We found 59 results that contain "dialogue"
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Peer-Educator Dialogues & Learning Session Observation
This is a collection of resources aimed at helping educators engage in a process of observation and feedback with fellow educators. This certainly isn't the only way of engaging in a peer-educator dialogue, but aims to be a start point for folks just getting started. There may be additional resources provided by your unit, so be sure to check there as well.
NOTE: these materials are intended to serve as a foundation for providing feedback, engaging in dialogue, and ultimately promoting lifelong learning and growth in educator practice. Any documentation of a peer-educator dialogue should be provided directly to [only] the instructor-educator.
Photo by Antenna on Unsplash
NOTE: these materials are intended to serve as a foundation for providing feedback, engaging in dialogue, and ultimately promoting lifelong learning and growth in educator practice. Any documentation of a peer-educator dialogue should be provided directly to [only] the instructor-educator.
Photo by Antenna on Unsplash
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: #iteachmsu
A calming influence: Managing conflict and difficult conversations in the university classroom
At CTLI, we've compiled resources for educators to review when preparing for potentially contentious classroom discussions Domestic and global conflicts and controversies often impact our students in diverse and uniquely personal ways. Some MSU educators mentioned increased tension and potential for disruptions in your classroom. Students are coming to learn with a diverse array of perspectives, experiences, and identities that shape how they experience the world. Navigating classroom discussions on charged societal issues or current events can be extremely challenging.
The resources curated here offer guidance on fostering civil discourse and managing disruptive behavior in the classroom. We hope these resources equip you with strategies and best practices for maintaining a respectful learning environment where all students feel safe and heard. This collection includes guidelines on setting expectations for dialogue, maintaining calm, tips for redirecting off-topic or uncivil comments, sample facilitation methods for controversial discussions, and ways to de-escalate a hot-moment.
As educators, we all share the responsibility of creating classrooms where learning can thrive. In times of tension, our first priority should be to seek to understand. The role of the teacher in conflict situations is to be the agent of calm, to seek to diffuse tension, and to foster an environment where learning can happen whenever possible. With compassion and care, we can model civil engagement across differences, while also drawing reasonable boundaries around conduct. Our hope is that these resources will help equip you to handle tense situations with wisdom, patience and cultural sensitivity. (please note this collection is in progress)
The resources curated here offer guidance on fostering civil discourse and managing disruptive behavior in the classroom. We hope these resources equip you with strategies and best practices for maintaining a respectful learning environment where all students feel safe and heard. This collection includes guidelines on setting expectations for dialogue, maintaining calm, tips for redirecting off-topic or uncivil comments, sample facilitation methods for controversial discussions, and ways to de-escalate a hot-moment.
As educators, we all share the responsibility of creating classrooms where learning can thrive. In times of tension, our first priority should be to seek to understand. The role of the teacher in conflict situations is to be the agent of calm, to seek to diffuse tension, and to foster an environment where learning can happen whenever possible. With compassion and care, we can model civil engagement across differences, while also drawing reasonable boundaries around conduct. Our hope is that these resources will help equip you to handle tense situations with wisdom, patience and cultural sensitivity. (please note this collection is in progress)
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Peer-Educator Dialogue Guide
Peer-Educator Dialogue Guide[*]
This is a "Checklist" guide, not a scaled rating or evaluation form. This guide is intended to be used as a tool to enable educators… “who teach, supervise and/or support students’ learning to gain feedback from one or more colleagues as part of the process of reflecting on their own practices” (University of Exeter). It asks peer-educators to indicate the presence of teaching activities/behaviors already established as indicative of high-quality teaching. Individual educators, units, departments, etc. can determine which of the items in the categorized lists below reflect their priorities; a targeted set of items per list will make the guide easier for educators to use.
Date:Time: Instructor-educator name:Course #:Course Title:Modality:No. Students:Peer-Educator name:
Peer-educator instructions: Indicate with a check (√) the presence of the following actions and behaviors that indicate high quality teaching. Leave blank items you do not observe. Use N/A if an item is not relevant for this experience or the instructor’s teaching style.
Variety and Pacing of Instruction
The instructor-educator:
uses more than one form of instruction
pauses after asking questions
accepts students’ responses
draws non-participating students into activities/discussions
prevents specific students from dominating activities/discussions
helps students extend their responses
guides the direction of discussion
mediates conflict or differences of opinion
demonstrates active listening
provides explicit directions for active learning tasks (e.g. rationale, duration, product)
allows sufficient time to complete tasks such as group work
specifies how learning tasks will be evaluated (if at all)
provides opportunities and time for students to practice
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Organization
The instructor-educator :
arrives on time
relates this and previous class(es), or provides students with an opportunity to do so
provides class goals or objectives for the class session
provides an outline or organization for the class session
knows how to use the educational technology needed for the class
locates class materials as needed
makes transitional statements between class segments
follows the stated structure
conveys the purpose of each class activity or assignment
completes the scheduled topics
summarizes periodically and at the end of class (or prompts students to do so)
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Presentation Skills
The instructor-educator:
is audible to all students
articulates words so that they are understandable to students, and/or visually represents words that might he difficult for students to hear
varies the tone and pitch of voice for emphasis and interest
speaks at a pace that permits students to understand and take notes
establishes and maintains eye contact
avoids over-reliance on reading content from notes, slides, or texts
avoids distracting mannerisms
uses visual aids effectively (e.g. when appropriate to reinforce a concept, legible handwriting, readable slides)
effectively uses the classroom space
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Clarity
The instructor-educator:
notes new terms or concepts
elaborates or repeats complex information
uses examples to explain content
makes explicit statements drawing student attention to certain ideas
pauses during explanations to ask and answer questions
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Content Knowledge
The instructor-educator:
makes statements that are accurate according to the standards of the field
incorporates current research in the field
identifies sources, perspectives, and authorities in the field
identifies diverse sources, perspectives, and authorities in the field
communicates the reasoning process behind operations and/or concepts
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Instructor-Student Rapport
The instructor-educator:
attends respectfully to student comprehension or puzzlement
invites students’ participation and comments
treats students as individuals (e.g. uses students’ names)
provides periodic feedback
incorporates student ideas into class
uses positive reinforcement (i.e. doesn’t punish or deliberately embarrass students in class)
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
General Peer-Educator Reflection:
What did you observe that went well?
What suggestions for enhancement do you have?
Additional Comments:
[*] Adapted 1/2006 from Chism, N.V.N. (1999) Chapter 6: Classroom Observation, Peer Review of Teaching: A Sourcebook. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing, by Angela R. Linse, Executive Director, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, Penn State. If you further adapt this form, please include this source citation.
This is a "Checklist" guide, not a scaled rating or evaluation form. This guide is intended to be used as a tool to enable educators… “who teach, supervise and/or support students’ learning to gain feedback from one or more colleagues as part of the process of reflecting on their own practices” (University of Exeter). It asks peer-educators to indicate the presence of teaching activities/behaviors already established as indicative of high-quality teaching. Individual educators, units, departments, etc. can determine which of the items in the categorized lists below reflect their priorities; a targeted set of items per list will make the guide easier for educators to use.
Date:Time: Instructor-educator name:Course #:Course Title:Modality:No. Students:Peer-Educator name:
Peer-educator instructions: Indicate with a check (√) the presence of the following actions and behaviors that indicate high quality teaching. Leave blank items you do not observe. Use N/A if an item is not relevant for this experience or the instructor’s teaching style.
Variety and Pacing of Instruction
The instructor-educator:
uses more than one form of instruction
pauses after asking questions
accepts students’ responses
draws non-participating students into activities/discussions
prevents specific students from dominating activities/discussions
helps students extend their responses
guides the direction of discussion
mediates conflict or differences of opinion
demonstrates active listening
provides explicit directions for active learning tasks (e.g. rationale, duration, product)
allows sufficient time to complete tasks such as group work
specifies how learning tasks will be evaluated (if at all)
provides opportunities and time for students to practice
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Organization
The instructor-educator :
arrives on time
relates this and previous class(es), or provides students with an opportunity to do so
provides class goals or objectives for the class session
provides an outline or organization for the class session
knows how to use the educational technology needed for the class
locates class materials as needed
makes transitional statements between class segments
follows the stated structure
conveys the purpose of each class activity or assignment
completes the scheduled topics
summarizes periodically and at the end of class (or prompts students to do so)
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Presentation Skills
The instructor-educator:
is audible to all students
articulates words so that they are understandable to students, and/or visually represents words that might he difficult for students to hear
varies the tone and pitch of voice for emphasis and interest
speaks at a pace that permits students to understand and take notes
establishes and maintains eye contact
avoids over-reliance on reading content from notes, slides, or texts
avoids distracting mannerisms
uses visual aids effectively (e.g. when appropriate to reinforce a concept, legible handwriting, readable slides)
effectively uses the classroom space
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Clarity
The instructor-educator:
notes new terms or concepts
elaborates or repeats complex information
uses examples to explain content
makes explicit statements drawing student attention to certain ideas
pauses during explanations to ask and answer questions
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Content Knowledge
The instructor-educator:
makes statements that are accurate according to the standards of the field
incorporates current research in the field
identifies sources, perspectives, and authorities in the field
identifies diverse sources, perspectives, and authorities in the field
communicates the reasoning process behind operations and/or concepts
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
Instructor-Student Rapport
The instructor-educator:
attends respectfully to student comprehension or puzzlement
invites students’ participation and comments
treats students as individuals (e.g. uses students’ names)
provides periodic feedback
incorporates student ideas into class
uses positive reinforcement (i.e. doesn’t punish or deliberately embarrass students in class)
Examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors that support the above indications (√):
General Peer-Educator Reflection:
What did you observe that went well?
What suggestions for enhancement do you have?
Additional Comments:
[*] Adapted 1/2006 from Chism, N.V.N. (1999) Chapter 6: Classroom Observation, Peer Review of Teaching: A Sourcebook. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing, by Angela R. Linse, Executive Director, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, Penn State. If you further adapt this form, please include this source citation.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Resources for Difficult Dialogues in the Classroom
MSU's Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development has a great collection, "Resources for Difficult Dialogues in the Classroom" including but not limited to internal [to MSU] and external links on confrontation, bias, policies, and more. Here are a few of the resources:
The Art of Confrontation – COVID version
Prepared by Rick Shafer, Dean of Students Officehttps://remote.msu.edu/_assets/docs/The_Art_of_Confrontation_faculty_COVID_version.pdf
Bias Busters: Guides to Cultural Competence
Website Project of the MSU School of Journalism, College of Communication Arts and Scienceshttp://news.jrn.msu.edu/culturalcompetence/
IDI Education and Training Opportunities
Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusionhttp://inclusion.msu.edu/education/index.html
Ideas for Disciplinary Content
Compiled by the MSU Librarieshttps://www.lib.msu.edu/inclusiveteaching/
Office of Institutional Equity Policies
http://oie.msu.edu/
To My Professor: Student Voices for Great College Teaching
Book by MSU School of Journalism students and editor Joe Grimm, College of Communication Arts and Scienceshttps://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/09/12/new-book-advice-college-instructors-based-thousands-student-comments
Difficult Dialogues Guide
Annotated resources produced by Vanderbilt Universityhttps://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/difficult-dialogues/
Difficult Dialogues Handbook, Strategies and Resources
Resources produced by the University of Alaska Difficult Dialogues Project and the Ford Foundation
http://www.difficultdialoguesuaa.org/handbook
http://www.difficultdialoguesuaa.org/strategies_and_resources
Handbook for Facilitating Difficult Conversations
Resources produced by Queens College, City University of New York (pdf)Link to PDF document
Inclusive Practices for Managing Controversial Issues
Online document produced by Flinders University of Australiahttps://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/TIPS_controversial.pdf
Inviting Dialogue
Resource produced by Clark University (pdf)https://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ClarkUnivInvitingDialogue.pdf
Mindfulness and Discussing “Thorny” Issues in the Classroom (article)
Alexakos, K., Pride, L. D., Amat, A., Tsetsakos, P., Lee, K. J., Paylor-Smith, C., … & Smith, T. (2016). Mindfulness and discussing “thorny” issues in the classroom. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-015-9718-0
Toolkit for Inclusive Learning Environments
Project by the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins Universityhttp://guides.library.jhu.edu/TILE
Books Available from oFASD
To borrow any of the following titles, stop by 2W of the Main Library (across from the Digital Scholarship Lab). Some titles are available electronically on stable links through MSU Libraries.
Brookfield, Stephen D. The Discussion Book: 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking.
Book via electronic access, courtesy of MSU Libraries
Chickering, Art (Foreword) Encountering Faith in the Classroom: Turning Difficult Discussions into Constructive Engagement
Book via electronic access, courtesy of MSU Libraries
Landis, Kay (ed.) Start Talking: A Handbook for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education.
Book via electronic access
Nash, Robert J. How to Talk About Hot Topics on Campus: From Polarization to Moral Conversation.
Roderick, Libby. Stop Talking: Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning and Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education.
Wheatley, Margaret J. Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future
Book via electronic access
BIAS AND RACE
#Charlestonsyllabus
Resource produced by the African American Intellectual History Societyhttp://www.aaihs.org/resources/charlestonsyllabus/
#FergusonSyllabus
Resources produced by Sociologists for Justicehttps://sociologistsforjustice.org/ferguson-syllabus
Eight Actions to Reduce Racism in College Classrooms
Article by Shaun R. Harper and Charles H. F. Davis III from Academe (pdf)https://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/HarperDavis-EightActionsToReduceRacismInCollegeClassrooms.pdf
Learning to Talk about Race in the Classroom
Resource from Inside Higher Ed.’s Gradhacker (blog article)https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/learning-talkrace-classroom
Project Implicit (Implicit Bias)
Project by Harvard Universityhttps://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences That Make a Difference
Book by Stevenson, H. C. (2013). Teachers College Press.
Responding to Incidents of Hate Speech
Webpage produced by the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at the University of Michiganhttp://crlt.umich.edu/node/93036
Teaching Tolerance
Program of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Resources for K-12, but many transferrable ideashttp://www.tolerance.org/lets-talk
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
The Art of Confrontation – COVID version
Prepared by Rick Shafer, Dean of Students Officehttps://remote.msu.edu/_assets/docs/The_Art_of_Confrontation_faculty_COVID_version.pdf
Bias Busters: Guides to Cultural Competence
Website Project of the MSU School of Journalism, College of Communication Arts and Scienceshttp://news.jrn.msu.edu/culturalcompetence/
IDI Education and Training Opportunities
Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusionhttp://inclusion.msu.edu/education/index.html
Ideas for Disciplinary Content
Compiled by the MSU Librarieshttps://www.lib.msu.edu/inclusiveteaching/
Office of Institutional Equity Policies
http://oie.msu.edu/
To My Professor: Student Voices for Great College Teaching
Book by MSU School of Journalism students and editor Joe Grimm, College of Communication Arts and Scienceshttps://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/09/12/new-book-advice-college-instructors-based-thousands-student-comments
Difficult Dialogues Guide
Annotated resources produced by Vanderbilt Universityhttps://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/difficult-dialogues/
Difficult Dialogues Handbook, Strategies and Resources
Resources produced by the University of Alaska Difficult Dialogues Project and the Ford Foundation
http://www.difficultdialoguesuaa.org/handbook
http://www.difficultdialoguesuaa.org/strategies_and_resources
Handbook for Facilitating Difficult Conversations
Resources produced by Queens College, City University of New York (pdf)Link to PDF document
Inclusive Practices for Managing Controversial Issues
Online document produced by Flinders University of Australiahttps://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/TIPS_controversial.pdf
Inviting Dialogue
Resource produced by Clark University (pdf)https://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ClarkUnivInvitingDialogue.pdf
Mindfulness and Discussing “Thorny” Issues in the Classroom (article)
Alexakos, K., Pride, L. D., Amat, A., Tsetsakos, P., Lee, K. J., Paylor-Smith, C., … & Smith, T. (2016). Mindfulness and discussing “thorny” issues in the classroom. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-015-9718-0
Toolkit for Inclusive Learning Environments
Project by the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins Universityhttp://guides.library.jhu.edu/TILE
Books Available from oFASD
To borrow any of the following titles, stop by 2W of the Main Library (across from the Digital Scholarship Lab). Some titles are available electronically on stable links through MSU Libraries.
Brookfield, Stephen D. The Discussion Book: 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking.
Book via electronic access, courtesy of MSU Libraries
Chickering, Art (Foreword) Encountering Faith in the Classroom: Turning Difficult Discussions into Constructive Engagement
Book via electronic access, courtesy of MSU Libraries
Landis, Kay (ed.) Start Talking: A Handbook for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education.
Book via electronic access
Nash, Robert J. How to Talk About Hot Topics on Campus: From Polarization to Moral Conversation.
Roderick, Libby. Stop Talking: Indigenous Ways of Teaching and Learning and Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education.
Wheatley, Margaret J. Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future
Book via electronic access
BIAS AND RACE
#Charlestonsyllabus
Resource produced by the African American Intellectual History Societyhttp://www.aaihs.org/resources/charlestonsyllabus/
#FergusonSyllabus
Resources produced by Sociologists for Justicehttps://sociologistsforjustice.org/ferguson-syllabus
Eight Actions to Reduce Racism in College Classrooms
Article by Shaun R. Harper and Charles H. F. Davis III from Academe (pdf)https://ofasd.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/HarperDavis-EightActionsToReduceRacismInCollegeClassrooms.pdf
Learning to Talk about Race in the Classroom
Resource from Inside Higher Ed.’s Gradhacker (blog article)https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/learning-talkrace-classroom
Project Implicit (Implicit Bias)
Project by Harvard Universityhttps://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences That Make a Difference
Book by Stevenson, H. C. (2013). Teachers College Press.
Responding to Incidents of Hate Speech
Webpage produced by the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at the University of Michiganhttp://crlt.umich.edu/node/93036
Teaching Tolerance
Program of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Resources for K-12, but many transferrable ideashttp://www.tolerance.org/lets-talk
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Authored by: OFASD
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Peer-Educator Dialogue Protocol
Peer-Educator Dialogue Protocol
Date:Time:Instructor-Educator:Course Number:Course Title:Modality:# Students Enrolled:# Students Present:Peer-Educator:
This dialogue protocol can be used independently or in conjunction with the Peer-Educator Dialogue Guide. It is important to note that the peer-educator dialogue should be an iterative process of lifelong learning and practice improvement. These are tools aimed at helping educators learn with and from one another. How an instructor-educator utilizes or shares the feedback provided in through this dialogue process is completely up to them.
Before class starts:
Short observations such as: when instructor-educator arrives, what happens (e.g. do they greet students?)? Does class start on time? How many students are present? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Introduction:
Does the instructor-educator give context for today’s lesson/learning experience? (What does this look like?) How does the instructor-educator motivate students? What is student response? Do students arrive late? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Core Learning Experience:
Is there variety and pacing in the planned learning experience(s)? Can/do students ask questions? Is the conversation 2-way/are the students part of the conversation or passive listeners? How are student questions addressed? Is it clear how this material relates to the course? (the field?) What percentage of class time is spent in lecture? What might you say about the instructor-educator’s presentation skills? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Group Activity/Participation:
Are students engaged? How are activities relevant? Are these activities intended to be evaluated? If so, how? What percentage of class time is spent in such activities? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Conclusion:
Did the session seem organized well? Did it end on time? Was there any recap or mention of course goals/objectives? Were diverse examples, resources, perspectives etc. included? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Additional comments/observations:
This document was adapted with permission from 2019 document "AAN Peer Observation Protocol" by Patricia Stewart.Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
Date:Time:Instructor-Educator:Course Number:Course Title:Modality:# Students Enrolled:# Students Present:Peer-Educator:
This dialogue protocol can be used independently or in conjunction with the Peer-Educator Dialogue Guide. It is important to note that the peer-educator dialogue should be an iterative process of lifelong learning and practice improvement. These are tools aimed at helping educators learn with and from one another. How an instructor-educator utilizes or shares the feedback provided in through this dialogue process is completely up to them.
Before class starts:
Short observations such as: when instructor-educator arrives, what happens (e.g. do they greet students?)? Does class start on time? How many students are present? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Introduction:
Does the instructor-educator give context for today’s lesson/learning experience? (What does this look like?) How does the instructor-educator motivate students? What is student response? Do students arrive late? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Core Learning Experience:
Is there variety and pacing in the planned learning experience(s)? Can/do students ask questions? Is the conversation 2-way/are the students part of the conversation or passive listeners? How are student questions addressed? Is it clear how this material relates to the course? (the field?) What percentage of class time is spent in lecture? What might you say about the instructor-educator’s presentation skills? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Group Activity/Participation:
Are students engaged? How are activities relevant? Are these activities intended to be evaluated? If so, how? What percentage of class time is spent in such activities? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Conclusion:
Did the session seem organized well? Did it end on time? Was there any recap or mention of course goals/objectives? Were diverse examples, resources, perspectives etc. included? Please note examples of instructor-educator actions or behaviors.
Went well:
Consider for enhancement:
Additional comments/observations:
This document was adapted with permission from 2019 document "AAN Peer Observation Protocol" by Patricia Stewart.Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: Teaching Toolkit Ta...
Strategies for Engaging in Dialogue Across Difference
Strategies for Engaging in
Dialogue Across Difference
Interrupting Bias: The PALS Approach
This is a methodology to use when you hear someone say something that may be problematic or hurtful to a specific group of people or yourself. The objective of this approach is to stay connected with the person and speak your truth clearly.
Pause/Halt/Slow the conversation
Interrupt the flow of the conversation and let the speaker know you are interested in learning more about something they said – “Wait a second..”
Acknowledge/Ask
Ask for clarification, get curious, make sure you understand what the person said – “What I hear you saying is…”
Listen to what the person said
Practice engaged listening in which you truly try to understand the meaning of what is being said.
Speak your truth/Share stories
Share your experience and/or learning. Tell stories, as they are shown to be more effective than data at reaching hearts and minds
How to Apologize:
Re-AACT
Reflect - listen to what others are saying is the harm done
Acknowledge responsibility for your actions
Apologize and DO NOT explain your intent
Change your behavior
Thank them for bringing this to your attention
Interested in participating in MSU Dialogues?
Faculty & staff applications will open soon!
Email Jackie Heymann at heymannj@msu.edu to among the first to receive the application as soon as it opens.
Dialogue Across Difference
Interrupting Bias: The PALS Approach
This is a methodology to use when you hear someone say something that may be problematic or hurtful to a specific group of people or yourself. The objective of this approach is to stay connected with the person and speak your truth clearly.
Pause/Halt/Slow the conversation
Interrupt the flow of the conversation and let the speaker know you are interested in learning more about something they said – “Wait a second..”
Acknowledge/Ask
Ask for clarification, get curious, make sure you understand what the person said – “What I hear you saying is…”
Listen to what the person said
Practice engaged listening in which you truly try to understand the meaning of what is being said.
Speak your truth/Share stories
Share your experience and/or learning. Tell stories, as they are shown to be more effective than data at reaching hearts and minds
How to Apologize:
Re-AACT
Reflect - listen to what others are saying is the harm done
Acknowledge responsibility for your actions
Apologize and DO NOT explain your intent
Change your behavior
Thank them for bringing this to your attention
Interested in participating in MSU Dialogues?
Faculty & staff applications will open soon!
Email Jackie Heymann at heymannj@msu.edu to among the first to receive the application as soon as it opens.
Authored by: Jackie Heymann
Navigating Context
Posted on: GenAI & Education
AI as a complex issue requiring multiple perspectives and dialogue
How can generative AI technologies assist with collaborative, integrated, and interdisciplinary work in the classroom?
What is the appropriate use of generative AI in the subject-area and/or discipline to advance scholarship and maintain excellence?
What are the current uses, concerns, and dialogue relative to generative AI within the subject and/or discipline?
How will generative AI affect the unit/major/courses’ content, assignments, instructional objectives, learning outcomes, or assessment models? Might these outcomes need to change to account for AI technology?
How will generative AI influence job growth, skills, and responsibilities in the future?
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.Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
What is the appropriate use of generative AI in the subject-area and/or discipline to advance scholarship and maintain excellence?
What are the current uses, concerns, and dialogue relative to generative AI within the subject and/or discipline?
How will generative AI affect the unit/major/courses’ content, assignments, instructional objectives, learning outcomes, or assessment models? Might these outcomes need to change to account for AI technology?
How will generative AI influence job growth, skills, and responsibilities in the future?
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.Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
Posted by: Makena Neal
Posted on: The MSU Graduate Le...
Partnering with the Academic Women's Forum to Create an Exclusive Dialogue Space for Grad Students
While her academic home is chemistry and her funding was through engineering, Olivia had a broad scope. Her focus was on women graduate students in STEM fields. Her end project resulted in a collaboration with the Academic Women’s Forum and the establishment of graduate student-only dialogues after AWF events.
Authored by: Olivia Chesniak
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Educator Support and Resources Overview
The following is a list of educator professional development tools, resources, and supports at MSU. This collection is just that, a sampling of offerings aimed at providing anyone who supports student success by contributing to the teaching and learning mission with a place to start when they're looking for ongoing opportunities for growth outside of the #iteachmsu Commons.
SOIREE: The SOIREE (Spartan Online Instructional Readiness Educational Experience) workshop was created to help you better prepare to teach online. You will learn online pedagogical principles and develop proficiency with a variety of technologies. You can check out SOIREE for more information. (Fall programming TBD)
ASPIRE: The ASPIRE (Asynchronous Program for Instructional Readiness) workshop was created to help you better prepare to teach online. ASPIRE is entirely self-paced and will guide you through the processes and issues you'll need to address in order to develop an online version of your course. You can check out ASPIRE for more information, including enrolling in ASPIRE.
The College of Education’s Mini-MOOC on Remote Teaching: The Master of Arts in Educational Technology Program (MAET) at Michigan State University is honored to support the amazing work that educators are doing around the world as they transition to a range of remote teaching contexts. You can check out CED Mini-MOOC for more information, including enrolling in the Mini-MOOC.
#iteachmsu: You teach MSU. A wide educator community (faculty, TAs, ULAs, instructional designers, academic advisors, et al.) makes learning happen across MSU. But, on such a large campus, it can be difficult to fully recognize and leverage this community’s teaching and learning innovations. To address this challenge, the #iteachmsu Commons provides an educator-driven space for sharing teaching resources, connecting across educator networks, and growing teaching practice. #iteachmsu Commons content may be discipline-specific or transdisciplinary, but will always be anchored in teaching competency areas. You will find short posts, blog-like articles, curated playlists, and a campus-wide teaching and learning events calendar. We cultivate this commons across spaces. And through your engagement, we will continue to nurture a culture of teaching and learning across MSU and beyond.
Teaching and Learning Bootcamp: The Teaching and Learning Boot Camp is offered to bring together educators new to MSU from across campus to explore and exchange ideas about quality and inclusive teaching, as well as find community among the large group of people who are engaged in the important work of creating the best learning environments possible for our students. The focus is to assist educators in developing practical materials that are needed for immediate use in their teaching and to best prepare them for their courses and work with students. For more information, check out Teaching & Learning Bootcamp.
Accessible Learning Conference: For the last five years, the Accessible Learning Conference has provided a forum for students, educators, community members and leaders to connect, share knowledge, and foster innovation in accessibility in higher education. You can check out the Accessible Learning Conference for more information.
MSU Dialogues: MSU Dialogues is an intergroup dialogue program for students, faculty and staff at Michigan State. It is a face-to-face learning experience that brings together people from different identity groups over a sustained period of time to: understand our commonalities and differences; examine the nature and impact of societal inequalities; explore ways of working together toward greater equity and justice; prepare individuals to live, work, and lead in a complex, diverse stratified society. Go to MSU Dialogues on Race, Religion, or Gender for more information.
Course Review Process: Quality Matters (QM) is a nationally recognized, faculty-centered, peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and online components. MSU purchased a campus subscription to the QM Rubric to assist faculty and instructors in creating quality courses that will improve online education and student learning. For more information on getting started with peer course review and Quality Matters at MSU, please visit MSU SpartanQM Webpage.
Alternative assessment/Online exam workshops: These workshops ran live in 2020 and provided information and examples of designing online exams and assessing students with alternative assessments beyond exams. Recordings of the workshops can be accessed asynchronously via #iteachmsu Commons.
Learning Communities: Learning Communities provide safe and supportive spaces for complicated conversations about curriculum and pedagogy. Michigan State University has supported these initiatives since 2004 and continues to do so through a funding program administered by the Academic Advancement Network. Learning Communities at MSU are free to select their own topics and determine the structures that best support their inquiries. Accordingly, communities tend to vary greatly in their practices, interests, and agendas. All communities, however, share three things in common: they meet monthly across the academic year, explore important educational themes, and welcome all members of MSU’s instructional staff, regardless of rank or discipline. Please go to Learning Communities (AAN) or Learning Communities (#iteachmsu) for more information.
Cohort programs: Lilly Fellowship - The program is intended to advance the University’s continuing efforts to support excellence in teaching and learning. The program supports a cohort of six faculty or academic specialists at all ranks with at least five years of service to the institution. The Program also provides an opportunity for Fellows to expand relationships and collaborative engagement with peers and colleagues within their own college and across the University. The program is supported by matching grants from AAN and the Fellows’ departments and/or colleges. The goal is to develop academic leaders who will guide the University into the near future with regard to learning, teaching, and educational programming. Participants are expected to focus their work on a project of their choosing that will make a substantial contribution to a unit’s educational efforts. The unit can be a program or a department, but it can also be a college or a University unit or initiative. Using the proposed project as a foundation, participants will also learn leadership concepts and models, build specific skills, learn more about how the University works, and practice what they learn through the activities of their project and small group mentoring and coaching. Adams Academy - The Walter & Pauline Adams Academy of Instructional Excellence and Innovation is named in honor of former MSU President Walter Adams and his wife and MSU faculty member emerita, Pauline Adams, in recognition of their sustained commitments to promote instructional excellence. The program brings together a cross-disciplinary group of faculty and academic staff for a year-long fellowship focused on teaching and learning. Adams Academy Fellows explore the literature on effective university teaching and learning practices and consider how this robust body of research can be used to guide instructional decisions in the courses they teach. Participants learn from and contribute to a community of teacher-scholars committed to excellence in teaching and learning.
Technology and Tools: IT Services offers many different resources to support teaching and learning efforts. For more information, check out Tech and Tools workshops from IT.
MSU Libraries Workshops: MSU Library & Archives provides a series of events, seminars and workshops on a wide variety of topics including but not limited to: Mendeley, data management, 3D models, special collections, distinguished lectures, Zotero, geocoding and more. Go to MSU Library Workshops for more.
The Graduate Teaching Assistant Institute: The New Teaching Assistant Institute is a university-wide orientation for graduate teaching assistants, in partnership with academic and support units on campus. It is up to departments to decide to require or recommend that their students attend this program (*graduate students should ask their graduate program directors if they are unsure about participating). All attendees must register and are expected to attend the entire day. Go to Graduate Teaching Assistant Institute for more information.
Certification in College Teaching: The Michigan State University Certification in College Teaching program is an initiative of The Graduate School, in partnership with departments and colleges. The program is designed to help graduate students organize and develop their teaching experience in a systematic and thoughtful way. Program participants partake in a series of workshops, enroll in a graduate course devoted to teaching in higher education, engage in a mentored teaching experience with a faculty member and develop a teaching portfolio to highlight, organize and reflect upon their teaching experiences. Upon completion of the program, students receive an MSU Certificate in College Teaching and the accomplishment is noted on their transcript. Visit Certification in College Teaching for more information.
SOIREE: The SOIREE (Spartan Online Instructional Readiness Educational Experience) workshop was created to help you better prepare to teach online. You will learn online pedagogical principles and develop proficiency with a variety of technologies. You can check out SOIREE for more information. (Fall programming TBD)
ASPIRE: The ASPIRE (Asynchronous Program for Instructional Readiness) workshop was created to help you better prepare to teach online. ASPIRE is entirely self-paced and will guide you through the processes and issues you'll need to address in order to develop an online version of your course. You can check out ASPIRE for more information, including enrolling in ASPIRE.
The College of Education’s Mini-MOOC on Remote Teaching: The Master of Arts in Educational Technology Program (MAET) at Michigan State University is honored to support the amazing work that educators are doing around the world as they transition to a range of remote teaching contexts. You can check out CED Mini-MOOC for more information, including enrolling in the Mini-MOOC.
#iteachmsu: You teach MSU. A wide educator community (faculty, TAs, ULAs, instructional designers, academic advisors, et al.) makes learning happen across MSU. But, on such a large campus, it can be difficult to fully recognize and leverage this community’s teaching and learning innovations. To address this challenge, the #iteachmsu Commons provides an educator-driven space for sharing teaching resources, connecting across educator networks, and growing teaching practice. #iteachmsu Commons content may be discipline-specific or transdisciplinary, but will always be anchored in teaching competency areas. You will find short posts, blog-like articles, curated playlists, and a campus-wide teaching and learning events calendar. We cultivate this commons across spaces. And through your engagement, we will continue to nurture a culture of teaching and learning across MSU and beyond.
Teaching and Learning Bootcamp: The Teaching and Learning Boot Camp is offered to bring together educators new to MSU from across campus to explore and exchange ideas about quality and inclusive teaching, as well as find community among the large group of people who are engaged in the important work of creating the best learning environments possible for our students. The focus is to assist educators in developing practical materials that are needed for immediate use in their teaching and to best prepare them for their courses and work with students. For more information, check out Teaching & Learning Bootcamp.
Accessible Learning Conference: For the last five years, the Accessible Learning Conference has provided a forum for students, educators, community members and leaders to connect, share knowledge, and foster innovation in accessibility in higher education. You can check out the Accessible Learning Conference for more information.
MSU Dialogues: MSU Dialogues is an intergroup dialogue program for students, faculty and staff at Michigan State. It is a face-to-face learning experience that brings together people from different identity groups over a sustained period of time to: understand our commonalities and differences; examine the nature and impact of societal inequalities; explore ways of working together toward greater equity and justice; prepare individuals to live, work, and lead in a complex, diverse stratified society. Go to MSU Dialogues on Race, Religion, or Gender for more information.
Course Review Process: Quality Matters (QM) is a nationally recognized, faculty-centered, peer review process designed to certify the quality of online courses and online components. MSU purchased a campus subscription to the QM Rubric to assist faculty and instructors in creating quality courses that will improve online education and student learning. For more information on getting started with peer course review and Quality Matters at MSU, please visit MSU SpartanQM Webpage.
Alternative assessment/Online exam workshops: These workshops ran live in 2020 and provided information and examples of designing online exams and assessing students with alternative assessments beyond exams. Recordings of the workshops can be accessed asynchronously via #iteachmsu Commons.
Learning Communities: Learning Communities provide safe and supportive spaces for complicated conversations about curriculum and pedagogy. Michigan State University has supported these initiatives since 2004 and continues to do so through a funding program administered by the Academic Advancement Network. Learning Communities at MSU are free to select their own topics and determine the structures that best support their inquiries. Accordingly, communities tend to vary greatly in their practices, interests, and agendas. All communities, however, share three things in common: they meet monthly across the academic year, explore important educational themes, and welcome all members of MSU’s instructional staff, regardless of rank or discipline. Please go to Learning Communities (AAN) or Learning Communities (#iteachmsu) for more information.
Cohort programs: Lilly Fellowship - The program is intended to advance the University’s continuing efforts to support excellence in teaching and learning. The program supports a cohort of six faculty or academic specialists at all ranks with at least five years of service to the institution. The Program also provides an opportunity for Fellows to expand relationships and collaborative engagement with peers and colleagues within their own college and across the University. The program is supported by matching grants from AAN and the Fellows’ departments and/or colleges. The goal is to develop academic leaders who will guide the University into the near future with regard to learning, teaching, and educational programming. Participants are expected to focus their work on a project of their choosing that will make a substantial contribution to a unit’s educational efforts. The unit can be a program or a department, but it can also be a college or a University unit or initiative. Using the proposed project as a foundation, participants will also learn leadership concepts and models, build specific skills, learn more about how the University works, and practice what they learn through the activities of their project and small group mentoring and coaching. Adams Academy - The Walter & Pauline Adams Academy of Instructional Excellence and Innovation is named in honor of former MSU President Walter Adams and his wife and MSU faculty member emerita, Pauline Adams, in recognition of their sustained commitments to promote instructional excellence. The program brings together a cross-disciplinary group of faculty and academic staff for a year-long fellowship focused on teaching and learning. Adams Academy Fellows explore the literature on effective university teaching and learning practices and consider how this robust body of research can be used to guide instructional decisions in the courses they teach. Participants learn from and contribute to a community of teacher-scholars committed to excellence in teaching and learning.
Technology and Tools: IT Services offers many different resources to support teaching and learning efforts. For more information, check out Tech and Tools workshops from IT.
MSU Libraries Workshops: MSU Library & Archives provides a series of events, seminars and workshops on a wide variety of topics including but not limited to: Mendeley, data management, 3D models, special collections, distinguished lectures, Zotero, geocoding and more. Go to MSU Library Workshops for more.
The Graduate Teaching Assistant Institute: The New Teaching Assistant Institute is a university-wide orientation for graduate teaching assistants, in partnership with academic and support units on campus. It is up to departments to decide to require or recommend that their students attend this program (*graduate students should ask their graduate program directors if they are unsure about participating). All attendees must register and are expected to attend the entire day. Go to Graduate Teaching Assistant Institute for more information.
Certification in College Teaching: The Michigan State University Certification in College Teaching program is an initiative of The Graduate School, in partnership with departments and colleges. The program is designed to help graduate students organize and develop their teaching experience in a systematic and thoughtful way. Program participants partake in a series of workshops, enroll in a graduate course devoted to teaching in higher education, engage in a mentored teaching experience with a faculty member and develop a teaching portfolio to highlight, organize and reflect upon their teaching experiences. Upon completion of the program, students receive an MSU Certificate in College Teaching and the accomplishment is noted on their transcript. Visit Certification in College Teaching for more information.
Authored by: Educator Development Network
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
MSU Learning Communities are Spaces to Explore Ideas in Education, Teaching, and Learning
"Being a part of the Learning Communities at MSU has been a wonderful experience. Within our community we have had the opportunity to share ideas, brainstorm solutions to challenges commonly faced, and expand our thinking with individuals from a wide variety of departments. I have deeply appreciated being a part of this new campus-wide community and having a space to connect with faculty and academic staff in similar positions to my own. Seeing what the other Learning Communities are doing has helped with inspiration for our own progress," said Mary-Anne Reid co-facilitator of the Sharing Process Improvement Tools in Undergraduate Internships and Experiential Education Learning Community.
Learning Communities are self-organized, safe, and supportive spaces for faculty and academic staff to address complicated questions of curriculum and pedagogy. Michigan State University has supported these initiatives since 2004 and continues to do so through a funding program administered by the Academic Advancement Network in collaboration with the Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology.
See what Learning Communities are available
Different Aims, Different Practices
Dr. Michael Lockett, the program Director, is quick to point out that the word “safe” is crucial to that statement of purpose, as it conveys the agency members and facilitators of Learning Communities enjoy.
“Once a community is funded, our interventions in their work only take place at the most basic administrative level,” says Lockett. “It’s a space we designed to maximize autonomy and academic freedom.”
Learning Communities at MSU are free to propose their own topics and determine the structures that best support their interests. Accordingly, communities tend to vary greatly in their practices and topics. All communities, however, share three things in common: they meet at least eight times across the academic year, explore important educational themes, and welcome all members of MSU’s instructional staff, regardless of rank or discipline.
“We have approximately thirty communities running. That means approximately three hundred faculty members are contributing to and benefitting from the program. Given that scale, there’s tremendous diversity in terms of topics and methods,” says Lockett. “Broadly defined, the conversations all connect back to ideas of education, teaching, and learning, but not necessarily in a formalized curricular context. We don’t limit their purview to credit-bearing courses at MSU and some communities are invested in educational topics that transcend this campus, or this country, or even this era.”
Dialogues Characterized by Freedom and Safety
Although many Learning Communities do not discuss fraught topics, some do. “Because some groups explore topics related to critical pedagogy, they may require particular community structures,” says Lockett. “Which is to say the community is not closed but carefully defined. All communities are inclusive. But the facilitators (those members responsible for the administration and protocol within the Community) determine the structure and it’s fair for them to ask their membership to commit to certain protocols.”
Some Communities only meet the required eight times during the academic year and encourage members to drop in or out at their discretion. Other Communities are working on highly complex questions of critical pedagogy, and require regular attendance, as the associated dialogues must be sustained and reflected upon. Ultimately, the facilitators decide the protocols for each Community.
The conversations held in the Learning Communities might also involve very personal pedagogical experiences; those kinds of conversations require time, trust, and a sense of open inquiry to make the dialogue supportive and generative. The AAN strives to provide that atmosphere by respecting the autonomy of the facilitators and working diligently behind the scenes to design flexible administrative structures that can support diverse methods. Lockett says, “although it’s not necessarily their primary role, Learning Communities can be therapeutic spaces. There’s an emotional dimension to teaching, particularly in high-pressure contexts. These communities can become a place where people find support, where they can share and hopefully resolve some of the challenges they’re encountering, teacher-to-teacher.”
Why Learning Communities?
Variations on the Learning Communities program exist on many campuses. “Questions of curriculum and pedagogy are always complicated and often best addressed face-to-face,” says Lockett. “You can do a lot of important work through dialogue. When colleagues get together to discuss curriculum and pedagogy, their conversations become nuanced and empathetic and situated in a way they can’t through other discursive forms. They can also be highly creative and generative places where good ideas disseminate swiftly.”
Getting Involved
The Learning Communities at MSU grew over 150% last year, from 12 to 30 groups. Lockett credits the passion of the facilitators and the leadership of Drs. Grabill and Austin (Associate Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, and Interim Associate Provost for Academic Staff Development, respectively). He also applauds the work of his predecessor, Dr. Patricia Stewart, who advocated for the program’s continued existence and provided a vision of success. “We wouldn’t be seeing this level of engagement and success without Patti’s leadership and dedication to the program,” he says.
A full list of Learning Communities and the contact information of their facilitators is available below and on the Academic Advancement Network website, in addition to information on proposing new communities.
"As a co-facilitator of the ANS TLC the past few years, I have been impressed with our cohort’s desire to continue to become better educators. Our learning community focuses on presenting and supplying tools to our members that address their reported concerns of education, including but limited to instruction, assessment, and student engagement. Since the pandemic has rendered our instruction to be “survival mode”, the ANS TLC has reached out to provide tips and tricks to its members for better classroom experiences, in whatever platform is being used. We look forward to hosting monthly “Chitter-chatter What’s the Matter” discussions alongside our continual scaffolding of the ANS curriculum for the Fall 2020 semester." said Tasia Taxis, co-facilitator of the Department of Animal Science Teaching and Learning Community (ANS TLC) Learning Community.
Learning Communities are self-organized, safe, and supportive spaces for faculty and academic staff to address complicated questions of curriculum and pedagogy. Michigan State University has supported these initiatives since 2004 and continues to do so through a funding program administered by the Academic Advancement Network in collaboration with the Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology.
See what Learning Communities are available
Different Aims, Different Practices
Dr. Michael Lockett, the program Director, is quick to point out that the word “safe” is crucial to that statement of purpose, as it conveys the agency members and facilitators of Learning Communities enjoy.
“Once a community is funded, our interventions in their work only take place at the most basic administrative level,” says Lockett. “It’s a space we designed to maximize autonomy and academic freedom.”
Learning Communities at MSU are free to propose their own topics and determine the structures that best support their interests. Accordingly, communities tend to vary greatly in their practices and topics. All communities, however, share three things in common: they meet at least eight times across the academic year, explore important educational themes, and welcome all members of MSU’s instructional staff, regardless of rank or discipline.
“We have approximately thirty communities running. That means approximately three hundred faculty members are contributing to and benefitting from the program. Given that scale, there’s tremendous diversity in terms of topics and methods,” says Lockett. “Broadly defined, the conversations all connect back to ideas of education, teaching, and learning, but not necessarily in a formalized curricular context. We don’t limit their purview to credit-bearing courses at MSU and some communities are invested in educational topics that transcend this campus, or this country, or even this era.”
Dialogues Characterized by Freedom and Safety
Although many Learning Communities do not discuss fraught topics, some do. “Because some groups explore topics related to critical pedagogy, they may require particular community structures,” says Lockett. “Which is to say the community is not closed but carefully defined. All communities are inclusive. But the facilitators (those members responsible for the administration and protocol within the Community) determine the structure and it’s fair for them to ask their membership to commit to certain protocols.”
Some Communities only meet the required eight times during the academic year and encourage members to drop in or out at their discretion. Other Communities are working on highly complex questions of critical pedagogy, and require regular attendance, as the associated dialogues must be sustained and reflected upon. Ultimately, the facilitators decide the protocols for each Community.
The conversations held in the Learning Communities might also involve very personal pedagogical experiences; those kinds of conversations require time, trust, and a sense of open inquiry to make the dialogue supportive and generative. The AAN strives to provide that atmosphere by respecting the autonomy of the facilitators and working diligently behind the scenes to design flexible administrative structures that can support diverse methods. Lockett says, “although it’s not necessarily their primary role, Learning Communities can be therapeutic spaces. There’s an emotional dimension to teaching, particularly in high-pressure contexts. These communities can become a place where people find support, where they can share and hopefully resolve some of the challenges they’re encountering, teacher-to-teacher.”
Why Learning Communities?
Variations on the Learning Communities program exist on many campuses. “Questions of curriculum and pedagogy are always complicated and often best addressed face-to-face,” says Lockett. “You can do a lot of important work through dialogue. When colleagues get together to discuss curriculum and pedagogy, their conversations become nuanced and empathetic and situated in a way they can’t through other discursive forms. They can also be highly creative and generative places where good ideas disseminate swiftly.”
Getting Involved
The Learning Communities at MSU grew over 150% last year, from 12 to 30 groups. Lockett credits the passion of the facilitators and the leadership of Drs. Grabill and Austin (Associate Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, and Interim Associate Provost for Academic Staff Development, respectively). He also applauds the work of his predecessor, Dr. Patricia Stewart, who advocated for the program’s continued existence and provided a vision of success. “We wouldn’t be seeing this level of engagement and success without Patti’s leadership and dedication to the program,” he says.
A full list of Learning Communities and the contact information of their facilitators is available below and on the Academic Advancement Network website, in addition to information on proposing new communities.
"As a co-facilitator of the ANS TLC the past few years, I have been impressed with our cohort’s desire to continue to become better educators. Our learning community focuses on presenting and supplying tools to our members that address their reported concerns of education, including but limited to instruction, assessment, and student engagement. Since the pandemic has rendered our instruction to be “survival mode”, the ANS TLC has reached out to provide tips and tricks to its members for better classroom experiences, in whatever platform is being used. We look forward to hosting monthly “Chitter-chatter What’s the Matter” discussions alongside our continual scaffolding of the ANS curriculum for the Fall 2020 semester." said Tasia Taxis, co-facilitator of the Department of Animal Science Teaching and Learning Community (ANS TLC) Learning Community.
Authored by: Gregory Teachout
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Dialogue is a specific form of communication that encourages people with differing ideas to build meaningful relationships across difference through building generous and empathetic listening skills. Dialogue is about adding to the common pool of knowledge. Dr. Harold Saunders of the Dialogue Institute says “Dialogue is a process of genuine interaction through which human beings listen to each other deeply enough to be changed by what they learn."
Click the attachment below to read more about the goals of dialogue (and how it is different from debate and discussion).
SOURCE: MSU Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives
Click the attachment below to read more about the goals of dialogue (and how it is different from debate and discussion).
SOURCE: MSU Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Intercultural dialogue facilitation is a science and an art. Facilitators are the single most important determinant of successful dialogue outcome. They are the engines that drive the experience to produce meaningful interaction among participants within and across groups.
Click the attachment below for more information on facilitating intercultural dialogue in practice.
SOURCE: MSU Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives
Click the attachment below for more information on facilitating intercultural dialogue in practice.
SOURCE: MSU Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
A Peer-Educator Dialogue Guide is now available for MSU Educators who want to collaborate in bettering their educator practice through observation and dialogue with other educators (https://iteach.msu.edu/iteachmsu/groups/iteachmsu/stories/2393?param=post). If you'd like to print a copy of the Guide to complete, you can download a copy by clicking the attachment (.docx, 6.32MB) below.
Note: this resource was adapted 1/2006 from Chism, N.V.N. (1999) Chapter 6: Classroom Observation, Peer Review of Teaching: A Sourcebook. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing, by Angela R. Linse, Executive Director, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, Penn State.
Note: this resource was adapted 1/2006 from Chism, N.V.N. (1999) Chapter 6: Classroom Observation, Peer Review of Teaching: A Sourcebook. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing, by Angela R. Linse, Executive Director, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, Penn State.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
It is important to note that the peer-educator dialogue should be an iterative process of lifelong learning and practice improvement. These are tools aimed at helping educators learn with and from one another. How an instructor-educator utilizes or shares the feedback provided in through this dialogue process is completely up to them.
Click the attachment below to download a copy of the Peer-Educator Dialogue Protocol (.docx, 41KB).
Click the attachment below to download a copy of the Peer-Educator Dialogue Protocol (.docx, 41KB).
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
There are important engagements between peer-educator and instructor-educator before and after the actual learning session observation. Check out the attachment (.docx, 86KB) to review this process and the considerations of each "step".
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: Equitable Pedagogy ...
Cook-Sather, A. (2020), Respecting voices: how the co-creation of teaching and learning can support academic staff, underrepresented students, and equitable practices. Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education Research. 79(5):885-901
Abstract: Analyses of how staff and student voices are, or are not, respected in higher education typically unfold in separate conversations. In this discussion, I use narrative analysis of several sources—primary research data, informal participant feedback, and participants’ published essays—to present a case study of how the co-creation of teaching and learning through one pedagogical partnership program brings the voices of staff and students into dialogue. The case study reveals how participating staff and students can develop voices that both speak respectfully and are self-respecting and that can, in turn, contribute to the development of more equitable classroom practices. I provide context for this case study by bringing together key points from literature on staff voice and on student voice, defining co-creation, describing the partnership program, and explaining my research method. The case study itself is constituted by the voices of staff and students who have participated in the partnership program. Drawing on staff words, I show how co-creation supports those staff members in developing voice through dialogue with a diversity of students voices; generating ways of discussing and addressing inequity; and constructing more equitable classroom approaches. Drawing on students’ words, I show how co-creation supports those students in developing voice by positioning them as pedagogical partners to staff and inviting them into dialogue with their staff partners; affirming that they can carry those voices into courses in which they are enrolled; and emboldening them to participate in ongoing conversations about the experiences of underrepresented and underserved students.
Abstract: Analyses of how staff and student voices are, or are not, respected in higher education typically unfold in separate conversations. In this discussion, I use narrative analysis of several sources—primary research data, informal participant feedback, and participants’ published essays—to present a case study of how the co-creation of teaching and learning through one pedagogical partnership program brings the voices of staff and students into dialogue. The case study reveals how participating staff and students can develop voices that both speak respectfully and are self-respecting and that can, in turn, contribute to the development of more equitable classroom practices. I provide context for this case study by bringing together key points from literature on staff voice and on student voice, defining co-creation, describing the partnership program, and explaining my research method. The case study itself is constituted by the voices of staff and students who have participated in the partnership program. Drawing on staff words, I show how co-creation supports those staff members in developing voice through dialogue with a diversity of students voices; generating ways of discussing and addressing inequity; and constructing more equitable classroom approaches. Drawing on students’ words, I show how co-creation supports those students in developing voice by positioning them as pedagogical partners to staff and inviting them into dialogue with their staff partners; affirming that they can carry those voices into courses in which they are enrolled; and emboldening them to participate in ongoing conversations about the experiences of underrepresented and underserved students.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: GenAI & Education
AI Commons Bulletin 2/26/2025
🆚 AI in Qualitative Research: ChatGPT vs. Human Coders
An MSU study examined ChatGPT’s role in qualitative data analysis, comparing AI-augmented and human coding of hotel guest experiences. AI-generated themes aligned with human-coded ones but missed social interactions and safety concerns. A hybrid approach—AI for initial coding with human refinement—balances efficiency and analytical rigor.
Learn More: Sun, H., Kim, M., Kim, S., & Choi, L. (2025). A methodological exploration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) for efficient qualitative analysis on hotel guests’ delightful experiences. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 124, 103974.
🤔 VR Tool with AI Increased Student Learning and Reflection
This empirical study found that students interacting with a VR course tutor increased focus and reflection and were more likely to ask questions, “Within the dialogue with the AI virtual tutor, learners most frequently engaged in discourse centered around collaboratively building on ideas.”
Learn More: Chu, X. et al. Enhancing the flipped classroom model with generative AI and Metaverse technologies. Ed Tech Res Dev (2025).
🧠 Use LLM Prompting to Teach Computational Thinking
Many fields consider computational thinking (CT) to be essential. Hsu (2025) details how to teach this skill using LLM prompting. Also includes interesting ideas for incorporating prompting in a deeper way: meaningful, social prompting, or learner directed prompting
Learn More: Hsu, HP. From Programming to Prompting. TechTrends (2025).
🧭 AI Guidelines at Major Universities are Pretty Predictable
A content analysis of AI guidelines at the top 50 USNWR-ranked institutions reveals key themes: AI use is allowed but must not involve plagiarism or unauthorized assistance, instructors should clearly define AI expectations, and users must follow privacy guidelines by avoiding sharing sensitive or confidential information.
Learn More: Alba et al (2025) ChatGPT Comes to Campus. SIGSCE TS.
Bulletin items compiled by MJ Jackson and Sarah Freye with production assistance from Lisa Batchelder. Get the AI-Commons Bulletin on our Microsoft Teams channel, at aicommons.commons.msu.edu, or by email (send an email to aicommons@msu.edu with the word “subscribe”).
🆚 AI in Qualitative Research: ChatGPT vs. Human Coders
An MSU study examined ChatGPT’s role in qualitative data analysis, comparing AI-augmented and human coding of hotel guest experiences. AI-generated themes aligned with human-coded ones but missed social interactions and safety concerns. A hybrid approach—AI for initial coding with human refinement—balances efficiency and analytical rigor.
Learn More: Sun, H., Kim, M., Kim, S., & Choi, L. (2025). A methodological exploration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) for efficient qualitative analysis on hotel guests’ delightful experiences. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 124, 103974.
🤔 VR Tool with AI Increased Student Learning and Reflection
This empirical study found that students interacting with a VR course tutor increased focus and reflection and were more likely to ask questions, “Within the dialogue with the AI virtual tutor, learners most frequently engaged in discourse centered around collaboratively building on ideas.”
Learn More: Chu, X. et al. Enhancing the flipped classroom model with generative AI and Metaverse technologies. Ed Tech Res Dev (2025).
🧠 Use LLM Prompting to Teach Computational Thinking
Many fields consider computational thinking (CT) to be essential. Hsu (2025) details how to teach this skill using LLM prompting. Also includes interesting ideas for incorporating prompting in a deeper way: meaningful, social prompting, or learner directed prompting
Learn More: Hsu, HP. From Programming to Prompting. TechTrends (2025).
🧭 AI Guidelines at Major Universities are Pretty Predictable
A content analysis of AI guidelines at the top 50 USNWR-ranked institutions reveals key themes: AI use is allowed but must not involve plagiarism or unauthorized assistance, instructors should clearly define AI expectations, and users must follow privacy guidelines by avoiding sharing sensitive or confidential information.
Learn More: Alba et al (2025) ChatGPT Comes to Campus. SIGSCE TS.
Bulletin items compiled by MJ Jackson and Sarah Freye with production assistance from Lisa Batchelder. Get the AI-Commons Bulletin on our Microsoft Teams channel, at aicommons.commons.msu.edu, or by email (send an email to aicommons@msu.edu with the word “subscribe”).
Posted by: Sarah Freye
Posted on: #iteachmsu
MSU's Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives hosts "Learn at Lunch"!
Held monthly during the academic year, the Learn at Lunch series presents informal seminars on a variety of topics related to inclusion, social justice and equity. Everyone is welcome to bring their lunch and join the conversation.
The Learn at Lunch series is sponsored in collaboration with the Academic Advancement Network, the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, the Graduate School and MSU Libraries. The sessions bring important topics related to inclusive teaching to the campus community, with a focus on presenting best practices and fostering dialogue in an effort to build inclusive communities.
Check-in here for the schedule as more opportunities to Learn at Lunch are scheduled:
https://inclusion.msu.edu/education/learn-at-lunch.html
Held monthly during the academic year, the Learn at Lunch series presents informal seminars on a variety of topics related to inclusion, social justice and equity. Everyone is welcome to bring their lunch and join the conversation.
The Learn at Lunch series is sponsored in collaboration with the Academic Advancement Network, the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, the Graduate School and MSU Libraries. The sessions bring important topics related to inclusive teaching to the campus community, with a focus on presenting best practices and fostering dialogue in an effort to build inclusive communities.
Check-in here for the schedule as more opportunities to Learn at Lunch are scheduled:
https://inclusion.msu.edu/education/learn-at-lunch.html
Posted by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context