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Posted on: #iteachmsu
Tuesday, Aug 1, 2023
Developing your Approaches to Generative AI Beyond Syllabi Language
Developing your Scholarly and Ethical Approaches to Generative AI 
Taken, with slight modification, from “Update Your Course Syllabus for chatGPT” by Ryan Watkins, Professor of Educational Technology Leadership, and Human-Technology Collaboration at George Washington University in Washington DC (2022), via Medium. 
Beyond Syllabi Language 
Communicate your perspective about AI use. In addition to syllabus statements, consider talking with your students about AI tools like ChatGPT. Regardless of your orientation to generative AI use, it is important that you clearly communicate your expectations with the introduction of each assignment/assessment.   
Different levels of familiarity: As an emerging technology, students will have differing levels of familiarity with these tools. For instance, while ChatGPT can write a grammatically correct paper or appear to solve a math problem, it may be unreliable and limited in scope. Discuss with students the uses and limitations of AI tools more broadly in addition to your perspective on their use in your class. 
Connect to critical thinking skills: AI tools have many implications beyond the classroom. Consider talking with students about how to be engaged-consumers of AI content (e.g., how to identify trusted sources, reading critically, privacy concerns). Discuss how you and colleagues use AI in your own work.
Adapt assessments. AI tools are emerging and it can be incredibly difficult to make any assessment completely free from AI interference. Beyond a syllabus statement, you may also consider adapting your assessments to help reduce the usefulness of AI products. However before revising any assignment, it’s helpful to reflect on what exactly you want students to get out of the experience and share your expectations with your students. Is it just the end product, or does the process of creating the product play a significant role? 

Create assessments that allow students to develop ideas over time. Depending on your class size, consider scaffolding assessments to be completed in small components (e.g., proposal, annotated bibliography, outline, first draft, revised drafts). 
Ask students to connect their writing to specific course materials or current events. Students can draw from the course textbook, additional readings on Moodle or Blackboard, and even class discussion boards or in-class discussions.  
Incorporate personal experiences and reflections. Provide students with opportunities to connect what they are learning to their own lives and experiences—stories unique to each individual. 
Incorporate Multimedia Assessments. Consider developing or adapting assessments to include multimedia submissions (e.g., audio or video components). Also, consider peer-review and social annotation tools like Eli Review or Google Docs for students to use when responding to assigned readings or other materials.  
Use class time. Ask students to complete writing assignments during class time (e.g. complete reading reflections at the beginning of class, or use exit tickets). Asking students to organize their ideas by writing during class may also support student engagement in other class activities such as discussions and group work.  

Get Creative With Your Assignments: Visit “Update Your Course Syllabus for chatGPT” by Ryan Watkins (Medium article) for 10 ideas for creative assignments adapted for a classroom with chatGPT. You can mitigate the risk of students using chatGPT to cheat, and at the same time improve their knowledge and skills for appropriately using new AI technologies inside and outside the classroom.
Additional Considerations for Developing your Scholarly and Ethical Approaches to Generative AI
Posted by: Makena Neal
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Posted on: Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024
Educator of Impact: Tom Cheng
At the heart of Michigan State University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation [CTLI] is Tom Cheng [he/him], a Senior Learning Experience Designer whose journey from Hong Kong to East Lansing embodies the transformative power of education.
Growing up in a grassroots community in Hong Kong, Tom understood the importance of equitable education from an early age. Despite attending a high school where university admittance was hard to achieve, Tom’s intellectual curiosity and drive propelled him forward. Wanting to become a local English teacher, he pursued a double degree at The Chinese University of Hong Kong [CUHK], earning a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies and a Bachelor of Education in English Language Education.
Tom’s educational journey took him beyond Hong Kong’s borders. Through his university program, he taught in Beijing and rural South Korea, experiences that would later shape his perspective on diverse educational needs.
After becoming a first-generation graduate in 2018,  Tom began his career teaching English at various high schools in Hong Kong. It was during his second year of teaching that COVID-19 emerged, sparking his interest in online learning processes. This pivotal moment led him to pursue a Master’s in Learning Design and Technology at Stanford University, fully funded by a unique scholarship. The Bei Shan Tang Scholarship provides support to an ‘outstanding [CUHK] graduate’ to pursue postgraduate study at the Graduate School of Education of Stanford University.
“Teachers don’t just teach,” Tom reflects on his time in K-12 education. “Of course, I can teach exam skills or what’s in a textbook, but a lot of what teachers do is show care to students, especially if they’re not getting care at home.” This experience taught Tom to be more sympathetic and to consider things from a student’s perspective – skills that prove invaluable in his current role. 
Now at MSU’s CTLI, Tom brings his diverse background in education to bear on several exciting projects. He’s currently working on improving online.msu.edu and teachingcenter.msu.edu, as well as developing a self-directed course for MSU educators called ‘Spartan Learning Experience Design’. Based on the nationally recognized ‘Quality Matters’ framework, this course aims to help educators, especially one’s just beginning their career in education, design effective online and in-person courses. Tom is also collaborating with the Forest Carbon Management Program at MSU on a successful Coursera course, with more modules in development. These projects showcase Tom’s commitment to making quality education accessible to a wider audience.
As a relatively new face at MSU, having only started six months ago, Tom is focused on establishing himself within the community. He is running the Spartan Learning Experience Design Sessions, aiming to build the kind of reputation that his long-standing colleagues retain. Tom acknowledges the unique challenges of working in higher education, where one often advises highly knowledgeable educators on changing their teaching practices. “It can be an uphill battle,” he admits, emphasizing the importance of building credibility and rapport within a university.
For Tom, success isn’t about wealth or quantifiable metrics. “It’s about how much positive impact you can make to the community you care about,” he explains. “Sometimes it’s just about touching lives, and in education, you never know how many lives you’ve touched until one day someone tells you, ‘Hey, you recommended this tool, and it works great.’”
As Tom continues to innovate and inspire at MSU’s CTLI, his journey serves as a testament to the power of education to transform lives and communities. His work bridges cultures, technologies, and teaching methodologies, embodying the very essence of learning experience design in the 21st century.
Authored by: Cara Mack
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Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator Awards
Monday, Jun 29, 2020
College of Arts & Letters 2020 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipients
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Arts & Letters. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Marcos Serafim: Marcos Serafim is a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist working with new media and video in his third year as an MFA candidate. He has exhibited work at the 5th and 6th Ghetto Biennale in Haiti; the Oscar Niemeyer Museum in Brazil; the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), the Queens Museum, and Flux Factory in New York. His work has been screened in film festivals in multiple countries, including the Cine Esquema Novo Film Festival in Brazil (Audience Choice Second Best Short), Israel`s Horn Festival for Experimental Films (Jury's Second Prize),Northampton Film Festival in Massachusetts (Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Experimental), and Faito Doc Festival in Italy (Young Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Documentary). His projects have been regularly funded by grants and scholarships in Brazil, Sweden and the United States; including the Collaborative Arts And Design Research Grant from Michigan State University and the Santa Catarina State Award for Film Production in Brazil. His outstanding research helped to strengthened his undergraduate teaching. With his background in film/video Marcos developed and taught an upper-level course, Experiments in Digital Video. This was a completely new course offering and is now being taught by him for the second time.
 As his Major Professor it has been my privilege to mentor such a talented artist and scholar. I thank him.
 
Michael McCune: Michael has been an invaluable support this past semester. Even though I have never taken a class with him, he helped me figure out key elements of my exhibition. He was always excited to solve problems that I was facing and offered solutions that I had not considered. His words of support, praise, and laughter have been invaluable. I am inspired by his spirit of making/doing and his ability to think outside the box, way outside of it. Thank you, Michael.
 
Alex Nichols: Alex Nichols is a storehouse of knowledge when it comes to photography, printing, photobooks, and so much else. Over the past year he has answered so many of my questions, pushed me to consider other ideas, and cheered me on as I take on projects. His support and mentorship have been invaluable to me and I am so grateful. I am inspired by his willingness and excitement to solve problems, to think through ideas, and to support in ways that only he can. Every time I walk into his office, he is excited to answer my questions. Even when it is the 897425847th one in 3 days. I have learned so much from Alex and am grateful for his mentorship and friendship.
 
Walt Peebles: Walt has had a significant impact on my doctoral journey. He has helped me in numerous ways and most importantly, his passion for teaching and problem solving are infectious. Several times this past semester I went to Walt with challenges I was facing. He always helped me out, patiently listening to me and then thinking/making/doing with me to figure out a solution. Walt is one of the most passionate teachers I have met at MSU and I am so grateful for his support, mentorship, and guidance!
 
Jacquelynn Sullivan: Jacquelynn is an educator that we don't deserve but need! Over the past year, Jacquelynn has supported my projects tirelessly, helping me think through various aspects of my exhibition. I would not have been able to do any of the work without her unending support. I am amazed and inspired by her commitment towards her work, her students, and everyone who works in the Art Department. I have learned so much from her and will continue to do so. Her ability to support students in helping them create their best work is truly stunning and inspirational. Educators like Jacquelynn allow MSU and the students enrolled here to be successful not just academically but also as whole human beings. I am grateful to know her and to be able to learn and laugh with her.
 
Kate Sonka: Kate supports education at all levels. She takes students on study away programs to teach them about accessibility, and in doing so, teaches them how to be better advocates for users. Whether it is developing a class that introduces accessibility to students in the humanities or planning a study abroad to Europe that explores international accessibility and sustainability, Kate is an inspiration to all educators as we strive to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments for students.
 
Paula Winke: Dr. Paula Winke makes room in her instruction for the whole student. Activities in her classes are experiential and relevant to students' experiences, and I have personally benefitted a great deal in our advising sessions from her willingness to broach topics of family life, seeking work/life balance, and being a parent in academia. Thank you, Dr. Winke!
 
Lorelei Blackburn: Lorelei is a BSP faculty fellow this year. She has had a very difficult section of ANR 210, but has done an excellent job stretching herself as the course convener to push the students to take ownership of their learning. You have helped to design a learning environment where students are able to build community and challenge ways of knowing. Bravo to you Lorelei!
 
Bruno Ford: Working with Bruno Ford has been such a wonderful and rewarding experience. Bruno was my student as an undergraduate, and seeing a student fall in love with Medieval Literature as I have, and to pursue it as one's life passion has been an incredibly validating journey to watch as a professor. Bruno and I are currently working on a volume of the early Robin Hood ballads as a teaching tool, and I thank Bruno for his incredible insight, knowledge, and awareness as we work together in framing these texts within a larger LGBTQ+ lens.
 
Justin Wigard: What comes to mind when I think of Justin? Dedicated, smart, and compassionate. He is committed to sharing his passion with students, friends, and colleagues. In the classroom he empowers students to be creative, in seminars and workshops he support the intellectual growth. He thinks and acts as a teacher-scholars that is ready to help make sense of the complexities of the 21st century.
 
Kaylin Smith: Kaylin will graduate this summer and we'll be sorry to lose her. She has served -- among other roles -- as president of the Linguistics program's graduate student organization, as organizer of our bi-annual grad student research conference GLEAMS, and this year as a Graduate School Writing Fellow. Kaylin has also been a tremendous academic mentor to students in the EEG/Psycholinguistics Lab, teaching them how to use neurolinguistic equipment, and as a social mentor to new and continuing students in the progam.
 
Adam Gacs: Adam is a quiet leader, whose excellence and care is only known to those, who are lucky enough to work with him or learn from him. He has single-handedly developed a two-year online German course series, which has brought language instruction to so many new audiences at MSU and beyond and has turned out to be a fabulous environment for supporting students with disabilities. Just the other day, a student disclosed that he would have quit college all together, if it had not been for the community, connection, and engagement that he experienced in Adam’s online course. But Adam is so much more than just an excellent classroom teacher. He is a full-body, whole-hearted educator. Adam exemplifies the generosity and collaboration at the heart of MSU’s teaching and learning mission. As a mentor and colleague, he is always willing to share his technical expertise, create new materials (and fix every broken link and error in existing materials), facilitate learning across platforms to meet students where they are. His patience in teaching students in his classrooms, coordinating the online TAs, and assisting his peers knows no limits. Regardless of your skills in language and/or technology, Adam always makes you feel comfortable and supported. He assumes no background knowledge and starts his educating at your level.
It is high time that we say thank you to Adam for all that he has done for the German program as an educator!
 
Amelia Stieren: Amelia Stieren is currently the graduate student representative in the German Program, and I am also serving as her MA advisor. In her role as grad rep, she is an important conduit of communication: she attends faculty meetings, bringing grad student concerns to our attention and relaying back to her fellow students our responses and other important information. She has also been very active in building up the contact among grad students across several grad programs (German, French, and Spanish). For this good work, we in the German Program are very thankful to Amelia! On a personal level, Amelia has had quite a positive impact on me. In our first advising meeting last fall, she expressed her goal to work with more intention this academic year. I shared this perspective with the other students in our graduate colloquium, encouraging them to keep this in mind as they work throughout the year, and I continue to strive to work with this kind of focus myself. From casual conversations about teaching to serious discussions of her thesis to difficult discussions of personal loss, I always come away from our interactions feeling inspired, having reflected together on what it means to be an educator, a scholar, and a “Mensch”. For this, I am very thankful!
 
Maria Buttiler: I’m so pleased to recognize Maria Belen Buttiler for her dedication and outstanding contributions to the International teaching Assistant (ITA) Program. Maria, who is an international student herself, was awarded the ITA Program Pronunciation Instruction Fellowship for three semesters and has the served the ITA Program by assisting other international students with their pronunciation and presentation skills. She is highly motivated and passionate, and always goes the extra mile to help the students she is working with, whether that means researching additional strategies and tools or preparing helpful learning materials tailored to specific student needs. Maria is also always ready and willing to share her knowledge and work with her peers. As her supervisor, I have found that I have learned a great deal from her as well. Thank you, Maria!
 
Tamoha Siddiqui: Within the first few days of classes being moved online, Tamoha created a virtual WhatsApp group chat that gathered many first and second year students in the MA TESOL and SLS PhD programs. Knowing ahead of time the challenges of isolation that this time could bring, Tamoha was proactive and sought to gather everyone together for a place of mutual support and encouragement. Thank you for spreading the love, Tamoha!
 
Catherine Barland: Catherine has been a great student in the French program. As a TA, she has a very strong commitment to teaching excellence. As a student, she is a pleasure to have in class, always making positive and intelligent comments in class. As my RA, she has saved me a lot of time by transcribing recordings meticulously. She is dedicated to her students as well as her academic work. Merci Catherine!
 
Sarah Brundrett: Sarah is full of energy and positivity. She brings both of these things to every class she teaches and takes and can always be found with a smile on her face. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. That's why she is writing a teaching portfolio in which she is developing writing activities that the French program will be using next year. Merci Sarah!
 
Katie Rottman: Katie loves teaching the French language. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. For her MA project, she's chosen to develop an entire chapter for the online textbook we're going to use in the future. Students are going to learn French for many years to come thanks to her work. Merci Katie!
 
Caitlin Cornell: Caitlin Cornell has been working tirelessly to improve access to education and other resources for the community at large. She has shared resources and taught people how to keep their courses accessible even during this transition to online. She has led several learning communities that have a great focus on inclusivity and equity, while also being interdisciplinary (e.g., the Applied Scholars group housed in the SLS program and an accessibility learning group that developed out of a course she taught). A Lansing native, she has also been committed to her community delivering meals and other resources to struggling families.
 
Claire Wilcher: Claire came to MSU as more of a colleague than student and inspires others to do their best work. Claire is an exceptional actor, student, and educator and will be a major force of change in our profession.
 
Kate Fedewa: Kate displays a vast knowledge of pedagogy and practice. She is consistently working with students in her writing, editing, publishing, and grammar classes to prepare them for work beyond MSU - combining her professional experience as a published author with her passion for teaching. She cares deeply about pedagogy and is developing new methods to be used to assess how we teach and support teachers of Professional and Public Writing.
 
Mike Ristich: Mike has excelled as a teacher and a mentor for students in his Prep for College Writing and First-Year Writing classes at MSU. He is deliberate in how he takes time to work with students so they can be successful in the classroom and beyond. When I think about what it means to be a caring teacher, I think about how Mike works with his students and supports them at all levels.
 
Madeline Shellgren: Maddie has made (and continues to make) invaluable contributions to MSU's campus. She volunteers her time to efforts and initiatives that are important to her, despite working full time and pursuing her doctorate. She cares deeply for her colleagues and the spartan community which she has shown as program coordinator, coach, and educator.
 
Kenlea Pebbles: Kenlea not only focuses her work on interdisciplinary approaches to help us understand the importance of environmental health, she does so in ways that can affect our lives as teachers and learners. Her presentation in my environmental writing course inspired us all to think more deeply and more compassionately about how the language and frames we use might affect environmental studies and, as one students put it, "how language and assumptions can limit how we care about and for the earth.
 
Pia Banzhaf: Upon entering Deutsch 101 I was very uncertain as to if I would continue learning Deutsch after 101 and how the class would go in general. But I was overwhelmed with the kindness of Frau Dr. Banzhaf and her abilities to make me feel conformable and welcome in our small Deutsch Gemeinde. This class made me develop a love for Deutsch Kultur and I believe that is now never going to change, and I owe that to Frau Dr.Banzhaf. Deutsch is one of the most important things in my life now because of the Deutsch Gemeinde that Frau Dr.Banzhaf created for me.
 
Leonie Hintze: Vielen Vielen Dank! You were amazing last semster and I really hope you conitnue to spread your knwoldege wherever you go! Stay safe!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll be directed to a form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Posted by: Makena Neal
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Posted on: GenAI & Education
Monday, Aug 18, 2025
Complete Guide to Incorporating Generative AI in Your Syllabus
(Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash )
You can also access the Generative AI Syllabus Guide Playlist with this content broken down into the following sections. Table of Contents:

MSU Guidance and [Non]Permitted Uses
Developing and Communicating a Course-level Generative AI Use policy
Example Syllabus Statements for the Use of AI Tools in Your Course

Design For Generative AI (restrict, permit, require)
Design Around Generative AI (ban)


Example Statements from Current USA, Higher Education Educators
Developing your Scholarly and Ethical Approaches to Generative AI
Beyond Syllabi Language
Additional considerations to help you develop your generative AI philosophy (Watkins, 2022)
References

The following MSU-specifics should be used to inform your decisions...
Overall guidance: We collectively share the responsibility to uphold intellectual honesty and scholarly integrity. These are core principles that may be compromised by the misuse of GenAI tools, particularly when GenAI-generated content is presented as original, human-created work.  
Permitted uses in Teaching & Learning: Instructors are expected to establish a course-specific guidance that defines the appropriate and inappropriate use of GenAI tools.

Students may only use GenAI tools to support their coursework in ways explicitly permitted by the instructor.  

Non-permissible uses: 

Do not Use GenAI to deliberately fabricate, falsify, impersonate, or mislead, unless explicitly approved for instruction or research in a controlled environment.
Do not Record or process sensitive, confidential, or regulated information withnon-MSU GenAI tools.
Do not Enter FERPA-protected student records, PII, PHI, financial, or HR data into unapproved tools; comply with MSU’s data policy and all regulations.
Do not Use export-controlled data or CUI with GenAI tools unless approved for MSU’s Regulated Research Enclave (RRE).

Developing and Communicating a Course-level Generative AI Use policy 
A well-prepared course should be designed for ("restrict", "permit" or "require") or designed around ("ban") generative AI. Courses designed for AI should detail the ways and degrees to which generative AI use will be incorporated into activities and assessments. Courses designed for AI may incorporate AI for some activities and not others and depending on course AI may be explicitly excluded or included at different stages. Courses designed around AI may discuss impacts of generative AI as a topic but expectations are that students will not use these types of tools, and the course should be intentionally designed such that the use of generative AI would either not be conducive to the completion of assessments and activities, or such that the attempt to do so would prove overly cumbersome. 
Regardless of your approach, communicating your expectations and rationale to learners is imperative.
Set clear expectations. Be clear in your syllabus about your policies for when, where, and how students should be using generative AI tools, and how to appropriately acknowledge (e.g., cite, reference) when they do use generative AI tools. If you are requiring students to use generative AI tools, these expectations should also be communicated in the syllabus and if students are incurring costs, these should be detailed in the course description on the Registrar’s website. 
Regardless of your approach, you might include time for ethics discussions. Add time into your course to discuss the ethical implications of chatGPT and forthcoming AI systems. Talk with students about the ethics of using generative AI tools in your course, at your university, and within your discipline or profession. Don’t be afraid to discuss the gray areas where we do not yet have clear guidance or answers; gray areas are often the places where learning becomes most engaging.
Example Syllabus Statements for the Use of AI Tools in Your Course 
There is no “one size fits all policy” for AI uses in higher education. Much like attendance/participation policies, GenAI course-level rules and statements will be determined by individual instructors, departments, and programs. The following resource is provided to assist you in developing coherent policies on the use of generative AI tools in your course, within MSU's guideline. Please adjust these examples to fit your particular context. Remember communication of your course generative AI policies should not only be listed in your syllabus, but also explicitly included  in assignment descriptions where AI use is allowed or disallowed. 
It is your responsibility as instructor to note and explain your individual course-level rule. A conversation with your department is highly recommended so that generative AI use in the classroom reflects broader use in the unit and  discipline. If you have specific questions about writing your course rules, please reach out to the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. 
Design For Generative AI
Restrict [This syllabus statement is useful when you are allowing the use of AI tools for certain purposes, but not for others. Adjust this statement to reflect your particular parameters of acceptable use. The following is an example.] 
Example1:  

The use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Dall-e, etc.) is permitted in this course for the following activities:

[insert permitted your course activities here*]


The use of generative AI tools is not permitted in this course for the following activities:

[insert not permitted your course activities here*]


You are responsible for the information you submit based on an AI query (for instance, that it does not violate intellectual property laws, or contain misinformation or unethical content). Your use of AI tools must be properly documented and cited in order to stay within university policies on academic integrity and the Spartan Code of Honor Academic Pledge.

Example2: Taken, with slight modification, from Temple University’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching  to demonstrate the kinds of permitted/restricted activity an instructor could denote.
The use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Dall-e, etc.) is permitted in this course for the following activities: 



Brainstorming and refining your ideas; 
Fine tuning your research questions; 
Finding information on your topic; 
Drafting an outline to organize your thoughts; and 
Checking grammar and style. 



The use of generative AI tools is not permitted in this course for the following activities: 



Impersonating you in classroom contexts, such as by using the tool to compose discussion board prompts assigned to you or content that you put into a Zoom chat. 
Completing group work that your group has assigned to you, unless it is mutually agreed within your group and in alignment with course policy that you may utilize the tool. 
Writing a draft of a writing assignment. 
Writing entire sentences, paragraphs or papers to complete class assignments. 



You are responsible for the information you submit based on an AI query (for instance, that it does not violate intellectual property laws, or contain misinformation or unethical content). Your use of AI tools must be properly documented and cited in order to stay within university policies on academic integrity and the Spartan Code of Honor Academic Pledge. For example, [Insert citation style for your discipline. See these resources for APA guidance, and for other citation formats.]. Any assignment that is found to have used generative AI tools in unauthorized ways [insert the penalty here*]. When in doubt about permitted usage, please ask for clarification. 
 
Use permitted [This syllabus statement is useful when you are allowing, and perhaps encouraging, broad use of generative AI tools. Adjust this statement to reflect your particular parameters of acceptable use in your course. The following is an example.] 
Example:
You are welcome to use generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Dall-e, etc.) in this class as doing so aligns with the course learning goal [insert the course learning goal use of AI aligns with here*]. You are responsible for the information you submit based on an AI query (for instance, that it does not violate intellectual property laws, or contain misinformation or unethical content). Your use of AI tools must be properly documented and cited in order to stay within university policies on academic integrity and the Spartan Code of Honor Academic Pledge.
Use required [This syllabus statement is useful when you have certain assignments that will require that students use generative AI tools. Adjust this statement to reflect your particular parameters of acceptable use. The following is an example.] 
Example:
You will be expected to use generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Dall-e, etc.) in this class as doing so aligns with the course learning goal [insert the course learning goal use of AI aligns with]. Our class will make use of the [insert name of tool(s) here*] tool, and you can gain access to it by [insert instructions for accessing tool(s) here*]. You are responsible for the information you submit based on an AI query (for instance, that it does not violate intellectual property laws, or contain misinformation or unethical content). Your use of AI tools must be properly documented and cited in order to stay within university policies on academic integrity and the Spartan Code of Honor Academic Pledge.
 
Design Around Generative AI
Ban [This syllabus statement is useful when you are forbidding all use of generative AI tools for any purpose in your class. Adjust this statement to reflect your particular parameters of acceptable use. The following is an example.] 
The use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, etc.) is not permitted in this class; therefore, any use of AI tools for work in this class may be considered a violation of Michigan State University’s policy on academic integrity, the Spartan Code of Honor Academic Pledge andStudent Rights and Responsibilities, since the work is not your own. The use of unauthorized AI tools will result in [insert the penalty here*].

CONCERN: The ubiquity of generative AI tools, including their integration into Google search results and MS Office products, means that an outright generative AI ban is implausible for any activity that makes use of the Internet or MS Office Suite.

* It is highly recommended that you have conversations in your department about the appropriate penalties for unauthorized use of an AI. It is important to think about the appropriate level of penalty for first-time offenders and those who repeatedly violate your policies on the use of AI. 



Example Statements from Current USA, Higher Education Educators
This collection of example statements are a compilation from a variety of sources including Faculty Learning Community (FLC) at Cleveland State University, Ohio University’s AI, ChatGPT and Teaching and Learning, and some of Michigan State University’s own educators! (If you have an example generative AI policy from your course that you’d be willing to share, please add it to the comments below or e-mail it to MSU Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation at teaching@msu.edu) NOTE: making your own course-level determination of "ban", "restrict", "permit", or "require" and using the sample language is the best, first place to start!
 “AI (artificial intelligence) resources such as ChatGPT can be useful in a number of ways. Because it can also be abused, however, you are required to acknowledge use of AI in any work you submit for class. Text directly copied from AI sites must be treated as any other direct quote and properly cited. Other uses of AI must be clearly described at the end of your assignment.” -Claire Hughes-Lynch
 “While AI tools can be useful for completing assignments and detecting plagiarism, it is important to use them responsibly and ethically. Practice based on these guidelines as a future or current K-12 teacher. The following are some guidelines for what not to do when using AI in your assignments and for plagiarism detection:

Do not rely solely on AI tools to complete assignments. It is important to understand the material and complete assignments on your own, using AI tools as a supplement rather than a replacement for your own work.
Do not use AI tools to plagiarize*. Using AI to generate or modify content to evade plagiarism detection is unethical and violates academic integrity.
Do not assume that AI responses are always correct. It has been noted that AI can generate fake results.* Please see the plagiarism/academic integrity policy in the course syllabus.” -Selma Koc

“Intellectual honesty is vital to an academic community and for my fair evaluation of your work. All work submitted in this course must be your own, completed in accordance with the University’s academic regulations. Use of AI tools, including ChatGPT, is permitted in this course. Nevertheless, you are only encouraged to use AI tools to help brainstorm assignments or projects or to revise existing work you have written. It is solely your responsibility to make all submitted work your own, maintain academic integrity, and avoid any type of plagiarism. Be aware that the accuracy or quality of AI generated content may not meet the standards of this course, even if you only incorporate such content partially and after substantial paraphrasing, modification and/or editing. Also keep in mind that AI generated content may not provide appropriate or clear attribution to the author(s) of the original sources, while most written assignments in this course require you to find and incorporate highly relevant peer-reviewed scholarly publications following guidelines in the latest publication manual of the APA. Lastly, as your instructor, I reserve the right to use various plagiarism checking tools in evaluating your work, including those screening for AI-generated content, and impose consequences accordingly.” -Xiongyi Liu
“If you are ever unsure about whether collaboration with others, including using artificial intelligence, is allowed or not, please ask me right away. For the labs, although you may discuss them in groups (and try using AI), you must all create your own code, output and answers. Quizzes will be done in class and must be solely your own work. You alone are always responsible for the correctness of the final answers and assignments you submit.” - Emily Rauschert on AI as collaboration partner
“Chat GPT: The use of Chat GTP is neither encouraged nor prohibited from use on assignments for GAD 250. Chat GPT is quickly becoming a communication tool in most business settings. Therefore, if you choose to use Chat GPT for assignments, please be sure to revise the content for clarity, conciseness, and audience awareness. Chat GPT is simply a tool and should not be used as a way to produce first and only drafts. Every assignment submission will be graded using the rubric provided in the syllabus. Be aware that Chat GPT may not develop high-quality work that earns a passing grade. It is your responsibility to review and revise all work before submitting to the instructor.” -Leah Schell-Barber for a Business Communications Course
“Use of Generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing-Chat, must maintain the highest standards of academic integrity and adhere to the OU Code of Student Conduct.  The use of Generative AI should be seen as a tool to enhance academic research, not as a replacement for critical thinking and originality in assignments. Students are not permitted to submit assignments that have been fully or partially generated by AI unless explicitly stated in the assignment instructions. All work submitted must be the original work of the student. Any ideas garnered from Generative AI research must be acknowledged with proper in-text citation and reference. Students may be asked to save the AI chat as a PDF file for verification.” -Ohio University College of Business Generative AI Use for Academic Work Policy
“‘The policy of this class is that you must be the creator of all work you submit for a grade. The use of others’ work, or the use of intelligent agents, chat bots, or a.i. engines to create your work is a violation of this policy and will be addressed as per MSU and Broad College codes of conduct.’ - Jeremy Van Hof… Or, you might consider this, which I asked ChatGPT to write for me: ‘Sample Policy Language: Students should not use ChatGPT to complete course assignments or for any other academic activities. ChatGPT should be used as a supplemental resource and should not replace traditional academic activities.’ (ChatGPT per Jeremy Van Hof’s prompting) 
Or this much longer version, also written by ChatGPT: ‘The following course policy statement prohibits the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the’ completion of assignments and activities during the duration of the course. At the Broad College, we strive to create an academic environment where learning is the foremost priority. We strongly believe that learning is best achieved through the hard work and dedication of our students. As such, we prohibit the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the completion of assignments and activities during the course.  Our policy is in line with our commitment to providing a fair and equitable learning environment for all students. We believe that AI should not be used to substitute human effort, as it defeats the purpose of our educational goals, which are to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving.  We understand that AI can be a useful tool in many contexts, and we do not discourage its use in other courses. However, in this course, we will not accept assignments or activities that have been completed through the use of AI. We expect our students to be honest and to complete their work independently.  We will be monitoring student work closely to ensure compliance with this policy. Violations of this policy will be met with disciplinary sanctions. All students are expected to adhere to this policy and to abide by the standards of the University.’ (ChatGPT per Jeremy Van Hof’s prompting)” -Jeremy Van Hof, Broad College of Business
“I study AI. I research it in my role as faculty in the Experience Architecture and Professional & Public Writing majors. And I don’t think it’s inherently bad or scary, in the same way that a calculator isn’t bad/scary for math. Artificial intelligence technologies such as ChatGPT can be an excellent starting point and a place to begin inquiry. But they are not a replacement for human thinking and learning. Robots lack empathy and nuance. As such, here is my policy:
You may use AI as a tool, but you may not use AI to replace your own beautiful brain. That means that you may ask ChatGPT, for example, to give you a list of bands similar to one that you hear and appreciate in this course. You may ask ChatGPT to give you an overview of a punk scene in a geographic location at a particular time. You may ask it for the history of punk rock and punk cultures. You may ask it what happened to Sid Vicious. 
But you may not ask it to write on your behalf, and you must not turn in anything that has been written by ChatGPT and pass it off as your own for any assignment in this class, including discussion responses, papers, and exams. If you do so, I will know, and that will lead to an uncomfortable moment–and to you failing the assignment.
This is not meant to be punitive. It’s meant to reinforce how much I value you and your ideas and your intellect. In a face-to-face environment, we would have a lengthy conversation about AI, ethics, and human learning. If you want to have that conversation, I’m happy to do so via Zoom–email me!” -Kate Birdsall, asynchronous US23 course on punk-rock politics
Developing your Scholarly and Ethical Approaches to Generative AI 
Taken, with slight modification, from “Update Your Course Syllabus for chatGPT” by Ryan Watkins, Professor of Educational Technology Leadership, and Human-Technology Collaboration at George Washington University in Washington DC (2022), via Medium. 
Beyond Syllabi Language 
Communicate your perspective about AI use. In addition to syllabus statements, consider talking with your students about AI tools like ChatGPT. Regardless of your orientation to generative AI use, it is important that you clearly communicate your expectations with the introduction of each assignment/assessment.   
Different levels of familiarity: As an emerging technology, students will have differing levels of familiarity with these tools. For instance, while ChatGPT can write a grammatically correct paper or appear to solve a math problem, it may be unreliable and limited in scope. Discuss with students the uses and limitations of AI tools more broadly in addition to your perspective on their use in your class. 
Connect to critical thinking skills: AI tools have many implications beyond the classroom. Consider talking with students about how to be engaged-consumers of AI content (e.g., how to identify trusted sources, reading critically, privacy concerns). Discuss how you and colleagues use AI in your own work.
Adapt assessments. AI tools are emerging and it can be incredibly difficult to make any assessment completely free from AI interference. Beyond a syllabus statement, you may also consider adapting your assessments to help reduce the usefulness of AI products. However before revising any assignment, it’s helpful to reflect on what exactly you want students to get out of the experience and share your expectations with your students. Is it just the end product, or does the process of creating the product play a significant role? 

Create assessments that allow students to develop ideas over time. Depending on your class size, consider scaffolding assessments to be completed in small components (e.g., proposal, annotated bibliography, outline, first draft, revised drafts). 
Ask students to connect their writing to specific course materials or current events. Students can draw from the course textbook, additional readings on Moodle or Blackboard, and even class discussion boards or in-class discussions.  
Incorporate personal experiences and reflections. Provide students with opportunities to connect what they are learning to their own lives and experiences—stories unique to each individual. 
Incorporate Multimedia Assessments. Consider developing or adapting assessments to include multimedia submissions (e.g., audio or video components). Also, consider peer-review and social annotation tools like Eli Review or Google Docs for students to use when responding to assigned readings or other materials.  
Use class time. Ask students to complete writing assignments during class time (e.g. complete reading reflections at the beginning of class, or use exit tickets). Asking students to organize their ideas by writing during class may also support student engagement in other class activities such as discussions and group work.  

Get Creative With Your Assignments: Visit “Update Your Course Syllabus for chatGPT” by Ryan Watkins (Medium article) for 10 ideas for creative assignments adapted for a classroom with chatGPT. You can mitigate the risk of students using chatGPT to cheat, and at the same time improve their knowledge and skills for appropriately using new AI technologies inside and outside the classroom.
Additional considerations to help you develop your generative AI philosophy (Watkins, 2022)
Expand your options. Consider your repertoire of instructional strategies. Atsusi Hirumi offers a guide to research-grounded strategies for any classroom. These are not, however, “a la carte” menus; you must use all of the steps of any strategy to gain the evidence-based benefits.
Reflect on your values. As Tyler Cowen pointed out, there will be those who gain and those that lose with the emergence of chatGPT and other generative AI tools. This is as true for students as it is for faculty and instructors. Be ready to openly discuss the ethical implications of generative AI tools with your students, along with the value of what you are teaching and why learning these are important to their futures.
Consider time. As discussed during Bryan Alexander’s webinar, chatGPT and other generative AI tools offer a short-cut to individuals who are short on time. Examine your course schedule to determine if you are unknowingly pushing students to take short-cuts. Some instructors try to cover too much content in their courses already.
Remember, AI is not human. Be careful not to anthropomorphize chatGPT and other generative AI tools. ChatGPT is a language model, and if we anthropomorphize these technologies, then it will be much harder to understand their promise and perils. Murray Shanahan suggests that we avoid statements such as, “chatGPT knows…”, or “ChatGPT thinks…”; instead, use “According to chatGPT…” or “ChatGPT’s output…”.
Again, AI is likely to be a part of your students’ life to some extent this semester, so plan accordingly. Critically considering your course design in the context of generative AI is an important educator practice. Following the Provost’s call, MSU instructors are encouraged to 1) develop a course-level generative AI use policy and actively discuss with students about expectations for generative AI use in the work for your class, 2) promote equitable and inclusive use of the technology, and 3) work with colleagues across campus to determine ethical and scholarly applications of generative AI for preparing students to succeed in an evolving digital landscape. MSU does not currently have a university-wide policy on AI in the classroom, so  it is your responsibility as instructor to note and explain your individual course policy. A conversation with your department is highly recommended so that generative AI use in the classroom reflects that in the discipline. 
References
This resource is collated from multiple sites, publications, and authors with some modification for MSU context and links to MSU specific resources. Educators should always defer to University policy and guidelines. 

MSU Office of Student Support & Accountability Faculty Resources, including Academic Dishonesty Report form. 
Watkins, R. (2022) Update Your Course Syllabus for chatGPT. Educational Technology Leadership, The George Washington University via Medium: https://medium.com/@rwatkins_7167/updating-your-course-syllabus-for-chatgpt-965f4b57b003 
Center for the Advancement of Teaching (2023). Sample Syllabus Statements for the Use of AI Tools in Your Course. Temple University 
Center for Teaching & Learning (2023) How Do I Consider the Impact of AI Tools like ChatGPT in My Courses?. University of Massachusetts Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/ctl/how-do-i-consider-impact-ai-tools-chatgpt-my-courses 
Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment (2023). AI, ChatGPT and Teaching and Learning. Ohio University. https://www.ohio.edu/center-teaching-learning/instructor-resources/chat-gpt
Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology. (2023). Artificial Intelligence Tools and Teaching. Iowa University. https://teach.its.uiowa.edu/artificial-intelligence-tools-and-teaching 
Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (2023). Chat GPT and Artificial Intelligence Tools. Georgetown University. https://cndls.georgetown.edu/ai-composition-tools/#privacy-and-data-collection 
Office for Faculty Excellence (2023). Practical Responses to ChatGPT. Montclair State University. https://www.montclair.edu/faculty-excellence/practical-responses-to-chat-gpt/ 
Teaching and Learning at Cleveland State University by Center for Faculty Excellence is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
 
Posted by: Makena Neal
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Posted on: #iteachmsu
Wednesday, Sep 2, 2020
How Video Length Affects Student Learning – The Shorter, The Better!
In-Person Lectures vs. Online Instruction
Actively engaging students in the learning process is important for both in-person lectures and for online instruction. The ways in which students engage with the instructor, their peers, and the course materials will vary based on the setting. In-person courses are often confined by the fact that instruction needs to be squeezed into a specific time period, which can result in there being a limited amount of time for students to perform group work or to actively think about the concepts they are learning. Alternatively, with online instruction, there is often more freedom (especially for an asynchronous course) on how you can present materials and structure the learning environment.
Currently, many instructors are faced with the challenge of adapting their in-person courses into an online format. How course materials are adapted into an online format are going to differ from course to course – however, a common practice shared across courses is to create lecture recordings or videos for students to watch. The format and length of these videos play an important role in the learning experience students have within a course. The ways in which students engage with a longer video recording is going to be much different than how students engage with multiple shorter videos. Below are some of the important reasons why shorter videos can enhance student learning when compared to longer videos.
 
More Opportunities for Students to Actively Engage with the Material
Decades of research on how people learn has shown that active learning (in comparison to more passive approaches, such as direct instruction or a traditional lecture) enhances student performance (Freeman et. al., 2014). While “active learning” can often be a nebulous phrase that has different meanings, active learning can be broadly thought of as any activity in which a learner is metacognitively thinking about and applying knowledge to accomplish some goal or task. Providing multiple opportunities for students to engage in these types of activities can help foster a more meaningful and inclusive learning environment for students. This is especially important for online instruction as students may feel isolated or have a difficult time navigating their learning within a virtual environment.
One of the biggest benefits of creating a series of shorter videos compared to creating one long video is that active learning techniques and activities can be more easily utilized and interspersed throughout a lesson. For example, if you were to record a video of a traditional lecture period, your video would be nearly an hour in length, and it would likely cover multiple important topics within that time period. Creating opportunities to actively engage students throughout an hour-long video is difficult and can result in students feeling overwhelmed.
Conversely, one of the affordances of online instruction is that lectures can be broken down into a series of smaller video lessons and activities. By having shorter videos with corresponding activities, students are going to spend more time actively thinking about and applying their understanding of concepts throughout a lesson. This in turn can promote metacognition by getting students to think about their thinking after each short video rather than at the end of a long video that covers multiple topics.
Additionally, concepts often build upon one another, and it is critical that students develop a solid foundation of prior knowledge before moving onto more complex topics. When you create multiple short videos and activities, it can be easier to get a snapshot of how students conceptualize different topics as they are learning it. This information can help both you as an instructor and your students become better aware of when they are having difficulties so that issues can be addressed before moving onto more complex topics. With longer videos, students may be confused on concepts discussed at the beginning of the video, which can then make it difficult for them to understand subsequent concepts.
Overall, chunking a longer video into multiple shorter videos is a simple technique you can use to create more meaningful learning opportunities in a virtual setting. Short videos, coupled with corresponding activities, is a powerful pedagogical approach to enhance student learning.
 
Reducing Cognitive Load
Another major benefit of having multiple shorter videos instead of one longer video is that it can reduce the cognitive load that students experience when engaging with the content. Learning is a process that requires the brain to adapt, develop, and ultimately form new neural connections in response to stimuli (National Academies of Sciences, 2018). If a video is long and packed with content, developing a meaningful understanding of concepts can be quite difficult. Even if the content is explained in detail (which many people think of as “good instruction”), students simply do not have enough time to process and critically think about the content they are learning. When taking in various stimuli and trying to comprehend multiple concepts, this can result in students feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Having time to self-reflect is one of the most important factors to promoting a deeper, more meaningful learning experience. Unfortunately, long video lectures provide few opportunities (even when done well!) for students to engage in these types of thinking and doing.
Additionally, an unintended drawback of long videos is that the listener can be lulled into a false sense of understanding. For example, have you ever watched a live lecture or an educational video where you followed along and felt like you understood the material, but then after when you went to apply this knowledge, you realized that you forgot or did not understand the content as well as you thought? Everyone has experienced this phenomenon in some form or another. As students watch long video lectures, especially lectures that have clear explanations of the content, they may get a false sense of how well they understand the material. This can result in students overestimating their ability and grasp of foundational ideas, which in turn, can make future learning more difficult as subsequent knowledge will be built upon a faulty base.
Long lecture videos are also more prone to having extraneous information or tangential discussions throughout. This additional information may cause students to shift their cognitive resources away from the core course content, resulting in a less meaningful learning experience (Mayer & Moreno, 2003). Breaking a long video into multiple shorter videos can reduce the cognitive load students may experience and it can create more opportunities for them to self-reflect on what they are learning. 
 
More Engaging for Students
Another important factor to think about is how video length affects student engagement. A study by Guo, Kim, and Rubin (2014) looked at how different forms of video production affected student engagement when watching videos. Two of their main findings were that (1) shorter videos improve student engagement, and that (2) recordings of traditional lectures are less engaging compared to digital tablet drawing or PowerPoint slide presentations. These findings show how it is not only important to record shorter videos, but that simply recording a traditional lecture and splicing it into smaller videos will not result in the most engaging experience for students.
When distilling a traditional lecture into a series of shorter videos, it is important to think about the pedagogical techniques you would normally use in the classroom and how these approaches might translate to an online setting. Identifying how these approaches might be adapted into a video recording can help create a more engaging experience for students in your course.
Overall, the length of lecture videos and the ways in which they are structured directly impacts how students learn in a virtual setting. Recording short, interactive videos, as opposed to long lecture videos, is a powerful technique you can use to enhance student learning and engagement.
 
References
Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415.
Guo, P. J., Kim, J., & Rubin, R. (2014, March). How video production affects student engagement: An empirical study of MOOC videos. In Proceedings of the first ACM conference on Learning@ scale conference (pp. 41-50).
Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational psychologist, 38(1), 43-52.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). How people learn II: Learners, contexts, and cultures. National Academies Press.
Authored by: Christopher J. Minter
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Posted on: #iteachmsu
Monday, Apr 26, 2021
Matricultural Practices in Studio Art Courses
Instructing students during the Covid 19 pandemic has created many new challenges and upended normative pedagogical practices in learning spaces. Teaching in the arts, a traditionally hands-on process, represents a particularly unique set of challenges. Studio art faculty have long been asked to perform with limited resources, particularly those in the domestic arts where practitioners are largely women, people of color, and folks from marginalized populations. In this poster presentation, I will discuss how historically, in times of war, and now a pandemic, domestic work or matriculture, is revisited by societies at large. One needs only to look at the proliferation of bread making advice across social platforms; an intense return to cooking, and the sharing of recipes for meals that are comforting; renewed interest in growing plants and gardening to recognize the need to prioritize domestic activities as high priorities during this time. It is noteworthy to acknowledge that these same domestic activities function as productive distractions from trauma, and offer meditative practices, while providing individuals and their families with activities and outcomes that commonly bring about feelings of comfort, and security. Accordingly, I will discuss how these domestic skills can be applied to experimental learning and how students can draw on these practices with rigor for more personal resilience, innovation and imagination in their studio arts practice.To access a PDF of the "Matricultural Practices in Studio Art Courses" poster, click here.
Description of the Poster 
Matricultural Practices in Studio Art Courses 
Rebecca E. Schuiling Apparel and Textile Design Art, Art, History and Design Michigan State University 
Introduction 
Studio environment, now that we are online, happens in the home. Students are making studios of their kitchen table, twin bed, and basement floors. Creative projects that would have been executed on industry standard machines and equipment are now being created from discarded items in the family garage, recycle bin, and the junk drawer. While creative spaces, commonly known professionally as studios, have always had direct connections to matricultural underpinnings, at this time, studio practices and matricultural practices commingle.  
Students and professors alike take for granted the matricultural items and spaces around them, because they commonly exist in patriarchal spaces such as drawing studios with rigid standing tables, fluorescent lighting, cell structure classrooms with concrete floors. The pandemic forced them to examine their surroundings with a critical eye to discover new approaches and materials for creative outcomes. This returned everyone to a matricultural ethos, where materials and approaches reflect the Hestian sphere. Materials that were readily available commonly were found in the natural environment and in the home, which lead to a new appreciation for  sustainable media and materials readily available when viewed through a lens of multiplicity. 
In my studio courses; Knitwear, Advanced Knitwear, and Explorations in Apparel and Textile Design, I employ matricultural pedagogical strategies. The following are a few highlights as to the use and success of Matriculture as a pedagogy. 
Matriculture as Pedagogy 
In the introduction to her book, Cassandra Speaks 2020, Elizabeth Lesser notes that the stories a culture tells, become the culture. Stories with terms coded as feminine, “the home, the hearth, the “womanly arts” of empathy and care” are erased in favor of stories of warriors and violence (Lesser 2020:11). In this way, matriculture embraces practices commonly considered domestic arts, crafts, and even women’s work, because it offers sustainable practices and compassionate community based outcomes. 
In ReMembering Matricultures: Historiography of Subjugated Knowledges, Irene Wiens-Friesen Wolfstone imagines a future where curricula and syllabi are developed through the conceptual and theoretical framework of Matricultures. Her working definition of Matriculture is mother-centered societies founded on maternal values of care-taking and meeting needs, which become ethical principles for men and women, mothers and not-mothers. Matricultures are socially egalitarian and governed by consensus (2018: 5)  
During the Coronavirus pandemic, many returned to matricultural spaces, materials, and approaches for creative studios without fully realizing the connection. Given these factors, professors commonly asked students to use what is around them for creative outcomes in their studios, such as garden mud and dough used for ceramics; a pile of pots and pans for still life drawing; and onions and beets used for fabric dyes.  
Matriculture Pedagogical Case Study Examples 
Students were asked to be highly resourceful for space and materials while taking creative studios online. Closets of parents and peers were raided so as to locate appropriate materials that can be upcycled or repurposed. Furry family companions and stuffed animals within the home, are now models for knitted items such as scarves, blankets, mittens and hand warmers. 
Reconnecting with Matricutural Relationships 
A student in my Advanced Knitwear class could not afford new yarn or notions for the class. She reached out to her family, and her grandmother was gifted her a stash of materials including yarns. Her grandmother was thrilled that her granddaughter was learning to knit and that the materials she had collected over the years would finally be utilized for a creative outcome. The student had lots of materials for her projects that would not impinge on her affording other supplies. (Studio majors commonly spend more than $500 per course per semester). 
Reconnecting to Matricultural Spaces 
Due to the fact that many students are working in tiny spaces, as they are sharing their homes with extended family members, or are limited to small apartments or dorm rooms. Space is at a premium in the pandemic, especially for students. Students negotiate with family or roommates for space at the kitchen table or for a bedroom to become a studio for the semester. Storing supplies requires communication and innovative thinking to prevent children or pets from inadvertently ruining paints, markers, fabrics, and other creative materials. In return, the students will offer gifts of their time to make roommates dinner or even some of their creative outcomes. 
Reconnecting to Matricultural Resources 
Students in fashion illustration courses are using tea or coffee to paint their croquis figures. Orange peels and strawberry hulls now build the silhouettes to create texture and line for garment illustrations. Collage items are created as students forage around the house collecting and collating mail, paper goods, and other household items. Everyday household objects take on a new life in still lifes created in the home, frequently with family members critiquing and contributing. 
Analysis 
Wolfstone notes that Foucault’s methodology of historiography exposes how knowledge construction is influenced by colonialism, patriarchy and capitalism. Wolfstone posits that this is a useful framework “for exploring questions such as: How did we get to this place where patriarchy is presented as the only viable social order? How can we remember the subjugated knowledge of matricultures?” ((Wolfstone 2018: 7). In a patriarchal society, crafts are coded as feminine and amateur. They do not carry hegemonic institutional accreditations. Furthermore, crafting is often discounted as medium as it is typically associated with clothing and, therefore, considered superficial or surface. The Covid-19 Pandemic has forced a societal reckoning with this prioritization. The anxiety, fear, and unknown of living through a contagion, coupled with societal and economic unrest and institutionalized disparities; has led us back to the familiar; to home; to matriculture. To the domestic work that sustains life. 
By employing Matriculture as a pedagogical method in my creative studios, students are encouraged through their studio practice and design processes to simultaneously reconnect to family, reconnect to resources, and reconnecting to spaces in their own lives and creative practices. Thus, moving away from a traditional patriarchal lens of institutionalized learning to an authentic, sustainable, and community based matricultural practice. 
Summary 
In times of crisis, the domestic or matriculture is revisited. In my studio pedagogy, I employed matricultural practices, materials, and approaches because many students were isolated in home environments, where they were also engaged with domestic activities that were applicable to experiential learning and creative outcomes. Students reconnected with family, the home, and resources found in the home. Students draw on these practices with rigor for more personal resilience, innovation, and imagination in their studio practice and creative outcomes. 
Bibliography 
Foucault, M. (1984). Nietzsche, genealogy, history. In P. Rabinow (Ed.) The Foucault reader (pp. 76-100). New York: Pantheon Books. 
Kimmerer, R. W. (2015). Braiding sweetgrass. Milkweed Editions. 
Lesser, E. (2020). Cassandra Speaks. Harper Wave. 
Wolfstone I.W.F (2018).  ReMembering Matricultures: Historiography of Subjugated Knowledges. Accessed April 19, 2021: https://www.academia.edu/37336416/ReMembering_Matricultures_Historiography_of_Subjugated_Knowledges 
In her book, Robin Wall Kimmerer notes that “cosmologies are a source of identity and orientation to the world. They tell us who we are. We are inevitably shaped by them no matter how distant they may be from our consciousness…..On one side of the world were people whose relationship with the living world was shaped by Skywoman, who created a garden for the well-being of all. On the other side was another woman with a garden and a tree. But for tasting its fruit, she was banished. And then they met- the offspring of Skywoman and the children of Eve- and the land bears the scars of that meeting, the echoes of their stories” (Kimmerer 2015: 6-7).  
Wolfstone continues, “Matricultures do not presume the subordination of men, and thus are not the reverse of patriarchy. Matricultures assume a reciprocal relationality between land and culture” 
My research is an exploration of the material culture of dress and appearances, specifically knitted dress. I draw from disciplines including but not limited to Dress, Cultural Studies, Sociology, and Visual Culture in order to build qualitative methodological frameworks, studies, and analyses that allow for better understanding of the rituals of craft. My research and scholarship reveal how crafting practices and rituals of handcraft are vehicles of empowerment.  
Authored by: Rebecca Schuiling
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Posted on: Educator Stories
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Dustin De Felice's Educator Story
This week, we are featuring Dr. Dustin De Felice, Associate Professor and Director of MSU’s English Language Center. Dr. De Felice 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 Dustin’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? 
One word = Language. I added my CV and resume into a WordCloud generator (https://www.jasondavies.com/wordcloud/) and both generations put that word in the center. I believe that it reflects my focus in my teaching, learning, and supporting. 



What does this word/quality look like in your practice? Have your ideas on this changed over time? If so, how?
I believe I can best assess student understanding through the use of a variety of classroom tasks and assignments that build from and into each other. I rely very heavily on projects that give students the chance to engage in conversations, observations or interactions with language learning situations and language learners. I also believe in autonomous learning and the benefits students receive from working through material at their own pace. As such, I have been offering my courses in hybrid forms with some interactions in the classroom balanced with other interactions asynchronously. Within my classroom, I shy away from lecturing for more than twenty minutes and within those twenty minute blocks, I incorporate video, audio, or other multimedia files along with practical examples that I will ask the students to complete in small groups. I like to design packets of activities that encourage my students to learn the material while demonstrating their current level of understanding at the same time.
All of this direction comes from my earliest experiences with languages and language teaching. I remember being drawn to the English language from an early age. I was fascinated by dialects and accents, and I was especially taken by comedians, rappers and great orators and their abilities to make the English language entertain, inspire and provoke. However, it didn’t take me too long to realize I wasn’t drawn to the English language per se, but to all languages. I began taking courses in linguistics, education, humanities and sociology to help me better understand the world-at-large. Early in my career, I started teaching English as Second Language in Chicago, and I found the experience exhilarating. There I was midway through my B.A. and I was teaching three hour classes every morning and every night four times a week. I worked in a rundown building with no A/C in the summer and half-working space heaters in the winter. The classes were full of immigrants from all over Latin America and most of my classes had 35-55 students in them. Of course there were no textbooks, no curriculum or even a plan for that matter, but I loved the challenge. I loved every moment of trying to help these motivated adults learn something about English, about the city and about the U.S. I think that the challenge is what keeps me going. I sincerely enjoying working with students on succeeding at whatever tasks they have in front of them, and I especially enjoy doing so when it involves language of all kinds.
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?)
My educational setting includes the English Language Center as my primary home with multiple affiliations in or with graduate programs, undergraduate courses, service-oriented centers, and student-centered activities. I have a much smaller teaching load than I used to now that I spend most of my time in administration, but I specifically asked to maintain a teaching load because of how much I draw from my teaching. In fact, I don’t know how I would get through each semester without having the opportunity to work alongside students and their learning. 
What is a challenge you experience in your educator role? Any particular “solutions” or “best practices” you’ve found that help you support student success at the university despite/in the face of this?
MSU is a big and sometimes confusing place. I see opportunities in my teaching as a way of making MSU a place where students can succeed. I strive to provide my students with a welcoming environment whereby their learning becomes one of many ways of helping them reach their long-term goals. I try to provide opportunities through my courses and daily interactions to educational experiences that will help shape students’ futures. I also strive to be someone the students are very comfortable approaching with questions and/or advice. This approach includes ensuring I am accessible and open for meetings as needed. Within my courses, I work to conscientiously provide my students with an interesting variety of tasks to help keep them curious, satisfied, and motivated.
What are practices you utilize that help you feel successful as an educator?
I am very interested in student success, so I often utilize a 2-week module schedule, which helps make tasks more manageable and less stressful than a 1-week module format. Many students have told me the additional week gives them enough time to understand readings and complete tasks without rushing, which leads to better quality submissions. I believe student success requires creativity and flexibility, so I design classes that give lots of new ways to integrate ideas into students’ lives. I intentionally design course activities and readings with a focus on practicality. I also strive to be very responsive and available to answer questions/concerns from students. Many students have told me that my timely comments and grading are very helpful to them. In my courses, I seek out extra resources based on student interest and need. That kind of searching often leads to flexibility in applying the course content to best serve the students. Because communication is a key component of the practices that help me feel successful, many students have commented on how they really enjoy the open communication between the students and me.  I hope to let everyone focus on their interests and pull out what will be useful for them in their personal and professional lives. Part of that hope includes taking the time to get to know my students’ interests. Lastly, I always have modules up ahead of time, which really helps students plan their time. 
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? 
It has been a difficult few years with so many national and international events that I would like to hear more about keeping or reinvigorating the joy and passion in our teaching and learning. I often meet with students and faculty 1-to-1, and I have to say there are so many good ideas and perspectives to inspire and share.
What are you looking forward to (or excited to be a part of) next semester?
Now that my role is more administration than teaching, I look forward to learning more about what the faculty around me are doing in their classrooms. Of course, I get the pleasure of supporting their teaching, and I’m constantly amazed at the creativity I see in the faculty around me. I suppose the main reason I so enjoy learning about what the faculty are doing in their courses is because that level of creativity just brings out the best in our students. Watching our students learn, grow, and get closer to any and all their goals is just a rewarding endeavor.  



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!
Posted by: Makena Neal
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