director of the Center for IAH). The panel discussed effective interdisciplinary course design, strategies to address potential challenges, and the potential benefits of interdisciplinary courses for instructors and students.This workshop's goal was for both new and seasoned interdisciplinary educators to move their own practices forward, from classroom strategies to evaluation of interdisciplinary teaching effectiveness. Participants had the opportunity to reflect on their own interdisciplinary teaching philosophies and work on individualized plans for interdisciplinary teaching.You can watch Garth Sabo's panel contribution video below, in which he describes some of his experiences plannign and teaching interdisciplinary courses. You can also access CIRCLE's interdisciplinary teaching resources at this link. Our resources include:



Harden's Ladder of Integration framework for interdisciplinary course design
a handout including the benefits, challenges, and institutional resources to support interdisciplinary teaching
a personalizable planning worksheet that you can print and complete



If you have any questions about interdisciplinary course design, you can contact Ellie Louson, CIRCLE's associate director of interdisciplinary teaching & learning (lousonel@msu.edu), or our panelists Erin Dreelin (dreelin@msu.edu) and Garth Sabo (sabogart@msu.edu). Save the date for our second interdisciplinary teaching & learning workshop, which will focus on co-teaching and collaboration on interdisciplinary teaching teams. It will be held February 14th 10AM-1PM (registration link TBA).If you are interested in further programming from CIRCLE, please apply to become one of our affiliates here: https://research.msu.edu/circle/affiliate-faculty-program  (we accept applications on a rolling basis).

The IIT Fellowship Program, a collaboration between the Graduate School and James Madison Residential College of Public Affairs at MSU, provides professional development for graduate students in order to develop undergraduate teaching skills and learn about curriculum development in an interdisciplinary context.

Final Report: https://iteach.msu.edu/posts/preview_attachments?post_id=1497 

Title: Teaching and Learning about Data Through Stories: An Interdisciplinary PerspectivePresenters: Lee Melvin Peralta (College of Education); Louise Jezierski (James Madison College)Format: Paper PresentationDate: May 10th, 2023Time: 10:00 am - 11:15 am Room: 3201, Stem BuildingDescription:In a 2018 report on data science education, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommended that academic institutions encourage all undergraduate students, regardless of their backgrounds or career goals, to develop a basic understanding of data literacy and data science. In this paper, we build on the literature on undergraduate data literacy and data science education by discussing emerging findings from a new interdisciplinary course on data storytelling. The course was a freshman and sophomore research seminar involving the collaborative development of a survey instrument and the creation of corresponding data-driven stories. Through the survey, students sought to understand other undergraduate students' perspectives on the topics of food insecurity, healthcare, and economic mobility--topics that were chosen by the students and presented through various data visualizations. The course emphasized the role of stories, not only in representing the results of data analysis but also in understanding research practices through a storytelling lens. Recent literature suggests the importance for students to develop technical competency with data alongside an understanding of the sociopolitical and ethical dimensions of data. Emerging findings from the data storytelling course suggest an opportunity to leverage storytelling practices toward supporting students in developing a critical and creative orientation toward data. By attending to narrative structure, the materiality of storytelling, and the affective dimensions of stories, students were not only able to develop technical and critical skills toward data but also to address broader epistemological and ontological questions about the nature of knowledge production.

Topic Area: Information Session
Presented by: Ellie Louson, Caroline Blommel, Aalayna Green, Nick Young
Abstract:
This workshop shares how instructors can design, implement, and assess experiential, interdisciplinary, and/or project-based learning in courses. This approach empowers and equips instructors to leverage high-impact practices in their own teaching. We introduce an evidence driven framework for these complex learning experiences and share stories from students and faculty about how it works from the past 3 years of the Spartan Studios project in the Hub. A key outcome of this work is our Playkit: a combination playbook and toolkit that is a resource for faculty members. In this pedagogical framework coaching was a critical feature of the success of these courses. Participants will learn the strategy of pivoting to a coaching role, the gains for student autonomy and ownership, the value of not solving students’ problems, and how students experience this new way of teaching. Another key feature of this framework is the use of reflection at multiple points throughout the course experience, benefiting both student learning and teaching approaches. Through facilitated conversations, participants will apply this framework to design their own experiential, project-based, and/or interdisciplinary courses. Participants can also implement à la carte one or more of these elements into their teaching practice without developing an entirely new experiential course and still obtain benefits for student learning outcomes. Participants should bring a syllabus or course-level topic to develop during the workshop.
Session Resources: Spartans Studio Playlist - Introduction

Work with us to create a unique teaching and learning experience at CMERC.
You are invited to incorporate nature into courses and create learner‐centered experiences at CMERC (pronounced ‘see‐merk’), the Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center. CMERC is a 350‐acre ecological research center located 20 minutes from MSU campus in Bath Township, Michigan. It is a place for making scientific discoveries and integrating the arts and sciences in a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and inclusive space. CMERC welcomes educators, researchers, and citizens across MSU to explore, co‐create, facilitate and grow experiential courses for students.
CMERC seeks faculty and academic staff collaborators to develop learning experiences that will bring together educators, students, and community members to explore and learn from this vibrant ecological field site. MSU faculty and staff from across campus interested in this funded opportunity to join a SoTL Fellowship in land-based learning can connect with Jeno Rivera, Center Educational Program Development Leader at jeno@msu.edu.What is Corey Marsh (CMERC)?
CMERC is more than a physical place. It is a space that offers meaningful place-based experiences.CMERC was once MSU’s Muck Soils Research Center and operated from 1941 – 2012. In 2018, Fisheries and Wildlife associate professor Jen Owen, with the support of MSU AgBioResearch, led the reimagined CMERC into a place for integrating ecosystem science research with student learning and community engagement. In addition to training MSU undergraduate students in field‐based research and science  communication, the center aims to promote better land stewardship practices and the relevance of science to society. While still early in its development as an AgBioResearch site, CMERC has been engaging in a people-centered approach to the planning, design and management of the space. CMERC foresees a collaborative process transforming the space to a place that engages a diverse community – internal and external to the university in scientific discovery.Location of Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center in Bath TownshipHow can I contribute?
Given the unique opportunity CMERC provides to enhance student learning, we want to make sure that it serves a diverse student community that spans disciplines and units. We want educators in our SoTL Fellowship in land-based learning to reflect that diversity and help develop curriculum that will foster collaboration among students and serve to integrate arts and humanities with sciences.  Consider these examples of possible learning experiences at CMERC:

Edible and Medicinal Plants – for humans and wildlife. What is good for humans vs. wildlife?  What grows in muck soils? How can ecological restoration efforts incorporate edible plants? What is missing that was likely at CMERC in the past? 
Trails – People – Nature – Wildlife: How does trail design enhance natural experiences and maintain integrity of the ecosystem? What informs the development of a trail?
Land Grant or Land Grab?: Who was here before us? How did this land become a part of the land-grant system? How can this land honor those who used it in the past, present, and the future? 
Agriculture and Natural Resources – how can we document and understand how historic land-use affects ecosystem integrity now and in the future?

CMERC actively seeks MSU faculty and staff interested in designing and facilitating an interdisciplinary, learner-centered, sense-making experience built on the resources of CMERC. This curricular/co-curricular programming will be titled Lessons from Nature: Stories from CMERC. We envision that the learning inquiries would be co-created by faculty and students together. More specifically, the lessons will be shaped as a studio experience that is akin to Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars (BSP) integrated learning/self-directed courses or modular programming. These experiences would be facilitated by a faculty member, but inquiry and assessment are student led. Alternatively, you can develop learning experiences to enhance an existing course or curriculum. You may also be interested in giving your students the opportunity to facilitate place-based informal learning for youth in the local community.Next Steps: Have Fun. Explore Nature. Get to Know Us!
We invite your ideas and input for designing meaningful experiences at CMERC. Collaborators who are selected for our Fall 2022 cohort will receive $2,000 to support their participation. To explore how you can partner with CMERC, contact Jeno Rivera, Center Educational Program Development Leader at jeno@msu.edu  
Deadline to apply: June 15th, 2022.
 

Topic Area: DEI
Presented by: Melanie Cooper, Cori Fata-Hartley
Abstract:
Over the last 7 years, the STEM Teaching and Learning Fellowship at MSU has provided 4 cohorts of faculty with exposure to Three-Dimensional Learning (3DL), a new framework for teaching and learning, along with regular meetings to develop assessments and instructional materials, discuss education research, and become part of a growing interdisciplinary community of faculty committed to improving STEM education. While these activities were intended to lay a foundation, instructors’ personal attitudes, priorities, and behaviors in the context of their classes clearly play an important role in determining their students’ potential to benefit from research-based instructional strategies. In this panel discussion, alumni from the Fellowship will share personal stories as they describe their work to efficiently build assessments and instruction around the three dimensions of 3DL: Scientific Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts. Supports and barriers to implementing 3DL will be considered, along with implications for future cohorts and specific recommendations for successful course transformation.