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AppendixThis is the ninth and final article in our iTeach.MSU playlist for the Spartan Studios Playkit.This appendix includes categories related to different elements of interdisciplinary, experiential teaching and course design, and includes what we hope are useful annotations.
Research from the Spartan Studios project

Heinrich, W. F., Louson, E., Blommel, C., & Green, A. R. (2021). Who Coaches the Coaches? The Development of a Coaching Model for Experiential Learning. Innov High Educ 46, 357–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-020-09537-3 

This paper is an overview of the Spartan Studios project and our results for students and faculty who ran prototype courses. It outlines the GORP model as well as the benefits and challenges of this approach to teaching and course planning.

Heinrich, W. F., Lauren, B., & Logan, S. (2020). Interdisciplinary teaching, learning and power in an experiential classroom. Submitted to Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education.

This paper [under review] describes the first iteration of what became the Studios pattern at MSU and introduces the GORP framework.

Research from the James Madison University X-Labs, our colleagues in Virginia working in a similar course model

McCarthy, S., Barnes, A., Briggs, F., Giovanetti, K., Ludwig, P., Robinson, K., & Swayne, N. (Fall 2016). Undergraduate Social Entrepreneurship Education and Communication Design. SIGDOC 2015 Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1145/2987592.2987625 

This report describes some communication strategies within the X-Labs’ drones course, how students documented and presented their works and how faculty plan to iterate the course.

Ludwig, P. M., Lewis, E. J., Nagel, J. K. (2017). Student learning outcomes from a pilot medical innovations course with nursing, engineering and biology undergraduate students. International Journal of STEM Education, 4(33) https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-017-0095-y 

Describes an X-Labs multidisciplinary course on medical innovations and its assessment using qualitative content analysis about students’ attitudes and perceptions of different occupations.

McCarthy, S., Barnes, A., Holland, S. K., Lewis, E., Ludwig, P., & Swayne, N. (2018). Making It: Institutionalizing Collaborative Innovation in Public Higher Education. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’18) 1,549–1,557. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.8560  

A descriptive case study of the academic maker space in the JMU X-Labs, both describing specific courses and how X-Labs is administered. Offers this model as applicable elsewhere in higher ed.

Kishbaugh, A. (2018). An Exploratory Case Study of Cross-Disciplinary Project-Based (i.e. Maker) Curricula as a Catalyst for Entrepreneurship. International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces. https://jmuxlabs.org/app/uploads/2018/10/ISAM_2018_akish_v6.pdf 

Describes cross-disciplinary courses as promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, by looking at startups coming from these courses. Offers a framework based on multidisciplinary problem-solving, Design Thinking approaches, and a lean startup methodology.

Selznick, B. S., Mayhew, M. J., & Swayne, N. (2018, November 20). Stop Blaming Innovation. (Correspondence from Chronicle readers). The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/letters/stop-blaming-innovation/ 

A rebuttal to an argument that higher ed’s emphasis on innovation is misguided. Argues that innovation has positive student outcomes, is different from entrepreneurship, and that their interventions are effective.

Swayne, N., McCarthy, S., Selznick, B. S., & Fisher, K. A. (2019). Breaking up I/E: Consciously Uncoupling Innovation and Entrepreneurship to Improve Undergraduate Learning. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.24251/HICSS.2019.651  

Describes the X-Labs as evidence for uncoupling entrepreneurship and innovation, and argues that conceptually they are separate; teaching innovation needs to precede teaching entrepreneurship

Lewis, E. J., Ludwig, P. M., Nagel, J., & Ames, A. (2019). Student ethical reasoning confidence pre/post an innovative makerspace course: A survey of ethical reasoning. Nurse Education Today, 75, 75-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.01.011 

Describes gains to ethical reasoning after the Medical Innovations X-Labs course.

El-Tawab, S., Sprague, N. & Stewart, M. (2020). Teaching Innovation in Higher Education: A Multidisciplinary Class. In D. Schmidt-Crawford (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 8-13). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/215725/. 

Describes a case of the X-Labs autonomous vehicles course, its support of students’ technical and soft skills, and its reproducibility.

McMurtrie, B. (2019) No Textbooks, No Lectures, and No Right Answers. Is This What Higher Education Needs? Chronicle of Higher Education 10 Feb.  https://www.chronicle.com/article/no-textbooks-no-lectures-and-no-right-answers-is-this-what-higher-education-needs/  

Chronicle of Higher Education story about the JMU X-Labs course model.
Interdisciplinarity

Harden, R. M. (2000) The integration ladder: A tool for curriculum planning and evaluation. Medical Education, 34(7), 551–557. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2000.00697.x 

Offers a framework for thinking about different disciplinary connections, from disciplines being isolated/siloed from each other through transdisciplinarity.

Carmicheal, T. & LaPierre, Y. (2014). Interdisciplinary Learning Works: The Results of a Comprehensive Assessment of Students and Student Learning Outcomes in an Integrative Learning Community. Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies, 32(3), 53–78. http://hdl.handle.net/10323/6647 

Evidence-based assessment of student learning outcomes and academic growth metrics as a result of participation in a first-year integrative learning community. The author outlines the interdisciplinary learning goals and processes of the program, and shows that students that participated in the program consistently outperformed students outside of the program in both short term and long term learning and academic growth benchmarks. 

Ivanitskaya, L., Clark, D., Montgomery, G., & Primeau, R. (2002). Interdisciplinary Learning: Process and Outcomes. Innovative Higher Education, 27, 95–111. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021105309984 

A review of expected benefits, learning outcomes, and processes (and potential roadblocks) of interdisciplinary education. Review applied to an interdisciplinary discussion based course. The authors claim that interdisciplinary learning can significantly contribute to intellectual maturity and cognitive development of students, and provide a framework of milestones that students may hit in the process of cognitive development through interdisciplinary ed. 

Kezar, A. & Elrod, S. (2012). Facilitating Interdisciplinary Learning: Lessons from Project Kaleidoscope. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 44(1), 16–25, https://doi.org/10.1080/00091383.2012.635999 

This magazine article argues for the benefits of interdisciplinary education for both students and institutions, and provides ways to encourage interdisciplinary education on a systemic level. The authors give key strategies and tips for facilitating interdisciplinary learning and creating student experiences. The barriers to interdisciplinary learning/education are recognized (specifically institutional) and potential solutions are given as well. 

Stentoft D. (2017) From saying to doing interdisciplinary learning: Is problem-based learning the answer? Active Learning in Higher Education, 18(1). 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787417693510

Author argues that PBL is an effective strategy to facilitate interdisciplinary learning and vice versa. The author also acknowledges three barriers to effective interdisciplinary education: curriculum organization, student competencies to navigate interdisciplinary problems, and instructor competency - and proposes how to address these barriers.  

Imafuku, R., Kataoka, R., Mayahara, M., Suzuki, H., & Saiki, T. (2014). Students’ Experiences in Interdisciplinary Problem-based Learning: A Discourse Analysis of Group Interaction. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1388 
Kruck, S. E. and Teer, Faye P. (2009). Interdisciplinary Student Teams Projects: A Case Study. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(3), 325–330. https://aisel.aisnet.org/jise/vol20/iss3/7  


Problem-Based Learning/Project-Based Learning 

Ertmer, P. A., & Simons, K. D. (2006). Jumping the PBL Implementation Hurdle: Supporting the Efforts of K–12 Teachers. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1005

While focused on problem based learning at the K-12 level, this paper covers topics relevant to higher education instruction, including implementation challenges, creating collaborative classroom culture, teachers adjusting to changing roles, scaffolding student learning, initiating student inquiry, maintaining student engagement, aiding conceptual integration, and promoting reflective thinking

Fukuzawa, S., Boyd, C., & Cahn, J. (2017). Student motivation in response to problem-based learning. Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching, 10, 175-188. https://doi.org/10.22329/celt.v10i0.4748

Study of student perceptions of problem-based learning in an anthropology course found that students with more subject matter experience didn’t necessarily have greater intrinsic motivation about the course. Also includes strategies for transitioning students to PBL when they are used to traditional lectures.

Guo, P., Saab, N., Post, L. S., & Admiraal, W. (2020). A review of project-based learning in higher education: Student outcomes and measures. International Journal of Educational Research, 102, 101586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101586

A review of literature around project based learning that includes 76 papers. Topics covered in the review include cognitive outcomes of PjBL including knowledge and cognitive strategies, affective outcomes including perceptions of the benefits of PjBL and perceptions of the experience of PBL, and behavior outcomes including skills and engagement

Lee, J. S., Blackwell, S., Drake, J., & Moran, K. A. (2014). Taking a leap of faith: redefining teaching and learning in higher education through project-based learning. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1426

Study of instructors who implemented PjBL that focused around their challenges and successes with community partnerships, student engagement, and assessment

Moro, C., & McLean, M. (2017). Supporting students’ transition to university and problem-based learning. Medical Science Educator, 27(2), 353-361. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-017-0384-6   

15 strategies for scaffolding learning and supporting students in PBL programs includes using a phased approach to PBL, getting student feedback in the first few weeks of the program, and develop learner’s reflective skills before self-assessment

Pepper C. (2010). ‘There’s a lot of learning going on but NOT much teaching!’: Student perceptions of problem‐based learning in science. Higher Education Research & Development, 29(6), 693-707. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2010.501073 

Overview of student responses to problem based learning at an Australian university. Developed a continuum of how students react to problem based learning that includes missing the point, working in groups, splitting the workload, completing the task, assessing the task, learning new information, sharing ideas, and being self directed learners

Perrault, E. K., & Albert, C. A. (2018). Utilizing project-based learning to increase sustainability attitudes among students. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 17(2), 96-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2017.1366882 

While PjBL is often concerned with knowledge gain, this study suggests that PBL can also shift student attitudes around the topic. For this study, students designed a communications campaign for an office of sustainability. The students themselves were found to have more favorable views around sustainability by the end of the course

Boston University Center for Teaching & Learning. (n.d.). Project-based learning: teaching guide. http://www.bu.edu/ctl/guides/project-based-learning/

Brief overview of what project based learning is and four key steps to implementing it (defining the problem, generating ideas, prototyping solutions, and testing)

Strobel, J., & van Barneveld, A. (2009). When is PBL more effective? A meta-synthesis of meta-analyses comparing PBL to conventional classrooms. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1046  

Combines the results of many meta-analyses around PBL over the last few decades to compare PBL to traditional classroom learning. The study finds that PBL results in more satisfaction among students and faculty, leads to better long term retention of knowledge (traditional was better for short-term), and better skill development

Vogler, J. S., Thompson, P., Davis, D. W., Mayfield, B. E., Finley, P. M., & Yasseri, D. (2018). The hard work of soft skills: augmenting the project-based learning experience with interdisciplinary teamwork. Instructional Science, 46(3), 457-488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-017-9438-9 

Two-year study of an interdisciplinary problem based learning task and student outcomes. Study used student feedback during each year to understand how students were feeling about the course. The instructors learned that students felt the instructors had inconsistent and unclear expectations and hence, experienced anxiety about grades. The instructors took this to mean that they needed to do a better job of articulating the learning outcomes and end of course goal. The instructors also learned that students often do not know how to collaborate interdisciplinary and decided to add scaffolding to the course

Learning Objectives and Bloom’s Taxonomy 

Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

Overview of the original 6 levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and the 6 levels of the Revised Taxonomy: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. Includes the four types of knowledge: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive.

Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center. (n.d.). Design & Teach a Course. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/learningobjectives.html

Strategies and tips for articulating and writing learning objectives including that learning objectives should be student-centered, break down the task and focus on specific cognitive processes, use action verbs, and be measurable.

Ferguson, C. (2002). Using the revised taxonomy to plan and deliver team-taught, integrated, thematic units. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 238-243. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_6 

Example of an interdisciplinary high school course (English & social studies) where the two instructors used a taxonomy table to map their learning objectives onto the 6 levels of the Revised Taxonomy and 4 types of knowledge. Such a table may be useful for thinking about the learning objectives in your course

Kidwell, L. A., Fisher, D. G., Braun, R. L., & Swanson, D. L. (2013). Developing learning objectives for accounting ethics using Bloom's taxonomy. Accounting Education, 22(1), 44-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/09639284.2012.698478 

An example of using Bloom’s Taxonomy in accounting ethics to create learning objectives. For each larger course theme, the authors list examples how learning objectives could be created from each level of the Taxonomy.

Mayer, R. E. (2002). Rote versus meaningful learning. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 226-232. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_4 

Includes 19 processes/action verbs, how they map to the 6 levels of the Revised Taxonomy, and simple examples of what a task for students to do might look like. Examples of included verbs are “compare,” “implement,” “organize,” “critique,” and “generate”

Tyran, C. K. (2010). Designing the spreadsheet-based decision support systems course: an application of Bloom's taxonomy. Journal of Business Research, 63(2), 207-216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.03.009 

An example of using Bloom’s taxonomy to map course activities to ensure students have the prerequisite knowledge to complete the assignments 

Reflection; Reflection as Assessment

Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009). Learning through critical reflection: A tutorial for service-learning students. Ash, Clayton & Moses.

Introduces characteristics of critical reflection and the DEAL model.

Eyler, J., Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., & Schmeide, A. (1996). A practitioner's guide to reflection in service-learning: Student voices & reflections. Vanderbilt University.

Argues that successful reflection is continuous, challenging, connected, and contextualized.

Earl, L. M. (2012). Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning (2nd edition). Corwin Press.

Especially chapter 10, Using Assessment for Reflection and Self-Regulation

Ash, S. L., Clayton, P. H., & Atkinson, M. P. (2005). Integrating reflection and assessment to capture and improve student learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 11(2), 49-60. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.3239521.0011.204 

Sees coupled reflection and assessment as mutually informing and reinforcing for students in service learning. Describes tools to guide reflective writing processes. Focus on both individual student learning and reflection as part of program-wide approaches to reflection.

Assessment of Experiential Education & Interdisciplinary Learning 

Conrad, D., & Hedin, D. (1981). National assessment of experiential education: Summary and implications. Journal of Experiential Education, 4(2), 6–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382598100400202  

A summary of the research of the Evaluation of Experiential Learning project which sought to (1) assess the impact of experiential learning on secondary school students and (2) use that data to identify the elements of the EE programs that contributed the most to such student development.

Field, M., Lee, R., & Field, M. L. (1994). Assessing interdisciplinary learning. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 1994(58), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.37219945806 

In-depth discussion of assessment techniques for interdisciplinary study in higher education

Heinrich, W. F., Habron, G. B., Johnson, H. L., & Goralnik, L. (2015). Critical thinking assessment across four sustainability-related experiential learning settings. Journal of Experiential Education, 38(4), 373–393. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053825915592890  

Implications of critical thinking coupled with engaged citizenry within experiential education courses.

Mansilla, V. B., & Duraising, E. D. (2007). Target assessment of students’ interdisciplinary work: An empirically grounded framework proposed. The Journal of Higher Education, 78(2), 215-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2007.11780874  

Introduction of a framework for targeted assessment of interdisciplinary student work. Also a good review of relevant literature of assessment and interdisciplinary learning in higher education.

Yates, T., Wilson, J., & Purton, K. (2015). Surveying assessment in experiential learning: A single campus study. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2015.3.4  

Exploration of experiential assessment within a Canadian University. Exploration intended for the use in identifying common methods and facilitating development of best assessment practices for higher education, specifically experiential higher education.

You, H. S., Marshall, J. A., & Delgado, C. (2019). Toward interdisciplinary learning: Development and validation of an assessment for interdisciplinary understanding of global carbon cycling. Research in Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-9836-x  

Development and validation of an assessment which measured the understanding of the carbon cycle for high school and undergraduate students.
Building and Managing Student Teams & Team Dynamics 

Burke, A. (2011) Group Work:  How to Use Groups Effectively. Journal of Effective Teaching, 11(2), 87-95. https://uncw.edu/jet/articles/vol11_2/burke.pdf 
Cano, J. L., Lidon, I., Rebollar, R., Roman, P., & Saenz, M. J. (2006). Student groups solving real-life projects. A case study of experiential learning. International Journal of Engineering Education, 22(6), 1252-1260. https://www.ijee.ie/articles/Vol22-6/16_IJEE1811.pdf 
Fearon, C., McLaughlin, H., & Yoke Eng, T. (2012). Using student group work in higher education to emulate professional communities of practice. Education + Training, 54(2/3), 114–125. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911211210233  
Fellenz, M. R. (2006). Toward fairness in assessing student groupwork: A protocol for peer evaluation of individual contributions. Journal of Management Education, 30(4), 570–591. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562906286713   
Furman, R., Bender, K., & Rowan, D. (2014). An experiential approach to group work. Oxford University Press.
Smith, G. G., Sorensen, C., Gump, A., Heindel, A. J., Caris, M., & Martinez, C. D. (2011). Overcoming student resistance to group work: Online versus face-to-face. The Internet and Higher Education, 14(2), 121–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.09.005  
Hassanien, A. (2006). Student Experience of Group Work and Group Assessment in Higher Education. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 6(1), 17–39. https://doi.org/10.1300/j172v06n01_02  
Kayes, A. B., Kayes, D. C., & Kolb, D. A. (2005). Experiential learning in teams. Simulation & Gaming, 36(3), 330–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878105279012  
Napier, N. P. & Johnson, R. D. (2007). Technical Projects: Understanding Teamwork Satisfaction In an Introductory IS Course. Journal of Information Systems Education. 18(1), 39-48. http://www.jise.org/volume18/n1/JISEv18n1p39.html 
Winsett, C., Foster, C., Dearing, J., & Burch, G. (2016). The impact of group experiential learning on student engagement. Academy of Business Research Journal. 3, 7-17. 


Online Experiential Education and Innovative Online Teaching & Course Structures

Bolan, C. M. (2003). Incorporating the experiential learning theory into the instructional design of online courses. Nurse Educator, 28(1), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006223-200301000-00006  

Provides insights on how to implement an experiential learning framework into an already developed online course.

Christian, D. D., McCarty, D. L., & Brown, C. L. (2020). Experiential education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A reflective process. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2020.1813666  

Provides insight on how experiential learning can occur in an online format which acknowledges the new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes case studies.  

Sharoff, L. (2019). Creative and innovative online teaching strategies: Facilitation for active participation. The Journal of Educators Online, 16. https://doi.org/10.9743/jeo.2019.16.2.9  

Piece on how to keep students thoughtfully engaged with online courses.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Bricklemyer, J. (2019, April 29). DEI online course supplemental checklist. https://codl.ku.edu/sites/codl.ku.edu/files/docs/DEI%20Online%20Course%20Supplemental%20Checklist%2029Apr19.pdf

A set of five principles around designing a course for inclusion geared specifically toward online courses. Also includes links to other resources for more in-depth resources 

Canning, E. A., Muenks, K., Green, D. J., & Murphy, M. C. (2019). STEM faculty who believe ability is fixed have larger racial achievement gaps and inspire less student motivation in their classes. Science Advances, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau4734  

Students in classes where the instructor believed that student potential was fixed earned lower grades than in courses where the instructor believed student potential changed over time. In addition, the difference in grades between students from underrepresented racial groups and white/Asian students was larger in the classes with instructors who thought mindset was fixed. 

CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

A set of broad guidelines for ensuring that all learners can engage in learning, regardless of culture, language, or disability status. Each guideline includes practical examples of how it could be implemented in a course and the research supporting the guideline. 

Dewsbury, B., & Brame, C. J. (2019). Inclusive teaching. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-01-0021  

Guide that covers why instructors need to develop self-awareness and empathy for students and consider classroom climate before pedagogical choices for inclusivity. Also includes an interactive webpage about inclusive teaching with literature citations and a checklist for instructors. 

MyPronouns.org Resources on Personal Pronouns. (n.d.). https://www.mypronouns.org/ 

A guide about personal pronouns and best practices for using them: include your pronouns when introducing yourself, avoid using “preferred” in front of pronouns, and using “go by” instead of “uses” when introducing pronouns. E.g. My name is Sparty and I go by him/his pronouns. 

University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. Inclusive Strategies Reflection. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UK3HFQv-3qMDNjvt0fFPbts38ApOL7ghpPE0iSYJ1Z8/edit?usp=sharing

A self-reflection tool for instructors about their teaching practices measured along five dimensions: critical engagement of difference, academic belonging, transparency, structured interactions, and flexibility. Each dimension includes ideas for instructors to add to their own courses 

Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning.(n.d.) Inclusive Teaching Strategies. https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/InclusiveTeachingStrategies 

Includes 9 recommendations instructors can take to create a more inclusive classroom including incorporating diversity into the curriculum, examining implicit biases, adding a diversity statement to the syllabus, and soliciting student feedback 

Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/resources/inclusive-teaching-guide/

Photo from LubosHouska from Pixabay

Storytelling for Learning 1: Creating Meaning from Chaos
In 1944, experimental psychologists Fritz Heider and Marianne Simmel used the video below in an experiment. They instructed their female undergraduate subjects to write down what happened in the movie.
 
I want you to do the same. Take out some paper, watch the video, and jot down a few sentences about what happened. 
 

 
What did you write down?  What was happening?
 
 
Now watch part of the video below, where some comedians talk about what they saw. You only need watch about a minute of the video to get the idea. (Warning: potentially offensive language...as you can imagine from comedians on YouTube.)
 


 
What is interesting is most people create a story. The characters are a shape. There is a setting of a room, or perhaps a house. Many people see a bullying event, or another form of conflict. 
Yet this is simply a video of shapes moving around a screen, isn't it?
 
Humans are wired to create meaning from input. That is why my aunt sees Jesus in her toast. That is why, when the photo below was taken by NASA in 1975 (yes, that is a real and unedited photo), the public FREAKED out. A face! A human face!  There is life there! They are communicating with us!
 
 

 
 
It is also why we love conspiracy theories. When random things happen, especially bad things, we want a logical explanation. Random bad luck is not an explanation that satisfies us. Thus, Elvis didn't die young. Nope. He faked his death to live in peace, away from the nuisance of fame. Now he is in hiding-- living out his years in a lovely coastal fishing village in Honduras.
 
p>Daydreaming is, for the most part, storytelling. It is us thinking about a possible scenario, planning something in the future and creating the "story" that surrounds it, or just fantasizing about something other than where we are at the moment. 
 
 



How many waking hours do you spend each day daydreaming?


2-3 hours
3-5 hours
5-7 hours
over 9 hours



 
 
 
 
 
 


Created with QuizMaker

 

 
So what is the correct answer to the above?  Scroll down. 

 
And down!
 
 
 
 
 
We spend 7.7 hours each day telling ourselves stories. That’s about half of our waking hours. And then we sleep. And tell stories in our dreams. 

This week, we are featuring Makena Neal (she/them), PhD, one of the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation's educational developers! Makena was recognized via iteach.msu.edu's Thank and Educator Initiative! We encourage MSU community members to nominate high-impact Spartan educators (via our Thank an Educator initiative) regularly!
Read more about Makena’s perspectives below. #iteachmsu's questions are bolded below, followed by their responses! 


You were recognized via the Thank an Educator Initiative. In one word, what does being an educator mean to you?  
Praxis 
What does this word/quality looks like in your practice? Have your ideas on this changed over time? If so how?
When I think about being an educator, I also think of being a lifelong learner. I really like the word “praxis” because it can describe so many things when it comes to teaching and learning. As an educator, I see my role as designing and facilitating learning experiences in ways that engage participants in reflection and meaning making. Praxis for me is moving beyond content, to the application of that new content in one's everyday life. Because each learner’s positionality and experiences are unique, the ways they could practically employ new information in their life is also unique. My role as an educator is to intentionally build space and opportunities for learners to engage in this practice. 
Praxis also connects directly to my on-going growth and development as an educator. As I seek out opportunities to learn new skills and information, interact with new individuals in the Educator Network, and collaborate across new spaces… I too must engage in a practice of reflection and meaning making. My own praxis as an educational developer means intentionally connecting new knowledge with what I already know, and using that knowledge collectively to engage in the practice of educator development. 
Here are some definitions of/ideas about praxis from other scholars that resonate with me:

Paulo Freire (1972, p. 52) described praxis as “reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it”.
Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt (2001, p.15) defines praxis as “The interdependence and integration – not separation – of theory and practice, research and development, thought and action.”
Five assumptions about knowledge and knowing that underpins praxis (White, 2007):

Knowledge/knowing is inherently social and collective
Knowledge/knowing is always highly contextual
Singular forms of knowledge/knowing (e.g. empirical or experiential) are insufficient for informing complex, holistic practices like [youth, family work and community work)
Different knowledges/ways of knowing are equally valid in particular contexts
Knowledge is made, not discovered. (p. 226)


My ideas around who “counts” as an educator and a knower, what teaching and learning is and where it can [and does] happen, have all shifted drastically over my years at MSU. I credit my learning and experiences in MSU’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program (both as an undergraduate and a graduate fellow) as a catalyst for the changes in my perspectives. Followed by my doctoral research in the Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education program at MSU (specifically the mentorship of my committee- Drs. Marilyn Amey, John Drikx, Steve Weiland, and Diane Doberneck) I am very proud of the work I now do to advocate for and serve a broadly defined and intentionally inclusive community of educators in my role. 
Tell us more about your educational “setting.” This can include, but not limited to departmental affiliations, community connections, co-instructors, and students. (AKA, where do you work?)
I am an educational developer with MSU’s Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI). I focus on efforts and initiatives that recenter teaching and learning for Spartans by advancing MSU’s culture toward recognition and support for all educators. I take a hands-on approach to collaboration, and enjoy working across a variety of units on campus. A lot of really wonderful educator work happens at MSU, and I am dedicated to advancing aligned educator development in our decentralized spaces by cultivating and continually engaging in MSU Educator Network.

Director of CTLI’s Graduate Fellowship experience with Dr. Ellie Louson
#iteachmsu Commons Champion and Coach
Founder of the Thank an Educator initiative
Lead on CTLI’s Affiliates program
Author of the Educator Development Competency Framework with Maddie Shellgren

What is a challenge you experience in your educator role?
There are two challenges that I’ve experienced as an educator, regardless of my formal role. 

Ground-level buy-in to the broad definition of educator… we can intentionally build offerings and lead experiences for an inclusive group of folx at MSU, but if people don’t identify with the “educator” nomenclature, they won’t show up.
Capacity… I always want to do more, but need to navigate my own professional development, my life’s other roles and responsibilities, and the scope of CTLI. 

Any particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this? What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator?
Working with individuals to highlight their impacts on the teaching and learning, outreach, and/or student success missions of the university WHILE engaging positional leadership in similar efforts can help. This is one of the reasons I’m very proud of the Thank an Educator Initiative, and connected #iteachmsu Educator Awards. We established the Thank an Educator initiative and are recognizing those individuals with the #iteachmsu Educator Awards to:1. help demonstrate the diversity of educators across roles on campus2. celebrate the amazing individuals we have shaping the learning experiences and success of students on our campus. 3. help individuals associate their name/work with “educator” and embrace their educator identity
What topics or ideas about teaching and learning would you like to see discussed on the iteach.msu.edu platform? Why do you think this conversation is needed at MSU?
I am always looking for ways to integrate core teaching & learning best practices into the ways we design and facilitate offerings and experiences. One example of this would be to not limit ourselves to “one-off” programs on diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and  belonging (DEIJB)- but to integrate DEIJB into all our work and model some ways educators can think, apply, reflect DEIJB in their contexts. 
I would also encourage educators to use the iteach.msu.edu platform as a way to engage in on-going dialogue about your practices. The functionality of the platform exists to support educators in sharing ideas and resources, connecting across roles, and growing in their practice. It is a space built for educators, by educators- theoretically this is awesome, but practically this means the site can only be what people make it; can only serve as a place for resources and ideas if educators share their resources and ideas. What are you looking forward to (or excited to be a part of) next semester?
The 2023-24 academic year will be the first full year with a fully established CTLI. I’m very excited to be moving into a year of fully articulated core offerings and experiences with my colleagues. All of this along with a new CTLI Director and a physical space in the MSU Library!
References:
Freire, P. (1972). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Penguin.
White, J. (2007). Knowing, Doing and Being in Context: A Praxis-oriented Approach to Child and Youth Care. Child & Youth Care Forum, 36(5), 225-244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-007-9043-1  
Zuber-Skerritt, O. (2001). Action learning and action research: paradigm, praxis and programs. In S. Sankara, B. Dick, & R. Passfield (Eds.), Effective change management through action research and action learning: Concepts, perspectives, processes and applications (pp. 1-20). Southern Cross University Press, Lismore, Australia. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/23a6/89ad465ddfe212d08e4db3becca58bdbf784.pdf  

Don't forget to celebrate individuals you see making a difference in teaching, learning, or student success at MSU with #iteachmsu's Thank an Educator initiative. You might just see them appear in the next feature! 

According to the article "Writing Measurable Outcomes for Students from SOIREE"
Learning outcomes help students (and us!) to know what students will be able to demonstrate in knowledge, skills, and values upon completing a module or course. Clear outcomes provide the foundation for evaluating the effectiveness of teaching and learning. 
There are three essential components of a measurable learning outcome:

Student learning behaviors (verb-based)
Assessment methods
Student performance criteria

To write your learning objectives consider:What will students know or be able to do at the end of the course – knowledge, skills, thoughts & ideas? (consider Bloom's Taxonomy)Also, keep active vs. passive learning and their retention rates in mind. While the Learning Pyramid's specific percentages have been debunked, the general gist remains:Based on the objectives you've outlined and the strategies for teaching you have decided to employ, you'll next want to consider how your outcomes will be measured/achieved. In the well-designed course, the learning objectives serve to guide and direct the other various course components. The selected assessments will measure the learning objectives. Learning activities will promote mastery of the objectives. All these things working together is COURSE ALIGNMENT!According to QualityMatters, "all critical course components: learning objectives, assessments, activities, instructional resources and materials, learner engagement and interaction, learner support and even course technologies - work together to ensure that students achieve the desired learning outcomes. Access these resources in greater detail, and more, from the University of Maryland School of Social work IDEA Knowledgebase!Also, check out this Course Alignment Worksheet from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Teaching and Learning Center!Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

This week, we are featuring Dr. Crystal Eustice, Assistant Professor of Practice, Academic Adviser, and Internship Coordinator in MSU’s Department of Community Sustainability. Dr. Eustice was recognized via iteach.msu.edu's Thank and Educator Initiative! We encourage MSU community members to nominate high-impact Spartan educators (via our Thank an Educator form) regularly!
Read more about Dr. Eustice’s perspectives below. #iteachmsu's questions are bolded below, followed by her responses!

You were recognized via the Thank an Educator Initiative. In one word, what does being an educator mean to you? 
Leadership
Share with me what this word/quality looks like in your practice?
I use the word “leadership”, because leadership in itself takes many different forms depending on the person and the context. To me, this is what being an educator means as well. To meet students where they are, to be what the students need to learn, to instill curiosity, to guide students in developing new skills... 
Have your ideas on this changed over time? if so how?
Over time, being an educator has shifted from feeling like I always need to know the answer for my students, to allowing the questions (theirs and mine) to guide us in exploring solutions. It’s shifted to me passing leadership in the classroom over to the students as they build confidence and start pursuing answers and activities that guide their own learning.
Tell me more about your educational “setting.” This can include, but not limited to departmental affiliations, community connections, co-instructors, and students. (Aka, where do you work?)
I am faculty member in the Department of Community Sustainability (CSUS) in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. I also serve as an Academic Advisor for 2 of our 3 majors in CSUS, as well as the Internship Coordinator.
What is a challenge you experience in your educator role?
Wearing three hats in my position often creates challenges in terms of how to best engage students in all three areas in authentic ways and build relationships with my students. 
Any particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this?
To show students support and engage them, I blend all three roles within my job regardless of what “hat” I’m wearing. Meaning, when I teach, I work to help build students transferable skills that will benefit them as they pursue and take on professional internships. I also work to communicate advising and employment information with students in my role as educator in the classroom, as well as serving as their internship coordinator, and academic advisor. Largely, supporting student success means supporting the whole student, in multiple ways, and making time and space to do so in my various roles.
What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator?
I seek feedback from my students about their experiences in my courses, as well as their overall experiences at MSU (i.e., in other courses). What’s working for them and what’s not; what resources have been most helpful to them, etcetera. This helps me evaluate and improve my leadership in all three of my roles.

Don't forget to celebrate individuals you see making a difference in teaching, learning, or student success at MSU with #iteachmsu's Thank an Educator initiative. You might just see them appear in the next feature! 

PlanningThis is the fourth article in our iTeach.MSU playlist for the Spartan Studios Playkit.Teaching a Studios course requires more coordination with co-instructors and/or external partners than standard undergraduate courses. It’s important to begin planning your course early and take this planning seriously in order for your course to be successful. During the planning phase, you will be selecting a course theme, choosing the right challenges for your students, developing your syllabus and learning objectives, thinking about recruiting students, and deciding on your course structure.
▶️Course Theme: Form your class around a theme or challenge that is difficult to solve and benefits from many disciplinary perspectives. The topic or project you already have for your course might already relate to a wicked problem; you may just need to make that explicit by iteratively asking yourself why that topic matters. For example:
▶️Defining the challenge: The course topic needs to be significant enough for students to create a meaningful connection to the project (develop passion and drive outside of obtaining a grade, or the “Gravity” in our model), while still being focused enough for students to make progress on their projects within the time and resource confines of a semester course. Striking this balance is important for students to feel connected to the project while also feeling empowered to make a tangible difference. Students should have the agency to shape what their solutions to these problems look like, but you’ll need your judgement to balance between the course’s gravity and the depth of focus on these problems. Ask yourself “what project goals will matter to my students and our partners but be achievable in one semester?” Ultimately, your students’ deliverables (what they create in the course, which can range from a plan, a prototype, or a finished product) will depend on the mix of specific students and majors who show up for the class. 

Too broad:

 worldwide food waste (too intractable and disputed)

Too narrow:

students’ personal food waste is too high (not enough impact)
campus is not aware of MSU’s anaerobic digester (pre-existing solution) 

“Just right”:

food waste on MSU's campus (increase awareness and track campaign’s success)
food waste at a grocery store (partner with a local business)
food waste at the individual level within our community (partner with the municipal government)


▶️Future potential: Consider a course theme with the potential for repeat offerings. The local solutions produced by the class one semester can be built on in the following semesters, or you can emphasize different facets of the problem each semester. Think about how to maintain community partnerships for those longer-term projects (see Partnerships, our next article next in the playlist). Consider roles for students interested in continuing to participate in the course; for example, by returning as learning assistants to mentor teams of enrolled students, or encouraging local partners to create internships or job opportunities.
▶️Attracting students to the course

Recruiting students to a new course is a challenge. Incorporate and prioritize your recruitment strategies as early as possible in your course planning.
If your course will be co-listed in multiple departments, one model for a Studio is “bring your own students”: each faculty member promotes the course in their department and “brings” their own set of students (for example, 4 instructors each bring 15 students from their own discipline). This works for classes where a larger number of students still fits the scope of the project(s).
Another option is to use interdepartmental listings. Any potential to list as a general education requirement (IAH, ISB, ISS) should be taken advantage of, as you can reach a larger pool of interested students. Be aware that obtaining approval for a new gen ed requirement can take up to a year. 

🔧Advisors of participating departments/majors should be made aware of the course offering and can be valuable assets in advertising the course. A compelling course description and interesting project are important draw factors as well. Ask your advisors to share the course description with the campus-wide advisor network to reach interested students in other departments. 
▶️Create Learning Objectives. Consider whether these will be uniform or vary for students in different majors, and what goals the disciplines may share together. Learning objectives can be explicitly flexible (i.e. "gain a skill specific to your own career goals"). Other learning objectives can relate to working on interdisciplinary teams or manage relationships with community partners. Experiential courses can include content learning objectives; if these are uniform, they should be achievable by all students, regardless of their major.
🔧Bloom’s taxonomy is a well-known framework for describing educational goals. It’s a great resource for writing learning objectives. 
▶️Planning Iterative Sprints. Project-based learning benefits from phases of iterative design. One model for Studios courses, described in (Heinrich et al. 2020) is to divide the semester into a content delivery phase followed by applied project work broken up into iterative production weeks, known as sprints, with student reflections. At each completed phase of the sprint, student teams present their prototypes and receive feedback from classmates, instructors, and/or community partners.
🔧Course schedule template for Spartan Studios courses including orientation (burn-in), project training, sequential sprints, and final reflection phases.




Weeks 1-4


Week 5


Weeks 6-8


Weeks 9-11


Weeks 12-14


Week 15




Orientation, content delivery (burn-in)


How to run a project in project-based learning


Sprint 1: Project plan, execution, reflection 


Sprint 2: Apply lessons to project, execution, reflection


Sprint 3: Apply lessons to project, execution, reflection


Submit final project, reflect on course experience





▶️Setting expectations for students. Setting course expectations for students should start at the course listing/department advising and continue with the syllabus, the first few class periods, and periodically throughout the course. The experiential framework of the course and the method of assessment may be jarring for students - they have been trained in traditional education styles for nearly their entire lives. 

Mention in the course description that this is an experiential course.
Clearly explain the experiential approach and assessment style to your students.

▶️Consider an online Studios experience. Think about how these in-person, collaborative experiences can be translated into an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have supported one online Studios course so far, which included synchronous sessions and independent student work. Students can benefit from work on interdisciplinary experiential projects regardless of the modality in which the course is delivered; additional work is required to design what student-faculty and student-student engagements look like for an online course.
🔧Resources from ASPIRE, MSU’s self-paced asynchronous professional development for online teaching
🔧Online platforms can facilitate student brainstorming. Students can contribute to collaborative documents (Google Docs), slides (Google Slides) or whiteboards (i.e. Mural or Jamboard). These and other tools can support student teams’ virtual design processes and work sessions can be visible to faculty in real-time.
Photo by Kaleidico on Unsplash

This week, we are featuring, Dr. Gary Roloff, Professor and Chair in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Dr. Roloff was recognized via iteach.msu.edu's Thank and Educator Initiative! We encourage MSU community members to nominate high impact Spartan educators (via our Thank an Educator form) regularly!
Read more about Dr. Roloff’s perspectives below. #iteachmsu's questions are bolded below, followed by his responses!
 

 
In one word, what does being an educator mean to you? 
Empowering
Share with me what this word/quality looks like in your practice? 
As an educator, I look to facilitate critical thinking, synthesis of ideas and information, acquisition of contextual knowledge, and informed judgment that ultimately results in empowered, confident decision-making and choices by our students.
Have your ideas on this changed over time? if so how? 
My philosophy on this has absolutely changed over time. When I initially started teaching I leaned towards emphasizing contextual knowledge (e.g., why snowshoe hare are white in winter, why pigs turn feral so fast when released into an unconstrained environment), where there was a clear answer that could be assessed for correctness. I quickly realized that guidance for students on synthesizing and integrating contextual knowledge (and other pieces of information) to make informed arguments and decisions was a gap in my learning outcomes. Since then, I’ve worked to correct that deficiency in my course offerings.
Tell me more about your educational “setting.” This can include, but not limited to departmental affiliations, community connections, co-instructors, and students.
I am lucky enough to teach a field-based course in wildlife research and management techniques (I also teach a graduate-level course), which includes a blend of classroom and field experiences. Much of the class is hands-on and outside, and I involve our agency partners like the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and USDA Wildlife Services to teach sections of the class. This professional-student interaction is often a highlight for the students, providing an important opportunity to help build a professional network that is so critical to success. Some students in my class have gone on to work for the agencies that help me teach.
What is a challenge you experience in your educator role? 
My biggest challenge is reading the classroom early and trying to adjust my delivery of content to the different learning styles that I know occur in the room. As instructors, if we fail to recognize and adjust our content and delivery to appeal to diverse learning styles we are not being fair.
Any particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this? 
I started implementing a brief survey at the start of the semester in my undergraduate class to gauge personality types. The students work in groups in that class on a semester project that looks for integration and synthesis across the semester. One of my PhD students, as part of her FAST Fellows program, showed that “introverts” were at a significant disadvantage in these types of settings, unless we were able to integrate them into “extrovert” groups from the start. I stopped letting students form groups on their own, as the “introverts” and  “extroverts” tended to group together; instead I purposefully mix the personality types to help create a more equitable chance of success for all students in the class.
What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator? 
Last fall, I changed my standard assessment technique for the mid-term. I used to implement a standard type test, where students identify things and answer questions on paper. This fall I changed the mid-term to a field practical, where I interacted verbally with the students (i.e., an oral exam) and had them show me how to do things and explain their answers. This one-on-one assessment, though time-consuming, gave me a better sense (I believe) of how the students were learning the course content.
What topics or ideas about teaching and learning would you like to see discussed on the iteach.msu.edu platform? Why do you think this conversation is needed at msu? 
Efficient, effective ways to teach our students better oral and written communication skills as part of the classes they take.
What are you looking forward to (or excited to be a part of) next semester? 
I really miss the energy of campus; I’m hoping we can return to some sense of post-pandemic normalcy soon.
 

Don't forget to celebrate individuals you see making a difference in teaching, learning, or student success at MSU with #iteachmsu's Thank an Educator initiative. You might just see them appear in the next feature! Follow the MSU Hub Twitter account to see other great content from the #iteachmsu Commons as well as educators featured every week during #ThankfulThursdays.
 

Make your D2L course feel more inviting by personalizing the banner at the top of your course homepage. You can select a relevant image- either from the D2L library or your own.
You can also edit the text within the banner. Maybe you just want to modify the course name so it's more meaningful (e.g., not an abbreviated name, as it sometimes defaults to). You can also welcome each student by name.
Why customize your banner?

It helps students quickly recognize your course by using relevant visuals or clear course names.
You can create a welcoming, personal tone from the moment students enter the course.
Adding a student's name using a personalization code can increase their sense of connection.

How do you customize your banner?

Go to the course homepage of the course that you would like to modify.
Locate the banner at the top and click on the menu icon (represented by three dots) on the upper right corner of the banner.
A menu will appear with 

Change Image
Customize banner text
Remove this banner




To change the banner image:

Click "Change image" to choose a different one or upload your own.
Use the search bar to find an image by keyword (e.g., "forest," "cells," "books"). 
Or, click on the "upload" button (top right) to add your own banner image. Tip: Make sure your image is wide enough to look good as a banner.

To edit the banner text:

Click "Customize banner text" to change the text in the banner- this does not change the name at the top of the page or on the D2L homepage. It just changes the text in the banner.
Replace the default course name with a clearer or friendlier title.
You can also use a code to welcome students by name, such as the banner below.



Use this code to insert the student’s first name: {FirstName}
The text for the banner in this example is: Welcome to ISB 204, {FirstName}!





To remove the banner:
If the banner feels too busy or distracting, you can select “Remove This Banner” from the same menu.
Repeat for each course:
Custom banners are course-specific, so you’ll need to update them individually for each course.
However, if you copy a course from a previous semester, the banner, including both the image and the text, will carry over automatically. Just make sure it’s still relevant before the new semester begins.