We found 35 results that contain "ced"
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Instruction, Feedback, Assessments & Centering Students in Remote Environments
This playlist is a growing collection of content aimed at supporting educators as they traverse ongoing shifts in teaching environment, procedures related to grading, and other uncertainties that results from ongoing pandemics... all the while keeping student success at the core of their work.
ASSESSING LEARNING
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Policy Tip Sheets: Supplemental Materials for 2018-2019 Workshops
These tip sheets are meant to provide support to educators as they try to understand and implement several MSU policies being discussed in workshops at the 2018-2019 Quick Start for Teaching and the New TA Institute. The contents were written by experienced educators and reviewed by policy experts on campus. These tip sheets should be seen as a supplement to (not a replacement for) reading the policies themselves, and the compliance information located on official MSU web sites. Links to official web sites are included throughout these tip sheets.
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Setting Expectations
This playlist begins a discussion of how to be a successful graduate student, moves into resources on creating an effective and realistic writing habit, and ends with links to MSU’s official policies, procedures, and expectations when it comes to graduate students and graduate life at MSU as well as graduate student organizations that support you at MSU.
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Posted on: #iteachmsu
2023 Fall Educator Seminars
Join MSU IT, MSU Libraries, the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI), and the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) at the virtual 2023 Fall Educator Seminars, August 23 - 25. Various free trainings and webinars are offered each day to help prepare MSU educators for the new academic year. Sessions will dive into topics such as how to design effective, interactive courses for students or how to connect with library resources, and more.
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: GenAI & Education
Michigan State University on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
As you prepare for the Fall 2023 academic semester, our hopes are that instructors will 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. The following materials were assembled using existing MSU policy documents and include framing questions developed by an interdisciplinary team of campus experts. To help facilitate this work, the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI) and the Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) will be producing resources, offering workshops, and facilitating discussions throughout the year.
You can learn more about generative AI and participate in discussions here on iteach.msu.edu. Click section 3 of this playlist for additional resources on generative AI on #iteachmsu!
You can learn more about generative AI and participate in discussions here on iteach.msu.edu. Click section 3 of this playlist for additional resources on generative AI on #iteachmsu!
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Enhanced Digital Learning Initative
Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI)
The Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) is a collaborative effort of digital pedagogy experts from the College of Arts & Letters, the Eli Broad College of Business, the College of Natural Science, working closely with collaborators in MSU Information Technology and MSU Libraries.Our mission is to humanize the digital learning experience and use a values-driven approach to develop and evaluate digital pedagogies and technologies for 21st-century learning. We help build high-quality, digitally-enhanced teaching and learning experiences by focusing on meaningful assessment of learning, student interaction and group work, and learning by doing.What we do:
The Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) is a collaboration of educators in the Colleges of Arts and Letters, Business and Natural Science, MSU Libraries, and MSU IT. Our mission is to humanize the digital learning experience and use a values-driven approach to develop and evaluate digital pedagogies and technologies for 21st-century learning.
EDLI’s efforts are at the intersection of pedagogy, technology, and content knowledge. In working in that space, EDLI brokers relationships between students, faculty and administration. This empowers EDLI to do applied work, conducting Research, Evaluation, and Implementation guidance for educational technology and tech-infused pedagogy.
Services Provided:
Primarily supports the Colleges of Arts & Letters, Natural Science, and Broad College of Business
Implementing new pedagogical or digital tools in the classroom
Designing, implementing, analyzing, and publishing action research or scholarship of teaching and learning projects
Mid-semester course feedback collection and analysis
Internal and external grants with classroom research components
Quality matters course reviews and pre-review consults
Website: https://edli.msu.edu/Contact Usedli.team@msu.edu
The Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) is a collaborative effort of digital pedagogy experts from the College of Arts & Letters, the Eli Broad College of Business, the College of Natural Science, working closely with collaborators in MSU Information Technology and MSU Libraries.Our mission is to humanize the digital learning experience and use a values-driven approach to develop and evaluate digital pedagogies and technologies for 21st-century learning. We help build high-quality, digitally-enhanced teaching and learning experiences by focusing on meaningful assessment of learning, student interaction and group work, and learning by doing.What we do:
The Enhanced Digital Learning Initiative (EDLI) is a collaboration of educators in the Colleges of Arts and Letters, Business and Natural Science, MSU Libraries, and MSU IT. Our mission is to humanize the digital learning experience and use a values-driven approach to develop and evaluate digital pedagogies and technologies for 21st-century learning.
EDLI’s efforts are at the intersection of pedagogy, technology, and content knowledge. In working in that space, EDLI brokers relationships between students, faculty and administration. This empowers EDLI to do applied work, conducting Research, Evaluation, and Implementation guidance for educational technology and tech-infused pedagogy.
Services Provided:
Primarily supports the Colleges of Arts & Letters, Natural Science, and Broad College of Business
Implementing new pedagogical or digital tools in the classroom
Designing, implementing, analyzing, and publishing action research or scholarship of teaching and learning projects
Mid-semester course feedback collection and analysis
Internal and external grants with classroom research components
Quality matters course reviews and pre-review consults
Website: https://edli.msu.edu/Contact Usedli.team@msu.edu
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: New Technologies
A Detailed Look at Zoom Webinar
The last year has forced many of us to utilize Zoom in ways that we couldn't have imagined a year ago. Considering the abrupt transition to remote teaching, you may feel like you need some additional training on utilizing some of the more advanced features in Zoom.
Here is a recorded webinar by Zoom that provides a detailed look into the features in Zoom Webinar. Some of the highlights include post-webinar follow-up messaging, setting up polls, customizing the Q&A Chat, etc.
MSU already has an enterprise license of Zoom Webinar, which allows faculty, students, and to create a 500 person webinar. Check out the link below to watch the recording:
https://livetraining.zoom.us/recording/share/sJ_OK-Q_tTvEnAdrpmOSHj0JwOEMG68oN7aO3doo9PKwIumekTziMw
Here is a recorded webinar by Zoom that provides a detailed look into the features in Zoom Webinar. Some of the highlights include post-webinar follow-up messaging, setting up polls, customizing the Q&A Chat, etc.
MSU already has an enterprise license of Zoom Webinar, which allows faculty, students, and to create a 500 person webinar. Check out the link below to watch the recording:
https://livetraining.zoom.us/recording/share/sJ_OK-Q_tTvEnAdrpmOSHj0JwOEMG68oN7aO3doo9PKwIumekTziMw
Authored by: Rashad Muhammad
Posted on: GenAI & Education
An Intro to Artificial Intelligence
The following are a collection of publicly sourced articles related to the recent rise of artificial intelligence in everyday applications. note: following each [hyperlinked] title/subtitle are abstracts generated by ChatGPT after receiving prompts from M. Neal. "Write an abstract for [article link]" is indicated with [URL] abstract. "Write an abstract for [article text]" is indicated with [text] abstract. These very similar prompt-responses are shared consecutively in the hope that reading the abstracts will showcase the variations in ChatGPT output (despite similar input). Big Tech was moving cautiously on AI. Then came ChatGPT.
Google, Facebook and Microsoft helped build the scaffolding of AI. Smaller companies are taking it to the masses, forcing Big Tech to react.
[URL] Abstract: "ChatGPT, the Large Language Model developed by OpenAI, has been acquired by Google for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition has been widely seen as a move to improve Google's AI capabilities and stay ahead of competitors in the field. The ChatGPT model will be integrated into various Google services and products, including search, voice assistants, and translation services. This acquisition highlights the growing importance of AI technology and the increasing demand for advanced language models like ChatGPT."
[text] Abstract: Meta's Blenderbot, a chatbot released by Facebook's parent company three months before OpenAI's ChatGPT, was deemed a failure due to its over-cautious content moderation. In contrast, ChatGPT's conversational style, which allows for discussion on controversial topics, has made it a mainstream success. As ChatGPT continues to grow in popularity, tech giants such as Meta and Google are feeling pressure to speed up their own AI processes, potentially disregarding safety concerns. This has sparked concerns among AI ethicists, who fear that big tech's rush to market may expose billions of people to potential harms before they have been fully studied. Despite these concerns, companies like OpenAI continue to release their AI tools to the public, viewing it as the only way to assess real-world harm. The fast pace of AI progress requires companies to prioritize making the right decisions and releasing AI models that best serve the community, while considering the broader societal impacts of these innovations.ChatGPT Is Dumber Than You Think
Treat it like a toy, not a tool.
Abstract: "The deployment of AI language models like ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, in writing and journalism raises questions about the ethics of AI-generated content. ChatGPT is capable of producing human-like text, making it difficult to distinguish between AI-generated content and content written by a human. The ethical concerns include issues of accuracy, accountability, and bias in AI-generated writing, as well as the potential for AI systems to manipulate public opinion. The article highlights the need for transparent and responsible deployment of AI language models in journalism and writing, and the importance of considering the ethical implications of AI-generated content."
ChatGPT could be used for good, but like many other AI models, it's rife with racist and discriminatory bias
[URL] abstract: ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI, is prone to biases like many other AI models. Despite its impressive performance in generating human-like text, the model has been found to have biases based on the training data it was exposed to. These biases can be a result of various factors such as the demographic representation in the training data, cultural norms and values, and other systemic biases present in society. It is crucial for developers and users to be aware of these biases and take steps to mitigate them.
[text] abstract: ChatGPT, an advanced artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI, is at the forefront of the debate on the potential and dangers of AI. Although the chatbot can assist with writing and speaking tasks and provide entertainment, it has also been used to cheat, plagiarize, spread misinformation, and enable unethical business practices. Furthermore, like many chatbots, it has a history of being biased. OpenAI added guardrails to prevent problematic responses, but these were easily bypassed by users. As AI is increasingly used to make important decisions in various industries, such as healthcare and law enforcement, the issue of bias must be addressed to prevent amplifying existing inequalities. This problem is not unique to ChatGPT and is well-documented, with studies showing the negative effects of biased algorithms. The AI industry is divided on who should be held responsible for these biases and whether harmful models should be released. Despite these concerns, AI models are becoming more prevalent in our lives and researchers are urging caution on the potential for harm due to AI biases.
The US Copyright Office says an AI can’t copyright its art[text] abstract: The US Copyright Office has rejected a request to copyright a work of art created by an AI algorithm named Creativity Machine. A three-person board determined that the AI-generated image lacked the necessary "human authorship" required for protection under copyright law. The board emphasized the vital role of the human mind in creative expression, citing past court decisions which have consistently found that non-human expression is ineligible for copyright protection. This decision highlights the importance of human agency in machine-produced works and raises questions about the limits of AI in the realm of art and copyright.[Google] An important next step on our AI journey[URL] abstract: This blog post provides an overview of BARD (Bidirectional Attention Representation for Documents), a new AI-powered search system developed by Google. BARD leverages the latest advances in natural language processing and machine learning to deliver more relevant and accurate search results, even for complex queries. The system utilizes a bidirectional attention mechanism to better understand the context of each word in a document and make connections between words, which helps to improve the relevance of search results. With BARD, Google aims to provide users with a more intuitive and seamless search experience, enabling them to find what they're looking for more quickly and easily.[text] abstract: Google has opened up its experimental conversational AI service, Bard, to trusted testers ahead of wider availability. Bard aims to combine the world's knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of large language models, drawing on information from the web to provide high-quality responses. Bard will initially be released with a lightweight version of LaMDA, the company's language model for dialogue applications. The release will be used to gather feedback and improve quality and speed. AI-powered features in Google Search, which will distill complex information and multiple perspectives, will soon be rolled out. Google also plans to onboard individual developers and enterprises to build on top of its best AI models.
last updated on 02/06/2023
Google, Facebook and Microsoft helped build the scaffolding of AI. Smaller companies are taking it to the masses, forcing Big Tech to react.
[URL] Abstract: "ChatGPT, the Large Language Model developed by OpenAI, has been acquired by Google for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition has been widely seen as a move to improve Google's AI capabilities and stay ahead of competitors in the field. The ChatGPT model will be integrated into various Google services and products, including search, voice assistants, and translation services. This acquisition highlights the growing importance of AI technology and the increasing demand for advanced language models like ChatGPT."
[text] Abstract: Meta's Blenderbot, a chatbot released by Facebook's parent company three months before OpenAI's ChatGPT, was deemed a failure due to its over-cautious content moderation. In contrast, ChatGPT's conversational style, which allows for discussion on controversial topics, has made it a mainstream success. As ChatGPT continues to grow in popularity, tech giants such as Meta and Google are feeling pressure to speed up their own AI processes, potentially disregarding safety concerns. This has sparked concerns among AI ethicists, who fear that big tech's rush to market may expose billions of people to potential harms before they have been fully studied. Despite these concerns, companies like OpenAI continue to release their AI tools to the public, viewing it as the only way to assess real-world harm. The fast pace of AI progress requires companies to prioritize making the right decisions and releasing AI models that best serve the community, while considering the broader societal impacts of these innovations.ChatGPT Is Dumber Than You Think
Treat it like a toy, not a tool.
Abstract: "The deployment of AI language models like ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, in writing and journalism raises questions about the ethics of AI-generated content. ChatGPT is capable of producing human-like text, making it difficult to distinguish between AI-generated content and content written by a human. The ethical concerns include issues of accuracy, accountability, and bias in AI-generated writing, as well as the potential for AI systems to manipulate public opinion. The article highlights the need for transparent and responsible deployment of AI language models in journalism and writing, and the importance of considering the ethical implications of AI-generated content."
ChatGPT could be used for good, but like many other AI models, it's rife with racist and discriminatory bias
[URL] abstract: ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI, is prone to biases like many other AI models. Despite its impressive performance in generating human-like text, the model has been found to have biases based on the training data it was exposed to. These biases can be a result of various factors such as the demographic representation in the training data, cultural norms and values, and other systemic biases present in society. It is crucial for developers and users to be aware of these biases and take steps to mitigate them.
[text] abstract: ChatGPT, an advanced artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI, is at the forefront of the debate on the potential and dangers of AI. Although the chatbot can assist with writing and speaking tasks and provide entertainment, it has also been used to cheat, plagiarize, spread misinformation, and enable unethical business practices. Furthermore, like many chatbots, it has a history of being biased. OpenAI added guardrails to prevent problematic responses, but these were easily bypassed by users. As AI is increasingly used to make important decisions in various industries, such as healthcare and law enforcement, the issue of bias must be addressed to prevent amplifying existing inequalities. This problem is not unique to ChatGPT and is well-documented, with studies showing the negative effects of biased algorithms. The AI industry is divided on who should be held responsible for these biases and whether harmful models should be released. Despite these concerns, AI models are becoming more prevalent in our lives and researchers are urging caution on the potential for harm due to AI biases.
The US Copyright Office says an AI can’t copyright its art[text] abstract: The US Copyright Office has rejected a request to copyright a work of art created by an AI algorithm named Creativity Machine. A three-person board determined that the AI-generated image lacked the necessary "human authorship" required for protection under copyright law. The board emphasized the vital role of the human mind in creative expression, citing past court decisions which have consistently found that non-human expression is ineligible for copyright protection. This decision highlights the importance of human agency in machine-produced works and raises questions about the limits of AI in the realm of art and copyright.[Google] An important next step on our AI journey[URL] abstract: This blog post provides an overview of BARD (Bidirectional Attention Representation for Documents), a new AI-powered search system developed by Google. BARD leverages the latest advances in natural language processing and machine learning to deliver more relevant and accurate search results, even for complex queries. The system utilizes a bidirectional attention mechanism to better understand the context of each word in a document and make connections between words, which helps to improve the relevance of search results. With BARD, Google aims to provide users with a more intuitive and seamless search experience, enabling them to find what they're looking for more quickly and easily.[text] abstract: Google has opened up its experimental conversational AI service, Bard, to trusted testers ahead of wider availability. Bard aims to combine the world's knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of large language models, drawing on information from the web to provide high-quality responses. Bard will initially be released with a lightweight version of LaMDA, the company's language model for dialogue applications. The release will be used to gather feedback and improve quality and speed. AI-powered features in Google Search, which will distill complex information and multiple perspectives, will soon be rolled out. Google also plans to onboard individual developers and enterprises to build on top of its best AI models.
last updated on 02/06/2023
Authored by: Makena Neal & ChatGPT
Posted on: #iteachmsu
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. Our Mini-MOOC on Remote Teaching focuses on high-priority, digestible topics with the intent of applying them to practice tomorrow. Because educators are teaching across a range of remote teaching contexts, we include no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech strategies throughout the experience. This Mini-MOOC is a self-paced learning experience. For more information, including enrollment information, please go to the College of Education MAET Blog: https://edwp.educ.msu.edu/maet/2020/03/30/maetminimooc/
Authored by: Breana Yaklin
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Fairytale Oral Exam IAH 207
Oral exams (or viva voce) are practiced in many disciplines. In the course of an oral exam, an examiner poses questions to a student; the student then has to answer the questions orally, thereby demonstrating their knowledge of the subject matter. In this class, you will participate in a “collaborative” oral exam, where you will prepare as a team to answer a series of open-ended questions (see below) in a discussion format. The purpose of this assignment is to assess your ability to:
Apply close-reading skills developed in class;
Synthesize ideas encountered in course materials and class discussion to create original arguments andinterpretations; and
Practice conversation, collaboration, and consensus
Apply close-reading skills developed in class;
Synthesize ideas encountered in course materials and class discussion to create original arguments andinterpretations; and
Practice conversation, collaboration, and consensus
Authored by: Nicola Imbracsio
Assessing Learning
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
Source MSU Faculty Handbook (Last updated: 7/27/1984)
IV. ACADEMIC HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES (Cont.)
The following policy was approved by the Board of Trustees on July 27, 1984.
The Bylaws of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees state that "the Constitution (of the State of Michigan) confers upon the Board of Trustees the freedom, power, and responsibility to develop a free and distinguished university and to promote the welfare of mankind through teaching, research, and public service." 1,2,3
As the primary functions of an academic community, learning, teaching, scholarship, and public service must be characterized by a fundamental commitment to academic freedom and maintained through reasoned discourse, intellectual honesty, mutual respect and openness to constructive criticism and change. Faculty members, as central to this community, serve as scholars pursuing the search for knowledge and its free expression, as teachers instructing students, and as professionals and citizens contributing special knowledge and skills through public service and community participation. In the performance of all these functions faculty members are held accountable to the University, in accordance with established policies and procedures, by the Board of Trustees which, as an elected body, is responsible to the people of the State of Michigan. 4
In order to carry out the mission of the University, faculty members, as members of both the academic and the broader public community, have the right to a clear statement of academic freedom, tenure, and other fundamental faculty rights and responsibilities. The purpose of this document is to acknowledge these fundamental rights and responsibilities. 5
Academic Freedom and Responsibility
Michigan State University endorses academic freedom and responsibility as essential to attainment of the University's goal of the unfettered search for knowledge and its free exposition. Academic freedom and responsibility are fundamental characteristics of the University environment and are always closely interwoven and at times indistinguishable. Academic freedom and responsibility are the twin guardians of the integrity and quality of universities. The University looks to its faculty members to exercise their rights responsibly and to meet their obligations fully as professionals. Faculty acceptance of their responsibilities to students, colleagues, the scholarly community, and the public explains in great part why society historically has accepted the concept of academic freedom and has afforded its protection through the institution of academic tenure.
For faculty members, the principal elements of academic freedom include:
The right, as teachers, to discuss in the classroom any material which has a significant relationship to the subject matter as defined in the approved course description;
The right to determine course content, grading, and classroom procedures in the courses they teach;
The right to conduct research and to engage in creative endeavors;
The right to publish or present research findings and creative works;
The right to engage in public service activities; and
The right to seek changes in institutional policy through established University procedures and by lawful and peaceful means.
Academic freedom carries with it responsibilities. For faculty members, the principal elements include:
The responsibility to carry out assigned teaching, research, and public service duties in a professional manner and in keeping with University policy;
The responsibility, as teachers, to refrain from introducing matters which are not consistent with their teaching duties and professional competence and which have no significant bearing on the subject matter of the course as approved under University procedures;
The responsibility to pursue excellence and intellectual honesty in teaching, research, and other creative endeavors and in public service activities; and in publishing or presenting research findings and creative works;
The responsibility to encourage students and colleagues to engage in free discussion and inquiry; and to evaluate student and colleague performance on a scholarly basis;
The responsibility to work in a collegial manner with appropriate individuals and bodies to encourage the free search for knowledge; its free exposition, and the University's continuing quest for excellence; and
The responsibility to differentiate carefully their official activities as faculty members from their personal activities as citizens and, when the situation warrants, to make it clear that, when speaking as private citizens, they do not speak for the University.
The above list provides a summary outline of the principal elements of academic freedom and responsibility. More detailed and explicit definitional statements applicable to specific faculty rights and responsibilities are set forth below under the following headings: Academic Tenure, Academic Governance, Teaching, Research and Creative Activity, Public Service, Relations with Colleagues, Relation to the University and the Community, and Resolution of Conflicts.
Footnotes:
1 The terms, "faculty" or "faculty members," as used in this document, apply to individuals appointed in the tenure system with the rank of instructor through professor. (However, as applicable in the context of assigned duties and responsibilities, the provisions of this policy apply to all faculty and academic staff).
2 Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, as amended January 24-25, 1980, Preamble, page 1.
3 "The Board of Trustees, the administration, and the faculty carry out their respective responsibilities not as isolated entities, but as major and primary constituents of the total University organization and structure which remain mutually independent and must be supportive of each other's purposes, functions, and obligations. It is within this context that the rights and responsibilities of the faculty are to be construed" (Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, as amended January 24-25, 1980, Article 7, page 7.)
4 "The Board of Trustees, elected by the voters of the State and responsible to all the people of Michigan, exercises the final authority in the government of the University, within the limits fixed by the State Constitution. In exercising its responsibility, the Board delegates to the President of the University and through the President to the faculty, appropriate authority and jurisdiction over matters for which they are held accountable by the Board. These matters include educational policy and the development of a strong and efficient organization with which to accomplish the objectives of the University." (Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, as amended January 24-25, 1980, Preamble, page l.)
5 Some faculty rights and responsibilities referred to in this document are stated elsewhere (see Appendix A).
Source MSU Faculty Handbook (Last updated: 7/27/1984)
IV. ACADEMIC HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES (Cont.)
The following policy was approved by the Board of Trustees on July 27, 1984.
The Bylaws of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees state that "the Constitution (of the State of Michigan) confers upon the Board of Trustees the freedom, power, and responsibility to develop a free and distinguished university and to promote the welfare of mankind through teaching, research, and public service." 1,2,3
As the primary functions of an academic community, learning, teaching, scholarship, and public service must be characterized by a fundamental commitment to academic freedom and maintained through reasoned discourse, intellectual honesty, mutual respect and openness to constructive criticism and change. Faculty members, as central to this community, serve as scholars pursuing the search for knowledge and its free expression, as teachers instructing students, and as professionals and citizens contributing special knowledge and skills through public service and community participation. In the performance of all these functions faculty members are held accountable to the University, in accordance with established policies and procedures, by the Board of Trustees which, as an elected body, is responsible to the people of the State of Michigan. 4
In order to carry out the mission of the University, faculty members, as members of both the academic and the broader public community, have the right to a clear statement of academic freedom, tenure, and other fundamental faculty rights and responsibilities. The purpose of this document is to acknowledge these fundamental rights and responsibilities. 5
Academic Freedom and Responsibility
Michigan State University endorses academic freedom and responsibility as essential to attainment of the University's goal of the unfettered search for knowledge and its free exposition. Academic freedom and responsibility are fundamental characteristics of the University environment and are always closely interwoven and at times indistinguishable. Academic freedom and responsibility are the twin guardians of the integrity and quality of universities. The University looks to its faculty members to exercise their rights responsibly and to meet their obligations fully as professionals. Faculty acceptance of their responsibilities to students, colleagues, the scholarly community, and the public explains in great part why society historically has accepted the concept of academic freedom and has afforded its protection through the institution of academic tenure.
For faculty members, the principal elements of academic freedom include:
The right, as teachers, to discuss in the classroom any material which has a significant relationship to the subject matter as defined in the approved course description;
The right to determine course content, grading, and classroom procedures in the courses they teach;
The right to conduct research and to engage in creative endeavors;
The right to publish or present research findings and creative works;
The right to engage in public service activities; and
The right to seek changes in institutional policy through established University procedures and by lawful and peaceful means.
Academic freedom carries with it responsibilities. For faculty members, the principal elements include:
The responsibility to carry out assigned teaching, research, and public service duties in a professional manner and in keeping with University policy;
The responsibility, as teachers, to refrain from introducing matters which are not consistent with their teaching duties and professional competence and which have no significant bearing on the subject matter of the course as approved under University procedures;
The responsibility to pursue excellence and intellectual honesty in teaching, research, and other creative endeavors and in public service activities; and in publishing or presenting research findings and creative works;
The responsibility to encourage students and colleagues to engage in free discussion and inquiry; and to evaluate student and colleague performance on a scholarly basis;
The responsibility to work in a collegial manner with appropriate individuals and bodies to encourage the free search for knowledge; its free exposition, and the University's continuing quest for excellence; and
The responsibility to differentiate carefully their official activities as faculty members from their personal activities as citizens and, when the situation warrants, to make it clear that, when speaking as private citizens, they do not speak for the University.
The above list provides a summary outline of the principal elements of academic freedom and responsibility. More detailed and explicit definitional statements applicable to specific faculty rights and responsibilities are set forth below under the following headings: Academic Tenure, Academic Governance, Teaching, Research and Creative Activity, Public Service, Relations with Colleagues, Relation to the University and the Community, and Resolution of Conflicts.
Footnotes:
1 The terms, "faculty" or "faculty members," as used in this document, apply to individuals appointed in the tenure system with the rank of instructor through professor. (However, as applicable in the context of assigned duties and responsibilities, the provisions of this policy apply to all faculty and academic staff).
2 Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, as amended January 24-25, 1980, Preamble, page 1.
3 "The Board of Trustees, the administration, and the faculty carry out their respective responsibilities not as isolated entities, but as major and primary constituents of the total University organization and structure which remain mutually independent and must be supportive of each other's purposes, functions, and obligations. It is within this context that the rights and responsibilities of the faculty are to be construed" (Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, as amended January 24-25, 1980, Article 7, page 7.)
4 "The Board of Trustees, elected by the voters of the State and responsible to all the people of Michigan, exercises the final authority in the government of the University, within the limits fixed by the State Constitution. In exercising its responsibility, the Board delegates to the President of the University and through the President to the faculty, appropriate authority and jurisdiction over matters for which they are held accountable by the Board. These matters include educational policy and the development of a strong and efficient organization with which to accomplish the objectives of the University." (Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, as amended January 24-25, 1980, Preamble, page l.)
5 Some faculty rights and responsibilities referred to in this document are stated elsewhere (see Appendix A).
Posted by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
How Do We Best Support Students in a Remote Learning Environment?
With the transition to remote learning we have all faced some difficulties, but how has this affected our students? Based on posts and stories that we have seen on the internet, we compiled this resource for students to help support their transition to remote learning.
Remote Learning for Students
Dear students,
We have been learning more about some of your fears, frustrations, anxiety, loneliness, uncertainty, and challenges that you are facing with the evolving situation of COVID-19, and how that is affecting your lives as well as your relationship with your college or university. We have read some of your stories and posts, and those have helped us start to understand the hardships and uncertainty some of you are facing during this unprecedented time. With the continually evolving updates, changes, and restrictions being communicated daily, your institution’s choice to move to remote learning might seem trivial given everything else happening around you. We hope that this guide can provide you with useful information, resources, and tools to make remote learning approachable and valuable to your education.
For as many different styles of teaching that exist among instructors, whether it’s reading content from slides, assigning multiple chapters of reading, or allowing a space for collaboration between peers, there are a far greater number of diverse ways that students absorb and learn information. We understand that being tossed into an online learning environment may not be the way that many of you prefer to learn, but there are some tools and strategies that you can implement to make it work for you.
One of the strengths of online learning is the diverse set of tools that you can individually use to support your learning. Our institutions want to support you through these times. If you have questions, please consult with your college or university to learn more about the support they offer. Students with minoritized identities may be impacted differently in this situation, and we encourage you to communicate with each other, and advocate for yourselves and your peers.
Student Support
Let’s get real about education, we all learn differently and we all respond differently to changes in our learning environments. Remote learning probably would not have been most students’ first choice. Some of us may thrive with remote learning and some of us may struggle. It is important to be honest with yourself and recognize that this is an unprecedented time and that we may experience struggles we have never encountered before. However, through difficult times comes new opportunities.
Why did my institution move to an online environment?
In this section, we’re not necessarily sharing the specific reasons why our two institutions may have moved to remote, but rather sharing various reasons that institutions have provided. There are a lot of reasons why colleges and institutions of higher education are moving to fully remote instruction. In this time of change, it is important to consider why your institution may have moved to remote instruction. Although it may seem like the obvious answer would have been to cancel classes the following are the reasons why classes may be continuing:
Some students may have already accepted a job contingent upon their graduation and by canceling classes and pushing them to a later time students would not be able to honor these commitments.
If classes were to extend through the summer, some students would have to deal with the unexpected costs of summer housing.
There are accreditation programs that the universities must meet and with those come specific responsibilities and assessment criteria that could not be honored if classes were canceled.
Institutions of higher education and students need to move forward. Putting students behind an entire semester will set back every subsequent class, both incoming and graduating.
Concerns with Remote Learning
Whether you have worked in an online environment before or not, you might be concerned about your level of readiness to succeed in your course. In order for our institutions to best support students, some questions have been gathered, and answers generated to address potential concerns among the student population.
I’m worried that transitioning to remote learning is going to impact my success.
Having an open line of communication with your instructor is important now more than ever. Instructors are trying to make sure that they are meeting their students’ needs and providing a successful learning environment for their students. However, this shift has not been easy for the instructors nor the learners. As everyone continues figuring out this change together, we need to be mindful of the challenges. If you have concerns about your performance or have other concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to your instructor. This is an important first step to take.
Does moving online impact the assessments and expectations set at the beginning of the semester?
Moving to an online environment has also caused disruption to initial course objectives, goals, and how to meet them. Many adjustments to syllabi have been made to reflect the possible limitations posed in new learning environments. Focus on the big picture for your course: what is the central idea being taught, what are the main takeaways, and what do you need to know to be successful moving forward? Assessments should reflect the central concepts to your course, so focus your time and energy there and not on the miniscule details. If you are still feeling uncertain or overwhelmed, then reach out to your instructor and ask about their new expectations for you moving forward. If you are concerned with how quizzes or exams may be provided and/or proctored, be sure to communicate with your instructor.
How can I continue collaborating with my classmates?
Communication with classmates can be essential to your success in a course. In a face to face environment, these conversations happen naturally and not much thought goes into it. However, this is something we now have to actively think about and problem solve. If your instructor has not created an environment for student interactions to take place yet, it might be beneficial to request them to do so. This can be an open discussion forum in your Learning Management System (such as Blackboard, Canvas, D2L, etc.), a virtual meeting session especially for students to collaborate, or an outside channel (such as Microsoft Teams) for students to chat. Exchanging phone numbers, emails, or even social media information (to those who have it) can also be beneficial to keep conversations fluid and accessible.
Can I still meet with my instructor in a one on one setting?
Open communication with your instructor is vital. Remote learning can be challenging and we want to make sure we are able to support you in any way necessary. If your instructor held office hours before, they are likely still willing to hold office hours in a virtual setting. Reach out to ask how to schedule a meeting with them.
What impact will remote learning have on my future courses?
The uncertainty or newness in an online learning environment might leave you overwhelmed and concerned about what impact this may have on your future courses. This can be especially impactful if you are currently in a prerequisite course or in a course that is core to your degree program. Ask yourself the following questions to gauge the potential impact of these courses on future courses:
How does this course affect my future learning?
Is it a requirement for my future courses?
Will I need this information to be successful in my degree program?
Have I thought about which information is the most important for my future success?
Your answers to the above questions should help you in prioritizing your current courses. Also, do not forget to reach out to your instructors if you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or concerned during this time.
Where else can I look for more support if these tips and tools aren’t enough?
Your college or university likely has additional resources. For example, if you are a student with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, and you think you may need an accommodation, we really encourage you to contact your Disability Services office. Moving to remote learning may change your needs and these offices are designed to aid students with disabilities in pursuit of their educational goals. Accommodations can be granted based on need, and the requirements for receiving accommodations will vary by institution. A diverse range of disabilities both physical and cognitive may make you eligible for accommodations.
Communication with Instructors
Transitioning to an online learning environment can pose new challenges compared to face to face discussions. Below you can find some templates for communicating with your instructors if you have questions, or are having difficulty in the new environment.
Ask your instructor to host open office hours through a virtual meeting platform for the whole class:
Option One
“Hi (insert name),
I am concerned about my ability to continue to meet with you during your office hours due to the recent shift to online learning. I was curious if you will continue to hold virtual office hours through (Teleconferencing platform: BlueJeans/Google Hangouts Meet/Zoom)? Could you provide me with the dates and times for these office hours and the link/phone number? I was also curious if you set up a protocol for how we should sign up for these sessions? All help would be appreciated!
Best,
(insert name)”
Option Two
“Hi (insert name),
With the recent shift to online learning, I am having some difficulty grasping the new concepts being taught. I am worried that without more one on one support I will not be successful for the remainder of the semester. I was curious if you are able to hold virtual office hours through (Teleconferencing platform: BlueJeans/Google Hangouts Meet/Zoom)? If so, could you provide me with the dates and times for these office hours and the link/phone number? I was also curious if you had set up protocol for how we should sign up for these sessions. All help would be appreciated!
Best,
(insert name)”
Ask your instructor if you can schedule a one on one meeting with them for support:
“Hi (insert name),
I just wanted to reach out to inquire about the possibility of one on one meetings. Remote learning is new to me and something I have struggled with in the past. I feel like I would perform better through weekly/bi-weekly check ups for clarity and understanding. I typically respond better to one on one interaction. Is this something we could set up? I think 15 minutes would be sufficient for me to ask questions or review content. Let me know if this is something we could set up! I appreciate all your support during this time.
Best,
(insert name)”
Ask the instructor if they can create a space for you and your classmates to have open discussions:
“Hi (insert name),
With the recent change to online learning, I have realized that my classmates and I are no longer able to ask each other questions as easily as before since we no longer have face to face interaction. These conversations helped me a lot throughout this course and it would be very beneficial for us to continue to have these conversations during this time. Below are some options that I think would be helpful to support our conversations in an online environment:
Virtual meeting sessions specially for students
(Class Chat Channel: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook, etc.) channel for our course
Q&A thread in (Course website: Blackboard, Canvas, D2L, etc.)
I am also open to suggestions you may have as well to help in this area. Please let me know what you think of the above options.
Best,
(insert name)”
Communication with Classmates
We’ve been monitoring ways that students around the United States are choosing to keep in touch with each other. Below are popular options to support your continued engagement with your classmates.
Virtual Meeting Sessions (e.g., Bluejeans/Hangouts Meet/Zoom, etc.)
With the shift to remote learning, natural conversations that may have occurred before or after class can become more difficult to continue. These times are often a space to talk through questions or concerns with fellow classmates. If these conversations were something you found useful, we encourage you to reach out to your instructor to see if they would be willing to start a virtual meeting session early or keep it open after the class has ended as a space for students to collaborate. If you want a private space to talk with you and your classmates, then ask the instructor if they would be willing to share a virtual space where students can join at certain times to talk through content, concerns, or frustrations.
Teams Channel
Teams is a great resource for communicating with your classmates. It imitates direct messaging and you are able to download the application onto your phone allowing you to receive instant notifications from chat responses. If your instructor was able to create a Teams channel for you class you might benefit from asking them to create separate channels within the course channel so that you can communicate more directly with classmates on group projects and more. Once a separate channel has been created for your group only members of that group would be able to see your messages (including your instructor if they so choose).
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are an easy way to stay in touch with your classmates. If you are looking for a space to converse more naturally than on a university platform then Facebook would be a great option. Keep in mind that not all of your classmates may have a Facebook or have access to continuous wireless support and may prefer exchanging phone numbers instead. It is best to have an open conversation with your groupmates or classmates to see which platform they may prefer.
WhatAapp
WhatsApp is a great platform for instant messaging, sharing content, voice messages, and video calls. Given the current situation, many students have returned to their permanent places of residence across the United States and abroad. WhatsApp allows users to communicate via Wi-Fi without a phone plan and without long distance rates. It can be an inclusive option for students who are not located on or near campus. It can be downloaded on Android and Apple devices as well as Mac or PC.
GroupMe
GroupMe is a free instant messaging app that works across iOS, Android, and Windows Phones, but you can send messages from your laptop as well. Users don't need to have the app to text, just add anyone from your contacts and they can chat within the group through SMS.
Slack Channel
Slack is a messaging platform that is used all around the world, throughout industry, and higher education. Within Slack users have the ability to create public and private groups, and send direct messages. Group work can be divided into “channels” for greater organization, and clarity. Slack even has integrations for apps like Google Drive and Box, if you’d prefer to avoid such integrations, then you’re able to share files through Slack as well. Calls can be made via Slack as well if you’ve integrated a video-conferencing solution like Bluejeans, or Zoom; however, on the free version of Slack, only 1:1 voice or video calls can be made, so you may consider using a video-conferencing software for that purpose specifically. Slack can be downloaded on MacOs or PC, and is mobile friendly for Android, and iPhone users.
Discord Channel
Discord is a free voice, video, and text chat service that is available to download on your PC, mobile device, or directly within your browser. This app was originally designed for online gaming, however over the past few years more instructors have been incorporating this tool into their courses to promote ongoing conversations among classmates.
Participation
If your instructor has enabled the “chat” feature in your virtual meeting sessions, try to participate and ask questions as they arise. On some platforms, you have the ability to submit questions anonymously. It is encouraged to use this feature if you are concerned about singling yourself out. Remember, if you need clarification or have a question, it is likely that others in class do as well. Don’t hesitate to join discussions if your instructor allows you the ability to collaborate. You can also share your contact information with others to provide support for them or vice versa. It is encouraged to find a platform where you can share information and questions with classmates. Try to regularly check the platform(s) and answer questions to support your classmates when you can help provide guidance.
Discussion Forums
Ask your instructor when new discussion forums will be opened, as well as when initial posts and responses are due. This will make it easier for you to keep track of your tasks as well as to keep you on top of checking the forums. Make sure you have a clear understanding of how many posts you need to contribute as well as the expectations for quality and quantity in your posts. Often, instructors will ask you to disperse your responses to prevent you from responding to the same post more than once. It is key that you understand what is being expected of you. Try to respond to topics that are of interest to you to provide more meaningful interactions even when tempted by others that only require a quick response. You will learn more from topics that draw your attention.
Assessments such as Quizzes and Exams
Your instructors may not know how their syllabus is going to be affected or how they expect to deliver quizzes or exams or other ways of checking your learning. You should ask your instructor if previously established quizzes and exams have been rescheduled. Update these assessment dates in your notes and begin to organize study materials accordingly. Remember, quizzes and exams may now be delivered through an online platform. Ask your instructor how they intend to offer their exams and how this might impact you.
Technical Support and Resources
Please note, that none of these links are endorsements towards any product or company, but rather are here as potential resources which you can look into on your own.
Wifi Access
Nationwide (United States) Connectivity Resources
With a note of thanks to Richard Saouma, Michigan State University, for compiling the original list. This was last reviewed 03/18/2020.
With the shift to remote learning, the need for reliable Internet connection has become vital. Below is a list from major internet providers and the services they are offering in response to COVID-19:
Comcast
Free essential internet for two-months and no data caps (60 days).
T-Mobile & Sprint
Unlimited smartphone data to existing customers (60 days), 20GB/month wi-fi hotspot for smartphone customers (60 days), free international calls to Level 3 impacted countries.
ATT
Free hotspot access to anyone, $10 home unlimited internet for qualifying households, no late fees and no disconnects.
Verizon
No late fees.
CenturyLink
No late fees, no disconnects, and no data caps (60 days).
EduROAM
Your institution may be part of this network, and you can login to your institution’s domain on multiple campuses throughout the United States.
Free Resources for Students
Please note that your institution may use or not use some of these tools. This list is not designed to indicate endorsement of any individual tool, but rather to help provide some starting points for students looking to adapt their learning style to the shift to remote instruction. These technologies may be potential useful tools for personal use. We did not test the accessibility of each of these technologies, but recommend you check out these and other technologies that support your learning or your peer group’s learning. The authors of this document do not imply endorsement, but rather want to link to Assistive Technology and studying tools. Please be sure to read the Terms & Conditions and End User License Agreements, and consider asking your instructors what tools they recommend. Be sure to read and make informed decisions when making agreements with companies.
Note Taking Tools
Glean
This is a free resource being offered to students through fall 2020. It allows you to record a video (lecture, informational, etc.) so that you can actively listen instead of focusing on taking notes and possibly missing important information. It also allows you to import slides directly in the notes and flag areas of importance to revisit at a later time. There is also a real-time captioning feature built in.
Study Tools
Quizlet
Quizlet allows you to either build your own custom digital notecards or import your notes which can be converted into notecards. Once your note cards have been created you can easily share them with fellow classmates. If you have a particular card you are struggling with, Quizlet allows you to “star” certain cards and only review those cards at a particular time.
Kahoot!
You can create a Kahoot (quiz) for yourself off of items you think will be asked on an assessment. You can then make Kahoot live and share it with friends to see how everyone does.
Screen Recording Tools
Loom
Loom is a free software that allows you to record your screen, video, or app without the need of a built-in camera. This can be used to screen record your virtual lectures to support note taking or for video responses that you have to create for your course.
Techsmith Snagit
Snagit is a screen capture and screen recording tool. It makes screen recording and screen capturing an easy and seamless process for users. TechSmith is currently offering Snagit for free through the end of June 2020.
Speech to Text, Text to Speech, and Captioning Tools
Otter.ai
Otter ai is a free captioning tool for real time video content that allows users up to 600 free minutes a month. It can also be used as a speech to text tool for creation of notes.
Kurzweil 3000
Kurzweil 3000 is a text to speech software that allows a user to have electronic text aloud. It can help with concentration and focus and is beneficial for those who learn through auditory means. For MSU students: before downloading a free trial reach out to your campus’ Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities since they often have free licenses.
Read&Write
Read&Write is an additional text to speech software that allows a user to have text read aloud and that can also be useful for writing and note-taking. For University of Michigan students, faculty, and staff: please visit the accessible computing webpage at ITS for details on how to download this free of charge.
NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA)
NVDA is a free, open-source screen reader technology which can be used to read webpages, documents, or applications. NVDA is a commonly used assistive technology by folks who are blind and low vision.
Google Docs
Google Docs has many useful built-in features to support students. One to highlight is the speech to text feature. This tool can be used to support the creation of notes, papers, discussion responses, etc.
Time Management Tools
Be Focused Timer
This app has a built-in timer that provides users with a way to stay focused, manage tasks, and track progress over time. You can set timers for work durations as well as short and long breaks to help maximize productivity.
Remember the Milk
This app allows users to create to do lists and set up reminders that link can be linked to other apps such as Gmail, Outlook, and Google Calendar. The user even has the ability to attach documents to tasks to stay organized.
Focus Tools
Freedom
This app allows the user to take control of distractions. Freedom can limit websites, desktop apps, or the internet as a whole and can sync these blocks across all devices.
Reader View Chrome Extension
Reader View strips away unnecessary clutter on a webpage and allows you to focus only on the content. It removes all advertisements to help prevent distraction. It also allows you to change the text size, font, contrast and layout for easier reading.
Additional Tools
Grammarly
Grammarly is a browser plugin that runs a grammar check on your content and offers suggestions on how you can improve your wording or punctuation. This can prove especially useful for email correspondence.
EquatiO
EquatiO is a tool designed to support students in mathematics and STEM courses. With this tool the user has the availability to type, write, and dictate expressions and equations. It also has the ability to predict expressions and transform your handwritten expressions into text. It also allows the user to grab an equation and transform it into digital text. Users can take a picture of a written equation and upload it into a digital format.
WordToEPUB
WordToEPUB is a tool that allows for the converting of Word documents to accessible EPUB files. The EPUB format makes for easier reading on laptops, smartphones, and other devices.
Note Taking Support
How you take notes might be a new obstacle with changing to an online environment. There are many tools available to help support the note taking process and to ease the burden on the student. Below are some tools to assist in the process as well as some organizational recommendations in platforms you might already be using (such as Microsoft Word documents). None of these are endorsements and please make informed decisions and review user agreements when choosing a tool that works for you. or You may also consider asking your instructor or classmates if they would like to create a shared note document. Make sure to choose a platform that works for all students in your class or group, regardless of any disability. Sometimes technologies may not be as accessible as we like.
Tools:
Evernote
Evernote is a note taking tool that allows you to take and organize notes, as well as include files, photos, and voice memos in the same area. The basic version of Evernote is free and can be downloaded and synced across multiple devices.
Glean
This is a free resource being offered to students through fall 2020. It allows you to record a video (lecture, informational, etc.) so that you can actively listen instead of focusing on taking notes and possibly missing important information over notes. It also allows you to import slides directly in the notes and flag areas of importance to revisit at a later time. There is also a real-time captioning feature built in.
Loom
Loom is a free software that allows you to record your screen, video, or app without the need of a built-in camera. This can be used to screen record your virtual lectures to support note taking or for video responses that you have to create for your course.
OneNote
OneNote is a note taking tool that allows users to take and organize notes in one place. You can sort your notes into different tabs, sections, and pages. Flag important information with to-do tags, insert files and record audio files within your notes. OneNote also allows you to draw and annotate on a touchscreen that will save within your notes.
Tips
Microsoft Word
Making use of the following features while taking notes in a Word document will make it easier to organize your content and easily navigate your content when revisiting notes for studying.
Make use of headings in your document. Main content areas can be marked with headings. This will make navigating your document more seamless because with the use of headings an outline will be available in the navigation view.
Make use of comments throughout your document to place emphasis on important topics and details.
Organize your notes with the built-in list styles. This will help you to create a natural hierarchy of information throughout your notes.
Through Office365, you have the ability to share your documents with others to collaborate on a document in one place at the same time.
Accessible Note Taking
When it comes to sharing notes or sharing content it is important to keep in mind that accessible content is better content. Accessible content is content that can be accessed by any individual regardless of disability. This is important when it comes to sharing content with fellow classmates or professors. Here are a few quick tips for accessible content:
Make use of heading styles.
Make use of built in list styles.
Consider your color contrast (text vs. background color).
Try to avoid using color alone to denote meaning.
Make use of descriptive link text.
Add alternative text to images that are non-decorative.
Make use of header rows and columns when building tables.
For more detailed information on how to produce accessible content please visit Michigan State University's Webaccess website where detailed tutorials can guide you through accessibility of various document types.
Organization
You probably have heard several different strategies for doing this from your instructors. We wanted to provide an additional strategy for when you run out of all of those other ones. Here’s some things that we’ve heard have worked for others. Maybe they’ll help you, too. We also just wanted to quickly note that all of us are different. We each have different responsibilities, strategies, and spaces to work from in this time. Some of us have families to care for or are balancing other work responsibilities. Take from these what you will. An important tip: you learn how you learn. This is not a one-size-fit-all solution.
Managing your Calendar
There are a variety of ways to keep a calendar, or manage a calendar. Many of us have calendars on our phones, and laptops that make it easy to save events, schedule appointments, and access a high-level overview of our week. Additionally, many Learning Management Systems (LMS’s) like D2L and Canvas, have built-in calendars and calendar integrations to things like Google Calendar, which allow you to automatically schedule assignments and receive reminders. You may find it helpful to set recurring reminders for study time and homework time.
Managing your Email
Keeping emails organized and unifying information streams from instructors is important. Advocate for a single source of information that links to other areas.
Create a separate folder for each of your classes within your email so you can more easily navigate back to content. You can also set up rules so that information is funneled appropriately as it comes in.
Compile resources as you go in one single document. With all the information that is being shared it can be easy to lose information or track down that information once you leave it. By copying information into one single document you will have an easier time referring back.
Managing your Files/Documents
If you are downloading content from a course and adding notes try to save those files with descriptive file names (e.g., Biology_Lecture_001) in a specific folder designated to that course on your Laptop.
If your computer has limited storage you can make use of OneDrive which is a free tool to all students.
Managing your Time
If you’re new to online learning it can be easy to become overwhelmed with the lack of structure, and subsequently fall behind in all your classes. The following strategies may help you to more efficiently manage your time:
Try to avoid working in bed.
Get ready as though you were leaving your home.
Eat breakfast, just coffee does not count.
Whether your classes are synchronous or asynchronous, follow your class schedule to keep structure to your days.
Take a 15 minute break for every hour of work or study time. Your eyes will strain from looking at screens for too long.
Minimize distractions by working with the TV off, and away from your Xbox, PS2, Atari, GameCube, etc.
Schedule online co-working sessions with your classmates to increase accountability and productivity.
Put your phone on “Do not disturb.”
Make a to do list for each class and pick which items you will work on each particular day.
Wellness Strategies
Plan a healthy lunch to the best of your ability.
If it’s an option, work in different locations within your permanent residence. You can get stagnant being in one place for too long.
If you’re able: do some stretches, go for a walk, or exercise in some way that works for you in order to keep your energy up and your mind sharp.
If you’re in isolation, call, email, Facetime, or video chat a friend. We’re primarily social beings, and even the most introverted among us require human contact.
Reach out to your campus Mental Health Professionals (MHP’s) if you’re feeling isolated, anxious, or depressed. These services are free on most campuses.
Applications to Support Health and Wellness
What’s Up (Free; What's Up for iOS and What's Up for Android)
What’s up uses Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy approaches to help users cope with depression, anxiety, and stress. The app contains over 100 different questions to help pinpoint what you are feeling and offers thinking patterns to teach you how to stop negative internal thoughts.
Mind Shift (Free; Mind Shift for iOS and Mind Shift for Android)
Mind Shift is an app designed specifically for young adults with anxiety. Mind Shift helps users change their focus from avoiding anxious feelings to being mindful about how you think about anxiety and process through anxious situations and feelings.
Self-Help for Anxiety Management (SAM) (Free; SAM for iOS and SAM for Android)
SAM supports users in creating a build your own 24 hour anxiety toolkit. This toolkit supports users in tracking anxious thoughts and behavior and then pulls from 25 different self-help techniques and tailors the recommendations to the user. SAM also allows users to connect to an online community for additional support.
Phone and Hotline Resources
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress. By calling 1.800.273.TALK (8255) you will be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7. Hearing-impaired TTY users may dial (800) 799-4889.
The Trevor Lifeline is the nation’s only around-the-clock crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Call 1.866.488.7386. [Note: the lifeline will talk with any individual regardless of sexuality or gender.]
For University of Michigan and Michigan State students: for further information about available resources, please visit Michigan State University’s Emergency Resources for Students or University of Michigan’s CAPS Services Regarding Covid 19 Update.
Productive Ways to Fill Your Time
Join a Facebook group that is of interest for you.
Schedule FaceTime/Snapchat/Facebook video sessions with your friends and family to keep up with social interactions.
Refresh your resume.
Apply for jobs.
Apply for scholarships.
Take a free online course through the libraries if you are interested in a specific topic.
Look into graduate school programs that might be of interest in the future.
Take a YouTube crash course and build your own website.
Develop a daily schedule.
What should I do if I have unresolved concerns?
It is a difficult time and we are all doing the best we can. However, if you feel frustrated or have a concern that warrants attention and you have not received a response in a timely fashion, then it is important to know with whom to speak. Ensure you have accurately and succinctly voiced your concerns to your instructor. Instructors have struggles and time constraints just like you, and they might just need a few days to circle back. If your instructor is not responsive, or you believe they've requested something of you that is inappropriate, e.g., such as attending midterms in person, the next step would be to escalate those concerns to the chair of your department, or find an associate dean or dean of your college. If you have a course coordinator or are aware of a program coordinator they would also be a good person to reach out to as well. Do not be afraid to follow up as many times as are necessary, it is the responsibility of these offices and persons to support you. If you feel as though you need to escalate even further, you can bring the issue to your University’s Ombudsperson office. Their charge is to assist students in resolving conflicts.
Keep Learning
Remember, higher education institutions are here to help you learn. What is important right now (for us, and we’re hoping for you, too) is that you are safe and that you have good opportunities to learn. We’ve heard from some students that the reason we call this remote teaching is because we have “no remote idea” what we’re doing, and you may be onto something there... So help us help you, and communicate openly with your instructor about your needs! We know that these times have not been kind or fair to many of you, and that many of you face significant personal challenges or uncertainty at this time. We hope that you can get to where home is or needs to be right now. Things can be ambiguous and scary right now. We hope that you can focus on learning the things that move you forward and keep you safe, and that you will share in the joy in learning that all of us in higher education have. We thank you for your patience and grace in this process. And for keeping us going, too. #KeepLearning
Sincerely,
Brooke Knapp (Michigan State University), Darrell Williams (University of Michigan), Gabrielle King (Michigan State University), and Phillip Deaton (University of Michigan)
References
Create A Work From Home Workplace Wellness Program
How to Work From Home & Still Be Productive
EMERGENCY Resources for Students | Counseling & Psychiatric Services | Michigan State University
Tips for Excelling in an Online Learning Environment
Purdue Online Student Toolkit
A Brief Letter to an Institution that Believes Extensions are the Accommodations We Need Right Now
Remote Learning for Students
Dear students,
We have been learning more about some of your fears, frustrations, anxiety, loneliness, uncertainty, and challenges that you are facing with the evolving situation of COVID-19, and how that is affecting your lives as well as your relationship with your college or university. We have read some of your stories and posts, and those have helped us start to understand the hardships and uncertainty some of you are facing during this unprecedented time. With the continually evolving updates, changes, and restrictions being communicated daily, your institution’s choice to move to remote learning might seem trivial given everything else happening around you. We hope that this guide can provide you with useful information, resources, and tools to make remote learning approachable and valuable to your education.
For as many different styles of teaching that exist among instructors, whether it’s reading content from slides, assigning multiple chapters of reading, or allowing a space for collaboration between peers, there are a far greater number of diverse ways that students absorb and learn information. We understand that being tossed into an online learning environment may not be the way that many of you prefer to learn, but there are some tools and strategies that you can implement to make it work for you.
One of the strengths of online learning is the diverse set of tools that you can individually use to support your learning. Our institutions want to support you through these times. If you have questions, please consult with your college or university to learn more about the support they offer. Students with minoritized identities may be impacted differently in this situation, and we encourage you to communicate with each other, and advocate for yourselves and your peers.
Student Support
Let’s get real about education, we all learn differently and we all respond differently to changes in our learning environments. Remote learning probably would not have been most students’ first choice. Some of us may thrive with remote learning and some of us may struggle. It is important to be honest with yourself and recognize that this is an unprecedented time and that we may experience struggles we have never encountered before. However, through difficult times comes new opportunities.
Why did my institution move to an online environment?
In this section, we’re not necessarily sharing the specific reasons why our two institutions may have moved to remote, but rather sharing various reasons that institutions have provided. There are a lot of reasons why colleges and institutions of higher education are moving to fully remote instruction. In this time of change, it is important to consider why your institution may have moved to remote instruction. Although it may seem like the obvious answer would have been to cancel classes the following are the reasons why classes may be continuing:
Some students may have already accepted a job contingent upon their graduation and by canceling classes and pushing them to a later time students would not be able to honor these commitments.
If classes were to extend through the summer, some students would have to deal with the unexpected costs of summer housing.
There are accreditation programs that the universities must meet and with those come specific responsibilities and assessment criteria that could not be honored if classes were canceled.
Institutions of higher education and students need to move forward. Putting students behind an entire semester will set back every subsequent class, both incoming and graduating.
Concerns with Remote Learning
Whether you have worked in an online environment before or not, you might be concerned about your level of readiness to succeed in your course. In order for our institutions to best support students, some questions have been gathered, and answers generated to address potential concerns among the student population.
I’m worried that transitioning to remote learning is going to impact my success.
Having an open line of communication with your instructor is important now more than ever. Instructors are trying to make sure that they are meeting their students’ needs and providing a successful learning environment for their students. However, this shift has not been easy for the instructors nor the learners. As everyone continues figuring out this change together, we need to be mindful of the challenges. If you have concerns about your performance or have other concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to your instructor. This is an important first step to take.
Does moving online impact the assessments and expectations set at the beginning of the semester?
Moving to an online environment has also caused disruption to initial course objectives, goals, and how to meet them. Many adjustments to syllabi have been made to reflect the possible limitations posed in new learning environments. Focus on the big picture for your course: what is the central idea being taught, what are the main takeaways, and what do you need to know to be successful moving forward? Assessments should reflect the central concepts to your course, so focus your time and energy there and not on the miniscule details. If you are still feeling uncertain or overwhelmed, then reach out to your instructor and ask about their new expectations for you moving forward. If you are concerned with how quizzes or exams may be provided and/or proctored, be sure to communicate with your instructor.
How can I continue collaborating with my classmates?
Communication with classmates can be essential to your success in a course. In a face to face environment, these conversations happen naturally and not much thought goes into it. However, this is something we now have to actively think about and problem solve. If your instructor has not created an environment for student interactions to take place yet, it might be beneficial to request them to do so. This can be an open discussion forum in your Learning Management System (such as Blackboard, Canvas, D2L, etc.), a virtual meeting session especially for students to collaborate, or an outside channel (such as Microsoft Teams) for students to chat. Exchanging phone numbers, emails, or even social media information (to those who have it) can also be beneficial to keep conversations fluid and accessible.
Can I still meet with my instructor in a one on one setting?
Open communication with your instructor is vital. Remote learning can be challenging and we want to make sure we are able to support you in any way necessary. If your instructor held office hours before, they are likely still willing to hold office hours in a virtual setting. Reach out to ask how to schedule a meeting with them.
What impact will remote learning have on my future courses?
The uncertainty or newness in an online learning environment might leave you overwhelmed and concerned about what impact this may have on your future courses. This can be especially impactful if you are currently in a prerequisite course or in a course that is core to your degree program. Ask yourself the following questions to gauge the potential impact of these courses on future courses:
How does this course affect my future learning?
Is it a requirement for my future courses?
Will I need this information to be successful in my degree program?
Have I thought about which information is the most important for my future success?
Your answers to the above questions should help you in prioritizing your current courses. Also, do not forget to reach out to your instructors if you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or concerned during this time.
Where else can I look for more support if these tips and tools aren’t enough?
Your college or university likely has additional resources. For example, if you are a student with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, and you think you may need an accommodation, we really encourage you to contact your Disability Services office. Moving to remote learning may change your needs and these offices are designed to aid students with disabilities in pursuit of their educational goals. Accommodations can be granted based on need, and the requirements for receiving accommodations will vary by institution. A diverse range of disabilities both physical and cognitive may make you eligible for accommodations.
Communication with Instructors
Transitioning to an online learning environment can pose new challenges compared to face to face discussions. Below you can find some templates for communicating with your instructors if you have questions, or are having difficulty in the new environment.
Ask your instructor to host open office hours through a virtual meeting platform for the whole class:
Option One
“Hi (insert name),
I am concerned about my ability to continue to meet with you during your office hours due to the recent shift to online learning. I was curious if you will continue to hold virtual office hours through (Teleconferencing platform: BlueJeans/Google Hangouts Meet/Zoom)? Could you provide me with the dates and times for these office hours and the link/phone number? I was also curious if you set up a protocol for how we should sign up for these sessions? All help would be appreciated!
Best,
(insert name)”
Option Two
“Hi (insert name),
With the recent shift to online learning, I am having some difficulty grasping the new concepts being taught. I am worried that without more one on one support I will not be successful for the remainder of the semester. I was curious if you are able to hold virtual office hours through (Teleconferencing platform: BlueJeans/Google Hangouts Meet/Zoom)? If so, could you provide me with the dates and times for these office hours and the link/phone number? I was also curious if you had set up protocol for how we should sign up for these sessions. All help would be appreciated!
Best,
(insert name)”
Ask your instructor if you can schedule a one on one meeting with them for support:
“Hi (insert name),
I just wanted to reach out to inquire about the possibility of one on one meetings. Remote learning is new to me and something I have struggled with in the past. I feel like I would perform better through weekly/bi-weekly check ups for clarity and understanding. I typically respond better to one on one interaction. Is this something we could set up? I think 15 minutes would be sufficient for me to ask questions or review content. Let me know if this is something we could set up! I appreciate all your support during this time.
Best,
(insert name)”
Ask the instructor if they can create a space for you and your classmates to have open discussions:
“Hi (insert name),
With the recent change to online learning, I have realized that my classmates and I are no longer able to ask each other questions as easily as before since we no longer have face to face interaction. These conversations helped me a lot throughout this course and it would be very beneficial for us to continue to have these conversations during this time. Below are some options that I think would be helpful to support our conversations in an online environment:
Virtual meeting sessions specially for students
(Class Chat Channel: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Facebook, etc.) channel for our course
Q&A thread in (Course website: Blackboard, Canvas, D2L, etc.)
I am also open to suggestions you may have as well to help in this area. Please let me know what you think of the above options.
Best,
(insert name)”
Communication with Classmates
We’ve been monitoring ways that students around the United States are choosing to keep in touch with each other. Below are popular options to support your continued engagement with your classmates.
Virtual Meeting Sessions (e.g., Bluejeans/Hangouts Meet/Zoom, etc.)
With the shift to remote learning, natural conversations that may have occurred before or after class can become more difficult to continue. These times are often a space to talk through questions or concerns with fellow classmates. If these conversations were something you found useful, we encourage you to reach out to your instructor to see if they would be willing to start a virtual meeting session early or keep it open after the class has ended as a space for students to collaborate. If you want a private space to talk with you and your classmates, then ask the instructor if they would be willing to share a virtual space where students can join at certain times to talk through content, concerns, or frustrations.
Teams Channel
Teams is a great resource for communicating with your classmates. It imitates direct messaging and you are able to download the application onto your phone allowing you to receive instant notifications from chat responses. If your instructor was able to create a Teams channel for you class you might benefit from asking them to create separate channels within the course channel so that you can communicate more directly with classmates on group projects and more. Once a separate channel has been created for your group only members of that group would be able to see your messages (including your instructor if they so choose).
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are an easy way to stay in touch with your classmates. If you are looking for a space to converse more naturally than on a university platform then Facebook would be a great option. Keep in mind that not all of your classmates may have a Facebook or have access to continuous wireless support and may prefer exchanging phone numbers instead. It is best to have an open conversation with your groupmates or classmates to see which platform they may prefer.
WhatAapp
WhatsApp is a great platform for instant messaging, sharing content, voice messages, and video calls. Given the current situation, many students have returned to their permanent places of residence across the United States and abroad. WhatsApp allows users to communicate via Wi-Fi without a phone plan and without long distance rates. It can be an inclusive option for students who are not located on or near campus. It can be downloaded on Android and Apple devices as well as Mac or PC.
GroupMe
GroupMe is a free instant messaging app that works across iOS, Android, and Windows Phones, but you can send messages from your laptop as well. Users don't need to have the app to text, just add anyone from your contacts and they can chat within the group through SMS.
Slack Channel
Slack is a messaging platform that is used all around the world, throughout industry, and higher education. Within Slack users have the ability to create public and private groups, and send direct messages. Group work can be divided into “channels” for greater organization, and clarity. Slack even has integrations for apps like Google Drive and Box, if you’d prefer to avoid such integrations, then you’re able to share files through Slack as well. Calls can be made via Slack as well if you’ve integrated a video-conferencing solution like Bluejeans, or Zoom; however, on the free version of Slack, only 1:1 voice or video calls can be made, so you may consider using a video-conferencing software for that purpose specifically. Slack can be downloaded on MacOs or PC, and is mobile friendly for Android, and iPhone users.
Discord Channel
Discord is a free voice, video, and text chat service that is available to download on your PC, mobile device, or directly within your browser. This app was originally designed for online gaming, however over the past few years more instructors have been incorporating this tool into their courses to promote ongoing conversations among classmates.
Participation
If your instructor has enabled the “chat” feature in your virtual meeting sessions, try to participate and ask questions as they arise. On some platforms, you have the ability to submit questions anonymously. It is encouraged to use this feature if you are concerned about singling yourself out. Remember, if you need clarification or have a question, it is likely that others in class do as well. Don’t hesitate to join discussions if your instructor allows you the ability to collaborate. You can also share your contact information with others to provide support for them or vice versa. It is encouraged to find a platform where you can share information and questions with classmates. Try to regularly check the platform(s) and answer questions to support your classmates when you can help provide guidance.
Discussion Forums
Ask your instructor when new discussion forums will be opened, as well as when initial posts and responses are due. This will make it easier for you to keep track of your tasks as well as to keep you on top of checking the forums. Make sure you have a clear understanding of how many posts you need to contribute as well as the expectations for quality and quantity in your posts. Often, instructors will ask you to disperse your responses to prevent you from responding to the same post more than once. It is key that you understand what is being expected of you. Try to respond to topics that are of interest to you to provide more meaningful interactions even when tempted by others that only require a quick response. You will learn more from topics that draw your attention.
Assessments such as Quizzes and Exams
Your instructors may not know how their syllabus is going to be affected or how they expect to deliver quizzes or exams or other ways of checking your learning. You should ask your instructor if previously established quizzes and exams have been rescheduled. Update these assessment dates in your notes and begin to organize study materials accordingly. Remember, quizzes and exams may now be delivered through an online platform. Ask your instructor how they intend to offer their exams and how this might impact you.
Technical Support and Resources
Please note, that none of these links are endorsements towards any product or company, but rather are here as potential resources which you can look into on your own.
Wifi Access
Nationwide (United States) Connectivity Resources
With a note of thanks to Richard Saouma, Michigan State University, for compiling the original list. This was last reviewed 03/18/2020.
With the shift to remote learning, the need for reliable Internet connection has become vital. Below is a list from major internet providers and the services they are offering in response to COVID-19:
Comcast
Free essential internet for two-months and no data caps (60 days).
T-Mobile & Sprint
Unlimited smartphone data to existing customers (60 days), 20GB/month wi-fi hotspot for smartphone customers (60 days), free international calls to Level 3 impacted countries.
ATT
Free hotspot access to anyone, $10 home unlimited internet for qualifying households, no late fees and no disconnects.
Verizon
No late fees.
CenturyLink
No late fees, no disconnects, and no data caps (60 days).
EduROAM
Your institution may be part of this network, and you can login to your institution’s domain on multiple campuses throughout the United States.
Free Resources for Students
Please note that your institution may use or not use some of these tools. This list is not designed to indicate endorsement of any individual tool, but rather to help provide some starting points for students looking to adapt their learning style to the shift to remote instruction. These technologies may be potential useful tools for personal use. We did not test the accessibility of each of these technologies, but recommend you check out these and other technologies that support your learning or your peer group’s learning. The authors of this document do not imply endorsement, but rather want to link to Assistive Technology and studying tools. Please be sure to read the Terms & Conditions and End User License Agreements, and consider asking your instructors what tools they recommend. Be sure to read and make informed decisions when making agreements with companies.
Note Taking Tools
Glean
This is a free resource being offered to students through fall 2020. It allows you to record a video (lecture, informational, etc.) so that you can actively listen instead of focusing on taking notes and possibly missing important information. It also allows you to import slides directly in the notes and flag areas of importance to revisit at a later time. There is also a real-time captioning feature built in.
Study Tools
Quizlet
Quizlet allows you to either build your own custom digital notecards or import your notes which can be converted into notecards. Once your note cards have been created you can easily share them with fellow classmates. If you have a particular card you are struggling with, Quizlet allows you to “star” certain cards and only review those cards at a particular time.
Kahoot!
You can create a Kahoot (quiz) for yourself off of items you think will be asked on an assessment. You can then make Kahoot live and share it with friends to see how everyone does.
Screen Recording Tools
Loom
Loom is a free software that allows you to record your screen, video, or app without the need of a built-in camera. This can be used to screen record your virtual lectures to support note taking or for video responses that you have to create for your course.
Techsmith Snagit
Snagit is a screen capture and screen recording tool. It makes screen recording and screen capturing an easy and seamless process for users. TechSmith is currently offering Snagit for free through the end of June 2020.
Speech to Text, Text to Speech, and Captioning Tools
Otter.ai
Otter ai is a free captioning tool for real time video content that allows users up to 600 free minutes a month. It can also be used as a speech to text tool for creation of notes.
Kurzweil 3000
Kurzweil 3000 is a text to speech software that allows a user to have electronic text aloud. It can help with concentration and focus and is beneficial for those who learn through auditory means. For MSU students: before downloading a free trial reach out to your campus’ Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities since they often have free licenses.
Read&Write
Read&Write is an additional text to speech software that allows a user to have text read aloud and that can also be useful for writing and note-taking. For University of Michigan students, faculty, and staff: please visit the accessible computing webpage at ITS for details on how to download this free of charge.
NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA)
NVDA is a free, open-source screen reader technology which can be used to read webpages, documents, or applications. NVDA is a commonly used assistive technology by folks who are blind and low vision.
Google Docs
Google Docs has many useful built-in features to support students. One to highlight is the speech to text feature. This tool can be used to support the creation of notes, papers, discussion responses, etc.
Time Management Tools
Be Focused Timer
This app has a built-in timer that provides users with a way to stay focused, manage tasks, and track progress over time. You can set timers for work durations as well as short and long breaks to help maximize productivity.
Remember the Milk
This app allows users to create to do lists and set up reminders that link can be linked to other apps such as Gmail, Outlook, and Google Calendar. The user even has the ability to attach documents to tasks to stay organized.
Focus Tools
Freedom
This app allows the user to take control of distractions. Freedom can limit websites, desktop apps, or the internet as a whole and can sync these blocks across all devices.
Reader View Chrome Extension
Reader View strips away unnecessary clutter on a webpage and allows you to focus only on the content. It removes all advertisements to help prevent distraction. It also allows you to change the text size, font, contrast and layout for easier reading.
Additional Tools
Grammarly
Grammarly is a browser plugin that runs a grammar check on your content and offers suggestions on how you can improve your wording or punctuation. This can prove especially useful for email correspondence.
EquatiO
EquatiO is a tool designed to support students in mathematics and STEM courses. With this tool the user has the availability to type, write, and dictate expressions and equations. It also has the ability to predict expressions and transform your handwritten expressions into text. It also allows the user to grab an equation and transform it into digital text. Users can take a picture of a written equation and upload it into a digital format.
WordToEPUB
WordToEPUB is a tool that allows for the converting of Word documents to accessible EPUB files. The EPUB format makes for easier reading on laptops, smartphones, and other devices.
Note Taking Support
How you take notes might be a new obstacle with changing to an online environment. There are many tools available to help support the note taking process and to ease the burden on the student. Below are some tools to assist in the process as well as some organizational recommendations in platforms you might already be using (such as Microsoft Word documents). None of these are endorsements and please make informed decisions and review user agreements when choosing a tool that works for you. or You may also consider asking your instructor or classmates if they would like to create a shared note document. Make sure to choose a platform that works for all students in your class or group, regardless of any disability. Sometimes technologies may not be as accessible as we like.
Tools:
Evernote
Evernote is a note taking tool that allows you to take and organize notes, as well as include files, photos, and voice memos in the same area. The basic version of Evernote is free and can be downloaded and synced across multiple devices.
Glean
This is a free resource being offered to students through fall 2020. It allows you to record a video (lecture, informational, etc.) so that you can actively listen instead of focusing on taking notes and possibly missing important information over notes. It also allows you to import slides directly in the notes and flag areas of importance to revisit at a later time. There is also a real-time captioning feature built in.
Loom
Loom is a free software that allows you to record your screen, video, or app without the need of a built-in camera. This can be used to screen record your virtual lectures to support note taking or for video responses that you have to create for your course.
OneNote
OneNote is a note taking tool that allows users to take and organize notes in one place. You can sort your notes into different tabs, sections, and pages. Flag important information with to-do tags, insert files and record audio files within your notes. OneNote also allows you to draw and annotate on a touchscreen that will save within your notes.
Tips
Microsoft Word
Making use of the following features while taking notes in a Word document will make it easier to organize your content and easily navigate your content when revisiting notes for studying.
Make use of headings in your document. Main content areas can be marked with headings. This will make navigating your document more seamless because with the use of headings an outline will be available in the navigation view.
Make use of comments throughout your document to place emphasis on important topics and details.
Organize your notes with the built-in list styles. This will help you to create a natural hierarchy of information throughout your notes.
Through Office365, you have the ability to share your documents with others to collaborate on a document in one place at the same time.
Accessible Note Taking
When it comes to sharing notes or sharing content it is important to keep in mind that accessible content is better content. Accessible content is content that can be accessed by any individual regardless of disability. This is important when it comes to sharing content with fellow classmates or professors. Here are a few quick tips for accessible content:
Make use of heading styles.
Make use of built in list styles.
Consider your color contrast (text vs. background color).
Try to avoid using color alone to denote meaning.
Make use of descriptive link text.
Add alternative text to images that are non-decorative.
Make use of header rows and columns when building tables.
For more detailed information on how to produce accessible content please visit Michigan State University's Webaccess website where detailed tutorials can guide you through accessibility of various document types.
Organization
You probably have heard several different strategies for doing this from your instructors. We wanted to provide an additional strategy for when you run out of all of those other ones. Here’s some things that we’ve heard have worked for others. Maybe they’ll help you, too. We also just wanted to quickly note that all of us are different. We each have different responsibilities, strategies, and spaces to work from in this time. Some of us have families to care for or are balancing other work responsibilities. Take from these what you will. An important tip: you learn how you learn. This is not a one-size-fit-all solution.
Managing your Calendar
There are a variety of ways to keep a calendar, or manage a calendar. Many of us have calendars on our phones, and laptops that make it easy to save events, schedule appointments, and access a high-level overview of our week. Additionally, many Learning Management Systems (LMS’s) like D2L and Canvas, have built-in calendars and calendar integrations to things like Google Calendar, which allow you to automatically schedule assignments and receive reminders. You may find it helpful to set recurring reminders for study time and homework time.
Managing your Email
Keeping emails organized and unifying information streams from instructors is important. Advocate for a single source of information that links to other areas.
Create a separate folder for each of your classes within your email so you can more easily navigate back to content. You can also set up rules so that information is funneled appropriately as it comes in.
Compile resources as you go in one single document. With all the information that is being shared it can be easy to lose information or track down that information once you leave it. By copying information into one single document you will have an easier time referring back.
Managing your Files/Documents
If you are downloading content from a course and adding notes try to save those files with descriptive file names (e.g., Biology_Lecture_001) in a specific folder designated to that course on your Laptop.
If your computer has limited storage you can make use of OneDrive which is a free tool to all students.
Managing your Time
If you’re new to online learning it can be easy to become overwhelmed with the lack of structure, and subsequently fall behind in all your classes. The following strategies may help you to more efficiently manage your time:
Try to avoid working in bed.
Get ready as though you were leaving your home.
Eat breakfast, just coffee does not count.
Whether your classes are synchronous or asynchronous, follow your class schedule to keep structure to your days.
Take a 15 minute break for every hour of work or study time. Your eyes will strain from looking at screens for too long.
Minimize distractions by working with the TV off, and away from your Xbox, PS2, Atari, GameCube, etc.
Schedule online co-working sessions with your classmates to increase accountability and productivity.
Put your phone on “Do not disturb.”
Make a to do list for each class and pick which items you will work on each particular day.
Wellness Strategies
Plan a healthy lunch to the best of your ability.
If it’s an option, work in different locations within your permanent residence. You can get stagnant being in one place for too long.
If you’re able: do some stretches, go for a walk, or exercise in some way that works for you in order to keep your energy up and your mind sharp.
If you’re in isolation, call, email, Facetime, or video chat a friend. We’re primarily social beings, and even the most introverted among us require human contact.
Reach out to your campus Mental Health Professionals (MHP’s) if you’re feeling isolated, anxious, or depressed. These services are free on most campuses.
Applications to Support Health and Wellness
What’s Up (Free; What's Up for iOS and What's Up for Android)
What’s up uses Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy approaches to help users cope with depression, anxiety, and stress. The app contains over 100 different questions to help pinpoint what you are feeling and offers thinking patterns to teach you how to stop negative internal thoughts.
Mind Shift (Free; Mind Shift for iOS and Mind Shift for Android)
Mind Shift is an app designed specifically for young adults with anxiety. Mind Shift helps users change their focus from avoiding anxious feelings to being mindful about how you think about anxiety and process through anxious situations and feelings.
Self-Help for Anxiety Management (SAM) (Free; SAM for iOS and SAM for Android)
SAM supports users in creating a build your own 24 hour anxiety toolkit. This toolkit supports users in tracking anxious thoughts and behavior and then pulls from 25 different self-help techniques and tailors the recommendations to the user. SAM also allows users to connect to an online community for additional support.
Phone and Hotline Resources
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress. By calling 1.800.273.TALK (8255) you will be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7. Hearing-impaired TTY users may dial (800) 799-4889.
The Trevor Lifeline is the nation’s only around-the-clock crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Call 1.866.488.7386. [Note: the lifeline will talk with any individual regardless of sexuality or gender.]
For University of Michigan and Michigan State students: for further information about available resources, please visit Michigan State University’s Emergency Resources for Students or University of Michigan’s CAPS Services Regarding Covid 19 Update.
Productive Ways to Fill Your Time
Join a Facebook group that is of interest for you.
Schedule FaceTime/Snapchat/Facebook video sessions with your friends and family to keep up with social interactions.
Refresh your resume.
Apply for jobs.
Apply for scholarships.
Take a free online course through the libraries if you are interested in a specific topic.
Look into graduate school programs that might be of interest in the future.
Take a YouTube crash course and build your own website.
Develop a daily schedule.
What should I do if I have unresolved concerns?
It is a difficult time and we are all doing the best we can. However, if you feel frustrated or have a concern that warrants attention and you have not received a response in a timely fashion, then it is important to know with whom to speak. Ensure you have accurately and succinctly voiced your concerns to your instructor. Instructors have struggles and time constraints just like you, and they might just need a few days to circle back. If your instructor is not responsive, or you believe they've requested something of you that is inappropriate, e.g., such as attending midterms in person, the next step would be to escalate those concerns to the chair of your department, or find an associate dean or dean of your college. If you have a course coordinator or are aware of a program coordinator they would also be a good person to reach out to as well. Do not be afraid to follow up as many times as are necessary, it is the responsibility of these offices and persons to support you. If you feel as though you need to escalate even further, you can bring the issue to your University’s Ombudsperson office. Their charge is to assist students in resolving conflicts.
Keep Learning
Remember, higher education institutions are here to help you learn. What is important right now (for us, and we’re hoping for you, too) is that you are safe and that you have good opportunities to learn. We’ve heard from some students that the reason we call this remote teaching is because we have “no remote idea” what we’re doing, and you may be onto something there... So help us help you, and communicate openly with your instructor about your needs! We know that these times have not been kind or fair to many of you, and that many of you face significant personal challenges or uncertainty at this time. We hope that you can get to where home is or needs to be right now. Things can be ambiguous and scary right now. We hope that you can focus on learning the things that move you forward and keep you safe, and that you will share in the joy in learning that all of us in higher education have. We thank you for your patience and grace in this process. And for keeping us going, too. #KeepLearning
Sincerely,
Brooke Knapp (Michigan State University), Darrell Williams (University of Michigan), Gabrielle King (Michigan State University), and Phillip Deaton (University of Michigan)
References
Create A Work From Home Workplace Wellness Program
How to Work From Home & Still Be Productive
EMERGENCY Resources for Students | Counseling & Psychiatric Services | Michigan State University
Tips for Excelling in an Online Learning Environment
Purdue Online Student Toolkit
A Brief Letter to an Institution that Believes Extensions are the Accommodations We Need Right Now
Authored by: Brooke Knapp, Gabrielle King, Darrell Williams, Phillip Deaton
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: GenAI & Education
Artificial Intelligence in ELA & Writing
The following are a collection of publicly sourced articles related to the recent rise of artificial intelligence in everyday applications.
note: following each [hyperlinked] title/subtitle are abstracts generated by ChatGPT after receiving prompts from M. Neal. "Write an abstract for [article link]" is indicated with [URL] abstract. "Write an abstract for [article text]" is indicated with [text] abstract. These very similar prompt-responses are shared consecutively in the hope that reading the abstracts will showcase the variations in ChatGPT output (despite similar input).
Robots Are Writing Poetry, and Many People Can’t Tell the Difference
Machines are putting out astonishingly human writing. What does that mean for the future of art?
[URL] abstract: "AI Poetry" is an article published by The Walrus which explores the use of artificial intelligence in the creation of poetry. The piece delves into the potential of AI to generate poems that match human-like creativity, emotions and imagination. It also highlights the limitations of AI-generated poetry and raises questions about the future of poetry in an increasingly digital world. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of AI's impact on the art of poetry and offers insights into the role that human poets will play in the coming years.
Critical Ai: Adapting College Writing For The Age Of Large Language Models Such As Chatgpt: Some Next Steps For Educators
Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are sophisticated statistical models that predict probable word sequences in response to a prompt even though they do not “understand” language in any human-like sense. Through intensive mining, modeling, and memorization of vast stores of language data “scraped” from the internet, these text generators deliver a few paragraphs at a time which resemble writing authored by humans. This synthetic text is not directly “plagiarized” from some original, and it is usually grammatically and syntactically well-crafted.
From an academic integrity perspective, this means that “AI”-generated writing
1) is not easily identifiable as such to the unpracticed eye;
2) does not conform to “plagiarism” as that term is typically understood by teachers and students; and
3) encourages students to think of writing as task-specific labor disconnected from learning and the application of critical thinking.
last updated on 02/01/2023
note: following each [hyperlinked] title/subtitle are abstracts generated by ChatGPT after receiving prompts from M. Neal. "Write an abstract for [article link]" is indicated with [URL] abstract. "Write an abstract for [article text]" is indicated with [text] abstract. These very similar prompt-responses are shared consecutively in the hope that reading the abstracts will showcase the variations in ChatGPT output (despite similar input).
Robots Are Writing Poetry, and Many People Can’t Tell the Difference
Machines are putting out astonishingly human writing. What does that mean for the future of art?
[URL] abstract: "AI Poetry" is an article published by The Walrus which explores the use of artificial intelligence in the creation of poetry. The piece delves into the potential of AI to generate poems that match human-like creativity, emotions and imagination. It also highlights the limitations of AI-generated poetry and raises questions about the future of poetry in an increasingly digital world. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of AI's impact on the art of poetry and offers insights into the role that human poets will play in the coming years.
Critical Ai: Adapting College Writing For The Age Of Large Language Models Such As Chatgpt: Some Next Steps For Educators
Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are sophisticated statistical models that predict probable word sequences in response to a prompt even though they do not “understand” language in any human-like sense. Through intensive mining, modeling, and memorization of vast stores of language data “scraped” from the internet, these text generators deliver a few paragraphs at a time which resemble writing authored by humans. This synthetic text is not directly “plagiarized” from some original, and it is usually grammatically and syntactically well-crafted.
From an academic integrity perspective, this means that “AI”-generated writing
1) is not easily identifiable as such to the unpracticed eye;
2) does not conform to “plagiarism” as that term is typically understood by teachers and students; and
3) encourages students to think of writing as task-specific labor disconnected from learning and the application of critical thinking.
last updated on 02/01/2023
Authored by: Makena Neal & ChatGPT
Posted on: GenAI & Education
Identifying Artificial Intelligence & other considerations for addressing
The following are a collection of publicly sourced articles related to the recent rise of artificial intelligence in everyday applications.
note: following each [hyperlinked] title/subtitle are abstracts generated by ChatGPT after receiving prompts from M. Neal. "Write an abstract for [article link]" is indicated with [URL] abstract. "Write an abstract for [article text]" is indicated with [text] abstract. These very similar prompt-responses are shared consecutively in the hope that reading the abstracts will showcase the variations in ChatGPT output (despite similar input).
How to Productively Address AI-Generated Text in Your Classroom
[URL] abstract: The article on "AI Generated Text" from Indiana University's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) discusses the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in generating text and its potential impact on academic integrity. It highlights the importance of understanding the limitations and biases present in AI generated text and the responsibility of educators and students to critically evaluate and verify the authenticity of such text. The article provides practical tips and resources for identifying AI generated text and emphasizes the need for maintaining ethical standards in the use of AI in academic settings.
[text] abstract: “text too long”
How to Identify chatGPT stories?
[text] abstract: An editor shares insights on how to detect AI-generated text using GPT and offers alternatives such as observing telltale signs of machine-generated text, reading the story carefully, and comparing it to other sources. The editor notes that detectors are often wrong, and suggests using common sense and considering the value the text provides to the reader. The article concludes that the best way to identify texts produced by GPT is through layout and writing style, but the ultimate goal is to satisfy informational, entertainment, and emotional needs.
[URL] abstract: This article provides tips on how to identify AI-generated text produced by OpenAI's ChatGPT model. The article suggests to look for repetitive phrases, lack of detail, and absence of realistic human emotion as signs of machine-generated text. It also suggests using a plagiarism checker and comparing the story with other sources to check for inconsistencies and factual errors. The author acknowledges that detectors may not be entirely accurate and advises to use common sense and consider the value the text provides to the reader. The article concludes by emphasizing that what matters is how well the text satisfies our informational, entertainment, and emotional needs, rather than who or what wrote the text.Additional Resources for Identifying AIThe CheckGPT tool developed by Packback appears to be useful in guiding instructors on their responses to potential usage of AI-generated materials. More information about the tool can be found at https://labs.packback.co/originality.last updated on 03/02/2023
note: following each [hyperlinked] title/subtitle are abstracts generated by ChatGPT after receiving prompts from M. Neal. "Write an abstract for [article link]" is indicated with [URL] abstract. "Write an abstract for [article text]" is indicated with [text] abstract. These very similar prompt-responses are shared consecutively in the hope that reading the abstracts will showcase the variations in ChatGPT output (despite similar input).
How to Productively Address AI-Generated Text in Your Classroom
[URL] abstract: The article on "AI Generated Text" from Indiana University's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) discusses the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in generating text and its potential impact on academic integrity. It highlights the importance of understanding the limitations and biases present in AI generated text and the responsibility of educators and students to critically evaluate and verify the authenticity of such text. The article provides practical tips and resources for identifying AI generated text and emphasizes the need for maintaining ethical standards in the use of AI in academic settings.
[text] abstract: “text too long”
How to Identify chatGPT stories?
[text] abstract: An editor shares insights on how to detect AI-generated text using GPT and offers alternatives such as observing telltale signs of machine-generated text, reading the story carefully, and comparing it to other sources. The editor notes that detectors are often wrong, and suggests using common sense and considering the value the text provides to the reader. The article concludes that the best way to identify texts produced by GPT is through layout and writing style, but the ultimate goal is to satisfy informational, entertainment, and emotional needs.
[URL] abstract: This article provides tips on how to identify AI-generated text produced by OpenAI's ChatGPT model. The article suggests to look for repetitive phrases, lack of detail, and absence of realistic human emotion as signs of machine-generated text. It also suggests using a plagiarism checker and comparing the story with other sources to check for inconsistencies and factual errors. The author acknowledges that detectors may not be entirely accurate and advises to use common sense and consider the value the text provides to the reader. The article concludes by emphasizing that what matters is how well the text satisfies our informational, entertainment, and emotional needs, rather than who or what wrote the text.Additional Resources for Identifying AIThe CheckGPT tool developed by Packback appears to be useful in guiding instructors on their responses to potential usage of AI-generated materials. More information about the tool can be found at https://labs.packback.co/originality.last updated on 03/02/2023
Authored by: Makena Neal & ChatGPT
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Resilience
This short video from Mayo Clinic discusses resilience and brain science, and emphasizes how cultivating gratitude and compassion helps you to feel happier, more creative, and more stable.
Posted by: Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Virtual Research Geriatric Fellowship for Unmatched Medical Graduates
With COVID19 pandemic most, if not all, research activities placed on hold in 2020. The need for remote teaching and working was obvious. The increase number of older adults in the US and world wide place geriatric medicine as a priority in addressing health need in the near future. According to Association of American Medical Colleges [AAMC] there is increasing number of medical graduates who do not match to any residency program in the US. We started a virtual research fellowship in geriatric medicine as a tool to empower some of those unmatched medical graduates in Michigan state and other areas using funds provided by The Pearl J. Aldrich Endowment in Gerontology/Michigan State University. One of the goals of this fellowship is to train these graduates to know the basic steps of any research work and how to use the tools available in any research environment. We hope that these students understand the methodology of identifying a problem that faces older adults, and then carry the required steps to address and solve such problem in a systematic way. Currently we have four teams, who are involved in different research projects. We have submitted 10 abstracts to 2 different meetings, and so far 6 were accepted for oral presentation. We targeted The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Some of the topics address include COVID19 and its impact on the elderly. During this session our team will share our experience.
To access a PDF of the "Virtual Research Geriatric Fellowship for Unmatched Medical Graduates" poster, click here.Description of the PosterTitle: Virtual Geriatric Research Fellowship
Author: Nadir Abdelrahman, MD, CMD
Geriatric Division, Dept of Family Medicine, MSU
Introduction:
Between 2020 and 2030, the number of older adults is projected to increase by almost 18 million 1.
The Association of American Medical Colleges expects that an additional 42,600 to 121,300 doctors will be needed by 2030 2.
There is a huge need for geriatric-trained health care providers 3.
Each year, there are more than 8 thousand Unmatched medical graduates [UMGs] in the US. Most of them are international medical graduates.
Aim:
The aim of this fellowship is to empower UMGs by improving their knowledge, skills, and experiences in geriatric medicine.
Curriculum Development:
This curriculum was developed based on Entering Research course.
The primary goals of this fellowship are to create a supportive learning environment to introduce UMGs to the culture of research and to teach them valuable skills needed to become effective researchers.
The fellowship was designed to help medical graduates find a research mentor, explore the culture of research, write a research project proposal, and begin doing research.
They informally share their research experiences and learn about the diversity of experiences available through their peers.
Through virtual meetings, research basics, communication skills and common geriatric principles were reviewed.
Early discussions included current pandemic topics ranging from COVID19 incidence, hospitalization and mortality to prevention and vaccination.
The content of these discussions came from the students, and their engagement in the weekly, 2-hour-long meetings.
The course facilitator provided a framework for the discussions, relevant background reading materials, and structured assignments designed to help students develop positive relationships with their research mentors, define themselves as a member of the research community, and understand and communicate their research.
Description of Curriculum
The following tasks were identified for this program
Recognize the research ethics principles.
Select a research topic.
Identify research question(s).
Describe various types of study designs.
Select appropriate study design.
Define study population.
Take an appropriate study sample.
Enumerate various study variables.
Discern various types of errors, including bias.
Identify confounding factors.
Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
Prepare for data management.
Set a work plan with time, budget, and a plan for dissemination.
Results of Implementation
A total of 6 Virtual posters were accepted in 2 national conferences: American Medical Director Association/The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC21: 2 virtual posters) and American Geriatrics Society (AGS21: 4 virtual posters).
Eight of the fellows were matched into residency programs starting July 2021.
Discussion
This virtual research fellowship in geriatric medicine is considered unique and innovative as there is an immediate need for geriatric-trained health care providers.
The conceptual framework allows training program directors to identify and select appropriate activities to use with their trainees based on need and career stage.
Activities were designed to teach UMGs principles of research, research design, and critical evaluation of results while also giving them practice with the real-world experience of creating and presenting posters in virtual environment.
This fellowship achieved its goals using online tools.
In the coming year, we hope to expand this concept, and establish it as a model for implementation at other institutions.
Figure 1.
The four-box model
Disclosure
The author has no conflict of interest to disclose.
This fellowship is supported by:
The Pearl J. Aldrich Endowment in Aging
Demographic Changes and Aging Population – RHIhub Aging https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/aging/1/demographics
Healthcare Suers When Medical School Graduates Don’t Match https://www.insightintodiversity.com/healthcare-suffers-when-medical-school-graduates-dont-match/
Record number of unmatched medical graduates. CMAJ 2017 May 29;189:E758-9. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1095432
Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. (1969). Management of organizational behaviour: Utilizing human resources. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Tasks and Team approach
Fellows were grouped into teams.
Different tasks were assigned to each fellow.
Teams leaders encouraged individual fellows
Projects identified and project leaders assured completion of each Poster.
Fellows learned the basics of literature review, statistical analysis (using SPSS) and reference management (e.g EndNote)
Situational leadership skills and teams were incorporated using the four-box model 4 (See Figure 1)
References
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=nursingposters
https://slideplayer.com/slide/6319238/
https://www.mghihp.edu/poster-presentations-age-zoom
To access a PDF of the "Virtual Research Geriatric Fellowship for Unmatched Medical Graduates" poster, click here.Description of the PosterTitle: Virtual Geriatric Research Fellowship
Author: Nadir Abdelrahman, MD, CMD
Geriatric Division, Dept of Family Medicine, MSU
Introduction:
Between 2020 and 2030, the number of older adults is projected to increase by almost 18 million 1.
The Association of American Medical Colleges expects that an additional 42,600 to 121,300 doctors will be needed by 2030 2.
There is a huge need for geriatric-trained health care providers 3.
Each year, there are more than 8 thousand Unmatched medical graduates [UMGs] in the US. Most of them are international medical graduates.
Aim:
The aim of this fellowship is to empower UMGs by improving their knowledge, skills, and experiences in geriatric medicine.
Curriculum Development:
This curriculum was developed based on Entering Research course.
The primary goals of this fellowship are to create a supportive learning environment to introduce UMGs to the culture of research and to teach them valuable skills needed to become effective researchers.
The fellowship was designed to help medical graduates find a research mentor, explore the culture of research, write a research project proposal, and begin doing research.
They informally share their research experiences and learn about the diversity of experiences available through their peers.
Through virtual meetings, research basics, communication skills and common geriatric principles were reviewed.
Early discussions included current pandemic topics ranging from COVID19 incidence, hospitalization and mortality to prevention and vaccination.
The content of these discussions came from the students, and their engagement in the weekly, 2-hour-long meetings.
The course facilitator provided a framework for the discussions, relevant background reading materials, and structured assignments designed to help students develop positive relationships with their research mentors, define themselves as a member of the research community, and understand and communicate their research.
Description of Curriculum
The following tasks were identified for this program
Recognize the research ethics principles.
Select a research topic.
Identify research question(s).
Describe various types of study designs.
Select appropriate study design.
Define study population.
Take an appropriate study sample.
Enumerate various study variables.
Discern various types of errors, including bias.
Identify confounding factors.
Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
Prepare for data management.
Set a work plan with time, budget, and a plan for dissemination.
Results of Implementation
A total of 6 Virtual posters were accepted in 2 national conferences: American Medical Director Association/The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC21: 2 virtual posters) and American Geriatrics Society (AGS21: 4 virtual posters).
Eight of the fellows were matched into residency programs starting July 2021.
Discussion
This virtual research fellowship in geriatric medicine is considered unique and innovative as there is an immediate need for geriatric-trained health care providers.
The conceptual framework allows training program directors to identify and select appropriate activities to use with their trainees based on need and career stage.
Activities were designed to teach UMGs principles of research, research design, and critical evaluation of results while also giving them practice with the real-world experience of creating and presenting posters in virtual environment.
This fellowship achieved its goals using online tools.
In the coming year, we hope to expand this concept, and establish it as a model for implementation at other institutions.
Figure 1.
The four-box model
Disclosure
The author has no conflict of interest to disclose.
This fellowship is supported by:
The Pearl J. Aldrich Endowment in Aging
Demographic Changes and Aging Population – RHIhub Aging https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/aging/1/demographics
Healthcare Suers When Medical School Graduates Don’t Match https://www.insightintodiversity.com/healthcare-suffers-when-medical-school-graduates-dont-match/
Record number of unmatched medical graduates. CMAJ 2017 May 29;189:E758-9. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1095432
Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. (1969). Management of organizational behaviour: Utilizing human resources. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Tasks and Team approach
Fellows were grouped into teams.
Different tasks were assigned to each fellow.
Teams leaders encouraged individual fellows
Projects identified and project leaders assured completion of each Poster.
Fellows learned the basics of literature review, statistical analysis (using SPSS) and reference management (e.g EndNote)
Situational leadership skills and teams were incorporated using the four-box model 4 (See Figure 1)
References
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=nursingposters
https://slideplayer.com/slide/6319238/
https://www.mghihp.edu/poster-presentations-age-zoom
Authored by: Nadir Abdelrahman, Sumi Dey
Posted on: #iteachmsu
MSU IT now offers a self-paced training course in many of the technologies available on campus. MSU Tools and Technologies is open to any instructor who is looking for basic information on the free technologies available on campus. We are working to provide as much useful information as possible, so we are continuing to build and imporve on the materials available. We want to make sure we are meeting the needs of instructors, staff and students, so if there is something missing from the course, please let us know how we can imporve it.
You can sign up for the training by going to this self-enrollment link: MSU Tools and Technologies Course
Tools and Technologies from MSU IT
MSU IT now offers a self-paced training course in many of the technologies available on campus. MSU Tools and Technologies is open to any instructor who is looking for basic information on the free technologies available on campus. We are working to provide as much useful information as possible, so we are continuing to build and imporve on the materials available. We want to make sure we are meeting the needs of instructors, staff and students, so if there is something missing from the course, please let us know how we can imporve it.
You can sign up for the training by going to this self-enrollment link: MSU Tools and Technologies Course
Authored by: Nick Noel
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: CTLI
Designing your MSU syllabus
Designing your MSU syllabus: Resources and tips for creating syllabi that meet students' needs
In this interactive session, participants will learn all about syllabi at MSU. Topics include syllabus design, requirements and policies, considerations for more inclusive syllabi, MSU resources and templates, and alternative syllabus formats including a demonstration of an annotated syllabus model. The session will conclude with a facilitated discussion and question period.
Facilitator: Ellie Louson, PhD, (she/her) is a Learning Designer and Academic Specialist at MSU’s Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. She leads the Spartan Studios project where she works with faculty members to design interdisciplinary, experiential courses with community partnerships. She is also the co-Faculty Mentor for the CTLI grad fellowship, and is an experienced facilitator for MSU educators and academic units.
Any MSU course instructors and those in educator support or administrative roles who advise about syllabi are encouraged to register for this virtual workshop. Check out this Syllabus Resources playlist on iteach.msu.edu for more information!
Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Open Virtual Reality
The VR lab is back! Whether you’re a VR first-timer, an immersive data visualizer, a researcher or a developer, an artist in search of a new medium, an instructor curious about how to use the tech in class, a student of storytelling, or some other type of human being, VR Open Hours are for you! Take our HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and other headsets for a spin, and talk to us about your ideas. We love to connect people with hardware, software, and each other.
Participants can log into their personal accounts to access VR content they own, or explore the myriad content we have available, including real student projects and industry tools:
Paint, sculpt, animate, and work with 3D models/environments
Immersively visualize data, anatomy, molecules, math equations, historical sites and events, or even comics
Learn language, circuitry, lab chemistry, medical procedure, extended-reality (or "XR," including VR and 360) media production
Play games for transportive narrative, exercise, team building, or just plain fun
Explore the great outdoors, real-world geography, or hypothetical interior designs
Simulate colorblindness, astronaut experience, a rollercoaster ride, etc.
Develop your own VR experiences, or use VR tools to develop interactive experiences of any kind
Deploy VR to support your course or research
Record and/or share screens and workspaces with others in real time
Navigating Context
EXPIRED