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Join us for the 2023 MSU Educational Technology Summit Monday, June 5 through Friday, June 9. 
Click the link to enroll: https://apps.d2l.msu.edu/selfenroll/course/1898946
This week-long virtual event will highlight the technologies that enhance teaching and learning and promote student success. In addition to demos from partner vendors, MSU instructors, instructional designers, and support staff will present and discuss the use of educational technology available at MSU.
Presentations will cover a variety of topics including:

Leveraging AI
Classroom technology
Record and share lectures easily 
Streamline content delivery 
Develop better feedback strategies
Effectively use D2L
Utilize interactive classroom response systems
Scale online discussion among students
Boost engagement in any modality
Accessibility

Visit the D2L learning community to enroll and visit the course home page to find the complete schedule. Sessions will take place each day in the morning and afternoon. Attend and engage in as many sessions as you wish. Participating vendors scheduled to present include Zoom, D2L Brightspace, Qualtrics, Camtasia, PackBack, iClicker and many more.
Hosted by MSU IT’s Educational Technology department, the MSU Educational Technology Summit is open to the MSU community for the purposes of increasing awareness of supported educational technologies, promoting IT services available to our MSU communities, and sharing useful strategies for using these technologies._______________________________
Schedule:
Monday, June 5th
8:30 A.M. - Boosting Course Engagement: Easy Tactics and Tools to Connect in any Modality
Presented by: Ellie Louson, MSU CTLI and Lyman Briggs College & Makena Neal, MSU CTLI
Description: This interactive session will lead participants through several easy ways to boost engagement in courses of any modality (synchronous in-person, blended, hybrid; asynchronous). Using various tools, we will focus on low-barrier ways to build connections in hybrid or online classrooms. No prior experience with these technologies is required.
9:45 A.M. -  How to Develop Engaging Feedback Cycles with Eli Review  
Presented by: Casey McArdle, MSU WRAC
Description: This presentation will showcase how to use Eli Review to help faculty develop better feedback strategies in their courses. It will model effective feedback frameworks and showcase how Eli Review works to model inclusive and engaging feedback points.
 
11:00 A.M. - Let Your Goal Lead Your Tool
Presented by: Ha-Neul Kim, MSU School of Social Work
Description: The appropriateness of the tool used should start with solid learning goals. No matter how fancy the tool is, the importance of ‘learning’ is dependent on clear goals and having students facilitate the tool to achieve them. 
 
1:00 P.M. - TextHelp: Creating Digital and Accessible STEM Content with Equatio
Presented by: Rachel Kruzel, TextHelp
Description: Creating digital STEM content is a challenge. Making sure it is accessible is just as important. This session will focus on Texthelp’s digital and accessible STEM creation tool, Equatio. Built on Universal Design for Learning principles and guidelines, Equatio is beneficial to users across campus. Student users can easily respond to assignments and assessments through a variety of functions. Educators can support the remediation of course content into accessible formats and create content accessibly from the start.
 
2:15 P.M. - D2L Brightspace: Core Technology and Engagement
Presented by: Randolph Streich, D2L Senior Solution Engineer
Description: Dive deep into the core tools and interfaces of Brightspace. This presentation will look at common workflows and the tools that make online learning instruction easier. There will be a focus on automation and alerts and the use of video for crafting strong messages and engagement.
 
3:30 P.M. - Insert More Stuff…With Kaltura Video!
Presented by: Suzanne Rees, Kaltura - North American EDU Customer Success & JaBari Scott, Kaltura - Senior Solutions Engineer
Description: Kaltura will showcase opportunities for faculty & instructional designers to develop engaging video content on any subject matter and enhance them for a more robust student experience.
 
Tuesday, June 6th
8:30 A.M. - Accessible Technologies for Educational Access: Demonstrations and Discussions
Presented by: Tyler Smeltekop, MSU RCPD
Description: This session will highlight some of the most-implemented assistive technologies among our students. Learn about software such as Read & Write, auto-captions and CART, screen readers, and speech-to-text transcription. Live demonstrations will accompany discussion about how students utilize these assistive technologies and how faculty can support students using them.
 
9:45 A.M. - Using ChatGPT and AI in Developing Course Materials
Presented by: Caitlin Kirby, MSU Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative & Min Zhang, MSU Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative
Description: An overview of how ChatGPT and other large language models work. Hear ideas for how ChatGPT can be used in developing curriculum plans, various types of assessments, and rubrics for instructors to work with in their courses. This includes discussion on how students might use ChatGPT and ethical considerations. Other AI tools that instructors might consider using will also be discussed.
 
11:00 A.M. - Qualtrics: Experience Management for Higher Education
Presented by: Lara Davis, Qualtrics, Josh Sine, Qualtrics - VP of Higher Education Strategy, Steve Sartori, Qualtrics - AVP Higher Education Enterprise Accounts & Lara Davis, Qualtrics - Enterprise Account Executive
Description: A discussion of strategies and best practices for accelerating student retention, reducing faculty workload through automation, designing education experiences that deliver, and capturing and improving the student experiences that drive retention.
 
1:00 P.M. - Making Space for Makerspaces in the Classroom
Presented by: Isaac Record, MSU Lyman Briggs College
Description: This discussion is for anyone interested in assignments in which students make something, from a sculpture or a podcast to a model or a board game. We will talk through some of the challenges around this kind of assignment, including how to welcome students into an unfamiliar space that may include intimidating equipment like 3D printers, how to scaffold assignments for students with little experience, and how to assess assignments that involve skills well outside the central learning objectives for a course.
 
2:15 P.M. - Crowdmark: How to Grade Faster with Richer Feedback using Crowdmark
Presented by: Virginia Woodall, Crowdmark
Description: Crowdmark is a grading and assessment solution that enables educators to grade paper-based and digital exams and assignments 3X faster than traditional workflows. Instructors can give richer, more formative feedback by leaving comments, annotations, links, and points directly on the student answer. This supports students' understanding of errors while reducing regrade requests. Join us for this informational session for an intro and demo of Crowdmark.
 
3:30 P.M. -  iClicker: Classroom Engagement Enhanced Via Technology
Presented by: David Maltby, iClicker
Description: Become more familiar with iClicker, a tool for student engagement, formative assessment, attendance, quizzing, and polling. Recently launching new mobile-device usage options, question types, and D2L Brightspace integrations, this demo will cover the basics of the iClicker Cloud instructor software and the iClicker student mobile app. Participants will experience iClicker as a student and learn how it can improve performance in a spectrum of situations.
 
Wednesday, June 7th
8:30 A.M. - Use Brief Explainer Animations and Podcast Episodes to Cultivate Inclusive Practices in IAH Courses
Presented by: Stokes Schwartz, MSU Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities (IAH)
Description: Learn how to facilitate digital and face-to-face collaborative activities while teaching inclusive principles. Collaborative learning builds on the idea that learning is a social activity, which takes place when learners interact with their social environment. The approach is a general expression for group learning in which students share the workload equitably as they progress towards intended learning outcomes.
  
9:45 A.M. - Creating a Connected Classroom with MSU Commons
Presented by: Larissa Babak, MSU Humanities Commons, College of Arts & Letters
Description: MSU Commons is a multipurpose platform where users can develop a digital profile, join collaborative groups, build WordPress websites, and add materials to an open access repository. MSU Commons is available to all current faculty, staff, and students, as well as retired faculty and staff. With many different functionalities built into the platform, MSU Commons is an ideal place for developing an online, scholarly presence. In this session, participants will learn how MSU Commons can be used within courses at MSU.
 
11:00 A.M. - Spartan 365 Overview
Presented by: Laura Nagy, MSU IT Training
Description: This class will introduce learners to the suite of software collaboration tools that will help users store data, collaborate, and work efficiently. Spartan 365 has powerful tools that allows users to get more done with Microsoft apps like OneDrive, Forms, OneNote, Teams, and Outlook.
 
1:00 P.M.  - Piazza: Collaborative Learning with Piazza Q&A
Presented by: TJ Kidd, Piazza Technologies
Description: A demo and overview of Piazza to create learning environments that allows students to collaborate with their peers and instructors any time, especially in virtual classes. Wiki-style formatting enables collaboration, anonymous posting encourages participation, and detailed statistics help track student engagement.
 
2:15 P.M. - Turnitin: Advance Academic Integrity & Innovate Assessments
Presented by: Megan DeArmit, Turnitin
Description: Instructors are spending more time grading and less time providing actionable feedback and use assessment insights on student learning to improve teaching. Without this valuable time and flexibility, student outcomes are at risk. Learn how Turnitin can make informed decisions about originality in submitted student work through our new AI writing detection feature in Turnitin Feedback Studio. And how Gradescope can be used by both administrators and faculty to deliver assessments with pedagogical flexibility, better insights, and fairness.
 
3:30 P.M. - PackBack: Revitalizing Classroom Discussion: Leveraging AI Technology for Active Learning
Presented by: Amanda Wickham, PackBack & Kathryn Stegman, PackBack
Description: Facilitating discussion (online or in-person) doesn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming, or difficult to grade. Using Packback Questions within classroom can build community and facilitate deeper learning. Packback Questions is an online discussion forum that integrates directly into D2L. Students receive real-time feedback from instructional AI; which coaches students to ask high-quality, open-ended questions and encourages actual discussion. Attendees of this workshop will see live examples of Packback communities and how it is course agnostic and successfully supports all modalities and course sizes.
 
Thursday, June 8th
8:30 A.M. - ELI Review - Focusing on Review & Revision in the Era of AI Writing
Presented by: Bill Hart-Davidson, MSU College of Arts and Letters
Description: With more AI applications making drafting fast and easy, it is more important than ever that we prepare students to be good reviewers and revisers. Eli Review provides a service that makes practice in criterion-referenced review and revision planning easy to set up and integrate into a course. Facilitate in person, hybrid, hyflex, and online courses that are synchronous and asynchronous. Help students develop two of the most valuable leadership skills in any discipline or career: the ability to give great feedback and the ability to use feedback to make improvements.
 
9:45 A.M. - Let’s Talk About CATME Smarter Teamwork
Presented by: Andrea Bierema, MSU Center for Integrative Studies in General Science and Department of Integrative Biology
Description: CATME is a program used to create teams and evaluate team members. This session will consist of a presentation about how I have used CATME for several years in face-to-face and online sections comprised of 100 to 200 students. I will discuss how I create teams, have students practice rating team members, evaluate their peers, and most recently, metacognitively reflect on their own teamwork skills. Instructions for students and grading rubrics will be provided. An open discussion will include attendees describing how they use or would like to use CATME.
 
11:00 A.M. - Collaborative Tools to Support Language Classroom Development and Community Involvement
Presented by: Dustin De Felice, MSU English Language Center & Debra M. Hardison, MSU Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures
Description: We run a teaching practicum each year that attracts students, scholars, and community members to participate in a six-week program focused on the development of oral communication skills for adult nonnative speakers. While this program was in-person for years, we were forced to turn this experience into an online, synchronous modality in 2020. Over the last few spring semesters, we have had to run an all-virtual experience where we tried to replicate the in-person experience from registration to classes through a variety of tools. We will highlight the current structure, provide the pros and cons for the various tools, and discuss the possible directions for future iterations.
 
1:00 P.M. - Zoom: Driving Student Engagement in Zoom Classes
Presented by: Elysha Gellerman, Zoom & Janice Adamonis, Customer Success Manager with Zoom's Higher Education team
Description: This session will review best practices for driving student engagement and increasing retention in a virtual class setting. Tools reviewed will include, but not be limited to polls, breakout sessions, virtual backgrounds, spotlighting, and transcription. This session will be didactic and participants will leave the session with the ability to confidently conduct these functions as needed.
 
2:15 P.M. - Assessment Using LON-CAPA
Presented by: Stuart Raeburn, MSU Department of Physics & Astronomy
Description: The LON-CAPA Course Management System (CMS) features a powerful and flexible assessment engine. It can be used to deliver individualized homework, quizzes, and exams, either online or offline, as PDFs for printing, or for use with bubblesheets (which can be scanned by the MSU Scoring Office, and then uploaded into LON-CAPA for grading). Creation of assessment items using some of the 46 available templates will be demonstrated. Set-up of a deep linked LON-CAPA assessment for access from within a D2L course will also be shown.
 
3:30 P.M. - DigitalDesk Learning Suite: A Comprehensive Approach to Class Management
Presented by: Robert Gomm, DigitalDesk, Inc
Description: Learn to manage all aspects of class management in a unified platform:

Grading instruments to include paper/pencil and online exams andassignments.
Monitor student success in real-time.
Integrated remote proctoring.
Collaboration integration with Zoom and instant messaging

 
Friday, June 9th
9:45 A.M. - MSU’s Immersive Visualization Ecosystem
Presented by: Denice Blair, MSU Museum, Shannon Schmoll, MSU Abrams Planetarium, Amanda Tickner, MSU Libraries & Carrie Wicker, MSU Museum 
Description: This presentation showcases MSU's “ecosystem” of immersive visualization technologies for applications in teaching, learning, and research. This ecosystem includes the Abrams Planetarium Sky Theater, MSU Libraries Digital Scholarship Lab’s 360 Room, and the MSU Museum’s Science on a Sphere. These technologies are rich in possibility for multi-media engagement and custom content creation by members of the MSU community. Learn about using the displays, content creation processes, and how the displays are suited for different types of visual representation. Explore practical examples of how the technologies are used by people on campus for research, teaching, and artistic work. You will be inspired to think about how one or all of these technologies can support your work. 
 
11:00 A.M. - TechSmith: Camtasia & Snagit for Education
Presented by: Casey Seiter, Techsmith
Description: Join for a walkthrough of both Snagit and Camtasia. Casey will conduct a live demo showcasing start to finish production of still image and video production using the TechSmith suite of tools.
 
1:00 P.M. - Respondus: Protect the Integrity of Brightspace Quizzes with LockDown Browser + Respondus Monitor
Presented by: Arie Sowers, Respondus, Rebecca Schkade, Trainer, Respondus & Stephanie Ploof, Senior Account Manager, Respondus
Description: LockDown Browser is a custom browser that prevents digital cheating during an online exam. Respondus Monitor is a companion product for LockDown Browser that deters cheating when students take online exams in non-proctored environments. Students use their own computers with a standard webcam to record assessment sessions. Learn how to use these tools to protect exam integrity and confirm student identity.
 

Section 1- Intro
Resource Overview (you are here) 
Think of this article as your table of contents for this playlist. By clicking the hyperlinked titles below or by visiting the full playlist and using the menu in the left column to navigate to articles listed here.
5 Things to do on #iteachmsu
This article is a brief introduction to five functions on iteach.msu.edu. You might want to read if... you’re new to the site and looking for different ways to engage.
Section 2 - Accessibility
Accessibility Checklist for Word-
This article describes the 5 major areas to make Word Documents accessible. You might read this article if… you create word documents that are shared with others to ensure everyone has equal access to the document content. 
LEAD - Digital Access & Inclusion
This article provides an overview of MSU’s Web Accessibility Policy and recognizes relevant units on campus involved with said policy. You might want to read if... you’re looking for ways you can take action to ensure web accessibility is being met!
Section 3 - Inclusion
Cultivating Inclusive Classrooms: Inclusive Curriculum Design
This article discusses some ways educators can make more inclusive curricular design choices. You might read this article if… you’re not sure where to start when it comes to inclusivity and/or could use a few tips for being intentionally inclusive in your design decisions.
Cultivating Inclusive Classrooms: Toward Linguistic Inclusion
This article introduces the idea of linguistic inclusive classrooms as those with nuanced understandings of linguistic diversity (both linguistic repertoire and sociolinguistic competence). You might read this article if… you are interested in practical tips for linguistic inclusion. 
MSU Resources on Civility and Community Enhancement in Academic Environments
This article is a collection of resources aimed at helping MSU Educators navigate the diverse climates and cultures of MSU. You might read this article if… you need help identifying the units and their established supports for supporting an academic environment that welcomes every individual and respects their unique talents.
Section 4 - Educational technology
Free MSU Academic Technology Tools, A-Z and by Use Case
This article is an overview of technology tools that are free for MSU educators. You might read this article if… you have an idea of your technology needs but don’t know what is available. 
Teaching with Teams
This article discusses Microsoft Teams (available to all MSU Educators) as a tool for teaching and learning. You might want to read this article if… you’re looking to learn more about teams and/or are curious about strengths Teams has in a teaching and learning context. 
Flipgrid: Bringing Conversation to Online Learning
This article introduces Flipgrid as a tool to invigorate classroom conversations in remote or blended settings. You might want to read this article if… you care about livening up your digital classroom conversations and want to learn more about the features of Flipgrid!
Producing Accessible Equations 
This article provides an introduction to requirements, tools, and technology that can help make mathematical equations accessible digitally. You might read this article if… you utilize equations in any of your instruction!
Section 5 - Classroom Teaching Tools
Storytelling for Learning 1: Creating Meaning from Chaos
This article is the first in a series of three that focuses on storytelling. You might read this article if… the idea of storytelling and its role in teaching and learning, interests you. (This article is also a cool example of an engaging way to share things on iteach.msu.edu!)
Five Ways to Make Learning Relevant
In this article, the author shares a first-hand account of discovery on ways educators can help situate their teaching in learners’ experiences. You might read this article if… you are interested in five pedagogical moves that can help you make learning more relevant for students. 
10 Tips for Your First Day of Class
This article is a fun way to center on some practical tips for kicking off a new semester. Bookmark this for Spring if you’re not teaching this summer! You might read this article if… you’re in need of a smile (it’s GIF-based) or a confidence booster!
A Case for More Testing: The Benefits of Frequent, Low-Stakes Assessments
This article introduces low-stakes assessments as an alternative to testing. You might read this article if… you’re looking for more information on the benefits of low-stakes assessment and/or want tips for maximizing the benefits without adding undue stress!
Section 6 - Building Community 
Building Community Engagement into Your Course: Preparation
This article is a great intro to the idea of engagement and how engagement can be intentionally integrated into learning experiences. You might read this article if… you’re new to engagement or are looking for ways to determine if integrating engagement is a good fit for your instruction. 
Planning for Cooperative Learning
This article introduces the idea of cooperative learning, an active learning strategy, in contrast to traditional lecturing. You might read this article if… you’re looking for direct and practical ways to incorporate cooperative learning into your classroom.
Three Levels of Praxis: A Model for Reflection on Teaching
In this article, the author shares their own MSU “origin story” as an example of reflection as an example to support the importance of the practice. You might read this article if… you are looking for the what, why, and how of reflection with sample prompts. 
2021 Educator Awards
This article lists all the recipients of the Provost's 2021 #iteachmsu Educator Award by college. You can click the college names to read their nomination stories. You might read this article if... you're looking for inspiration and/or other great educators to connect with!
Section 7 - Reflect & Apply note: This content was originally posted in affiliation with the Teaching Toolkit Tailgate (TTT); an annual "event" to share practical tools and tips with educators at MSU. Historically, the TTT has been hosted in-person, online, as a solo event, and in conjunction with the Spring Conference on Teaching, Learning and Student Success. In attempts to connect broader audiences with these key resources, we have retitled the collection "Getting Started- Educator Resource Overview".Photo by Gia Oris on Unsplash

Last updated at 3:24pm on 02/20/23  MSU resumed classes on Feb. 20. The university has asked faculty to provide the greatest flexibility to adjust syllabus expectations and accommodate needs of students. FAQs and other important updates, as well as mental health and supportive resources, are available -- along with updates and the most current information-- at the Campus Safety Information page.Crisis Counseling Available at Hannah Community Center & East Lansing Public Library Free, confidential crisis counseling is available to MSU students, staff, faculty at the Hannah Community Center (ELHCC).Community members are also advised that counseling services will be offered at the ELHCC, 819 Abbot Road, from 2-6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20 Tuesday, Feb. 21; Wednesday, Feb. 22; and Thursday, Feb. 23. Counseling services will also be offered at East Lansing Public Library (ELPL), 950 Abbot Road,  from noon-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21; Wednesday, Feb. 22; Thursday, Feb. 23; and Friday, Feb. 24.Therapy dogs will continue to be available at both locations on an intermittent basis as well.Need someone to talk to right now? Crisis services are available 24/7. Call (517) 355-8270 and press “1” at the prompt to speak with a crisis counselor. If you think you or someone around you is in danger, call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room.
Additional (non-MSU) support available:

Clinton/Eaton/Ingham County Community Mental Health: 517-346-8460
Disaster Distress Helpline available 24/7 at 800-985-5990
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline available 24/7 at 800-273-8255
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) warmline – operates 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. at 888-733-7753

Intended to serve individuals living with persistent mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, and trauma



Reflect and Connect: A Framework for Processing and Self-Care [MSU faculty, staff, and graduate students]In response to the February 13th shooting on campus the Spartan Resilience Training Program is offering several reflect and connect sessions for MSU faculty, staff, and graduate students.The intent of these sessions is for people to come together and be in community with fellow Spartans experiencing a wide range of emotions.  Session will include a framework for grounding and navigating these challenging events.  Resources and practical self-care strategies will be provided. Sessions facilitated by Lisa Laughman, Coordinator, Spartan Resilience Training Program.

February 20 | 4 - 5:15 p.m.

Register for this session

February 21 | 2 - 3:15 p.m.

Register for this session

February 22 | 12 - 1:15 p.m.

Register for this session

February 23 | 12:30 - 1:45 p.m.

Register for this session



Teaching on Days After: What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do - Further Discussion with Alyssa Dunn Feb. 20 - Feb. 23, 2023 (in-person or virtual)Dr. Alyssa Hadley Dunn, is a renowned expert on teaching after a crisis; with insights on supporting our students and colleagues as we return to the classroom. She can provide practical tools and techniques for creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment and addressing the unique challenges and opportunities that arise in the aftermath of a crisis. Alyssa is offering opportunities for one-on-one conversations, as well as group conversations (for colleges, departments, units, or groups).To see Alyssa's remaining available discussion times and register, visit the CTLI Events calendar. 




Vigil at Auditorium/Rock Feb. 15, 2023recording at https://msu.edu/vigil 
Rebuilding Hope: Further Discussion on MANAGING CHANGE 
Last week, over 1000 educators came together for the "Rebuilding Hope: Teaching in the Aftermath" webinar. Join Dr. Sheila Marquardt for a further discussion of what teaching and learning looks like now and in the coming weeks - specifically on managing changes in content and expectations. Sheila is offering opportunities for one-on-one conversations, in addition to small group conversations.
To see remaining available discussion times on Managing Change - and register- visit the CTLI Events calendar.
1:1 from 11:15-11:45am on 2/21
1:1 from 11:45am-12:15pm on 2/21

Rebuilding Hope: Further Discussion on LARGE CLASSES
Last week, over 1000 educators came together for the "Rebuilding Hope: Teaching in the Aftermath" webinar. Join Dr. Brandy Ellison for a further discussion of what teaching and learning looks like now and in the coming weeks - specifically in regard to large classes. Brandy is offering opportunities for one-on-one conversations, in addition to small group conversations.
To see remaining available discussion times on Large Classes - and register- visit the CTLI Events calendar.
Group discussion from 12-1pm on 2/21
1:1 from 1:15-1:45pm on 2/21

Rebuilding Hope: Further Discussion on ASSIGNMENT MODIFICATIONS 
Last week, over 1000 educators came together for the "Rebuilding Hope: Teaching in the Aftermath" webinar. Join Dr. Sheila Marquardt for a further discussion of what teaching and learning looks like now and in the coming weeks - specifically on Assignment Modifications . Sheila is offering opportunities for one-on-one conversations, in addition to small group conversations.
To see remaining available discussion times on Assignment Modifications  - and register- visit the CTLI Events calendar.
Group discussion from 12:30-1:30pm on 2/21

Rebuilding Hope: Further Discussion on USING TRAUMA INFORMED PRINCIPLES IN SMALL CLASSES 
Last week, over 1000 educators came together for the "Rebuilding Hope: Teaching in the Aftermath" webinar. Join Cheryl Williams-Hecksel and Kelley Blanck for a further discussion of what teaching and learning looks like now and in the coming weeks - specifically in regard to Using Trauma Informed Principles in Small Classes. Cheryl and Kelley are offering opportunities for one-on-one conversations, in addition to small group conversations.
To see remaining available discussion times on Using Trauma Informed Principles in Small Classes  - and register- visit the CTLI Events calendar.
Group discussion from 1-2pm on 2/21

As teachers or students, we each enter the classroom with expectations and norms that have been cultivated by the communities and cultures from which we come. As in many social spaces shared by people with diverse identities and backgrounds, it takes explicit effort to ensure that equity and inclusion are truly guiding principles for interactions in the classroom. These are important considerations for all educators; in your reflections and preparations for classroom instruction, interactions with graduate teaching assistants and advisees, and even in many engagments with other educators.CLASSROOM DYNAMICS

Be aware of power attached to social roles and power attached to social identities. Unequal power manifests in the classroom, for one, due to the differing social roles of instructor and student. Instructors exercise power in designing courses, leading class discussions or activities, deciding grades, and offering mentorship and connection to resources for student support and development. 
Acknowledge and counter bias in the classroom. In the classroom, bias shows up implicitly and explicitly by way of course materials, classroom discussions, grading, evaluations, and more.When critically examining your course or classroom for bias, you may consider explicit and unacknowledge norms and expectations, financial burden of your course, representation in your syllabus (reading materials, cases, scenarios etc.), weight of class participation in grades, and other class policies. 
Recognize and counter stereotype threat and lift. Stereotype threat is a phenomenon in which certain groups’ academic performance is negatively impacted due to increased vigilance about possibly confirming existing stereotypes. It's important to respect each of your students as individual learners and encourage a growth mindset in the classroom. This means normalizing mistakes and failures, emphasizing the value of challenge, and offering students a variety of ways to demonstrate their learning. 

EARLY IN THE TERM

Introduce yourself to your class. Tell them about your background: how you first became interested in the subject, how it has been important to you, and why you are teaching this course. Genuinely convey your enthusiasm for the field and the subject; sharing your "why" for teaching in an authentic way. If you are comfortable doing so, introduce yourself so that your students know more than your name and contact information (e.g., outside interests, family, academic history, personal experiences). Centering yourself as a whole-human can set the tone for students doing the same. 
Give students an opportunity to meet each other. Ask students to divide themselves into groups of three to five and introduce themselves. Or go around the room and ask all students to respond to one question, such as “What’s the one thing you really want to learn from this course?” or “What aspect of the course seems most appealing to you?”
Invite students to fill out an introduction card. Suggest that they indicate their name, year in school, major field of study, goals in the course, career plans, and so on.
Learn students’ names. By learning and using your students’ names, you can create a comfortable classroom environment that will encourage student interaction. Knowing your students’ names also tells them that you are interested in them as individuals. Did you know 
Divide students into small groups. Give groups a small task, such as a brainstorming exercise, then place responses on the board for discussion and interpretation. These groups can change over time, regardless setting group agreements should be an established practice. CTLI has a student-facing survey library that includes a group agreement form. Learn more on accessing this library here.
Encourage students to actively support one another. Help them connect with at one or two other students in the class whom they can contact about missed classes, homework assignments, study groups and so on. You might also use the learning management system to create an online discussion forum where students can respond to each other's queries.  

THROUGHOUT THE TERM

Let students know that they are not faces in an anonymous audience. In large courses, students often think that their classroom behaviour (eating, talking, sleeping, arriving late, etc.) goes unnoticed. Remind students that you and their classmates are aware of -- and affected by -- their behaviour. 
If your class has extra seating space, ask students to refrain from sitting in certain rows of the classroom. For example, if you teach in a room that has rowed seating, ask students to sit in rows 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and so on so that you can walk through the audience where there is an empty row.
Recognize students’ extracurricular accomplishments. Read your campus newspaper, scan the dean’s list, pay attention to undergraduate awards and honours, and let students know that you are aware of their achievements.
Listen to students with warmth and respect. Give them your full attention. Be personable and approachable – remember the positive power of a smile.
Validate all comments and questions, even those that might seem irrelevant.
Welcome criticism and receive it with an open mind. Model for your students how you would like them to reflect on the feedback that you will be providing to them. 
When you don’t know something, ask your students for help. For example, during class, ask someone with a laptop to do a Google search for a fact or piece of information that pertains to class discussion. 
Be inclusive. Use gender-inclusive language and when giving examples make them culturally diverse.
Capitalize on outside events or situations, as appropriate. Relate major world events or events on campus both to your class and to the fabric of your students’ lives outside the classroom.
Arrive early and chat with students. Ask how the course is going. Are they enjoying the readings? Is there anything they want you to include in lectures?
Seek out students who are doing poorly in the course. Write “See me during my office hours” on all exams graded C- or below to provide individualized feedback.
Acknowledge students who are doing well in the course. Write “Good job! See me after class” on all exams graded A- or above. Take a moment after class to compliment students who are excelling.
Schedule topics for office hours. If students are reluctant to come, periodically schedule a “help session” on a particular topic rather than a free-form office hour.
Talk about questions students have asked in previous terms. Mention specific questions former students have asked and explain why they were excellent questions. This lets students know that you take their questions seriously and that their questions will contribute to the course in the future.
When feasible, give students a choice in the type of assignments they can do. For example, rather than assigning a traditional essay, give them the option of making a podcast, analysing a case study, giving a poster presentation, and so on. 
Consider providing options for how the final grade will be calculated. For example,  individual students can decide that the midterm will be worth 25% and a major project worth 35% -- or vice versa. 
Listen attentively to all questions and answer them directly. If you will cover the answer during the remainder of the lecture, acknowledge the aptness of the question, ask the student to remember it, and answer the question directly when you arrive at that subject.
Try to empathize with beginners. Remember that not all of your students are as highly motivated and interested in the discipline as you were when you were a student. Slow down when explaining complex ideas, and acknowledge the difficulty and importance of certain concepts or operations. Try to recall your first encounter with a concept – what examples, strategies, or techniques clarified it for you? 
When a student seems disgruntled with some aspect of the course, approach him or her in a supportive way and discuss the feelings, experiences, and perceptions that are contributing to the issue.
Celebrate student or class accomplishments. Instigate a round of applause, give congratulations, share cookies! 

Thank you to colleagues in university educator development at the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University, the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, and others for their materials that informed or were adapted into this resource. 
Resources

Eble, K. E. (1988). The Craft of Teaching: A Guide to Mastering the Profession and Art. 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Forsyth, D. R, & McMillan, J. H. (1991). Practical Proposals for Motivating Students. In Menges, R. J., & Svinicki, M. D., eds. College Teaching: From Theory to Practice. New Directions in Teaching and Learning, No.45. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, p.53-65.
Gross Davis, B. (2009). Tools for Teaching, 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Ralph, E. G. (1998). Motivating Teaching in Higher Education: A Manual for Faculty Development. Stillwater, Oklahoma: New Forums Press, Inc.
Wlodkowski, R. J. (1978). Motivation and Teaching: A Practical Guide. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association.
Fostering Student Morale and Confidence. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Leadership Fellows

2017-2020: Alex Wright
2020-2021: Acacia Ackles & Lindsay Williams
2021-2022: Katie Westby & Samridhi Satija
2021-2023: Daniel Puentes

Alex Wright (2017-2020)Alex Wright leveraged his position as the first Natural Science Leadership Fellow to build lasting relationships within the college and inform guidelines and feedback mechanisms for peer-mentoring. Working closely with Dean Phillip M. Duxbury, Alex authored, promoted, and helped implement strategies from his Peer Mentoring Program Guide. Alex ended his three-year fellowship in 2020 by working with stakeholders within the College to develop feedback mechanisms to measure and improve faculty mentoring and departmental graduate program policies. His successes helped secure funding for an additional Natural Science Leadership Fellow the next year, and we were able to welcome Acacia Ackles and Lindsay Williams as Fellows for 2020-2021.
Acacia Ackles (2020-2021)One of two 2020-2021 Natural Science Fellows, Acacia Ackles worked with a network of instructors across multiple institutions to draft an article on creating more equitable graduate admissions in the biological sciences. Their team drafted an article for submission to the American Naturalist’s call for special section papers on Nature, Data, and Power. Though the article was rejected, Acacia’s team is currently seeking a home for the proposal and the article itself. The proposal pulled together existing literature on equitable admissions, as well as expertise from faculty working across public, regional, and private institutions, from R1 to primarily teaching. The article aims to create a guide for Michigan State University and other biological science departments to assess and revise their admissions processes.Lindsay Williams (2020-2021)Lindsay Williams used her Fellowship to improve advertising and availability of career services and information on alternative careers for graduate students within the College of Natural Science. Lindsay began creating a guide for alternative career pathways for graduate students and working with Elizabeth Averkiadi, a Communication Arts and Sciences Ph.D. student, to create an undergraduate workshop titled “Ways of Researching” to introduce undergraduates to the research experience outside of academia.Katie Westby (2021-2022)Katie, drawing on over a decade of professional teaching experience, decided to address the unique accessibility needs within math education. Working closely with two faculty members in her department, Katie gained institutional support and funding to create a professional development workshop series for mathematics Graduate Teaching Assistants about compliance and inclusion from an anti-deficit, anti-ableist perspective. The goals of her workshops were to increase knowledge among GTAs about accommodations, understanding disability through a sociopolitical lens, and becoming comfortable creating a more inclusive learning environment.  The workshop also helped participants write diversity and teaching statements.  
Samridhi Satija (2021-2022)Samridhi decided to focus on supporting graduate students who identify as women. She collaborated with Heather Shea, the director of the Women*s Student Services office, to host the SmartStart program, a program designed to help women with salary negotiations in professional settings. Salary negotiation skills are one way to address the wage gap that exists across genders. Daniel Puentes (2021-2023)Daniel’s project focused on advocating for guaranteed transitional funding for graduate students who are forced to move to new labs or assistantships due to issues with their supervisor. Graduate students are financially vulnerable, especially when their funding is tied to a particular advisor or lab, and this funding would provide a safety net and financial security so students can prioritize their wellbeing. He created a survey to highlight the need for this type of emergency funding and in the process of submitting a proposal to the Graduate School based on benchmarking of similar programs at other institutions.

The first 48 minutes the professor spoke only in Telefolmin, a language from a remote tribe in Papua New Guinea, says Jay Loftus, curriculum development specialist who shared the story of his own experience as an undergraduate student listening to a lecture on defining culture from a professor of Anthropology. “He wouldn’t respond to questions in English, and he ignored pleas from the class to ‘explain’ what he was doing. He drew pictures on the board to try to explain things to the puzzled audience and pointed at people and objects to help us make sense of what was going on. During the last minute of the class, the professor said something to the effect that it must be disturbing not knowing the language or the culture of your surroundings.”
Such an experience is an almost perfect inversion of the inclusivity practices MSU faculty strive for. MSU’s inclusion ideal is wide-ranging; inclusion isn’t limited to identity or history, but the multi-dimensional layers that create unique individuals. Pedagogy isn’t written with formulas and checkboxes to ensure we’ve covered every facet of human experience. Inclusion is awareness of what we know and acknowledgement of what we don’t know. It’s the human side of the work, that when done well still has the risk of causing unintentional harm, and when ignored can impede a learner’s progress and ultimately student success. 
The Digital Pedagogy Lab (DPL) stresses the role that intentionality can play in mitigating negative impacts and empowering groups of learners often neglected by traditional approaches. The course Inclusive Design and Design Justice in Practice within the DPL uses the description, "Inclusive design is intentional and iterative design work aimed at supporting a range of human diversity. In education, inclusive design focuses on the creation of learning spaces and materials that support diverse learners and that help to counteract biased and exclusionary designs that pervade education.”
Those looking to center inclusivity in their pedagogy are not alone — a host of resources exists at the university to enable educators to bolster their inclusivity practices.
In the Classroom
“Every single person has their own lived experiences and truths that can be used to teach others,” said Jackie Heyman, director of the MSU Dialogues course. Student videos produced during an Integrative Studies in Social Science course highlight a few such perspectives. The “Free My Brothers” video by MSU student Naomi Johnson shares insights into the system of race and class that impact her family and many others. Dailin “James” Song provides a glimpse into “Garbage Sorting Guangzhou, China” and the change that resulted to the surrounding community. Anna Forest’s video entitled “The Blind Leading the Blind” discussed a world that so few people experience while educating them to better engage with the visually impaired population. 
A shift in focus to digital accessibility and the move to captions for video, as well as digital artifacts that can be read with a screen reader, has seen improved comprehension in overall classroom performance when made available to the entire class. As educators, there are expansive resources and ideas to implement in the classroom. Below are a few examples followed by a long list of additional resources.

Start with the “Cultural Embeddedness in Learning” assignment, recommended Dave Goodrich. This assignment pairs students with someone they do not know to interview each other using the StoryCorps app on their phones and a pre-selected set of questions. They tend to find the assignment helpful for building an inclusive community of learning together in the class early on. When we first ran it, we didn’t have it at the beginning of class which we quickly learned was a much better place for it. 
Use an intergroup dialogue model of sharing and learning to help students connect. 
Consider authors and researchers used in the curriculum to offer a variety of identities that may relate to students in different ways.
Bring DEI to the forefront in a project-based way, using technology to create a visual digital story. Eddie Boucher, Assistant Professor in the Center for Integrative Studies in Social Sciences and Hub Faculty Fellow, designed classes to complement the conversations and experiences 18-20-year-olds are already having, and to incorporate integrative studies and DEI into those experiences. 
Consider using open-format for final assessments. In Ellie Louson’s HPS classes at Lyman Briggs College, MSU, students can choose to write a standard paper or select from a variety of other formats: podcast, photo display, video, painting, presentation, or any other creative format where they can apply themes from the class and demonstrate what they’ve learned. In her experience, students enjoy and are more engaged by these projects, they’re more comfortable working in their preferred format, and they describe feeling much less pressure at the end of the term.

Resources

Academic Advancement Network resources on accessibility  
MSU Technology accessibility site 
Accessible Learning Conference 
Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives Anti-Racist Pathway resources 
MSU Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology Medium blog
General Education with a Twist article 
Student films from their perspectives 
#iteachmsu Commons articles

LEAD - Digital Access & Inclusion, a compilation of MSU policy and resources by Nate Evans 
Keeping Identity In Mind: A Teaching and Learning Story, playlist of articles by Maddie Shellgren 
Cultivating Inclusive Classrooms: Inclusive Curriculum Design, article by Melissa McDaniels 
Seven Tips Toward Linguistic Inclusion: article by Maddie Shellgren 
Accessibility Considerations in Remote Teaching, playlist posted by Makena Neal


NATIONAL




Learning for Change - We provide free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors, and other practitioners. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create inclusive school communities where children and youth are respected, valued, and welcome participants. 
SEISMIC - sustained multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary STEM education research and development collaboration. This collaboration is motivated by a clear-eyed, openly stated focus on equity and inclusion in large foundational courses as the central goal of the reform process, harnessing a higher level of collective passion from the students, faculty, staff, and administrators who participate. We will help to define a new standard for STEM reform projects: a class cannot be successful unless it is equitable and inclusive. 
NCFDD - National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity: an independent professional development, training, and mentoring community for faculty members, postdocs, and graduate students. We are 100% dedicated to supporting academics in making successful transitions throughout their careers. MSU has institutional access to the NCFDD that is available to educators. Learn more at AAN.

The following is a list of educator professional development tools, resources, and supports at MSU. This collection is just that, a sampling of offerings aimed at providing anyone who supports student success by contributing to the teaching and learning mission with a place to start when they're looking for ongoing opportunities for growth outside of the #iteachmsu Commons. 
 

SOIREE: The SOIREE (Spartan Online Instructional Readiness Educational Experience) workshop was created to help you better prepare to teach online. You will learn online pedagogical principles and develop proficiency with a variety of technologies. You can check out SOIREE for more information. (Fall programming TBD)
ASPIRE: The ASPIRE (Asynchronous Program for Instructional Readiness) workshop was created to help you better prepare to teach online. ASPIRE is entirely self-paced and will guide you through the processes and issues you'll need to address in order to develop an online version of your course. You can check out ASPIRE for more information, including enrolling in ASPIRE.
The College of Education’s Mini-MOOC on Remote Teaching: The Master of Arts in Educational Technology Program (MAET) at Michigan State University is honored to support the amazing work that educators are doing around the world as they transition to a range of remote teaching contexts. You can check out CED Mini-MOOC for more information, including enrolling in the Mini-MOOC.
#iteachmsu: You teach MSU. A wide educator community (faculty, TAs, ULAs, instructional designers, academic advisors, et al.) makes learning happen across MSU. But, on such a large campus, it can be difficult to fully recognize and leverage this community’s teaching and learning innovations. To address this challenge, the #iteachmsu Commons provides an educator-driven space for sharing teaching resources, connecting across educator networks, and growing teaching practice. #iteachmsu Commons content may be discipline-specific or transdisciplinary, but will always be anchored in teaching competency areas. You will find short posts, blog-like articles, curated playlists, and a campus-wide teaching and learning events calendar. We cultivate this commons across spaces. And through your engagement, we will continue to nurture a culture of teaching and learning across MSU and beyond.
Teaching and Learning Bootcamp: The Teaching and Learning Boot Camp is offered to bring together educators new to MSU from across campus to explore and exchange ideas about quality and inclusive teaching, as well as find community among the large group of people who are engaged in the important work of creating the best learning environments possible for our students. The focus is to assist educators in developing practical materials that are needed for immediate use in their teaching and to best prepare them for their courses and work with students. For more information, check out Teaching & Learning Bootcamp.
Accessible Learning Conference: For the last five years, the Accessible Learning Conference has provided a forum for students, educators, community members and leaders to connect, share knowledge, and foster innovation in accessibility in higher education. You can check out the Accessible Learning Conference for more information.
MSU Dialogues: MSU Dialogues is an intergroup dialogue program for students, faculty and staff at Michigan State. It is a face-to-face learning experience that brings together people from different identity groups over a sustained period of time to: understand our commonalities and differences; examine the nature and impact of societal inequalities; explore ways of working together toward greater equity and justice; prepare individuals to live, work, and lead in a complex, diverse stratified society. Go to MSU Dialogues on Race, Religion, or Gender for more information.
Course Review Process: Quality Matters (QM) is a nationally recognized, faculty-centered, peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and online components. MSU purchased a campus subscription to the QM Rubric to assist faculty and instructors in creating quality courses that will improve online education and student learning. For more information on getting started with peer course review and Quality Matters at MSU, please visit MSU SpartanQM Webpage.
Alternative assessment/Online exam workshops: These workshops ran live in 2020 and provided information and examples of designing online exams and assessing students with alternative assessments beyond exams. Recordings of the workshops can be accessed asynchronously via #iteachmsu Commons. 
Learning Communities: Learning Communities provide safe and supportive spaces for complicated conversations about curriculum and pedagogy. Michigan State University has supported these initiatives since 2004 and continues to do so through a funding program administered by the Academic Advancement Network. Learning Communities at MSU are free to select their own topics and determine the structures that best support their inquiries. Accordingly, communities tend to vary greatly in their practices, interests, and agendas. All communities, however, share three things in common: they meet monthly across the academic year, explore important educational themes, and welcome all members of MSU’s instructional staff, regardless of rank or discipline. Please go to Learning Communities (AAN) or Learning Communities (#iteachmsu) for more information.
Cohort programs: Lilly Fellowship - The program is intended to advance the University’s continuing efforts to support excellence in teaching and learning. The program supports a cohort of six faculty or academic specialists at all ranks with at least five years of service to the institution. The Program also provides an opportunity for Fellows to expand relationships and collaborative engagement with peers and colleagues within their own college and across the University. The program is supported by matching grants from AAN and the Fellows’ departments and/or colleges. The goal is to develop academic leaders who will guide the University into the near future with regard to learning, teaching, and educational programming. Participants are expected to focus their work on a project of their choosing that will make a substantial contribution to a unit’s educational efforts. The unit can be a program or a department, but it can also be a college or a University unit or initiative. Using the proposed project as a foundation, participants will also learn leadership concepts and models, build specific skills, learn more about how the University works, and practice what they learn through the activities of their project and small group mentoring and coaching. Adams Academy - The Walter & Pauline Adams Academy of Instructional Excellence and Innovation is named in honor of former MSU President Walter Adams and his wife and MSU faculty member emerita, Pauline Adams, in recognition of their sustained commitments to promote instructional excellence. The program brings together a cross-disciplinary group of faculty and academic staff for a year-long fellowship focused on teaching and learning. Adams Academy Fellows explore the literature on effective university teaching and learning practices and consider how this robust body of research can be used to guide instructional decisions in the courses they teach. Participants learn from and contribute to a community of teacher-scholars committed to excellence in teaching and learning.
Technology and Tools: IT Services offers many different resources to support teaching and learning efforts. For more information, check out Tech and Tools workshops from IT.
MSU Libraries Workshops: MSU Library & Archives provides a series of events, seminars and workshops on a wide variety of topics including but not limited to: Mendeley, data management, 3D models, special collections, distinguished lectures, Zotero, geocoding and more. Go to MSU Library Workshops for more.
The Graduate Teaching Assistant Institute: The New Teaching Assistant Institute is a university-wide orientation for graduate teaching assistants, in partnership with academic and support units on campus. It is up to departments to decide to require or recommend that their students attend this program (*graduate students should ask their graduate program directors if they are unsure about participating). All attendees must register and are expected to attend the entire day. Go to Graduate Teaching Assistant Institute for more information.
Certification in College Teaching: The Michigan State University Certification in College Teaching program is an initiative of The Graduate School, in partnership with departments and colleges. The program is designed to help graduate students organize and develop their teaching experience in a systematic and thoughtful way. Program participants partake in a series of workshops, enroll in a graduate course devoted to teaching in higher education, engage in a mentored teaching experience with a faculty member and develop a teaching portfolio to highlight, organize and reflect upon their teaching experiences. Upon completion of the program, students receive an MSU Certificate in College Teaching and the accomplishment is noted on their transcript. Visit Certification in College Teaching for more information. 

The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Jenifer Fenton: Jenifer is a fantastic mentor and constantly seeks out new pedagogical information to pass on to others. Her knowledge and direction really helped me improve my summer asynchronous online courses, and current and upcoming synchronous online courses. Additionally, she was fundamental in the redesign of our Nutritional Sciences major.
Tatiana Thomas: In a very challenging semester, Tati committed to helping me with ANS 300E, animal welfare judging. She served as both a ULA, an assistant coach for the judging team, and in both roles was a huge help to me. She came to each class with a positive attitude, always encouraging and ready to support the students and instructor. In her role as a ULA, Tati created a mock welfare scenario for the students and monitored their fact sheet submissions providing valuable practice and important feedback to the students. With such a trying semester for me, the quality of this course would have suffered had it not been for Tati. A million times over, thank you.
Jessica Kiesling: Jessica seems to be an endless well of patience, positivity, and productivity. She gives students meaningful assignments, path-plowing networking opportunities, and much-needed grace as we stumble our way into the professional world. I am so grateful to have Jessica as advisor and instructor, and the animal science community is so lucky to have her! Thank you, Jessica!
Scott Winterstein: I would like to give a huge shoutout to Dr. Winterstein for being the most exemplary mentor for the past 3 years and for his unparalleled dedication to excellence in teaching that I have witnessed the past 2 years as his Undergraduate Learning Assistant (ULA).
I met Dr. Winterstein when I was a freshman psychology major in his ISB202 course. Dr. Winterstein’s ISB202 course and our discussions after class strengthened my passion for environmental protection and showed me that I could turn my passion into a career. Near the end of the course, I changed my major to Environmental Studies and Sustainability. Now a graduating senior, Dr. Winterstein has been an amazing mentor to me and has completely shaped my career goals and introduced me to all the amazing opportunities the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) has to offer.
I have had the pleasure of working as his ULA for the last 4 semesters. In this role, I have seen him consistently go above and beyond for his students. He is incredibly committed to spreading his love of environmental science and supporting every one of his students. Dr. Winterstein’s work ethic and devotion to creating the best academic experience for his students is unparalleled. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and transition to online learning, I have seen many classes decline in quality and effort. For his ISB202 sections, I have only seen Dr. Winterstein dedicate more time and effort to perfecting his course. Moreover, he seriously takes into consideration the end of the semester surveys every time. Although he already has recorded lectures from the last two semesters online he could easily use, he re-records them every week adding new information and slight changes he makes based on survey results and careful analysis. He is extremely understanding of student difficulties, organized, and well-read. Additionally, I have seen many professors throughout my years at MSU change office hours to by appointment only, understandably, due to a lack of participation. When students would not show up to office hours due to zoom exhaustion, Dr. Winterstein opened up an extra office hour day in hopes of fitting student’s schedules better. He is always open to talking to his students about questions, related or unrelated to the course. And, many students have shared how fascinating and inspirational his memories about the history of the environmental movement and his own research is. While reading feedback he received from students on how to improve the course, a common trend I found was a deep appreciation of how enjoyable he made the science lectures through his humor and clear passion. He teaches in a way that is easily digestible to non-science major students and stimulating enough to convince me and many others to switch to science majors.
As a mentor, Dr. Winterstein has changed my life for the better. Always more than happy to help, I have asked Dr. Winterstein for endless letter of recommendation requests and his references has helped me secure over $8,000 in scholarships. Not to mention, he always forwards workshops/conferences he finds relating to environmental protection and my goals that he thinks may be of interest to me. Moreover, this year Dr. Winterstein offered to serve as the faculty advisor for my personal gap year project, a clean drinking water initiative in Mfangano Island, Kenya. Since, he has helped me apply to grants that could fund clean drinking water for 700+ residents and helped me secure an amazing summer internship.
Professor Winterstein is clearly in the top 1% of professors I have encountered at MSU based on both his dedication to his subject matter and unwavering passion in helping his students succeed. Personally, he helped me tremendously in growing from a confused freshman to a passionate and experienced professional with a clear career goal and life purpose. To be frank, MSU was not my top choice, but now I am graduating with an overwhelming sense of belonging within the CANR and forever proud to be a Spartan. His passion in helping his students inspired me to be a student mentor to a handful of CANR students and to pitch a mentorship program to the CANR Alumni Association which they will be pursuing. Thank you Dr. Winterstein for all that you do. I know the trajectory of my entire life has been significantly improved thanks to your course and mentorship. It is educators like you that make the world go round!
Aakanksha Melkani: Aakanksha is an amazing peer: she is a skillful, thoughtful woman who is as much fun to work with as she is to eat a meal or chat with! Aakanksha helps address the concerns of graduate students in her role as AFRE Graduate Student Organization Vice President. Her research work focuses on understanding marketing decisions in Zambia and trade of agricultural inputs. Aakanksha really represents excellence in all its forms :)
April Athnos: GTA April Athnos chooses to be an “usher” rather than a “gatekeeper” to knowledge for students of Ecological Economics (EEM 255). She welcomes students to identify environmental challenges and uncover the economic factors underpinning them. Said one student, “April used a variety of teaching methods, to promote an inclusive learning experience for all different types of students.” April makes the time to tailor the course to individual student needs, so that another student, “had the opportunity to write a research paper on the topic of the Coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the U.S. economy for my Honors Project.”
Ankita Bhattacharya: Ankita, is the true example of a graduate student. She started in the department as a Masters student and just recently transferred into the PhD program. Several semesters she has held the position as a TA for FSC 430, with the instructor giving her rave reviews. Ankita, is a kind student that always has a smile on her face.
Sihan Bu:

Sihan is a fantastic teaching assistant. She was instrumental in the process of converting a course from in-class to synchronous online, even though she had never assisted with the course prior. The course has a lot of "moving parts", and I was very impressed with her ability to adapt and provide input. Sihan completed every task bestowed upon her, and readily took the initiative when needed. Additionally, she has been a reference for me in using R for a course I am teaching this spring. I had never used R before, and I would often reach out to her inquiring about specific codes.


Sihan is such a kind person and always has a smile. She received her MS at MSU and is continuing on with her PhD. She has contributed to several different studies within the department and with a previous FSHN student at Wayne State University.

Rick Jorgensen: Rick, is one of the most delightful, enjoyable students to be around. He has continued to keep a 4.0 GPA, His first project was to establish a IgE-Western blot method for studying wheat allergenicity. He has presented at the AAI meeting. Is a co-author on an abstract, a co-author on 2 peer-reviewed papers, the list continues on. He is also the student representative for FSHN GAC, all this while being a TA for the fall and spring semesters.
Srishti LNU: From the time Srishti entered the MS program she has had a smile on her face. Almost everyday she would stop by my desk to just say Hi and have a short conversation. This is her last semester as she will be graduating, while I am so excited for her and her future, it is sad to see her go.
Chia-Lun Yang: Chia-Lun is planning on graduating summer semester. Her career goal is to become a nutrition scientist, delivering knowledge to the general public. We have no doubt that she will meet and exceed her expectations. Chia was/is a great addition to FSHN, always kind, always smiling and always helpful.
Lucas Krusinski: Lucas is in his second year and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. He is overseeing projects and training other student in techniques and completed work on two funded grants. He also presented his research findings at the annual meeting of the American Association of Animal Science, his abstract was published in their journal. FSHN is lucky to have Lucas as a Grad student.
Alyssa Harben: Alyssa Harben has engaged opportunities across the mission (teaching, research and service) more deeply than any other student that I have had the privilege to mentor. She is critical player in our research, collecting and analyzing data as well as mentoring students and actively engaging community partners. She is an excellent teacher former FAST fellow, who has engaged in critical inquiry related to teaching and learning. All of this has led to the creation of new knowledge and new scientists. Her enthusiasm is as endless as her energy and it has been to my benefit to have known her.
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize