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This is an opportunity to share some of your exam questions and offer/receive feedback. You can share up to 10 questions - any format is welcome although multiple-choice and open-ended questions are covered most closely in this portion of the workshop.
1. POST at least ONE question.
2. PROVIDE FEEDBACK to others. Add comments or questions, suggest wording revisions, even rewrite the entire question if you are feeling the writing vibe. REFER BACK to the content shared in the workshop, particularly the DOS AND DON'TS of question writing.
3. READ COMMENTS left on your questions.
4. REVISE your questions. Try to keep track of why you are making revisions!

Starting graduate school is an exciting moment in life, it can also be a stressful one. Facing new roles and responsibilities, maybe moving to a new city and a new university, having to adjust to a new work environment and collegial relationships, and figuring out how to balance different work/ research/ study requirements with your private life. Phew! Now, add on top of that being an international student also adjusting to a new language, culture, country and university system.  It can all be a little overwhelming.
 
Thankfully, MSU has many great resources available to support graduate students during this transition and throughout their program, some tailored specifically to international students, many available to all graduate students. Orientation programs are provided through the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS), the Graduate School, and the individual departments. Most information is conveyed through the departmental welcome events since there are a lot of department-specific requirements and resources. This means though that there is a wide variety in university-wide information, resources and services covered, resulting in an uneven awareness of those among graduate students.
 
As an international student myself, I attended all the orientation events I was aware of. They gave a good introduction to some aspects of graduate school. However, I realized throughout the following months that there are many more useful resources that could have eased my transition into graduate school and my early life as a graduate student significantly. The other side of the coin is that the orientation programs cover A LOT of ground in a short amount of time, making it difficult to remember it all. In my opinion, easily accessible (i.e. easy to find even though you might not be aware of what you are looking for) information could significantly support graduate students as they transition into and move through their degree program.
 
This experience inspired my work as one of the Leadership Fellows in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). Of course, I first had to find out whether I was alone with my experience or if it was shared by others. Over my first year at MSU, I spoke to many of my fellow graduate students, sometimes mentioning workshops or resources I had come across. I was often met with astonishment that those were available to us. This reaffirmed to me that many of the great resources available were not necessarily easily accessible or publicized. During my Fellowship year, I focused on the international student perspective because there were a lot of things of the American university system (and beyond) that I found to be quite confusing. There are also always those things presumed to be known but very confusing and unknown to someone who didn’t grow up here.
 
After reflecting on my experience and brainstorming topics for which I would have benefitted from better access, I conducted a short survey in cooperation with the Graduate School’s Curriculum Development Director. We received a surprising response of 100 international graduate students within 2 weeks (and just before winter break!). The survey asked both for how much information students had received on specific topics/ issues as well as collecting open-ended feedback on information they wished they had received when first coming here. We also asked what went well during orientation and further comments they had to improve the onboarding experience.
In response to whether students had received enough information on selected topics, the item with the most “Yes” responses was “Health Care Information and Services at MSU”. However, even for this item only 49% felt they had received sufficient information. The items with the least number of “Yes” responses broadly fall under ‘daily life services’ (such as hair and beauty salons) as well as family and child care support services. Without going into more detail here, the survey confirmed the need for my Fellowship project – creating one place from which students are easily directed towards resources they may need during their graduate school stay at MSU. So that is what I set out to do.
 
My goal is to create a playlist for incoming international graduate students here on the #iteachmsu website that brings together many of the available resources in one place. Picture a Spotify playlist but instead of music genre and songs, it will have topical categories like “Health” and “Money” under which one can find a collection of resources fitting within that category. The information will be introduced and “translated” into an easily digestible format. I will not reinvent the wheel here but rather showcase WHY these resources are useful and important to know about from the perspective of a graduate student (me). Accessing support resources should not turn into another research project but be a straightforward process. This playlist aims to do just that.
 
While the playlist is not yet up and running, it will be available for the Fall 2020 incoming students. I am currently bringing together the resources I wish to start with and writing the articles for the playlist. It will be a living resource in that I encourage feedback and additions.
 
Through the connections I have made during the Fellowship, a new cooperation in CANR has emerged to work on a similar project, catering to both international and domestic students.
 
My hope is that the playlist will be useful in publicizing the great resources MSU has to offer and in some way ease graduate students’ experience at the beginning of and throughout their program. The playlist can easily be expanded to cater to domestic students as there is a lot of overlap. And since it is one playlist, one package, it could easily be shared at orientation events within CANR and beyond, making the same information available to all.

Purpose
Use this document to consider where you want your questions to be located in your D2L course. 
The Locations
When you begin to create quiz questions in D2L, there are two locations to choose from:


Within the quiz itself


Within a question bank


Within the quiz itself 
You can initially create your questions in a quiz. This is the simplest model and it is generally used for exams that will be the same for all students, even if the questions are randomized/shuffled. In older versions of D2L, a random section had to be created, with questions drawn from the Question Library, in order to randomize questions in a quiz. This is no longer needed now that the "shuffle questions" feature has been added to the quiz settings. See the next item for reasons why you would want to use a question bank (Question Library). 
Within a question bank
This model requires a few more clicks because questions have to be imported into the quiz, but if you are looking to have a more complex exam, this is the way to go.
Question banks allow for the creation of question pools - a group of questions that test a similar objective. You can set up your quiz to randomly select a number of questions from the pool. Depending on the number of question pools, or the number of questions in a pool, it decreases the likelihood that any two students would have the same exam. 
How to build your Question Library (if used)
Even if you start by creating all your questions in quizzes, you can still import (copy) those questions into the Question Library later. Regardless of which location you begin with, any question you create can be copied to another location (Quiz to Library, Quiz to Quiz, or Library to Quiz). The system will let you know if you try to import a question to the Library that already exists. See the following case studies for ideas on how to organize your question library.
Case Study 1: A little faster to setup
An instructor decides to make the Question Library sections based on past versions of exams. Previous exams in Word can be converted in bulk with the Quiz Question Converter Tools opens in new window and then be imported into sections created in the Question Library. They can then pull from those questions to create randomized pool items in their new quiz. 
For example, suppose you have four different versions of Exam 1. Create sections for each exam (e.g. Exam 1-SS18, Exam 1-FS18, Exam 1-SS19, Exam 1-FS19) and import questions. Then, when adding questions to a new quiz, add a "Question Pool" and Browse the Question Library for similar questions from the various exams. For question 1, you might grab the first question from each section (exam) and setup the pool item to randomly select one from the questions chosen.
The system copies the questions to the quiz. It does not keep looking to the Library to pull them in. Even if the library section was deleted, the questions in the quiz will still be there. If you decide to add a question to one of the sections, you still need to bring it into the quiz.
To make it more secure, change up more of the questions. A larger question pool will produce more unique exams for each user. If you do not have many existing exams, create a new quiz, copy the quiz more than once, change each of the questions & answers, and then import those sets back to the library. This is a good way to build up a large pool of similar questions to select from. Contact the help desk if you need assistance.
Case Study 2: More time organizing but saves time later
An instructor decides to make the Question Library sections based on topics, chapters, or unit objectives. In this case, first bring your converted exam questions into hidden quizzes, and then from the Question Library, create sections and import all of the similar questions together by topic. This will make grabbing questions for your question pools easier to do. You can then select multiple questions at once from the same area rather than selecting questions from multiple areas. 
When working with a publisher that has test banks, you can often import quizzes or question banks directly into D2L with the import/export/copy function in Course Admin. Publisher test banks often contain errors but as long as they are checked, this is another way to quickly build up your question bank.



Why didn't the above instructions include copying from Library section to Library section?
You cannot import/copy a question in the Question Library to put in another section of the Library, but you can move the questions around within the library in order to organize it the way you want.



 
Contact the MSU Service Desk if you need assistance.

Title: Increasing learners' motivation in gender and sexuality study through making activist animation and video gamePresenter: Dan Li (Center for Gender in Global Context)Format: WorkshopDate: May 11th, 2023Time: 2:45 - 3:45 pmClick here to viewDescription: In this workshop, I will share how I engage undergraduate students to discuss gender and sexuality issues in a university core course through making educational animations and video games. Students critique gender stereotypes presented in everyday scenarios and visual culture. Students from diverse majors bring their perspectives into the classroom to deconstruct gender stereotypes and open a dialogue to the public to promote a more just society.

***This is part of a series of articles compiling useful resources and information for new graduate students. Some of the information in this series will be relevant for anybody new to MSU, including undergraduates, postdocs, faculty and staff. The topical areas range from settling into East Lansing and Michigan, getting to know which services can be found on campus to administrative steps and information needed throughout a graduate program at MSU. For the full series, see this playlist dedicated to (international) graduate students.***
 
Health Insurance
As an international student, you need to have health insurance. MSU will automatically enrol you in the Blue Care Network health insurance. There are only very few circumstances in which you can waive the health insurance coverage. This insurance can be used for pretty much anything except for dental and vision care.
Dental insurance is covered through Delta Dental and can be purchased in two enrolment periods (July-October for a Fall semester start and November-February for a Spring semester start). Depending on your employment type at MSU, you probably qualify for a reduced fee (i.e. MSU will pay half of the cost of coverage).
Vision insurance can be purchased any time of the year through Vision Service Plan.
I’d strongly recommend going to the Health Insurance information session organized by OISS to get a good explanation of how health insurance and the health care system work in the US. Here, I am listing just a few important words in American health insurances.
Deductible: Amount you must pay before your insurance “kicks in”. This is not applied to all services and is a yearly amount to be reached before the insurance covers the services (you may be left with Co-pays or Co-insurance payments).
Co-Pay: A fixed amount you pay for specific services. E.g. for visits to a specialist.
Co-Insurance: Your share of the cost of covered services, calculated as a percentage. This only applies to some services.
Out-of-pocket maximum: Amount to be reached beyond which the insurance pays 100% of covered services (deductible, co-pays and co-insurance payments all count towards the out-of-pocket maximum).
You can contact both OISS or the Blue Care Network representative at Olin Health Center if you have specific questions. Make sure to look at your member guide also.
Health Care Services
MSU has its own health services. The main health centre is Olin Health Center on the northern end of campus, though there are also some neighbourhood clinics dotted around campus. Students have 3 free visits at Olin per year. After that you will have to pay a Co-pay for your visits. Make sure to bring your student ID and insurance card. The doctors there can also refer you to a specialist if needed. And there is an in-house laboratory (in the basement) in case you need any blood work or other tests done. You can also get a free flu shot (i.e. vaccination) there.
There are 3 main access points to health care depending on the severity of your condition – Primary Care, Urgent Care, and the Emergency Room. See this resource for when to go where. If you are unsure where to go or need other immediate advice also after hours, there is a 24/7 phone nurse available.
Appointments, reminders for check-ups, test results, contact forms to directly communicate with your doctor, online payment for services rendered and more can be found in your online Health Portal (MyMSUHealth).
Mental Health
There are several mental health services available on MSU’s campus (free for students) as well as independently off-campus that are covered by your Blue Care Network insurance.
The Counselling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) located at Olin Health Center offer up to 8 free visits per year for all students. They offer drop-in, mini sessions (10-15 minutes) called CAPS Connect at different locations on campus too. CAPS also organizes several support groups, including one dedicated to international students.
If you are employed by MSU (as a Graduate Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant) you are eligible to use the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP offers short-term counselling services and can also refer you to counsellors outside of MSU if you are looking for more long-term/ regular support. Their services are usually limited to 6 sessions per “issue”.
There is a regular offering of mental health or wellness courses/ workshops offered through Health4You. A popular one is “Breaking free from the monkey mind” or workshops on mindfulness, stress management or emotional eating to name but a few. The exact workshops offered continuously change, so keep an eye out for e-mails from the Graduate School and check the Health4You website or sign up to their newsletter for updates.
A note on mental health…
Life gets messy sometimes and we all struggle on occasion. If you have a mental health concern, or just need someone to talk to about dealing with stress, your adjustment here, relationships (at work or in your private life), etc. PLEASE make use of the mental health services provided. In the US, there is much less of a stigma attached to seeking help for mental health issues and it is more openly talked about than in some other countries. You do not need to be in crisis in order to benefit from counselling. Note that all services are confidential.

MSU is asking educators to participate in the EDUCAUSE 2023 Faculty Survey.
Members of MSU faculty who participate will help the university learn about teaching experiences across different instructional modalities in higher education.
Please complete the survey here. 
This web-based survey should take less than 15 minutes to complete, and responses are completely anonymous and confidential. The survey will be open until May 5, 2023.By partnering with EDUCAUSE and peer institutions, this survey will help MSU understand the technology needed to support teaching, learning, and student success.
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education using information technology. They equip the community with the knowledge, resources, and community-building opportunities needed to help shape strategic IT decisions at every level in higher education.
 
Your participation is appreciated and will help guide the university as we improve the technological environment for Spartans, and peers, for years to come.
 

Graduate school is hard. It can be even harder when there are very few people in your program that look like you or come from a similar background as you. Studies show that not only does the diversity of a program contribute to student experiences, but feelings of inclusion and belonging play an equally important role. In fact, a study of MSU graduate students showed that students who did not feel supported or included due to gender, race, sexual identity, culture, or religion were significantly less satisfied with their graduate school programs. This research and our personal experiences suggested that an important project for us as Fellows of the Graduate School would be to focus on improving the experience of underrepresented minority graduate students in our college. Together we built a framework of a multi-tier support system that would provide resources at different levels (student, faculty, and college level). However, in brainstorming possible resources, we discovered that we had very different ideas of what would benefit students.
 
The experts in change management would suggest that you should first conduct a needs assessment before attempting to provide a solution, particularly in a big system. After already establishing that satisfaction with one’s graduate program depends on underrepresented minority graduate students feeling included, we next should figure out what they need to feel included and like they belong. This article is a step by step description of our journey planning a needs assessment to discover how we might best serve underrepresented graduate students.
 
Step 1: Do your research
As PhD students, research comes second nature! We dug into the academic literature to find studies or theories that offered solutions for improving feelings of belonging, engagement, happiness, success, or retention of underrepresented students in graduate school. The literature also provided a bonus: tips for how to successfully implement the solutions. The list of possibilities was further narrowed when we considered what could be done within the bounds of our college with the resources and time we had.
 
Next, we did some benchmarking studies where we looked at what other campuses implemented to address the same issue. Many were far past our ability to implement (giving fellowships for example), but we were really inspired by the student led efforts we found. A few more solutions were added to our list.
 
Step 2: Construct tools to capture voices
A needs assessment suggests that you must ASSESS NEEDS! It is extremely important to not just use your own experiences or examples of what others did to “create a solution”. Instead, the crux of creating sustainable change is to find out what the recipients of the solution need and think through how you might address those needs.
 
We began by creating an open-ended survey that allows underrepresented minority students to freely tell us if they are satisfied with their experiences in graduate school and their suggestions on how to improve their experiences. The second part of the survey asks for feedback and opinions on the list of solutions that we came up with.
 
Next, we made a plan to conduct focus groups. We thought through recruitment, locations, the questions we would ask, and how to merge this information with our survey results. The two methods would allow us to capture the voices of underrepresented students and build our multi-tier support system from their needs and suggestions.
 
Step 3: Identify and engage with administrators
Institutional support is an essential part of creating sustainable change. Getting partners within administration to lead the change also increases the chance that you implement lasting change. To begin this process, we reached out to introduce ourselves and our role to the Dean and Assistant Dean of our college. After establishing a friendly connection, we identified the Assistant Dean as a person who could help champion this work and who had a personal interest in the topic.
 
We set up a meeting and prepared for it by outlining our project (including future steps), summarizing the benefits to the MSU community, and preparing a list of “asks”. The meeting went over successfully with the Assistant Dean agreeing to support and help with the project. She also recommended other administrators that we could consult with. We went about the same process for engaging those administrators.
 
Step 4: Execute Your Plan!
The next step in completing a needs assessment is to do it! Unfortunately, a global pandemic prevented us from being able to conduct our activities, but we can share our plan.
 
Our survey was to be administered from the Dean’s office directly to underrepresented minority students. We concurrently would begin to recruit and conduct focus groups.
 
The information would be consolidated, and we would make a decision about what type of changes, resources, solutions, etc. to provide in order to enhance the experience of underrepresented minority graduate students. Once we created a proposal, we would begin to engage the necessary stakeholders to make it come to life. For example, one of the solutions on our list was to create a page on the college website that featured all of the available resources for underrepresented students. We would have to compile a list of these resources, request permission to do so by administration, get assistance from the website owners, and establish an updating protocol so that the page stays current.
 
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The best advice that we can offer when conducting a needs assessment is to stay flexible and stay encouraged. You have to be flexible enough to realize that what you thought people needed may not be exactly what they think they need or what can be provided. You will need to be innovative so that your solution satisfies the needs of your audience. Change leadership projects can also be very involved and take a long time. You must bring your patience and enjoy the ride! Stay encouraged throughout the journey and persevere to you goal.

This post provides an overview of problematic language as part of the Inclusive Pedagogy playlist.
Our language use is influenced by social and cultural factors. Those factors sometimes can make us unaware of the impact of our words. One way to prevent unintentional harm is to be more aware of inclusive language practices. However, inclusive language can be more than just avoiding offense or being “politically correct”; instead, it is a “communication style that is genuinely curious about how to talk to and about our fellow humans respectfully” (Acrolinx). Inclusive language use works to “honor the diverse identities of every person in the room and invites them to be part of the conversation” (Relias). 
When we prioritize an inclusive language environment, everyone feels more welcome and learning is more able to take place. Within this, we do not want to shame people when they make a mistake, as that would also not be welcoming. Rather, we try to gently reframe their language use, such as through the P.A.L.S. method.
Many inclusive language guides exist to learn more about certain problematic terms and legacies: 

MSU Brand Studio
MSU’s Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
MSU’s College of Natural Science Guide
University of Washington’s Information Technology
Pratt Institute Libraries’ article 
Writer’s Inclusive language in the workplace guide

Language is a living entity that changes for building common and shared understandings. Boston University curates a Living Language Guide. As a note of caveat, sometimes people claim that certain phrases and words were more socially acceptable in the past, but it is important to note that, generally, language use that is problematic usually has a longer legacy of harm that was problematic—even in the past. It is up to us now to make ourselves and others more aware of the impact of that language. Similarly, sometimes people find it difficult to “keep up” with understanding language, and that can feel really difficult. To counteract that, educators can build in time to practice more inclusive phrases with trusted people. In addition, it’s important to remember that the more one can learn and better understand harmful legacies of terms, then the more belonging learners will feel.
Some reflection questions for educators to reflect on their language and intentionality, include: 

How do I define and practice inclusive language in my classroom? How do I foster a classroom culture where inclusive language is encouraged among students?
What steps do I take to ensure my language includes all students, considering gender, race, ability, and additional identities? How intentional am I in using gender-neutral terms, pronouns, and respectful language? How do I incorporate diverse identities into my communication?
How do I ensure my language is respectful and accurate when discussing sensitive or identity-related topics?
How do I educate myself on terms related to various identities and groups? How can I stay informed and continuously adapt my language to reflect evolving societal and student needs?
How do I respond when non-inclusive language is pointed out, and how open am I to making changes?
What processes do I use to reflect on and improve intentional and inclusive language? How do I check for unintentional bias in my language and course materials?

Continue to read more about inclusive pedagogy in the next article on Inclusive Syllabi or return to the Inclusive Pedagogy playlist.