We found 487 results that contain "master of arts in educational technology"
Posted on: MSU Extension
Educational Technologies
Different online tools to support teaching and learning + Playlist: Introductory Resources for Teaching Online
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Expanded Educator Resources
Educators interested in:
professional development opportunities & resources; inclusive teaching & pedagogy; faculty rights & responsibilities; course design; and supporting students should start here!
professional development opportunities & resources; inclusive teaching & pedagogy; faculty rights & responsibilities; course design; and supporting students should start here!
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Educator Development Opportunities
This playlist includes information about various educator development opportunities across the university. This includes tools and technology workshops from IT Services, workshops from MSU Libraries, and pedagogical design workshops from the Teaching, Learning and Innovation team.
note: this is not an all-inclusive list. If you have an article you'd like added to this playlist, let us know at iteach@msu.edu!
note: this is not an all-inclusive list. If you have an article you'd like added to this playlist, let us know at iteach@msu.edu!
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: MSU Online & Remote...
Implementation of Remote Teaching
To implement your new plans and modifications, your considerations should be given to six key focus areas: Communication, Assessment, Assignments and Activities, Lecture, Participation & Engagement, and Library Resources. Content on each of these areas can be found in this playlist.
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Online Technology Quick Start
This playlist is a collaborative effort by academic departments and central IT, and offers a collection of getting started information to help you prepare your online course quickly.
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Using Transferable Skills in Your Career
This playlist begins with some general resources about non-academic career paths and specifically how your graduate training can prepare you for them, moves into some resources discussing particular post-graduate job options, and ends with a link to a twice-monthly Twitter discussion about what different people have done with their Ph.Ds
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Posted on: MSU Online & Remote...
Keep Teaching: Video Series on Implementation of Remote Teaching
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: MSU Extension
Putting Technologies to Use
Description: Best practices, recommendations for incorporating, and pedagogical implications of different technologies + Playlist: Technologies (Beyond Zoom) that can help build online community
Posted on: #iteachmsu
The importance of interpersonal engagement in an online master's degree program
Since 2017, the MSU Strategic Communication Online M.A. has been helping working professionals advance their careers with skills the marketplace demands. A tenet of the program has been the fostering of interpersonal engagement, by creating spaces for student-to-student interaction and student-to-staff interaction. Through surveys and interviews with current students, we measure the importance of program engagement for students by tracking the effectiveness of: various communication mediums and tools; and personal touchpoints with classmates and MSU StratCom staff.
To access a PDF of the "The importance of interpersonal engagement in an online master's degree program" poster, click here.
Description of the Poster
The importance of interpersonal engagement in an online master’s degree program
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to provide the Michigan State University Strategic Communication Online M.A. a summary of students’ perceptions of engagement in the program. This report focuses on the responses of currently enrolled students as of Spring semester 2021. Students voluntarily responded to a survey sent out via email and social media. Additionally, students were given the option to agree to a second phone interview for further insights. The report looks at engagement through students’ connection to each other, to staff and faculty, and facilitated through various tools and media.
Methodology
Survey Purpose and Methodology
To gain an understanding and perspective of students’ views on engagement in the StratCom program a written survey was sent by Daune Rensing, StratCom Student Advisor, via email.
The email was sent to the MSU email address of students currently enrolled in either the StratCom master’s or certificate program, on March 15, 2021.
Written reminders were sent March 22 and March 29.
A video reminder was posted by Jason Archer, StratCom Director, on StratCom’s Student Life, Teams and Facebook pages on March 29.
The 24-question survey was closed on April 2, extended from the original deadline of March 25.
Sixty-two responses were received with 2 incomplete surveys, resulting in 60 responses.
Phone Interview Purpose and Methodology
To expand the understanding and perspective students views on engagement in the StratCom program, a follow up phone interview was conducted. Forty students responded positively to a question on the survey asking if they would be willing to participate in a follow-up phone interview with a fellow student.
Limitations
The limited nature of the data set needs to be taken into consideration when weighing the meaning and significance of the insights reported here. The written surveys were completed by students enrolled anywhere from their first semester to last in the program, which may affect their perceptions of the program. All phone interviews were conducted by one person, which may result in some bias of interpretation.
Research Questions
To measure the importance of engagement in the StratCom program, the research questions in the survey and phone interview fell into three categories:
What tools and resources are important for student engagement in the StratCom program?
Do students feel the StratCom program is meeting their engagement needs?
What changes/improvements does the StratCom program need to make to meet students’ expectations?
Results
These graphs highlight responses to our first two questions of what students do value and what they don’t value, and that we are meeting their engagement needs. The conclusion, in more detail, addresses ways in which respondents feel StratCom can improve engagement.
Conclusion
Overwhelmingly, respondents felt that StratCom was meeting their engagement needs, in terms of tools used and connection to faculty and staff, and that it was an important part of their time in the program. To continue StratCom’s good start, some respondents had suggestions to strengthen their engagement experience even more:
Set expectations for tools and resources
More student onboarding
Intentional diversity throughout the program
Develop stronger bonds with fellow students and instructors
Standardization in the curriculum
Use the coursework to develop student-led engagement activities in the program
Future Work
Planning for StratCom’s future and creating a sustainable engagement model are themes respondents suggested. For instance, leadership contingency plans, consistency among courses and “keeping their finger on the pulse” of student needs and industry requirements were all important things to consider moving forward.
To access a PDF of the "The importance of interpersonal engagement in an online master's degree program" poster, click here.
Description of the Poster
The importance of interpersonal engagement in an online master’s degree program
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to provide the Michigan State University Strategic Communication Online M.A. a summary of students’ perceptions of engagement in the program. This report focuses on the responses of currently enrolled students as of Spring semester 2021. Students voluntarily responded to a survey sent out via email and social media. Additionally, students were given the option to agree to a second phone interview for further insights. The report looks at engagement through students’ connection to each other, to staff and faculty, and facilitated through various tools and media.
Methodology
Survey Purpose and Methodology
To gain an understanding and perspective of students’ views on engagement in the StratCom program a written survey was sent by Daune Rensing, StratCom Student Advisor, via email.
The email was sent to the MSU email address of students currently enrolled in either the StratCom master’s or certificate program, on March 15, 2021.
Written reminders were sent March 22 and March 29.
A video reminder was posted by Jason Archer, StratCom Director, on StratCom’s Student Life, Teams and Facebook pages on March 29.
The 24-question survey was closed on April 2, extended from the original deadline of March 25.
Sixty-two responses were received with 2 incomplete surveys, resulting in 60 responses.
Phone Interview Purpose and Methodology
To expand the understanding and perspective students views on engagement in the StratCom program, a follow up phone interview was conducted. Forty students responded positively to a question on the survey asking if they would be willing to participate in a follow-up phone interview with a fellow student.
Limitations
The limited nature of the data set needs to be taken into consideration when weighing the meaning and significance of the insights reported here. The written surveys were completed by students enrolled anywhere from their first semester to last in the program, which may affect their perceptions of the program. All phone interviews were conducted by one person, which may result in some bias of interpretation.
Research Questions
To measure the importance of engagement in the StratCom program, the research questions in the survey and phone interview fell into three categories:
What tools and resources are important for student engagement in the StratCom program?
Do students feel the StratCom program is meeting their engagement needs?
What changes/improvements does the StratCom program need to make to meet students’ expectations?
Results
These graphs highlight responses to our first two questions of what students do value and what they don’t value, and that we are meeting their engagement needs. The conclusion, in more detail, addresses ways in which respondents feel StratCom can improve engagement.
Conclusion
Overwhelmingly, respondents felt that StratCom was meeting their engagement needs, in terms of tools used and connection to faculty and staff, and that it was an important part of their time in the program. To continue StratCom’s good start, some respondents had suggestions to strengthen their engagement experience even more:
Set expectations for tools and resources
More student onboarding
Intentional diversity throughout the program
Develop stronger bonds with fellow students and instructors
Standardization in the curriculum
Use the coursework to develop student-led engagement activities in the program
Future Work
Planning for StratCom’s future and creating a sustainable engagement model are themes respondents suggested. For instance, leadership contingency plans, consistency among courses and “keeping their finger on the pulse” of student needs and industry requirements were all important things to consider moving forward.
Authored by: Jason Archer, Beth Hoffman, Duane Rensing, Jennifer Trenkamp
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator...
College of Communication Arts & Sciences 2020 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipients
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Communication Arts & Sciences. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Samantha Shebib: Sammy is an amazing researcher, teacher, and mentor! She deserves special recognition for her mentoring of both master’s students as well as undergraduate students. As a result of her mentorship, I have seen master's students become better writers, speakers, and socialized to the discipline. In the words of one master’s student: “Above all else, Samantha consistently pushes us to become better researchers by providing us with more challenging tasks and supporting us during stressful times.” Sammy truly cares about her undergraduate students as well and wants to see them succeed in their scholarly and employment pursuits. In particular, they note that Samantha has taken the time to mentor them outside of the classroom. As an example, one undergraduate student writes: “Samantha helps all her students beyond the classroom, which highlights her role as not only a teacher, but also a mentor…I have never had a teacher so invested in her students' successes.” We thank Sammy for her generosity in mentoring students!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll be directed to a form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Samantha Shebib: Sammy is an amazing researcher, teacher, and mentor! She deserves special recognition for her mentoring of both master’s students as well as undergraduate students. As a result of her mentorship, I have seen master's students become better writers, speakers, and socialized to the discipline. In the words of one master’s student: “Above all else, Samantha consistently pushes us to become better researchers by providing us with more challenging tasks and supporting us during stressful times.” Sammy truly cares about her undergraduate students as well and wants to see them succeed in their scholarly and employment pursuits. In particular, they note that Samantha has taken the time to mentor them outside of the classroom. As an example, one undergraduate student writes: “Samantha helps all her students beyond the classroom, which highlights her role as not only a teacher, but also a mentor…I have never had a teacher so invested in her students' successes.” We thank Sammy for her generosity in mentoring students!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll be directed to a form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator...
College of Communication Arts & Sciences 2022 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipient
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from College of Communication Arts & Sciences . For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Jason Archer: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Jason Archer: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator...
Residential College in Arts and Humanities 2022 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipient
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from Residential College in Arts and Humanities. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Jeno Rivera: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Jeno Rivera: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: The MSU Graduate Le...
Relationship Building in the College of Arts and Letters
Elijah spent the year developing relationships with college-level leadership and informally collecting data on the experiences of graduate students across the college.
Authored by: Elijah Simmons
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator...
College of Arts and Letters 2022 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipients
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from College of Arts & Letters. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Scott Schopieray: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Kaelyn Muiru: Thank you for introducing your WRA 101 students to the library this semester! By emphasizing the importance of a student-library relationship, you helped promote information literacy and research skills, and hopefully initiated a positive association that the students will carry through their college careers. I want to also thank you for being in tune with and aware of your students' needs, and allowing them to opt into asynchronous instruction. Treating students with care means valuing their emotional and mental well-being, and trusting them as adults to help determine the course of their instruction. It was a pleasure to create and compile videos to introduce the library and specific resources to help them find success on their WRA 101 assignments. The analytics show me the resources were utilized, so I also thank you for promoting them!
Alexis Black: For her empathy for all students. For her concern to make all feel heard and involved. For her terrible puns. Alexis is an amazing educator who cares deeply about her students' success. She is constantly checking in with students to see how they are doing and her innovative practices in intimacy coordination have helped out students navigate difficult times.
Brad Willcuts: Brad is innovative and uses cutting edge technology to teach dance and musical theatre. He is constantly evolving as an educator and blends old and new techniques to reach students.
Cheryl Caesar: I've worked with Cheryl for over ten years now and I wanted to thank her for teaching me a lot about being a compassionate and caring teacher. The learning environment that Cheryl creates with her classes allows students to feel safe and comfortable being honest and open with their thoughts, feelings and views. I have seen the amazing progress and benefits her students have gained from being a student in her class and I am honored to call her a colleague and friend.
Elizabeth Spence: Dr. Spence demonstrates the teaching method I personally endorse above all others - a pedagogy of care for her students. Dr. Spence clearly cares for each student as an individual, recognizing the unique values and experiences they bring to the classroom. She knows them not just by name, but knows about their work and personal lives too. She takes time to meet with them in individual consultations throughout the semester, and when visiting her classroom, it is evident that she takes time and thoughtfulness with each student and their appreciation and engagement is exceptional for a virtual setting. I especially appreciate that she gives time for library instruction, setting an example to her students that information literacy has high value. Newer to educating myself, I have learned so much from her, and wish to follow in her caring footsteps.
Kathy Hadley: Thank you, Dr. Hadley, for dedicating a class each semester to bring your students to the library! Your commitment to library instruction encourages students to find value in information literacy and because of you, they begin a relationship with the library that will help them be successful throughout their MSU careers.
Jill McKay-Chrobak: Dr. McKay-Chrobak, thank you for dedicating a class each semester to bring your students to the library. Your commitment to information literacy helps ensure students place a high value on it. Thank you for showing your enthusiasm for the library's resources and services; it is contagious! Your students clearly enjoy your friendly and engaging style of teaching and your example has encouraged me to prioritize fun and camaraderie in my own teaching.
Ilse Schweitzer: Dr. Schweitzer, thank you for dedicating a class to bring your students to the library! Your commitment to information literacy encourages students to value it highly, and by introducing them to the library, you begin a relationship between library and student that fosters success. Your students clearly enjoy and respect your leadership; I was continually impressed with their level of engagement. Thank you for encouraging, mentoring, and caring for these first-year students - I have learned from you and intend to follow your example!
Floyd Pouncil: Thank you so much for bringing your students to the library for an introductory session! By doing so, you impress upon them the importance of information literacy and research skills, and give us a chance to situate the library and its resources as an important asset for their college careers.
I want to also thank you for your very thoughtful scaffolding of the WRA 101 assignments, and attention to detail and modification of the standard. Your students were clearly connecting the dots between rhetorical analysis of the culture of an artifact and the culture of their disciplines and the writing found therein. Also, by emphasizing the importance of a personal interview, you recognize the value in alternate ways of knowing (as opposed to relying on "peer-reviewed literature").
Your students were my most engaged of the semester - you did an excellent job of cultivating a safe classroom culture in which students felt encouraged and motivated to participate. That makes such a big difference in how I am able to impact them in our short time together, so for that I am grateful.
Sharieka Botex: Thank you for bringing your WRA 101 students to the library this semester! In doing so, you emphasized the value of information literacy and research skills and encouraged a relationship with the library that hopefully will serve your students well throughout their college careers.
Your students were some of my most engaged of the semester - you clearly have nurtured a safe space for students to be themselves and participate openly in discussion, which makes my job much easier and way more rewarding, and speaks highly of your classroom culture.
Also, it was very clear from the assignment modifications you made and the relatively calm and collected demeanor of your students that you have taken a pedagogy of care approach, putting their mental and emotional well-being right up at the forefront alongside their academic experience. This is so important in this time and place, especially with our vulnerable first-year students, and I appreciate your approach so much.
It was a pleasure getting to know you and your students, and I am grateful for your leadership in encouraging a positive and lasting library-student relationship!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Scott Schopieray: The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit, held on January 14, 2022, wouldn't have been possible without participation from educators like you. I know that ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home mean many folx are spread thin, and your willingness to share your time with us demonstrates your commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole. The insights you provided (and continue to provide through asynchronous feedback opportunities) are invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the Center for TLI plays for Spartans. Witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning - makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities to work with you in the near future. Thank you again for the service you provided to MSU by participating in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit!
Kaelyn Muiru: Thank you for introducing your WRA 101 students to the library this semester! By emphasizing the importance of a student-library relationship, you helped promote information literacy and research skills, and hopefully initiated a positive association that the students will carry through their college careers. I want to also thank you for being in tune with and aware of your students' needs, and allowing them to opt into asynchronous instruction. Treating students with care means valuing their emotional and mental well-being, and trusting them as adults to help determine the course of their instruction. It was a pleasure to create and compile videos to introduce the library and specific resources to help them find success on their WRA 101 assignments. The analytics show me the resources were utilized, so I also thank you for promoting them!
Alexis Black: For her empathy for all students. For her concern to make all feel heard and involved. For her terrible puns. Alexis is an amazing educator who cares deeply about her students' success. She is constantly checking in with students to see how they are doing and her innovative practices in intimacy coordination have helped out students navigate difficult times.
Brad Willcuts: Brad is innovative and uses cutting edge technology to teach dance and musical theatre. He is constantly evolving as an educator and blends old and new techniques to reach students.
Cheryl Caesar: I've worked with Cheryl for over ten years now and I wanted to thank her for teaching me a lot about being a compassionate and caring teacher. The learning environment that Cheryl creates with her classes allows students to feel safe and comfortable being honest and open with their thoughts, feelings and views. I have seen the amazing progress and benefits her students have gained from being a student in her class and I am honored to call her a colleague and friend.
Elizabeth Spence: Dr. Spence demonstrates the teaching method I personally endorse above all others - a pedagogy of care for her students. Dr. Spence clearly cares for each student as an individual, recognizing the unique values and experiences they bring to the classroom. She knows them not just by name, but knows about their work and personal lives too. She takes time to meet with them in individual consultations throughout the semester, and when visiting her classroom, it is evident that she takes time and thoughtfulness with each student and their appreciation and engagement is exceptional for a virtual setting. I especially appreciate that she gives time for library instruction, setting an example to her students that information literacy has high value. Newer to educating myself, I have learned so much from her, and wish to follow in her caring footsteps.
Kathy Hadley: Thank you, Dr. Hadley, for dedicating a class each semester to bring your students to the library! Your commitment to library instruction encourages students to find value in information literacy and because of you, they begin a relationship with the library that will help them be successful throughout their MSU careers.
Jill McKay-Chrobak: Dr. McKay-Chrobak, thank you for dedicating a class each semester to bring your students to the library. Your commitment to information literacy helps ensure students place a high value on it. Thank you for showing your enthusiasm for the library's resources and services; it is contagious! Your students clearly enjoy your friendly and engaging style of teaching and your example has encouraged me to prioritize fun and camaraderie in my own teaching.
Ilse Schweitzer: Dr. Schweitzer, thank you for dedicating a class to bring your students to the library! Your commitment to information literacy encourages students to value it highly, and by introducing them to the library, you begin a relationship between library and student that fosters success. Your students clearly enjoy and respect your leadership; I was continually impressed with their level of engagement. Thank you for encouraging, mentoring, and caring for these first-year students - I have learned from you and intend to follow your example!
Floyd Pouncil: Thank you so much for bringing your students to the library for an introductory session! By doing so, you impress upon them the importance of information literacy and research skills, and give us a chance to situate the library and its resources as an important asset for their college careers.
I want to also thank you for your very thoughtful scaffolding of the WRA 101 assignments, and attention to detail and modification of the standard. Your students were clearly connecting the dots between rhetorical analysis of the culture of an artifact and the culture of their disciplines and the writing found therein. Also, by emphasizing the importance of a personal interview, you recognize the value in alternate ways of knowing (as opposed to relying on "peer-reviewed literature").
Your students were my most engaged of the semester - you did an excellent job of cultivating a safe classroom culture in which students felt encouraged and motivated to participate. That makes such a big difference in how I am able to impact them in our short time together, so for that I am grateful.
Sharieka Botex: Thank you for bringing your WRA 101 students to the library this semester! In doing so, you emphasized the value of information literacy and research skills and encouraged a relationship with the library that hopefully will serve your students well throughout their college careers.
Your students were some of my most engaged of the semester - you clearly have nurtured a safe space for students to be themselves and participate openly in discussion, which makes my job much easier and way more rewarding, and speaks highly of your classroom culture.
Also, it was very clear from the assignment modifications you made and the relatively calm and collected demeanor of your students that you have taken a pedagogy of care approach, putting their mental and emotional well-being right up at the forefront alongside their academic experience. This is so important in this time and place, especially with our vulnerable first-year students, and I appreciate your approach so much.
It was a pleasure getting to know you and your students, and I am grateful for your leadership in encouraging a positive and lasting library-student relationship!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator...
College of Arts & Letters 2020 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipients
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Arts & Letters. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Marcos Serafim: Marcos Serafim is a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist working with new media and video in his third year as an MFA candidate. He has exhibited work at the 5th and 6th Ghetto Biennale in Haiti; the Oscar Niemeyer Museum in Brazil; the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), the Queens Museum, and Flux Factory in New York. His work has been screened in film festivals in multiple countries, including the Cine Esquema Novo Film Festival in Brazil (Audience Choice Second Best Short), Israel`s Horn Festival for Experimental Films (Jury's Second Prize),Northampton Film Festival in Massachusetts (Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Experimental), and Faito Doc Festival in Italy (Young Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Documentary). His projects have been regularly funded by grants and scholarships in Brazil, Sweden and the United States; including the Collaborative Arts And Design Research Grant from Michigan State University and the Santa Catarina State Award for Film Production in Brazil. His outstanding research helped to strengthened his undergraduate teaching. With his background in film/video Marcos developed and taught an upper-level course, Experiments in Digital Video. This was a completely new course offering and is now being taught by him for the second time.
As his Major Professor it has been my privilege to mentor such a talented artist and scholar. I thank him.
Michael McCune: Michael has been an invaluable support this past semester. Even though I have never taken a class with him, he helped me figure out key elements of my exhibition. He was always excited to solve problems that I was facing and offered solutions that I had not considered. His words of support, praise, and laughter have been invaluable. I am inspired by his spirit of making/doing and his ability to think outside the box, way outside of it. Thank you, Michael.
Alex Nichols: Alex Nichols is a storehouse of knowledge when it comes to photography, printing, photobooks, and so much else. Over the past year he has answered so many of my questions, pushed me to consider other ideas, and cheered me on as I take on projects. His support and mentorship have been invaluable to me and I am so grateful. I am inspired by his willingness and excitement to solve problems, to think through ideas, and to support in ways that only he can. Every time I walk into his office, he is excited to answer my questions. Even when it is the 897425847th one in 3 days. I have learned so much from Alex and am grateful for his mentorship and friendship.
Walt Peebles: Walt has had a significant impact on my doctoral journey. He has helped me in numerous ways and most importantly, his passion for teaching and problem solving are infectious. Several times this past semester I went to Walt with challenges I was facing. He always helped me out, patiently listening to me and then thinking/making/doing with me to figure out a solution. Walt is one of the most passionate teachers I have met at MSU and I am so grateful for his support, mentorship, and guidance!
Jacquelynn Sullivan: Jacquelynn is an educator that we don't deserve but need! Over the past year, Jacquelynn has supported my projects tirelessly, helping me think through various aspects of my exhibition. I would not have been able to do any of the work without her unending support. I am amazed and inspired by her commitment towards her work, her students, and everyone who works in the Art Department. I have learned so much from her and will continue to do so. Her ability to support students in helping them create their best work is truly stunning and inspirational. Educators like Jacquelynn allow MSU and the students enrolled here to be successful not just academically but also as whole human beings. I am grateful to know her and to be able to learn and laugh with her.
Kate Sonka: Kate supports education at all levels. She takes students on study away programs to teach them about accessibility, and in doing so, teaches them how to be better advocates for users. Whether it is developing a class that introduces accessibility to students in the humanities or planning a study abroad to Europe that explores international accessibility and sustainability, Kate is an inspiration to all educators as we strive to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments for students.
Paula Winke: Dr. Paula Winke makes room in her instruction for the whole student. Activities in her classes are experiential and relevant to students' experiences, and I have personally benefitted a great deal in our advising sessions from her willingness to broach topics of family life, seeking work/life balance, and being a parent in academia. Thank you, Dr. Winke!
Lorelei Blackburn: Lorelei is a BSP faculty fellow this year. She has had a very difficult section of ANR 210, but has done an excellent job stretching herself as the course convener to push the students to take ownership of their learning. You have helped to design a learning environment where students are able to build community and challenge ways of knowing. Bravo to you Lorelei!
Bruno Ford: Working with Bruno Ford has been such a wonderful and rewarding experience. Bruno was my student as an undergraduate, and seeing a student fall in love with Medieval Literature as I have, and to pursue it as one's life passion has been an incredibly validating journey to watch as a professor. Bruno and I are currently working on a volume of the early Robin Hood ballads as a teaching tool, and I thank Bruno for his incredible insight, knowledge, and awareness as we work together in framing these texts within a larger LGBTQ+ lens.
Justin Wigard: What comes to mind when I think of Justin? Dedicated, smart, and compassionate. He is committed to sharing his passion with students, friends, and colleagues. In the classroom he empowers students to be creative, in seminars and workshops he support the intellectual growth. He thinks and acts as a teacher-scholars that is ready to help make sense of the complexities of the 21st century.
Kaylin Smith: Kaylin will graduate this summer and we'll be sorry to lose her. She has served -- among other roles -- as president of the Linguistics program's graduate student organization, as organizer of our bi-annual grad student research conference GLEAMS, and this year as a Graduate School Writing Fellow. Kaylin has also been a tremendous academic mentor to students in the EEG/Psycholinguistics Lab, teaching them how to use neurolinguistic equipment, and as a social mentor to new and continuing students in the progam.
Adam Gacs: Adam is a quiet leader, whose excellence and care is only known to those, who are lucky enough to work with him or learn from him. He has single-handedly developed a two-year online German course series, which has brought language instruction to so many new audiences at MSU and beyond and has turned out to be a fabulous environment for supporting students with disabilities. Just the other day, a student disclosed that he would have quit college all together, if it had not been for the community, connection, and engagement that he experienced in Adam’s online course. But Adam is so much more than just an excellent classroom teacher. He is a full-body, whole-hearted educator. Adam exemplifies the generosity and collaboration at the heart of MSU’s teaching and learning mission. As a mentor and colleague, he is always willing to share his technical expertise, create new materials (and fix every broken link and error in existing materials), facilitate learning across platforms to meet students where they are. His patience in teaching students in his classrooms, coordinating the online TAs, and assisting his peers knows no limits. Regardless of your skills in language and/or technology, Adam always makes you feel comfortable and supported. He assumes no background knowledge and starts his educating at your level.
It is high time that we say thank you to Adam for all that he has done for the German program as an educator!
Amelia Stieren: Amelia Stieren is currently the graduate student representative in the German Program, and I am also serving as her MA advisor. In her role as grad rep, she is an important conduit of communication: she attends faculty meetings, bringing grad student concerns to our attention and relaying back to her fellow students our responses and other important information. She has also been very active in building up the contact among grad students across several grad programs (German, French, and Spanish). For this good work, we in the German Program are very thankful to Amelia! On a personal level, Amelia has had quite a positive impact on me. In our first advising meeting last fall, she expressed her goal to work with more intention this academic year. I shared this perspective with the other students in our graduate colloquium, encouraging them to keep this in mind as they work throughout the year, and I continue to strive to work with this kind of focus myself. From casual conversations about teaching to serious discussions of her thesis to difficult discussions of personal loss, I always come away from our interactions feeling inspired, having reflected together on what it means to be an educator, a scholar, and a “Mensch”. For this, I am very thankful!
Maria Buttiler: I’m so pleased to recognize Maria Belen Buttiler for her dedication and outstanding contributions to the International teaching Assistant (ITA) Program. Maria, who is an international student herself, was awarded the ITA Program Pronunciation Instruction Fellowship for three semesters and has the served the ITA Program by assisting other international students with their pronunciation and presentation skills. She is highly motivated and passionate, and always goes the extra mile to help the students she is working with, whether that means researching additional strategies and tools or preparing helpful learning materials tailored to specific student needs. Maria is also always ready and willing to share her knowledge and work with her peers. As her supervisor, I have found that I have learned a great deal from her as well. Thank you, Maria!
Tamoha Siddiqui: Within the first few days of classes being moved online, Tamoha created a virtual WhatsApp group chat that gathered many first and second year students in the MA TESOL and SLS PhD programs. Knowing ahead of time the challenges of isolation that this time could bring, Tamoha was proactive and sought to gather everyone together for a place of mutual support and encouragement. Thank you for spreading the love, Tamoha!
Catherine Barland: Catherine has been a great student in the French program. As a TA, she has a very strong commitment to teaching excellence. As a student, she is a pleasure to have in class, always making positive and intelligent comments in class. As my RA, she has saved me a lot of time by transcribing recordings meticulously. She is dedicated to her students as well as her academic work. Merci Catherine!
Sarah Brundrett: Sarah is full of energy and positivity. She brings both of these things to every class she teaches and takes and can always be found with a smile on her face. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. That's why she is writing a teaching portfolio in which she is developing writing activities that the French program will be using next year. Merci Sarah!
Katie Rottman: Katie loves teaching the French language. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. For her MA project, she's chosen to develop an entire chapter for the online textbook we're going to use in the future. Students are going to learn French for many years to come thanks to her work. Merci Katie!
Caitlin Cornell: Caitlin Cornell has been working tirelessly to improve access to education and other resources for the community at large. She has shared resources and taught people how to keep their courses accessible even during this transition to online. She has led several learning communities that have a great focus on inclusivity and equity, while also being interdisciplinary (e.g., the Applied Scholars group housed in the SLS program and an accessibility learning group that developed out of a course she taught). A Lansing native, she has also been committed to her community delivering meals and other resources to struggling families.
Claire Wilcher: Claire came to MSU as more of a colleague than student and inspires others to do their best work. Claire is an exceptional actor, student, and educator and will be a major force of change in our profession.
Kate Fedewa: Kate displays a vast knowledge of pedagogy and practice. She is consistently working with students in her writing, editing, publishing, and grammar classes to prepare them for work beyond MSU - combining her professional experience as a published author with her passion for teaching. She cares deeply about pedagogy and is developing new methods to be used to assess how we teach and support teachers of Professional and Public Writing.
Mike Ristich: Mike has excelled as a teacher and a mentor for students in his Prep for College Writing and First-Year Writing classes at MSU. He is deliberate in how he takes time to work with students so they can be successful in the classroom and beyond. When I think about what it means to be a caring teacher, I think about how Mike works with his students and supports them at all levels.
Madeline Shellgren: Maddie has made (and continues to make) invaluable contributions to MSU's campus. She volunteers her time to efforts and initiatives that are important to her, despite working full time and pursuing her doctorate. She cares deeply for her colleagues and the spartan community which she has shown as program coordinator, coach, and educator.
Kenlea Pebbles: Kenlea not only focuses her work on interdisciplinary approaches to help us understand the importance of environmental health, she does so in ways that can affect our lives as teachers and learners. Her presentation in my environmental writing course inspired us all to think more deeply and more compassionately about how the language and frames we use might affect environmental studies and, as one students put it, "how language and assumptions can limit how we care about and for the earth.
Pia Banzhaf: Upon entering Deutsch 101 I was very uncertain as to if I would continue learning Deutsch after 101 and how the class would go in general. But I was overwhelmed with the kindness of Frau Dr. Banzhaf and her abilities to make me feel conformable and welcome in our small Deutsch Gemeinde. This class made me develop a love for Deutsch Kultur and I believe that is now never going to change, and I owe that to Frau Dr.Banzhaf. Deutsch is one of the most important things in my life now because of the Deutsch Gemeinde that Frau Dr.Banzhaf created for me.
Leonie Hintze: Vielen Vielen Dank! You were amazing last semster and I really hope you conitnue to spread your knwoldege wherever you go! Stay safe!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll be directed to a form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Marcos Serafim: Marcos Serafim is a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist working with new media and video in his third year as an MFA candidate. He has exhibited work at the 5th and 6th Ghetto Biennale in Haiti; the Oscar Niemeyer Museum in Brazil; the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), the Queens Museum, and Flux Factory in New York. His work has been screened in film festivals in multiple countries, including the Cine Esquema Novo Film Festival in Brazil (Audience Choice Second Best Short), Israel`s Horn Festival for Experimental Films (Jury's Second Prize),Northampton Film Festival in Massachusetts (Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Experimental), and Faito Doc Festival in Italy (Young Jury's Honorable Mention for Short Documentary). His projects have been regularly funded by grants and scholarships in Brazil, Sweden and the United States; including the Collaborative Arts And Design Research Grant from Michigan State University and the Santa Catarina State Award for Film Production in Brazil. His outstanding research helped to strengthened his undergraduate teaching. With his background in film/video Marcos developed and taught an upper-level course, Experiments in Digital Video. This was a completely new course offering and is now being taught by him for the second time.
As his Major Professor it has been my privilege to mentor such a talented artist and scholar. I thank him.
Michael McCune: Michael has been an invaluable support this past semester. Even though I have never taken a class with him, he helped me figure out key elements of my exhibition. He was always excited to solve problems that I was facing and offered solutions that I had not considered. His words of support, praise, and laughter have been invaluable. I am inspired by his spirit of making/doing and his ability to think outside the box, way outside of it. Thank you, Michael.
Alex Nichols: Alex Nichols is a storehouse of knowledge when it comes to photography, printing, photobooks, and so much else. Over the past year he has answered so many of my questions, pushed me to consider other ideas, and cheered me on as I take on projects. His support and mentorship have been invaluable to me and I am so grateful. I am inspired by his willingness and excitement to solve problems, to think through ideas, and to support in ways that only he can. Every time I walk into his office, he is excited to answer my questions. Even when it is the 897425847th one in 3 days. I have learned so much from Alex and am grateful for his mentorship and friendship.
Walt Peebles: Walt has had a significant impact on my doctoral journey. He has helped me in numerous ways and most importantly, his passion for teaching and problem solving are infectious. Several times this past semester I went to Walt with challenges I was facing. He always helped me out, patiently listening to me and then thinking/making/doing with me to figure out a solution. Walt is one of the most passionate teachers I have met at MSU and I am so grateful for his support, mentorship, and guidance!
Jacquelynn Sullivan: Jacquelynn is an educator that we don't deserve but need! Over the past year, Jacquelynn has supported my projects tirelessly, helping me think through various aspects of my exhibition. I would not have been able to do any of the work without her unending support. I am amazed and inspired by her commitment towards her work, her students, and everyone who works in the Art Department. I have learned so much from her and will continue to do so. Her ability to support students in helping them create their best work is truly stunning and inspirational. Educators like Jacquelynn allow MSU and the students enrolled here to be successful not just academically but also as whole human beings. I am grateful to know her and to be able to learn and laugh with her.
Kate Sonka: Kate supports education at all levels. She takes students on study away programs to teach them about accessibility, and in doing so, teaches them how to be better advocates for users. Whether it is developing a class that introduces accessibility to students in the humanities or planning a study abroad to Europe that explores international accessibility and sustainability, Kate is an inspiration to all educators as we strive to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments for students.
Paula Winke: Dr. Paula Winke makes room in her instruction for the whole student. Activities in her classes are experiential and relevant to students' experiences, and I have personally benefitted a great deal in our advising sessions from her willingness to broach topics of family life, seeking work/life balance, and being a parent in academia. Thank you, Dr. Winke!
Lorelei Blackburn: Lorelei is a BSP faculty fellow this year. She has had a very difficult section of ANR 210, but has done an excellent job stretching herself as the course convener to push the students to take ownership of their learning. You have helped to design a learning environment where students are able to build community and challenge ways of knowing. Bravo to you Lorelei!
Bruno Ford: Working with Bruno Ford has been such a wonderful and rewarding experience. Bruno was my student as an undergraduate, and seeing a student fall in love with Medieval Literature as I have, and to pursue it as one's life passion has been an incredibly validating journey to watch as a professor. Bruno and I are currently working on a volume of the early Robin Hood ballads as a teaching tool, and I thank Bruno for his incredible insight, knowledge, and awareness as we work together in framing these texts within a larger LGBTQ+ lens.
Justin Wigard: What comes to mind when I think of Justin? Dedicated, smart, and compassionate. He is committed to sharing his passion with students, friends, and colleagues. In the classroom he empowers students to be creative, in seminars and workshops he support the intellectual growth. He thinks and acts as a teacher-scholars that is ready to help make sense of the complexities of the 21st century.
Kaylin Smith: Kaylin will graduate this summer and we'll be sorry to lose her. She has served -- among other roles -- as president of the Linguistics program's graduate student organization, as organizer of our bi-annual grad student research conference GLEAMS, and this year as a Graduate School Writing Fellow. Kaylin has also been a tremendous academic mentor to students in the EEG/Psycholinguistics Lab, teaching them how to use neurolinguistic equipment, and as a social mentor to new and continuing students in the progam.
Adam Gacs: Adam is a quiet leader, whose excellence and care is only known to those, who are lucky enough to work with him or learn from him. He has single-handedly developed a two-year online German course series, which has brought language instruction to so many new audiences at MSU and beyond and has turned out to be a fabulous environment for supporting students with disabilities. Just the other day, a student disclosed that he would have quit college all together, if it had not been for the community, connection, and engagement that he experienced in Adam’s online course. But Adam is so much more than just an excellent classroom teacher. He is a full-body, whole-hearted educator. Adam exemplifies the generosity and collaboration at the heart of MSU’s teaching and learning mission. As a mentor and colleague, he is always willing to share his technical expertise, create new materials (and fix every broken link and error in existing materials), facilitate learning across platforms to meet students where they are. His patience in teaching students in his classrooms, coordinating the online TAs, and assisting his peers knows no limits. Regardless of your skills in language and/or technology, Adam always makes you feel comfortable and supported. He assumes no background knowledge and starts his educating at your level.
It is high time that we say thank you to Adam for all that he has done for the German program as an educator!
Amelia Stieren: Amelia Stieren is currently the graduate student representative in the German Program, and I am also serving as her MA advisor. In her role as grad rep, she is an important conduit of communication: she attends faculty meetings, bringing grad student concerns to our attention and relaying back to her fellow students our responses and other important information. She has also been very active in building up the contact among grad students across several grad programs (German, French, and Spanish). For this good work, we in the German Program are very thankful to Amelia! On a personal level, Amelia has had quite a positive impact on me. In our first advising meeting last fall, she expressed her goal to work with more intention this academic year. I shared this perspective with the other students in our graduate colloquium, encouraging them to keep this in mind as they work throughout the year, and I continue to strive to work with this kind of focus myself. From casual conversations about teaching to serious discussions of her thesis to difficult discussions of personal loss, I always come away from our interactions feeling inspired, having reflected together on what it means to be an educator, a scholar, and a “Mensch”. For this, I am very thankful!
Maria Buttiler: I’m so pleased to recognize Maria Belen Buttiler for her dedication and outstanding contributions to the International teaching Assistant (ITA) Program. Maria, who is an international student herself, was awarded the ITA Program Pronunciation Instruction Fellowship for three semesters and has the served the ITA Program by assisting other international students with their pronunciation and presentation skills. She is highly motivated and passionate, and always goes the extra mile to help the students she is working with, whether that means researching additional strategies and tools or preparing helpful learning materials tailored to specific student needs. Maria is also always ready and willing to share her knowledge and work with her peers. As her supervisor, I have found that I have learned a great deal from her as well. Thank you, Maria!
Tamoha Siddiqui: Within the first few days of classes being moved online, Tamoha created a virtual WhatsApp group chat that gathered many first and second year students in the MA TESOL and SLS PhD programs. Knowing ahead of time the challenges of isolation that this time could bring, Tamoha was proactive and sought to gather everyone together for a place of mutual support and encouragement. Thank you for spreading the love, Tamoha!
Catherine Barland: Catherine has been a great student in the French program. As a TA, she has a very strong commitment to teaching excellence. As a student, she is a pleasure to have in class, always making positive and intelligent comments in class. As my RA, she has saved me a lot of time by transcribing recordings meticulously. She is dedicated to her students as well as her academic work. Merci Catherine!
Sarah Brundrett: Sarah is full of energy and positivity. She brings both of these things to every class she teaches and takes and can always be found with a smile on her face. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. That's why she is writing a teaching portfolio in which she is developing writing activities that the French program will be using next year. Merci Sarah!
Katie Rottman: Katie loves teaching the French language. During her MA program, she's been working very hard on all of her classes, showing her commitment to learning. But her heart and focus are on teaching. For her MA project, she's chosen to develop an entire chapter for the online textbook we're going to use in the future. Students are going to learn French for many years to come thanks to her work. Merci Katie!
Caitlin Cornell: Caitlin Cornell has been working tirelessly to improve access to education and other resources for the community at large. She has shared resources and taught people how to keep their courses accessible even during this transition to online. She has led several learning communities that have a great focus on inclusivity and equity, while also being interdisciplinary (e.g., the Applied Scholars group housed in the SLS program and an accessibility learning group that developed out of a course she taught). A Lansing native, she has also been committed to her community delivering meals and other resources to struggling families.
Claire Wilcher: Claire came to MSU as more of a colleague than student and inspires others to do their best work. Claire is an exceptional actor, student, and educator and will be a major force of change in our profession.
Kate Fedewa: Kate displays a vast knowledge of pedagogy and practice. She is consistently working with students in her writing, editing, publishing, and grammar classes to prepare them for work beyond MSU - combining her professional experience as a published author with her passion for teaching. She cares deeply about pedagogy and is developing new methods to be used to assess how we teach and support teachers of Professional and Public Writing.
Mike Ristich: Mike has excelled as a teacher and a mentor for students in his Prep for College Writing and First-Year Writing classes at MSU. He is deliberate in how he takes time to work with students so they can be successful in the classroom and beyond. When I think about what it means to be a caring teacher, I think about how Mike works with his students and supports them at all levels.
Madeline Shellgren: Maddie has made (and continues to make) invaluable contributions to MSU's campus. She volunteers her time to efforts and initiatives that are important to her, despite working full time and pursuing her doctorate. She cares deeply for her colleagues and the spartan community which she has shown as program coordinator, coach, and educator.
Kenlea Pebbles: Kenlea not only focuses her work on interdisciplinary approaches to help us understand the importance of environmental health, she does so in ways that can affect our lives as teachers and learners. Her presentation in my environmental writing course inspired us all to think more deeply and more compassionately about how the language and frames we use might affect environmental studies and, as one students put it, "how language and assumptions can limit how we care about and for the earth.
Pia Banzhaf: Upon entering Deutsch 101 I was very uncertain as to if I would continue learning Deutsch after 101 and how the class would go in general. But I was overwhelmed with the kindness of Frau Dr. Banzhaf and her abilities to make me feel conformable and welcome in our small Deutsch Gemeinde. This class made me develop a love for Deutsch Kultur and I believe that is now never going to change, and I owe that to Frau Dr.Banzhaf. Deutsch is one of the most important things in my life now because of the Deutsch Gemeinde that Frau Dr.Banzhaf created for me.
Leonie Hintze: Vielen Vielen Dank! You were amazing last semster and I really hope you conitnue to spread your knwoldege wherever you go! Stay safe!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll be directed to a form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator...
College of Arts & Letters 2021 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipients
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Arts and Letters. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Deric McNish: Deric is an outstanding educator, for sure. But he is also an exceptional colleague and I just want people to recognize his compassionate and thoughtful approach to holistic learning and his coordination and organization of the largest population in our department-- the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. He is a wonderful leader in that program. He also inspires me to be more thoughtful with decisions I make through his guidance and examples. He is a colleague and peer that inspires me and others.
Danielle Devoss: Danielle is an inspirational leader and guide. I have worked with her on numerous projects-- or more likely watched her work. She is tireless and completely focused and committed. I am constantly inspired by her dedication and selfless willingness to help and guide.
Krsna Santos: Herr Santos has been one of the most considerate Professors I've had in my Freshman year so far. Starting off school online with this pandemic and all has not been easy but I've never had to stress out with Herr Santos and his class, as he is very understanding of the circumstances and is willing to make compromises to help me succeed.
Hannah Allen: Professor Allen has been extremely helpful in my first year as a freshman here at MSU. Her method for preparing for and going over essays is less stressful and she is always willing to offer additional assistance if needed. She is very kind and considerate as well, especially when connection issues arise.
Adam Gacs: I dropped out of GRM 202 the first time I tried to take it. I felt overwhelmed and I was drowning. After I left nearly the entire first test blank, I dropped the class. It took two years before I tried again, this time with Adam Gacs. Under his gentle guidance, I’ve been able to maintain a 4.0 and grow in my confidence. I no longer worry about not having all the words or stumbling over grammar. I think confidence was the one place my German knowledge was really failing, and I feel like I’ve gotten to be much more capable.
He’s also done an incredibly good job at teaching a language online. We seem to all be pretty in tune with each other in class and he lets us have fun and make jokes (as long as they’re in German!) and we have a genuinely good time. The assignments are easy to find and follow, and I never feel overwhelmed with work in his class like I have in language classes previously.
Massive thanks to Adam Gacs.
Nicola Imbrascio: She has been one of the most impactful professors I have had in my time at MSU, and my field isn't even related to what I learned in her classes. She cares so much about her students in both their academic and personal lives. I learned so much in both of the classes I took with her because she is so engaging and you can tell that she is really passionate about what she teaches.
Dr. Sheila Contreras: I would like to thank Dr. Contreras for taking the time to mentor me and other individuals like me. She has always demonstrated care and an interest to see us succeed. She is an extraordinary Latina on our campus and deserves to be recognized for her effort in supporting our community. She has gone above and beyond to see us get into graduate school. She continues to motivate other Latinx individuals to continue their education. I appreciate her effort.
Morgan Shipley: Morgan Shipley is one of the most genuine professors I have ever had. Every class he shows how much he cares for his students and lets us know he is there for us.
Kenlea Pebbles: My freshman year I had professor Pebbles and I enjoyed her class so much. She brought so much positive energy to each class and I still appreciate it today. I remember being a freshman in my fall semester and professor Pebbles made everyone feel so welcomed, it did not feel like I was a first year student that was new to everything. I still use all of the writing skills that Kenlea taught me in my junior year now. Thank you!!
Ann Larabee: I really enjoyed the chance to team-teach the grad seminar on popular culture studies. I also learned a lot from your choice of materials and general expertise in the field. It was especially cool to bring in materials and ideas from JPC. The Zoom sessions with various experts around the country were an added bonus. We created a good dynamic environment for the students.
Mohammad Khalil: A wonderful colleague, Mohammad has enthusiastically come to speak to my Music in Religion course for the last several years. Despite his very busy schedule, he makes time to speak about Muslim popular music, something I knew nothing about before he first visited. Each time he comes with fresh examples and I learn something new. Students invariably remember these visits as one of their favorite lessons from the course.
Kate Sonka: I would like to thank Kate Sonka for her continual student-perspective taking and advocacy. Her efforts have improved the numerous roles she fills across campus, representing our diversity of students and their perspectives in the policy and procedures that are developed. This recently played out more directly in Kate's own class, when one of her students presented at the national Accessible Learning Conference. When the student was asked about where she had experienced any good examples of inclusive teaching, she mentioned her experience in Kate's course. Kate supports those around her, connects relevant communities, and promotes the widest possible range of voices. With Kate Sonka at our institution, our courses, committees, and communities are richer, getting us closer to the ideal of a public land-grant institution of higher learning.
Peter Hoffman: Professor Hoffman goes out of his way to make each and every student feel connected and appreciated. I e-mailed him once apologizing for my recent late assignments due to the stress of online classes. I was struggling and felt overwhelmed, but his kind reply gave me hope that things would get better. He even told me to e-mail him any time I needed words of encouragement. He does an amazing job making online classes positive and stress free while teaching his students the importance of poetry. Aside from poetry, Professor Hoffman gives valuable life lessons and makes each student a better person because of it.
Hui-Ling Malone: In her first year at MSU, Dr. Malone has impacted all of her students so much. She re-kindled my love of teaching, and gave us all confidence in our writing skills as a class.
Amy Lampe: Amy is hands-down the best advisor on campus. She genuinely cares about her students and coworkers, and has cheerleaded me from day one. She's always there for anyone who needs an advisor, friend, or mom figure in their life.
Kate Birdsall
Dr. Birdsall believed in me when it felt like no one else did. She encouraged my best work and gave me hope for my future in academia.
Learning from KB has truly been the highlight of my experience at MSU. This institution sucks (sorry not sorry), but Kate Birdsall ROCKS. I had the true pleasure of having her for advanced fiction writing as a fluke when the other semester was out. That was three semesters ago and I have taken class with her each semester since. In person and on zoom, Kate cultivates a powerful environment of camaraderie and caring that makes all the difference, especially during the pandemic. She asks her students how they are and cares about the answer. She pushes her students, particularly those writing for The Current in WRA 480, to produce the best work they can and, when she's your teacher, you want nothing more than to make her proud by doing just that. And you do. I am an incomparably better writer, editor, and communicator because I've worked with KB.
KB has given me the best academic experience during my time at MSU by far. She has a way with words and working to direct a team that I have yet to see replicated at this institution. Whether it be her gracious understanding of the tricky circumstances of life or her ability to relate to the class and what concerns them the most, she's all-around fantastic. She has made a considerable and positive impact on how I will view MSU in the future as I prepare for graduation this summer. My biggest regret is not having her as a professor sooner.
Kathryn Houghton: Kathryn has been an amazing professor. During this semester, she fostered a classroom environment via Zoom that encouraged not only participation, but the challenge of arguing a dissenting opinion. I was uninterested in the subject matter before this class, but quickly became enamored by it after beginning. She utilized appropriate virtual resources to aid in better understanding her well-polished slides for class. Also, the dogs this semester were a cute and uplifting addition.
Kate Fedewa:
Professor Kate Fedewa is personable instructor who always makes sure her students are doing their best and is very understanding when extra time is needed on an assignment. She begins ever class asking how her students are and any news in their lives. I want to thank her for making my senior year not as stressful and always being there to help and talk.
Kate's Rhetoric of Grammar class has been my favorite of this very difficult semester. I was (most) always excited to hop out of bed once a week for this 8:30 class because Kate never failed to make it more than worth my while with engaging discussion and insightful lessons. She also manages to create a fruitful discussion environment on Zoom, for which she has absolutely earned some kind of medal. Each week she came up with practical exercises to do in breakout rooms which helped to demystify complex grammatical concepts. Our big paper assignment for the year also allowed me to spend two months working with lyrics from my favorite artist which has done wonders for moral. She is empathetic, brilliant, and always ready to help. Multiple times in the semester she scheduled extra review sessions just to ensure those who wanted more time to learn would have it. She is, quite frankly, the bee's knees.
Casey Miles: Casey has been my advisor for years (a job at which she is freaking stellar), but this semester I had her as an instructor. I have learned a lot from Casey this year and not just about the job market but about how best to be to others. Casey teaches so much about empathy through leading by example. Her motto for our class was "come as you are, as you were, as you want to be." She says this and she *means* it. Casey approaches teaching with such a fabulous sense of humor and a tremendous amount of heart. Her kindness and assurance over the course of the semester has prevented more than one anxiety spirals on my end. She is positively kick-ass at what she does and everyone should be so lucky to experience a class with Casey Miles.
Maileen Bugnaski: Maileen worked with the 4-H and MSU Broad Art Lab collaborative project called Visualizing a Year Like No Other, a Michigan Teen Photo Project. Maileen met weekly with young people ranging from ages 13-18 to take photos on prompts intended to help them make sense of the crazy world around them. Maileen expertly created each week's prompt video, providing inspiration for the youth, and facilitated a weekly small group session for the youth to talk about their photos. Maileen's creativity and ability to create a sense of community among the youth made the program incredibly impactful for the participants. One of the participants said, "My biggest takeaway from the program was probably the feeling of how amazing it was to have my own community of people who shared similar interests as me and that I felt supported me. I also learned a lot about how fun photography is and how it can have a huge impact and very deep meanings." Maileen's contributions helped to make this possible.
Dustin De Felice: Dustin spends so much conscientious and dedicated time mentoring graduate students, even those who are not officially his advisees. He is one of those mentors and colleagues who genuinely wants students to succeed not only in relation to course topics but also with respect to professionalization and academic acclimation. His door is, quite literally, always open (pre-COVID, anyway). Dustin, thank you for making students (especially non-traditional ones) feel welcome and supported.
Megan Walsh: Megan Walsh stands out as a MSU Graduate Teaching Assistant. Megan applies pedagogical approaches that promote student agency. Megan keeps students’ attention by changing their focal points. She’s like a highly organized traffic cop. She physically and mentally divides her lessons into clear, logical sequences. Each purposeful transition results in refreshed student mental states. Students could not help but be fully engaged in her fast-paced environment. It was like watching a seasoned sports coach getting team members to run different, complicated plays really well. I was very fortunate to have had Meagan as a student. She is a rising teacher-star!
Bethany Meadows: In this past year, Bethany has done phenomenal work in and beyond the writing center. She has served as an excellent mentor to new consultants, practiced trauma-informed approaches to her work, and demonstrated an enduring commitment to dismantling sexual violence. It has been a pleasure to learn from Bethany this year, especially her commitment to community engagement.
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize
Deric McNish: Deric is an outstanding educator, for sure. But he is also an exceptional colleague and I just want people to recognize his compassionate and thoughtful approach to holistic learning and his coordination and organization of the largest population in our department-- the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. He is a wonderful leader in that program. He also inspires me to be more thoughtful with decisions I make through his guidance and examples. He is a colleague and peer that inspires me and others.
Danielle Devoss: Danielle is an inspirational leader and guide. I have worked with her on numerous projects-- or more likely watched her work. She is tireless and completely focused and committed. I am constantly inspired by her dedication and selfless willingness to help and guide.
Krsna Santos: Herr Santos has been one of the most considerate Professors I've had in my Freshman year so far. Starting off school online with this pandemic and all has not been easy but I've never had to stress out with Herr Santos and his class, as he is very understanding of the circumstances and is willing to make compromises to help me succeed.
Hannah Allen: Professor Allen has been extremely helpful in my first year as a freshman here at MSU. Her method for preparing for and going over essays is less stressful and she is always willing to offer additional assistance if needed. She is very kind and considerate as well, especially when connection issues arise.
Adam Gacs: I dropped out of GRM 202 the first time I tried to take it. I felt overwhelmed and I was drowning. After I left nearly the entire first test blank, I dropped the class. It took two years before I tried again, this time with Adam Gacs. Under his gentle guidance, I’ve been able to maintain a 4.0 and grow in my confidence. I no longer worry about not having all the words or stumbling over grammar. I think confidence was the one place my German knowledge was really failing, and I feel like I’ve gotten to be much more capable.
He’s also done an incredibly good job at teaching a language online. We seem to all be pretty in tune with each other in class and he lets us have fun and make jokes (as long as they’re in German!) and we have a genuinely good time. The assignments are easy to find and follow, and I never feel overwhelmed with work in his class like I have in language classes previously.
Massive thanks to Adam Gacs.
Nicola Imbrascio: She has been one of the most impactful professors I have had in my time at MSU, and my field isn't even related to what I learned in her classes. She cares so much about her students in both their academic and personal lives. I learned so much in both of the classes I took with her because she is so engaging and you can tell that she is really passionate about what she teaches.
Dr. Sheila Contreras: I would like to thank Dr. Contreras for taking the time to mentor me and other individuals like me. She has always demonstrated care and an interest to see us succeed. She is an extraordinary Latina on our campus and deserves to be recognized for her effort in supporting our community. She has gone above and beyond to see us get into graduate school. She continues to motivate other Latinx individuals to continue their education. I appreciate her effort.
Morgan Shipley: Morgan Shipley is one of the most genuine professors I have ever had. Every class he shows how much he cares for his students and lets us know he is there for us.
Kenlea Pebbles: My freshman year I had professor Pebbles and I enjoyed her class so much. She brought so much positive energy to each class and I still appreciate it today. I remember being a freshman in my fall semester and professor Pebbles made everyone feel so welcomed, it did not feel like I was a first year student that was new to everything. I still use all of the writing skills that Kenlea taught me in my junior year now. Thank you!!
Ann Larabee: I really enjoyed the chance to team-teach the grad seminar on popular culture studies. I also learned a lot from your choice of materials and general expertise in the field. It was especially cool to bring in materials and ideas from JPC. The Zoom sessions with various experts around the country were an added bonus. We created a good dynamic environment for the students.
Mohammad Khalil: A wonderful colleague, Mohammad has enthusiastically come to speak to my Music in Religion course for the last several years. Despite his very busy schedule, he makes time to speak about Muslim popular music, something I knew nothing about before he first visited. Each time he comes with fresh examples and I learn something new. Students invariably remember these visits as one of their favorite lessons from the course.
Kate Sonka: I would like to thank Kate Sonka for her continual student-perspective taking and advocacy. Her efforts have improved the numerous roles she fills across campus, representing our diversity of students and their perspectives in the policy and procedures that are developed. This recently played out more directly in Kate's own class, when one of her students presented at the national Accessible Learning Conference. When the student was asked about where she had experienced any good examples of inclusive teaching, she mentioned her experience in Kate's course. Kate supports those around her, connects relevant communities, and promotes the widest possible range of voices. With Kate Sonka at our institution, our courses, committees, and communities are richer, getting us closer to the ideal of a public land-grant institution of higher learning.
Peter Hoffman: Professor Hoffman goes out of his way to make each and every student feel connected and appreciated. I e-mailed him once apologizing for my recent late assignments due to the stress of online classes. I was struggling and felt overwhelmed, but his kind reply gave me hope that things would get better. He even told me to e-mail him any time I needed words of encouragement. He does an amazing job making online classes positive and stress free while teaching his students the importance of poetry. Aside from poetry, Professor Hoffman gives valuable life lessons and makes each student a better person because of it.
Hui-Ling Malone: In her first year at MSU, Dr. Malone has impacted all of her students so much. She re-kindled my love of teaching, and gave us all confidence in our writing skills as a class.
Amy Lampe: Amy is hands-down the best advisor on campus. She genuinely cares about her students and coworkers, and has cheerleaded me from day one. She's always there for anyone who needs an advisor, friend, or mom figure in their life.
Kate Birdsall
Dr. Birdsall believed in me when it felt like no one else did. She encouraged my best work and gave me hope for my future in academia.
Learning from KB has truly been the highlight of my experience at MSU. This institution sucks (sorry not sorry), but Kate Birdsall ROCKS. I had the true pleasure of having her for advanced fiction writing as a fluke when the other semester was out. That was three semesters ago and I have taken class with her each semester since. In person and on zoom, Kate cultivates a powerful environment of camaraderie and caring that makes all the difference, especially during the pandemic. She asks her students how they are and cares about the answer. She pushes her students, particularly those writing for The Current in WRA 480, to produce the best work they can and, when she's your teacher, you want nothing more than to make her proud by doing just that. And you do. I am an incomparably better writer, editor, and communicator because I've worked with KB.
KB has given me the best academic experience during my time at MSU by far. She has a way with words and working to direct a team that I have yet to see replicated at this institution. Whether it be her gracious understanding of the tricky circumstances of life or her ability to relate to the class and what concerns them the most, she's all-around fantastic. She has made a considerable and positive impact on how I will view MSU in the future as I prepare for graduation this summer. My biggest regret is not having her as a professor sooner.
Kathryn Houghton: Kathryn has been an amazing professor. During this semester, she fostered a classroom environment via Zoom that encouraged not only participation, but the challenge of arguing a dissenting opinion. I was uninterested in the subject matter before this class, but quickly became enamored by it after beginning. She utilized appropriate virtual resources to aid in better understanding her well-polished slides for class. Also, the dogs this semester were a cute and uplifting addition.
Kate Fedewa:
Professor Kate Fedewa is personable instructor who always makes sure her students are doing their best and is very understanding when extra time is needed on an assignment. She begins ever class asking how her students are and any news in their lives. I want to thank her for making my senior year not as stressful and always being there to help and talk.
Kate's Rhetoric of Grammar class has been my favorite of this very difficult semester. I was (most) always excited to hop out of bed once a week for this 8:30 class because Kate never failed to make it more than worth my while with engaging discussion and insightful lessons. She also manages to create a fruitful discussion environment on Zoom, for which she has absolutely earned some kind of medal. Each week she came up with practical exercises to do in breakout rooms which helped to demystify complex grammatical concepts. Our big paper assignment for the year also allowed me to spend two months working with lyrics from my favorite artist which has done wonders for moral. She is empathetic, brilliant, and always ready to help. Multiple times in the semester she scheduled extra review sessions just to ensure those who wanted more time to learn would have it. She is, quite frankly, the bee's knees.
Casey Miles: Casey has been my advisor for years (a job at which she is freaking stellar), but this semester I had her as an instructor. I have learned a lot from Casey this year and not just about the job market but about how best to be to others. Casey teaches so much about empathy through leading by example. Her motto for our class was "come as you are, as you were, as you want to be." She says this and she *means* it. Casey approaches teaching with such a fabulous sense of humor and a tremendous amount of heart. Her kindness and assurance over the course of the semester has prevented more than one anxiety spirals on my end. She is positively kick-ass at what she does and everyone should be so lucky to experience a class with Casey Miles.
Maileen Bugnaski: Maileen worked with the 4-H and MSU Broad Art Lab collaborative project called Visualizing a Year Like No Other, a Michigan Teen Photo Project. Maileen met weekly with young people ranging from ages 13-18 to take photos on prompts intended to help them make sense of the crazy world around them. Maileen expertly created each week's prompt video, providing inspiration for the youth, and facilitated a weekly small group session for the youth to talk about their photos. Maileen's creativity and ability to create a sense of community among the youth made the program incredibly impactful for the participants. One of the participants said, "My biggest takeaway from the program was probably the feeling of how amazing it was to have my own community of people who shared similar interests as me and that I felt supported me. I also learned a lot about how fun photography is and how it can have a huge impact and very deep meanings." Maileen's contributions helped to make this possible.
Dustin De Felice: Dustin spends so much conscientious and dedicated time mentoring graduate students, even those who are not officially his advisees. He is one of those mentors and colleagues who genuinely wants students to succeed not only in relation to course topics but also with respect to professionalization and academic acclimation. His door is, quite literally, always open (pre-COVID, anyway). Dustin, thank you for making students (especially non-traditional ones) feel welcome and supported.
Megan Walsh: Megan Walsh stands out as a MSU Graduate Teaching Assistant. Megan applies pedagogical approaches that promote student agency. Megan keeps students’ attention by changing their focal points. She’s like a highly organized traffic cop. She physically and mentally divides her lessons into clear, logical sequences. Each purposeful transition results in refreshed student mental states. Students could not help but be fully engaged in her fast-paced environment. It was like watching a seasoned sports coach getting team members to run different, complicated plays really well. I was very fortunate to have had Meagan as a student. She is a rising teacher-star!
Bethany Meadows: In this past year, Bethany has done phenomenal work in and beyond the writing center. She has served as an excellent mentor to new consultants, practiced trauma-informed approaches to her work, and demonstrated an enduring commitment to dismantling sexual violence. It has been a pleasure to learn from Bethany this year, especially her commitment to community engagement.
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu Educator...
College of Communication Arts & Sciences 2021 #iteachmsu Educator Award Recipients
The following is a list of the educators receiving the #iteachmsu Educator Award from the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. For more information on these awards, check out the article entitled "#iteachmsu Educator Awards".
Andrew Corner: I just wanted to thank you for helping me become a better student. I learned so much about what I want to do when I graduate and after having you be my professor in soon to be 4 classes I feel so blessed. You pushed me to take chances and be myself regardless of what others think. I remember crying in your office hours the 2nd week of school the first time I had you as my professor because I did an assignment wrong and had never had the criticism I needed. You told me, "I can tell you are a good student, but just because you got a bad grade on one assignment does not mean it's the end of the world." I used to think it was over when something like this would happen, but, like the real world, you have to take criticism and not everyone is going to love your ideas. That's how advertising works. I later 4.0 that class. I met my best friend Jack in your class and have to say I feel like you planned it. haha jk. Thank you for putting up with Jack and I and our annoying selves. We will truly miss you.
Sara Grady: Sara has been an outstanding collaborator on an NIH R01 research proposal. She helped with budgeting, preparation of the many forms, and drafted and revised important and substantive text that contributed to the completion of the 100+ pages, all the while learning the NIH submission process and proposal writing style in real time. Most importantly were her contributions as a thought partner and researcher. Thanks Sara!
David Ford: David has demonstrated outstanding work ethics, discipline and endurance through the doctoral program. He has made lasting impact on several research projects, demonstrated excellence developing and solo-teaching 3 courses, while remaining scholarly productive and executing a successful dissertation project through the limitations imposed by the pandemic. He is the most wonderful human being, always ready to step out of his way to help others. Kudos!
Kate Shabet: Kate has served as an excellent role model and mentor to the undergraduate students in my lab. Specifically, she helped guide the students in completing the project and disseminating the work through poster presentations at the state level and MSU UURAF, and more recently helped the research team submit an abstract to a national professional conference. As a graduate student, the undergraduates on the project looked up to Kate, learned from her experience, and remained calm as deadlines approached.
Gisele Souza Neuls: On behalf of the Convergence team, I'd like to thank Gisele for her courage to start a Ph.D. program during such turbulent times. We acknowledge the many challenges she is facing as a student who started in the spring semester and is currently not living in the US. Despite these challenges, Gisele quickly became a critical member of our team, assisting with both research and project management. Gisele cares about journalism and has a deep connection with the communities impacted by the problem our research is trying to address. We look forward to meeting her in person very soon!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Andrew Corner: I just wanted to thank you for helping me become a better student. I learned so much about what I want to do when I graduate and after having you be my professor in soon to be 4 classes I feel so blessed. You pushed me to take chances and be myself regardless of what others think. I remember crying in your office hours the 2nd week of school the first time I had you as my professor because I did an assignment wrong and had never had the criticism I needed. You told me, "I can tell you are a good student, but just because you got a bad grade on one assignment does not mean it's the end of the world." I used to think it was over when something like this would happen, but, like the real world, you have to take criticism and not everyone is going to love your ideas. That's how advertising works. I later 4.0 that class. I met my best friend Jack in your class and have to say I feel like you planned it. haha jk. Thank you for putting up with Jack and I and our annoying selves. We will truly miss you.
Sara Grady: Sara has been an outstanding collaborator on an NIH R01 research proposal. She helped with budgeting, preparation of the many forms, and drafted and revised important and substantive text that contributed to the completion of the 100+ pages, all the while learning the NIH submission process and proposal writing style in real time. Most importantly were her contributions as a thought partner and researcher. Thanks Sara!
David Ford: David has demonstrated outstanding work ethics, discipline and endurance through the doctoral program. He has made lasting impact on several research projects, demonstrated excellence developing and solo-teaching 3 courses, while remaining scholarly productive and executing a successful dissertation project through the limitations imposed by the pandemic. He is the most wonderful human being, always ready to step out of his way to help others. Kudos!
Kate Shabet: Kate has served as an excellent role model and mentor to the undergraduate students in my lab. Specifically, she helped guide the students in completing the project and disseminating the work through poster presentations at the state level and MSU UURAF, and more recently helped the research team submit an abstract to a national professional conference. As a graduate student, the undergraduates on the project looked up to Kate, learned from her experience, and remained calm as deadlines approached.
Gisele Souza Neuls: On behalf of the Convergence team, I'd like to thank Gisele for her courage to start a Ph.D. program during such turbulent times. We acknowledge the many challenges she is facing as a student who started in the spring semester and is currently not living in the US. Despite these challenges, Gisele quickly became a critical member of our team, assisting with both research and project management. Gisele cares about journalism and has a deep connection with the communities impacted by the problem our research is trying to address. We look forward to meeting her in person very soon!
Anyone can recognize a fellow Spartan for their contributions to MSU's teaching and learning mission or for how they made a lasting impression on your experience. All you have to do is click "Thank an Educator" in the left panel of iteach.msu.edu. From there you'll see a short form where you can enter the name, netID, and a short story of the educator you'd like to recognize.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: Spring Conference o...
Teaching GIF animation in pre-service art teacher education courses
Title: Teaching GIF animation in pre-service art teacher education coursesPresenter: Dan LiFormat: WorkshopDate: May 11th, 2023Time: 1:30 pm - 2:30 pmClick here to view Description:In this workshop, I will demonstrate how to make simple GIF animations using browser-based software. Audiences can apply what they learn in various teaching contents. This is also an example of STEAM education emphasizing the interdisciplinary in higher education teaching. I will share plenty of my pre-service art teachers' examples to inspire your teaching at MSU and beyond.
Authored by: Dan Li
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Matricultural Practices in Studio Art Courses
Instructing students during the Covid 19 pandemic has created many new challenges and upended normative pedagogical practices in learning spaces. Teaching in the arts, a traditionally hands-on process, represents a particularly unique set of challenges. Studio art faculty have long been asked to perform with limited resources, particularly those in the domestic arts where practitioners are largely women, people of color, and folks from marginalized populations. In this poster presentation, I will discuss how historically, in times of war, and now a pandemic, domestic work or matriculture, is revisited by societies at large. One needs only to look at the proliferation of bread making advice across social platforms; an intense return to cooking, and the sharing of recipes for meals that are comforting; renewed interest in growing plants and gardening to recognize the need to prioritize domestic activities as high priorities during this time. It is noteworthy to acknowledge that these same domestic activities function as productive distractions from trauma, and offer meditative practices, while providing individuals and their families with activities and outcomes that commonly bring about feelings of comfort, and security. Accordingly, I will discuss how these domestic skills can be applied to experimental learning and how students can draw on these practices with rigor for more personal resilience, innovation and imagination in their studio arts practice.To access a PDF of the "Matricultural Practices in Studio Art Courses" poster, click here.
Description of the Poster
Matricultural Practices in Studio Art Courses
Rebecca E. Schuiling Apparel and Textile Design Art, Art, History and Design Michigan State University
Introduction
Studio environment, now that we are online, happens in the home. Students are making studios of their kitchen table, twin bed, and basement floors. Creative projects that would have been executed on industry standard machines and equipment are now being created from discarded items in the family garage, recycle bin, and the junk drawer. While creative spaces, commonly known professionally as studios, have always had direct connections to matricultural underpinnings, at this time, studio practices and matricultural practices commingle.
Students and professors alike take for granted the matricultural items and spaces around them, because they commonly exist in patriarchal spaces such as drawing studios with rigid standing tables, fluorescent lighting, cell structure classrooms with concrete floors. The pandemic forced them to examine their surroundings with a critical eye to discover new approaches and materials for creative outcomes. This returned everyone to a matricultural ethos, where materials and approaches reflect the Hestian sphere. Materials that were readily available commonly were found in the natural environment and in the home, which lead to a new appreciation for sustainable media and materials readily available when viewed through a lens of multiplicity.
In my studio courses; Knitwear, Advanced Knitwear, and Explorations in Apparel and Textile Design, I employ matricultural pedagogical strategies. The following are a few highlights as to the use and success of Matriculture as a pedagogy.
Matriculture as Pedagogy
In the introduction to her book, Cassandra Speaks 2020, Elizabeth Lesser notes that the stories a culture tells, become the culture. Stories with terms coded as feminine, “the home, the hearth, the “womanly arts” of empathy and care” are erased in favor of stories of warriors and violence (Lesser 2020:11). In this way, matriculture embraces practices commonly considered domestic arts, crafts, and even women’s work, because it offers sustainable practices and compassionate community based outcomes.
In ReMembering Matricultures: Historiography of Subjugated Knowledges, Irene Wiens-Friesen Wolfstone imagines a future where curricula and syllabi are developed through the conceptual and theoretical framework of Matricultures. Her working definition of Matriculture is mother-centered societies founded on maternal values of care-taking and meeting needs, which become ethical principles for men and women, mothers and not-mothers. Matricultures are socially egalitarian and governed by consensus (2018: 5)
During the Coronavirus pandemic, many returned to matricultural spaces, materials, and approaches for creative studios without fully realizing the connection. Given these factors, professors commonly asked students to use what is around them for creative outcomes in their studios, such as garden mud and dough used for ceramics; a pile of pots and pans for still life drawing; and onions and beets used for fabric dyes.
Matriculture Pedagogical Case Study Examples
Students were asked to be highly resourceful for space and materials while taking creative studios online. Closets of parents and peers were raided so as to locate appropriate materials that can be upcycled or repurposed. Furry family companions and stuffed animals within the home, are now models for knitted items such as scarves, blankets, mittens and hand warmers.
Reconnecting with Matricutural Relationships
A student in my Advanced Knitwear class could not afford new yarn or notions for the class. She reached out to her family, and her grandmother was gifted her a stash of materials including yarns. Her grandmother was thrilled that her granddaughter was learning to knit and that the materials she had collected over the years would finally be utilized for a creative outcome. The student had lots of materials for her projects that would not impinge on her affording other supplies. (Studio majors commonly spend more than $500 per course per semester).
Reconnecting to Matricultural Spaces
Due to the fact that many students are working in tiny spaces, as they are sharing their homes with extended family members, or are limited to small apartments or dorm rooms. Space is at a premium in the pandemic, especially for students. Students negotiate with family or roommates for space at the kitchen table or for a bedroom to become a studio for the semester. Storing supplies requires communication and innovative thinking to prevent children or pets from inadvertently ruining paints, markers, fabrics, and other creative materials. In return, the students will offer gifts of their time to make roommates dinner or even some of their creative outcomes.
Reconnecting to Matricultural Resources
Students in fashion illustration courses are using tea or coffee to paint their croquis figures. Orange peels and strawberry hulls now build the silhouettes to create texture and line for garment illustrations. Collage items are created as students forage around the house collecting and collating mail, paper goods, and other household items. Everyday household objects take on a new life in still lifes created in the home, frequently with family members critiquing and contributing.
Analysis
Wolfstone notes that Foucault’s methodology of historiography exposes how knowledge construction is influenced by colonialism, patriarchy and capitalism. Wolfstone posits that this is a useful framework “for exploring questions such as: How did we get to this place where patriarchy is presented as the only viable social order? How can we remember the subjugated knowledge of matricultures?” ((Wolfstone 2018: 7). In a patriarchal society, crafts are coded as feminine and amateur. They do not carry hegemonic institutional accreditations. Furthermore, crafting is often discounted as medium as it is typically associated with clothing and, therefore, considered superficial or surface. The Covid-19 Pandemic has forced a societal reckoning with this prioritization. The anxiety, fear, and unknown of living through a contagion, coupled with societal and economic unrest and institutionalized disparities; has led us back to the familiar; to home; to matriculture. To the domestic work that sustains life.
By employing Matriculture as a pedagogical method in my creative studios, students are encouraged through their studio practice and design processes to simultaneously reconnect to family, reconnect to resources, and reconnecting to spaces in their own lives and creative practices. Thus, moving away from a traditional patriarchal lens of institutionalized learning to an authentic, sustainable, and community based matricultural practice.
Summary
In times of crisis, the domestic or matriculture is revisited. In my studio pedagogy, I employed matricultural practices, materials, and approaches because many students were isolated in home environments, where they were also engaged with domestic activities that were applicable to experiential learning and creative outcomes. Students reconnected with family, the home, and resources found in the home. Students draw on these practices with rigor for more personal resilience, innovation, and imagination in their studio practice and creative outcomes.
Bibliography
Foucault, M. (1984). Nietzsche, genealogy, history. In P. Rabinow (Ed.) The Foucault reader (pp. 76-100). New York: Pantheon Books.
Kimmerer, R. W. (2015). Braiding sweetgrass. Milkweed Editions.
Lesser, E. (2020). Cassandra Speaks. Harper Wave.
Wolfstone I.W.F (2018). ReMembering Matricultures: Historiography of Subjugated Knowledges. Accessed April 19, 2021: https://www.academia.edu/37336416/ReMembering_Matricultures_Historiography_of_Subjugated_Knowledges
In her book, Robin Wall Kimmerer notes that “cosmologies are a source of identity and orientation to the world. They tell us who we are. We are inevitably shaped by them no matter how distant they may be from our consciousness…..On one side of the world were people whose relationship with the living world was shaped by Skywoman, who created a garden for the well-being of all. On the other side was another woman with a garden and a tree. But for tasting its fruit, she was banished. And then they met- the offspring of Skywoman and the children of Eve- and the land bears the scars of that meeting, the echoes of their stories” (Kimmerer 2015: 6-7).
Wolfstone continues, “Matricultures do not presume the subordination of men, and thus are not the reverse of patriarchy. Matricultures assume a reciprocal relationality between land and culture”
My research is an exploration of the material culture of dress and appearances, specifically knitted dress. I draw from disciplines including but not limited to Dress, Cultural Studies, Sociology, and Visual Culture in order to build qualitative methodological frameworks, studies, and analyses that allow for better understanding of the rituals of craft. My research and scholarship reveal how crafting practices and rituals of handcraft are vehicles of empowerment.
Description of the Poster
Matricultural Practices in Studio Art Courses
Rebecca E. Schuiling Apparel and Textile Design Art, Art, History and Design Michigan State University
Introduction
Studio environment, now that we are online, happens in the home. Students are making studios of their kitchen table, twin bed, and basement floors. Creative projects that would have been executed on industry standard machines and equipment are now being created from discarded items in the family garage, recycle bin, and the junk drawer. While creative spaces, commonly known professionally as studios, have always had direct connections to matricultural underpinnings, at this time, studio practices and matricultural practices commingle.
Students and professors alike take for granted the matricultural items and spaces around them, because they commonly exist in patriarchal spaces such as drawing studios with rigid standing tables, fluorescent lighting, cell structure classrooms with concrete floors. The pandemic forced them to examine their surroundings with a critical eye to discover new approaches and materials for creative outcomes. This returned everyone to a matricultural ethos, where materials and approaches reflect the Hestian sphere. Materials that were readily available commonly were found in the natural environment and in the home, which lead to a new appreciation for sustainable media and materials readily available when viewed through a lens of multiplicity.
In my studio courses; Knitwear, Advanced Knitwear, and Explorations in Apparel and Textile Design, I employ matricultural pedagogical strategies. The following are a few highlights as to the use and success of Matriculture as a pedagogy.
Matriculture as Pedagogy
In the introduction to her book, Cassandra Speaks 2020, Elizabeth Lesser notes that the stories a culture tells, become the culture. Stories with terms coded as feminine, “the home, the hearth, the “womanly arts” of empathy and care” are erased in favor of stories of warriors and violence (Lesser 2020:11). In this way, matriculture embraces practices commonly considered domestic arts, crafts, and even women’s work, because it offers sustainable practices and compassionate community based outcomes.
In ReMembering Matricultures: Historiography of Subjugated Knowledges, Irene Wiens-Friesen Wolfstone imagines a future where curricula and syllabi are developed through the conceptual and theoretical framework of Matricultures. Her working definition of Matriculture is mother-centered societies founded on maternal values of care-taking and meeting needs, which become ethical principles for men and women, mothers and not-mothers. Matricultures are socially egalitarian and governed by consensus (2018: 5)
During the Coronavirus pandemic, many returned to matricultural spaces, materials, and approaches for creative studios without fully realizing the connection. Given these factors, professors commonly asked students to use what is around them for creative outcomes in their studios, such as garden mud and dough used for ceramics; a pile of pots and pans for still life drawing; and onions and beets used for fabric dyes.
Matriculture Pedagogical Case Study Examples
Students were asked to be highly resourceful for space and materials while taking creative studios online. Closets of parents and peers were raided so as to locate appropriate materials that can be upcycled or repurposed. Furry family companions and stuffed animals within the home, are now models for knitted items such as scarves, blankets, mittens and hand warmers.
Reconnecting with Matricutural Relationships
A student in my Advanced Knitwear class could not afford new yarn or notions for the class. She reached out to her family, and her grandmother was gifted her a stash of materials including yarns. Her grandmother was thrilled that her granddaughter was learning to knit and that the materials she had collected over the years would finally be utilized for a creative outcome. The student had lots of materials for her projects that would not impinge on her affording other supplies. (Studio majors commonly spend more than $500 per course per semester).
Reconnecting to Matricultural Spaces
Due to the fact that many students are working in tiny spaces, as they are sharing their homes with extended family members, or are limited to small apartments or dorm rooms. Space is at a premium in the pandemic, especially for students. Students negotiate with family or roommates for space at the kitchen table or for a bedroom to become a studio for the semester. Storing supplies requires communication and innovative thinking to prevent children or pets from inadvertently ruining paints, markers, fabrics, and other creative materials. In return, the students will offer gifts of their time to make roommates dinner or even some of their creative outcomes.
Reconnecting to Matricultural Resources
Students in fashion illustration courses are using tea or coffee to paint their croquis figures. Orange peels and strawberry hulls now build the silhouettes to create texture and line for garment illustrations. Collage items are created as students forage around the house collecting and collating mail, paper goods, and other household items. Everyday household objects take on a new life in still lifes created in the home, frequently with family members critiquing and contributing.
Analysis
Wolfstone notes that Foucault’s methodology of historiography exposes how knowledge construction is influenced by colonialism, patriarchy and capitalism. Wolfstone posits that this is a useful framework “for exploring questions such as: How did we get to this place where patriarchy is presented as the only viable social order? How can we remember the subjugated knowledge of matricultures?” ((Wolfstone 2018: 7). In a patriarchal society, crafts are coded as feminine and amateur. They do not carry hegemonic institutional accreditations. Furthermore, crafting is often discounted as medium as it is typically associated with clothing and, therefore, considered superficial or surface. The Covid-19 Pandemic has forced a societal reckoning with this prioritization. The anxiety, fear, and unknown of living through a contagion, coupled with societal and economic unrest and institutionalized disparities; has led us back to the familiar; to home; to matriculture. To the domestic work that sustains life.
By employing Matriculture as a pedagogical method in my creative studios, students are encouraged through their studio practice and design processes to simultaneously reconnect to family, reconnect to resources, and reconnecting to spaces in their own lives and creative practices. Thus, moving away from a traditional patriarchal lens of institutionalized learning to an authentic, sustainable, and community based matricultural practice.
Summary
In times of crisis, the domestic or matriculture is revisited. In my studio pedagogy, I employed matricultural practices, materials, and approaches because many students were isolated in home environments, where they were also engaged with domestic activities that were applicable to experiential learning and creative outcomes. Students reconnected with family, the home, and resources found in the home. Students draw on these practices with rigor for more personal resilience, innovation, and imagination in their studio practice and creative outcomes.
Bibliography
Foucault, M. (1984). Nietzsche, genealogy, history. In P. Rabinow (Ed.) The Foucault reader (pp. 76-100). New York: Pantheon Books.
Kimmerer, R. W. (2015). Braiding sweetgrass. Milkweed Editions.
Lesser, E. (2020). Cassandra Speaks. Harper Wave.
Wolfstone I.W.F (2018). ReMembering Matricultures: Historiography of Subjugated Knowledges. Accessed April 19, 2021: https://www.academia.edu/37336416/ReMembering_Matricultures_Historiography_of_Subjugated_Knowledges
In her book, Robin Wall Kimmerer notes that “cosmologies are a source of identity and orientation to the world. They tell us who we are. We are inevitably shaped by them no matter how distant they may be from our consciousness…..On one side of the world were people whose relationship with the living world was shaped by Skywoman, who created a garden for the well-being of all. On the other side was another woman with a garden and a tree. But for tasting its fruit, she was banished. And then they met- the offspring of Skywoman and the children of Eve- and the land bears the scars of that meeting, the echoes of their stories” (Kimmerer 2015: 6-7).
Wolfstone continues, “Matricultures do not presume the subordination of men, and thus are not the reverse of patriarchy. Matricultures assume a reciprocal relationality between land and culture”
My research is an exploration of the material culture of dress and appearances, specifically knitted dress. I draw from disciplines including but not limited to Dress, Cultural Studies, Sociology, and Visual Culture in order to build qualitative methodological frameworks, studies, and analyses that allow for better understanding of the rituals of craft. My research and scholarship reveal how crafting practices and rituals of handcraft are vehicles of empowerment.
Authored by: Rebecca Schuiling
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: The MSU Graduate Le...
College of Arts & Letters Leadership Fellows
Leadership Fellows
2017-2019: Elijah Simmons
2019-2020: Rachel Robinson & Cameron Chase
2020-2021: Sharieka Botex
2021-2022: Philip Montgomery
2021-2023: Hima Rawal
Elijah Simmons (2017-2019)As the first College of Arts & Letters Leadership Fellow, Elijah Simmons sought to bring awareness to the Leadership Institute’s resources and gain an understanding of what more could be done to improve the graduate student experience within the College.Rachel Robinson and Cameron Chase (2019-2020)Rachel Robinson and Cameron Chase worked closely with the College of Arts and Letters’ leadership team to organize CAL Care Week, a week-long event focused on how Spartans can take care of themselves as well as make positive contributions to the MSU community. The planned events for the week included writing workshops, yoga sessions, and painting the Rock in an effort to promote positivity, self-awareness, and connectivity. Examples of workshops include “How to be a Caring Reviewer,” “Creating Academic Boundaries with Care,” and “Teaching to GenZ: Navigating Anxiety and Depression with Art in the Classroom.” Unfortunately, CAL Care Week was scheduled for late March 2020 and had to be canceled due to COVID-19. CAL Care Week was featured on the College of Arts and Letters’ website and in an MSUToday article.Sharieka Botex (2020-2021) | Coordinator (2021-2023)Sharieka Botex, a PhD student in Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures was informed by her interest in community-focused work and engaging in a way that took into account her experiences and the experiences and work of Black people on a local and national level. Her project, Shaping Society Through Scholarship and Action, which took place on September 25, 2021, featured Black women scholars whose work classifies them as community-engaged scholars and/or scholarly activists. The event gave them a platform to share their professional and academic journeys and to discuss those who informed and influenced their work on panels moderated by graduate students. It also provided a platform for community organizers and leaders to share their efforts and discuss how and why they view their work as essential. To accomplish the goal of providing stories, resources, and support to those interested in scholar activism, Sharieka hosted multiple panels to spotlight discussions about individuals’ experiences with academia and community work. Her work received the prestigious graduate student award for “exemplary community-engaged scholarship” from MSU’s University Outreach and Engagement (this write-up was adapted from an article written by Kara MacKenzie for the WRAC website).Philip Montgomery (2021-2022) | Coordinator (2022-2023)Philip started a peer mentoring program through a Graduate Student Organization in his graduate program pairing incoming graduate students with established students. The program aimed to increase a sense of belonging and connection from the very beginning of a student’s time in graduate school. With the support of faculty in his program and the Associate Dean of CAL, Philip launched a peer-mentoring scheme that paired incoming graduate students with a returning student in the program. He held several workshops for mentors and mentees to define mentoring, set common goals, and get pairs working together. His assessment determined that the mentor-mentee pairs were successful in sharing resources for meeting program requirements, brokering relationships with other students and faculty members, getting feedback on writing and practice presentations, and one pair even launched a collaborative research project. Philip is looking for ways to embed this program within the structure of his GSO in order to ensure its continuation.Hima Rawal (2021-2023)Hima worked with Social Sciences Fellow, Qi Huang, to address international students’ use of mental health services on campus. They hope to build bridges to increase access to and decrease stigma of mental health services. They collaborated with the Office of International Students & Scholars, Counseling and Psychiatric Services, the Trauma Services Training Network, and more to learn more about how these offices support international students. They also interviewed over a dozen international students to deepen their understanding of the concerns and barriers international students have concerning mental health. Using this data and their partnerships, Qi and Hima hope to create a Wellness Ambassador program where selected international students are trained to reach out to other international students to help them learn about mental health services on campus.
2017-2019: Elijah Simmons
2019-2020: Rachel Robinson & Cameron Chase
2020-2021: Sharieka Botex
2021-2022: Philip Montgomery
2021-2023: Hima Rawal
Elijah Simmons (2017-2019)As the first College of Arts & Letters Leadership Fellow, Elijah Simmons sought to bring awareness to the Leadership Institute’s resources and gain an understanding of what more could be done to improve the graduate student experience within the College.Rachel Robinson and Cameron Chase (2019-2020)Rachel Robinson and Cameron Chase worked closely with the College of Arts and Letters’ leadership team to organize CAL Care Week, a week-long event focused on how Spartans can take care of themselves as well as make positive contributions to the MSU community. The planned events for the week included writing workshops, yoga sessions, and painting the Rock in an effort to promote positivity, self-awareness, and connectivity. Examples of workshops include “How to be a Caring Reviewer,” “Creating Academic Boundaries with Care,” and “Teaching to GenZ: Navigating Anxiety and Depression with Art in the Classroom.” Unfortunately, CAL Care Week was scheduled for late March 2020 and had to be canceled due to COVID-19. CAL Care Week was featured on the College of Arts and Letters’ website and in an MSUToday article.Sharieka Botex (2020-2021) | Coordinator (2021-2023)Sharieka Botex, a PhD student in Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures was informed by her interest in community-focused work and engaging in a way that took into account her experiences and the experiences and work of Black people on a local and national level. Her project, Shaping Society Through Scholarship and Action, which took place on September 25, 2021, featured Black women scholars whose work classifies them as community-engaged scholars and/or scholarly activists. The event gave them a platform to share their professional and academic journeys and to discuss those who informed and influenced their work on panels moderated by graduate students. It also provided a platform for community organizers and leaders to share their efforts and discuss how and why they view their work as essential. To accomplish the goal of providing stories, resources, and support to those interested in scholar activism, Sharieka hosted multiple panels to spotlight discussions about individuals’ experiences with academia and community work. Her work received the prestigious graduate student award for “exemplary community-engaged scholarship” from MSU’s University Outreach and Engagement (this write-up was adapted from an article written by Kara MacKenzie for the WRAC website).Philip Montgomery (2021-2022) | Coordinator (2022-2023)Philip started a peer mentoring program through a Graduate Student Organization in his graduate program pairing incoming graduate students with established students. The program aimed to increase a sense of belonging and connection from the very beginning of a student’s time in graduate school. With the support of faculty in his program and the Associate Dean of CAL, Philip launched a peer-mentoring scheme that paired incoming graduate students with a returning student in the program. He held several workshops for mentors and mentees to define mentoring, set common goals, and get pairs working together. His assessment determined that the mentor-mentee pairs were successful in sharing resources for meeting program requirements, brokering relationships with other students and faculty members, getting feedback on writing and practice presentations, and one pair even launched a collaborative research project. Philip is looking for ways to embed this program within the structure of his GSO in order to ensure its continuation.Hima Rawal (2021-2023)Hima worked with Social Sciences Fellow, Qi Huang, to address international students’ use of mental health services on campus. They hope to build bridges to increase access to and decrease stigma of mental health services. They collaborated with the Office of International Students & Scholars, Counseling and Psychiatric Services, the Trauma Services Training Network, and more to learn more about how these offices support international students. They also interviewed over a dozen international students to deepen their understanding of the concerns and barriers international students have concerning mental health. Using this data and their partnerships, Qi and Hima hope to create a Wellness Ambassador program where selected international students are trained to reach out to other international students to help them learn about mental health services on campus.
Posted by: Megumi Moore
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
1963 in 2023: The Kennedy Assassination
Sixty years have passed since the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Terms like Umbrella Man, Zapruder, and “the grassy knoll” live on in the public consciousness. If you aren’t sure what any of this means, ask your grandma—or visit this event. Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? Did someone hire Jack Ruby? Join us as we revisit the culture and conspiracies surrounding one of the most shocking events of the twentieth century.
Navigating Context
Host: CTLI
Boosting student engagement: Easy tactics and tools to connect in any modality
In this interactive session, two educational developers from MSU's Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation will demonstrate and lead participants through several easy ways to boost engagement in courses of any modality (synchronous in-person, blended, hybrid; asynchronous). Using zoom chat, google docs and slides, word clouds, D2L, and other MSU tech tools, we will focus on low-barrier ways that instructors can connect with students, help students connect with each other, organize whole-class or small-group brainstorms, and translate effective in-person activities for hybrid or online classrooms. Participants can share tactics that have worked in their own courses. The session will conclude with a QnA and connection to further MSU resources from the CTLI. No prior experience with these technologies is required.
The content in this workshop will be primarily targeted to classroom instructors and settings, but tools and strategies are relevant for adaptation and use by any educator in any context.
Photo by Stephen Harlan on Unsplash
Navigating Context
Host: CTLI
Down the Rabbit Hole: Practical Applications of Generative AI in University Courses
The College of Education Fall 2023 Seminar Series “Teaching & Learning with Generative AI” is presented by CREATE for STEM and the Office of Academic & Student Affairs:
Down the Rabbit Hole: Practical Applications of Generative AI in University Courses
Nov. 30, 2023, at 12 p.m. EST
Presented by Dr. Josh Plavnick, MSU
Join event in person at 133F Erickson Hall or via Zoom (https://msu.zoom.us/j/99894363940 | passcode: AI)
Navigating Context
Host: CTLI
Community Engaged Learning In the Classroom: Rubrics, Reflections, and Resources
Date: Monday, November 13, 2023 from 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Location: Via Zoom
Registration Deadline: Friday, November 10, 2023
This session will discuss creative examples, strategies for grading, and best practices for leading students to reflect upon and make meaning of their community-engaged learning experiences. Hear from faculty peers, dialogue with colleagues, and leave with new ideas to enhance student learning and complement your teaching practices.
This workshop is hosted by the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) through MSU's office of University Outreach and Engagement. Community Engaged Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community partnerships with instruction and critical reflection to enrich the student learning experience, teach civic and social responsibility, and strengthen communities. CCEL is committed to supporting students, faculty/staff, and community partners in many ways.
Register for Community Engaged Learning In the Classroom: Rubrics, Reflections, and Resources by 12/05/23.
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
Night of a Thousand Donuts
Event occurs in the Main Library and the Gast Business Library.
Enjoy free coffee and donuts, while they last!
Thanks to Michigan State University Federal Credit Union for their generous sponsorship of this event.
Navigating Context
Host: CTLI
Preparing Educators to Teach and Lead K-12 Schools in the Time of Generative AI
The College of Education Fall 2023 Seminar Series “Teaching & Learning with Generative AI” is presented by CREATE for STEM and the Office of Academic & Student Affairs:
Preparing Educators to Teach and Lead K-12 Schools in the Time of Generative AI
Dec. 11, 2023, at 10 a.m. EST
Presented by Dr. Chris Kaiser & Dr. Lara Dixon, MSU
Join event via Zoom (Zoom link forthcoming)
Navigating Context
Host: CTLI
"Welcome to My Classroom" Series: Dr. Brittany Dillman
Please join the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation as we showcase some of MSU's educators and the great work they are doing. Step into a virtual space alive with enthusiasm and curiosity as passionate educators unveil their most effective teaching methods. From technology integration and active learning strategies to inventive assessments, each presenter offers a glimpse into their teaching journey, providing attendees with a collection of adaptable ideas. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and connect with peers to cultivate a collaborative spirit that transcends disciplines.
The fourth in the Welcome to My Classroom series will feature Dr. Brittany Dillman, educator and Director of Graduate Certificate Programs for the College of Education’s Master of Arts in Educational Technology. Brittany loves working with the MAET program especially her roles of advising all GC students, curriculum development for GC and MAET courses, and teaching both online courses and hybrid courses. She is also a CTLI Affiliate sharing her experiences and expertise in ungrading. For this Welcome to My Classroom, Brittany will showcase a single assignment, from design to grading, as an example of her educator practice.
Brittany has a doctorate from the Educational Psychology and Educational Technology program at Michigan State University. She is curious about teachers’ decision making process. She taught middle school mathematics for a decade prior to coming to MSU. Brittany is organized by nature and loves to alphabetize and color code. She loves being silly with her family, traveling, making books on Shutterfly, teaching MAET courses, and working with MAET students. Learn more about Brittany at her website.
Our Welcome to My Classroom series aims to be a catalyst for continuous improvement, uniting educators in their commitment to elevate the art of teaching. Join us in celebrating the dedication and creativity that drive education forward, as we learn from one another and collectively enrich the learning experience for both educators and students alike.
The "Welcome to My Classroom" series will function like a pedagogy and practice show and tell where educators from throughout MSU's ecosystem share something from their teaching and learning practice. Examples of an educator's showcase could include a walk through of a specific activity or assignment, sharing out the integration of a particular educational technology, describing their process of redesigning a learning experience, and more!
*for any educator interested in hosting a Welcome to My Classroom, please contact Makena Neal at mneal@msu.edu
Navigating Context
Host: MSU Libraries
MSU GIS Users GIS Day Conference (in person)
The MSU GIS Users Symposium is a one-day primarily in person event with presentations and demonstrations from academic researchers and GIS professionals. It is open to anyone, including those from outside of MSU with any level of GIS experience. The conference will also be an opportunity to develop potential collaborations and network with GIS users. The schedule for the event can be found here: https://msugisug-msugis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/gis-day
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: CTLI
ChatGPT and Complex Aspects of Science Learning
The College of Education Fall 2023 Seminar Series “Teaching & Learning with Generative AI” is presented by CREATE for STEM and the Office of Academic & Student Affairs:
CREATE for STEM Seminar Series: ChatGPT and Complex Aspects of Science Learning
Nov. 14, 2023, at 12 p.m. EST
Presented by Dr. Rand Spiro, MSU
Register to attend via Zoom or join in person at 115 Erickson Hall
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: CTLI
Community Conversations: The Elements of Community Partnerships
Date: Monday, November 13, 2023 from 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Location: Via Zoom
Registration Deadline: Friday, November 10, 2023
This session will discuss elements of strong partnerships to effectively co-create community engaged learning opportunities for students. Hear examples of successful faculty/community partnerships, discuss considerations for initiating and sustaining partnerships, and explore resources to assist you in partnership development or enhancement.
This workshop is hosted by the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) through MSU's office of University Outreach and Engagement. Community Engaged Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community partnerships with instruction and critical reflection to enrich the student learning experience, teach civic and social responsibility, and strengthen communities. CCEL is committed to supporting students, faculty/staff, and community partners in many ways.
Register for Community Conversations: The Elements of Community Partnerships by 11/10/23.
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: MSU Libraries
Midjourney AI Art Workshop 4: Exploratory Prompts and Critiques in Generative AI Art
In this workshop, participants will delve into the realm of exploratory prompts and the significance of constructive critiques in generative AI art. They will explore unconventional and experimental prompt designs, pushing the boundaries of their creativity. Participants will also engage in group critiques, providing feedback and insights on AI-generated outputs. Additionally, they will explore how commands built into Midjourney – like chaos, style, weird, version, pan, and variation, etc. - can further these explorations and lead to desired creative outcomes. Participants will learn how to import images from a previous session in Midjourney and modify and add to them, as well as how to import and image and ask Midjourney to create a set of prompts that could have generated the image.
Space is limited so pre-registration is required to attend. Use this link to register
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Host: CTLI
Enriching Qualitative Video Analysis with Theory-Driven Uses of AI-Based Tools
The College of Education Fall 2023 Seminar Series “Teaching & Learning with Generative AI” is presented by CREATE for STEM and the Office of Academic & Student Affairs:
CREATE for STEM Seminar Series: Enriching Qualitative Video Analysis with Theory-Driven Uses of AI-Based Tools
Nov. 7, 2023, at 12 p.m. EST
Presented by Dr. Christina Krist, University of Illinois
Register to attend via Zoom or join in person at 115 Erickson Hall
Navigating Context
EXPIRED