We found 288 results that contain "strategies"
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Strategies for Assessment
This playlist details several methods for assessing student learning, focused on strategies for time management.
ASSESSING LEARNING
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Creating Your Syllabus: Strategies, Resources, and Best Practices
This is a collection of resources from the CTLI and other contributors on iTeachMSU focused on syllabi at MSU. Topics include syllabus design, requirements, considerations, MSU resources and templates, and policies. Feel free to email any new syllabus resources for this playlist to the CTLI [teaching@msu.edu]
Image credit: Apunto Group Agencia de publicidad via Pexels
Image credit: Apunto Group Agencia de publicidad via Pexels
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Preparing for teaching at the beginning and end of a course
This playlist provides useful strategies, asks critical questions, and helps support educators in preparing for the beginning of the semester.
DISCIPLINARY CONTENT
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Conflict Resolution
This playlist begins with conflict resolution strategies aimed at academic situations, moves into more general conflict-resolution advice that is widely applicable, and ends with MSU policies and resources in case grad students have to bring in more formal conflict resolution.
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Posted on: #iteachmsu
A calming influence: Managing conflict and difficult conversations in the university classroom
At CTLI, we've compiled resources for educators to review when preparing for potentially contentious classroom discussions Domestic and global conflicts and controversies often impact our students in diverse and uniquely personal ways. Some MSU educators mentioned increased tension and potential for disruptions in your classroom. Students are coming to learn with a diverse array of perspectives, experiences, and identities that shape how they experience the world. Navigating classroom discussions on charged societal issues or current events can be extremely challenging.
The resources curated here offer guidance on fostering civil discourse and managing disruptive behavior in the classroom. We hope these resources equip you with strategies and best practices for maintaining a respectful learning environment where all students feel safe and heard. This collection includes guidelines on setting expectations for dialogue, maintaining calm, tips for redirecting off-topic or uncivil comments, sample facilitation methods for controversial discussions, and ways to de-escalate a hot-moment.
As educators, we all share the responsibility of creating classrooms where learning can thrive. In times of tension, our first priority should be to seek to understand. The role of the teacher in conflict situations is to be the agent of calm, to seek to diffuse tension, and to foster an environment where learning can happen whenever possible. With compassion and care, we can model civil engagement across differences, while also drawing reasonable boundaries around conduct. Our hope is that these resources will help equip you to handle tense situations with wisdom, patience and cultural sensitivity. (please note this collection is in progress)
The resources curated here offer guidance on fostering civil discourse and managing disruptive behavior in the classroom. We hope these resources equip you with strategies and best practices for maintaining a respectful learning environment where all students feel safe and heard. This collection includes guidelines on setting expectations for dialogue, maintaining calm, tips for redirecting off-topic or uncivil comments, sample facilitation methods for controversial discussions, and ways to de-escalate a hot-moment.
As educators, we all share the responsibility of creating classrooms where learning can thrive. In times of tension, our first priority should be to seek to understand. The role of the teacher in conflict situations is to be the agent of calm, to seek to diffuse tension, and to foster an environment where learning can happen whenever possible. With compassion and care, we can model civil engagement across differences, while also drawing reasonable boundaries around conduct. Our hope is that these resources will help equip you to handle tense situations with wisdom, patience and cultural sensitivity. (please note this collection is in progress)
PEDAGOGICAL DESIGN
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Preparing for Comprehensive/Qualifying Exams
This playlist begins with general study strategies, and ends with resources specific to comprehensive and qualifying exams
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Multimodal Blended Events Handbook
Planning for hybrid and virtual events going forward has inherent benefits related to access and inclusion. Embracing proper strategies can help foster a strong user-centered approach for said events.
This handbook provides a framework to support efforts to create and manage hybrid or virtual events.
This handbook provides a framework to support efforts to create and manage hybrid or virtual events.
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Working with English Language Learners
This playlist begins with tips and strategies for teaching English language learners in the university classroom, moves into MSU resources for English language learners, and ends with specific resources about identifying language errors and finding a community.
NAVIGATING CONTEXT
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Study Guides and Strategies
This website offers resources on time management, meeting challenges, learning, learning with others, studying, online learning/communicating, thinking, memorizing, reading, research, project management, writing, vocabulary, taking tests, test preparation, resources, math, technology, and bibliographies.
Posted by: Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Trauma Informed Teaching Strategies
Topic Area: Online Teaching & Learning
Presented by: Cheryl Williams-Hecksel, Kelley Blanck
Abstract:
"It is suggested that 66-85% of youth report lifetime exposure to one or more traumatic events by the time they reach college (Read, Ouimette, White, Colder, & Farrow, 2011; Smyth, Hockemeyer, Heron, Wonderlich, & Pennebaker, 2008) Trauma Informed (TI) teaching assures that students are engaged in a manner sensitive to potential adverse and traumatic experiences. Student success and learning is dependent upon preparedness of educators to address the impact of trauma on learning and development (Davidson, 2017). The current pandemic and ongoing racial injustice amplify this need.
Central to trauma informed work are principals of Safety, Trustworthiness, Choice, Collaboration and Empowerment with ongoing attention to issues of Equity and Inclusion (SAMSHA, 2020) This workshop will explore strategies that embrace these principals and can be used in classroom (in person and online) and other learning environments to support students at Michigan State University. These strategies have evolved as a part of the work of the MSU Trauma Services and Training Network (TSTN.) This network, formed in 2018, has an active and engaged learning community that has been meeting regularly for more than two years and is committed to creating a trauma informed institution.
Included in this discussion of TI teaching are course policies and procedures, integrating flexibility and choice, promoting self-reflection, growth and professional development. Additionally, approaches for responding to trauma affected students will be outlined.
Presented by: Cheryl Williams-Hecksel, Kelley Blanck
Abstract:
"It is suggested that 66-85% of youth report lifetime exposure to one or more traumatic events by the time they reach college (Read, Ouimette, White, Colder, & Farrow, 2011; Smyth, Hockemeyer, Heron, Wonderlich, & Pennebaker, 2008) Trauma Informed (TI) teaching assures that students are engaged in a manner sensitive to potential adverse and traumatic experiences. Student success and learning is dependent upon preparedness of educators to address the impact of trauma on learning and development (Davidson, 2017). The current pandemic and ongoing racial injustice amplify this need.
Central to trauma informed work are principals of Safety, Trustworthiness, Choice, Collaboration and Empowerment with ongoing attention to issues of Equity and Inclusion (SAMSHA, 2020) This workshop will explore strategies that embrace these principals and can be used in classroom (in person and online) and other learning environments to support students at Michigan State University. These strategies have evolved as a part of the work of the MSU Trauma Services and Training Network (TSTN.) This network, formed in 2018, has an active and engaged learning community that has been meeting regularly for more than two years and is committed to creating a trauma informed institution.
Included in this discussion of TI teaching are course policies and procedures, integrating flexibility and choice, promoting self-reflection, growth and professional development. Additionally, approaches for responding to trauma affected students will be outlined.
Authored by: Cheryl Williams-Hecksel, Kelley Blanck
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Discussion Forum Assessment Strategies
These slides were used during an assessment workshop by Dr. Stephen Thomas in the summer of 2020.
Authored by: Stephen Thomas
Assessing Learning
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Job Search Strategy and Research
MSU's Career Services Network offers strategies to use while searching for a job, including a discussion of how your informal connections are part of your network.
Posted by: Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: MSU Online & Remote...
Exam Strategy for Remote Teaching
With our guiding principles for remote teaching as flexibility, generosity, and transparency, we know that there is no one solution for assessment that will meet all faculty and student needs. From this perspective, the primary concern should be assessing how well students have achieved the key learning objectives and determining what objectives are still unmet. It may be necessary to modify the nature of the exam to allow for the differences of the remote environment. This document, written for any instructor who typically administers an end-of-semester high-stakes final exam, addresses how best to make those modifications. In thinking about online exams, and the current situation for remote teaching, we recommend the following approaches (in priority order) for adjusting exams: multiple lower-stakes assessments, open-note exams, and online proctored exams. When changes to the learning environment occur, creating an inclusive and accessible learning experience for students with disabilities should remain a top priority. This includes providing accessible content and implementing student disability accommodations, as well as considering the ways assessment methods might be affected.
Faculty and students should be prepared to discuss accommodation needs that may arise. The team at MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) will be available to answer questions about implementing accommodations. Contact information for Team RCPD is found at https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/teamrcpd. Below you will find a description of each of the recommendations, tips for their implementation, the benefits of each, and references to pertinent research on each.
There are three primary options*:
Multiple lower-stakes assessments (most preferred)
Open note exams (preferred)
Online proctored exams (if absolutely necessary)
*Performance-based assessments such as laboratory, presentation, music, or art experiences that show proficiency will be discussed in another document
Multiple lower-stakes assessments
Description: The unique circumstances of this semester make it necessary to carefully consider your priorities when assessing students. Rather than being cumulative, a multiple assessment approach makes assessment an incremental process. Students demonstrate their understanding frequently, and accrue points over time, rather than all at once on one test. Dividing the assessment into smaller pieces can reduce anxiety and give students more practice in taking their exams online. For instance, you might have a quiz at the end of each week that students have to complete. Each subsequent quiz can (and should) build on the previous one, allowing students to build toward more complex and rigorous applications of the content. Using this approach minimizes your need to change the types of questions that you have been asking to date, which can affect student performance (e.g. if you normally ask multiple-choice questions, you can continue to do so). For the remainder of the semester, use the D2L quizzes tool to build multiple smaller assessments. Spread out the totality of your typical final exam over the month of April. This can be as simple as dividing a 100 question final exam into eight 12-question “synthesis activities” that students complete bi-weekly.
Benefits as noted from the literature:
No significant differences were observed in terms of keystroke information, rapid guessing, or aggregated scores between proctoring conditions;
More effective method for incentivizing participation and reading;
Encourages knowledge retention as each subsequent assessment builds on the last
Rios, J. A., & Liu, O. L. (2017). Online proctored versus unproctored low-stakes internet test administration: Is there differential test-taking behavior and performance?. American Journal of Distance Education, 31(4), 226-241. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08923647.2017.1258628 Schrank, Z. (2016). An assessment of student perceptions and responses to frequent low-stakes testing in introductory sociology classes. Teaching Sociology, 44(2), 118-127. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0092055X15624745 VanPatten, B., Trego, D., & Hopkins, W. P. (2015). In‐Class vs. Online Testing in University‐Level Language Courses: A Research Report. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 659-668. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/flan.12160
Open note exams
Description: Open note assessments allow students to refer to the Internet and other materials while completing their assessments. By design, this disincentives academic dishonesty. Often instructors put time parameters around open note exams. These types of exams also lend themselves to collaborative work in which multiple students work together to complete the assessment. With an open note strategy, you can keep your general exam schedule and point structure, but you may need to revise questions so they are less about factual recall and more about the application of concepts. For instance you might give students a scenario or case study that they have to apply class concepts to as opposed to asking for specific values or definitions. If you plan to make such changes, communicate your intent and rationale to you students prior to the exam. One effective open note testing technique is to use multiple-true/false questions as a means to measure understanding. These questions (called “multiple selection” questions in D2L) pose a scenario and prompt students to check all the boxes that apply. For example, students may be prompted to read a short case or lab report, then check all statements that are true about that reading. In this way a single question stem can assess multiple levels of complexity and/or comprehension.
Benefits as noted from the literature:
Open-book exams and collaborative exams promote development of critical thinking skills.
Open-book exams are more engaging and require higher-order thinking skills.
Application of open-book exams simulates the working environment.
Students prefer open-book exams and report decreased anxiety levels.
Collaborative exams stimulate brain cell growth and intricate cognitive complexes.
Johanns, B., Dinkens, A., & Moore, J. (2017). A systematic review comparing open-book and closed-book examinations: Evaluating effects on development of critical thinking skills. Nurse education in practice, 27, 89-94. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595317305486
Couch, B. A., Hubbard, J. K., & Brassil, C. E. (2018). Multiple–true–false questions reveal the limits of the multiple–choice format for detecting students with incomplete understandings. BioScience, 68(6), 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy037
Implementation for multiple lower-stakes and open note assessment strategies:
Timed vs. untimed: On the whole, performance on timed and untimed assessments yields similar scores. Students express greater anxiety over timed assessments, while they view untimed assessments as more amenable to dishonest behavior.
NOTE: If you typically have a time limit on your face-to-face assessments, increase it by 20% to allow for the added demands the remote environment places on students. </li >
If the exam is meant to be taken synchronously, remember to stay within your class period. Adjust the length of the exam accordingly.
Reduced scope: Decreasing content covered in the exam may be necessary to create an exam of appropriate length and complexity, given the unique circumstances this semester.
Question pools: Create a pool of questions, and let D2L randomly populate each student’s quiz. This helps reduce dishonest behavior
For example, a 10 question quiz might have 18 total questions in the pool, 10 of which are randomly distributed to each student by D2L.
Randomize answer order: In questions in which it makes sense, have D2L randomize the order in which the answer options appear.
Individual question per page: This can reduce instances of students taking the assessment together. It is even more effective when question order is randomized and a question pool is used. <//li>
Honor code attestation: Give students an opportunity to affirm their intent to be honest by making question one of every assessment a 0-point question asking students to agree to an honor code. You can access the MSU Honor Code: https://www.deanofstudents.msu.edu/academic-integrity
Live Zoom availability: In D2L Quizzes, set a time window during which the assessment will be available to students.
Hold a live open office hours session in Zoom at some point during that window, so that students who want to can take the assessment while they have direct access to you - this way they can ask questions if any arise.
Ultimately, our guiding principles for remote teaching are flexibility, generosity, and transparency. Try to give students as much of an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge as possible.
Consider allowing multiple attempts on an assessment.
When conditions allow, consider allowing multiple means of expression.
Can students choose to demonstrate their knowledge from a menu of options
M/C test
Written response
Video presentation
Oral Exam (via Zoom)
Consider giving students choices. Perhaps they can opt out of answering a question or two. Perhaps they can choose which of a series of prompts to respond to. Perhaps students can waive one test score (to help accomodate for their rapidly changing environments)
Proctored assessments
Description: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Respondus Monitor are tools for remote proctoring in D2L. More information is available at https://help.d2l.msu.edu/node/4686. Please consider whether your assessments can be designed without the need for Respondus. While Respondus may be helpful in limited circumstances (e.g., when assessments must be proctored for accreditation purposes), introducing a new technology may cause additional stress for both students and instructors, and academic integrity is still not assured. High-stakes exams (those that are a large percentage of a student’s grade) that use new technologies and approaches can decrease student performance and may not reflect students’ understanding of the material. Please do not use an online proctored approach unless your assessment needs require its use.
Benefits:
Increases the barrier to academic dishonesty. Allows for use of existing exams (assuming they are translated in D2L’s Quizzes tool).
Implementation:
Any online proctored exam must be created and administered using D2L’s Quizzes tool.
Prior to offering a graded proctored exam, we strongly recommend that you administer an ungraded (or very low-stakes) practice test using the proctoring tool.
Clear communication with students about system and hardware requirements and timing considerations is required.
MSU has gained temporary no-cost access to a pair of online proctoring tools provided by Respondus: https://help.d2l.msu.edu/node/4686
Respondus Lockdown Browser requires that students download a web browser.
When they click into your exam, the Lockdown Browser opens, and prevents users from accessing anything else on their computer.
Respondus Monitor requires use of Respondus Lockdown Browser and a webcam.
Students are monitored via the webcam while they complete the exam in Lockdown Browser.
Additional Resources:
Remote Assessment Quick Guide
Remote Assessment Video Conversation
D2L Quizzes Tool Guide
Self-training on D2L Quizzes (login to MSU’s D2L is required; self-enroll into the training course)
References: Alessio, H.M.; Malay, N.; Mauere, K.; Bailer, A.J.; & Rubin, B.(2017) Examining the effect of proctoring on online test scores, Online Learning 21 (1) Altınay, Z. (2017) Evaluating peer learning and assessment in online collaborative learning environments, Behaviour & Information Technology, 36:3, 312-320, DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2016.1232752
Couch, B. A., Hubbard, J. K., & Brassil, C. E. (2018). Multiple–true–false questions reveal the limits of the multiple–choice format for detecting students with incomplete understandings. BioScience, 68(6), 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy037 Cramp, J.; Medlin, J. F.; Lake, P.; & Sharp, C. (2019) Lessons learned from implementing remotely invigilated online exams, Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 16(1). Guerrero-Roldán, A., & Noguera, I.(2018) A Model for Aligning Assessment with Competences and Learning Activities in Online Courses, The Internet and Higher Education, vol. 38, pp. 36–46., doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2018.04.005.
Johanns, B., Dinkens, A., & Moore, J. (2017). A systematic review comparing open-book and closed-book examinations: Evaluating effects on development of critical thinking skills. Nurse education in practice, 27, 89-94. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595317305486 Joseph A. Rios, J.A. & Lydia Liu, O.L. (2017) Online Proctored Versus Unproctored Low-Stakes Internet Test Administration: Is There Differential Test-Taking Behavior and Performance?, American Journal of Distance Education, 31:4, 226-241, DOI: 10.1080/08923647.2017.1258628 Schrank, Z. (2016). An assessment of student perceptions and responses to frequent low-stakes testing in introductory sociology classes. Teaching Sociology, 44(2), 118-127. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0092055X15624745 Soffer, Tal, et al. “(2017) Assessment of Online Academic Courses via Students' Activities and Perceptions, Studies in Educational Evaluation, vol. 54, pp. 83–93., doi:10.1016/j.stueduc.2016.10.001.
Tan, C.(2020) Beyond high-stakes exam: A neo-Confucian educational programme and its contemporary implications, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 52:2, 137-148, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2019.1605901
VanPatten, B., Trego, D., & Hopkins, W. P. (2015). In‐Class vs. Online Testing in University‐Level Language Courses: A Research Report. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 659-668. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/flan.12160
Faculty and students should be prepared to discuss accommodation needs that may arise. The team at MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) will be available to answer questions about implementing accommodations. Contact information for Team RCPD is found at https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/teamrcpd. Below you will find a description of each of the recommendations, tips for their implementation, the benefits of each, and references to pertinent research on each.
There are three primary options*:
Multiple lower-stakes assessments (most preferred)
Open note exams (preferred)
Online proctored exams (if absolutely necessary)
*Performance-based assessments such as laboratory, presentation, music, or art experiences that show proficiency will be discussed in another document
Multiple lower-stakes assessments
Description: The unique circumstances of this semester make it necessary to carefully consider your priorities when assessing students. Rather than being cumulative, a multiple assessment approach makes assessment an incremental process. Students demonstrate their understanding frequently, and accrue points over time, rather than all at once on one test. Dividing the assessment into smaller pieces can reduce anxiety and give students more practice in taking their exams online. For instance, you might have a quiz at the end of each week that students have to complete. Each subsequent quiz can (and should) build on the previous one, allowing students to build toward more complex and rigorous applications of the content. Using this approach minimizes your need to change the types of questions that you have been asking to date, which can affect student performance (e.g. if you normally ask multiple-choice questions, you can continue to do so). For the remainder of the semester, use the D2L quizzes tool to build multiple smaller assessments. Spread out the totality of your typical final exam over the month of April. This can be as simple as dividing a 100 question final exam into eight 12-question “synthesis activities” that students complete bi-weekly.
Benefits as noted from the literature:
No significant differences were observed in terms of keystroke information, rapid guessing, or aggregated scores between proctoring conditions;
More effective method for incentivizing participation and reading;
Encourages knowledge retention as each subsequent assessment builds on the last
Rios, J. A., & Liu, O. L. (2017). Online proctored versus unproctored low-stakes internet test administration: Is there differential test-taking behavior and performance?. American Journal of Distance Education, 31(4), 226-241. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08923647.2017.1258628 Schrank, Z. (2016). An assessment of student perceptions and responses to frequent low-stakes testing in introductory sociology classes. Teaching Sociology, 44(2), 118-127. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0092055X15624745 VanPatten, B., Trego, D., & Hopkins, W. P. (2015). In‐Class vs. Online Testing in University‐Level Language Courses: A Research Report. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 659-668. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/flan.12160
Open note exams
Description: Open note assessments allow students to refer to the Internet and other materials while completing their assessments. By design, this disincentives academic dishonesty. Often instructors put time parameters around open note exams. These types of exams also lend themselves to collaborative work in which multiple students work together to complete the assessment. With an open note strategy, you can keep your general exam schedule and point structure, but you may need to revise questions so they are less about factual recall and more about the application of concepts. For instance you might give students a scenario or case study that they have to apply class concepts to as opposed to asking for specific values or definitions. If you plan to make such changes, communicate your intent and rationale to you students prior to the exam. One effective open note testing technique is to use multiple-true/false questions as a means to measure understanding. These questions (called “multiple selection” questions in D2L) pose a scenario and prompt students to check all the boxes that apply. For example, students may be prompted to read a short case or lab report, then check all statements that are true about that reading. In this way a single question stem can assess multiple levels of complexity and/or comprehension.
Benefits as noted from the literature:
Open-book exams and collaborative exams promote development of critical thinking skills.
Open-book exams are more engaging and require higher-order thinking skills.
Application of open-book exams simulates the working environment.
Students prefer open-book exams and report decreased anxiety levels.
Collaborative exams stimulate brain cell growth and intricate cognitive complexes.
Johanns, B., Dinkens, A., & Moore, J. (2017). A systematic review comparing open-book and closed-book examinations: Evaluating effects on development of critical thinking skills. Nurse education in practice, 27, 89-94. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595317305486
Couch, B. A., Hubbard, J. K., & Brassil, C. E. (2018). Multiple–true–false questions reveal the limits of the multiple–choice format for detecting students with incomplete understandings. BioScience, 68(6), 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy037
Implementation for multiple lower-stakes and open note assessment strategies:
Timed vs. untimed: On the whole, performance on timed and untimed assessments yields similar scores. Students express greater anxiety over timed assessments, while they view untimed assessments as more amenable to dishonest behavior.
NOTE: If you typically have a time limit on your face-to-face assessments, increase it by 20% to allow for the added demands the remote environment places on students. </li >
If the exam is meant to be taken synchronously, remember to stay within your class period. Adjust the length of the exam accordingly.
Reduced scope: Decreasing content covered in the exam may be necessary to create an exam of appropriate length and complexity, given the unique circumstances this semester.
Question pools: Create a pool of questions, and let D2L randomly populate each student’s quiz. This helps reduce dishonest behavior
For example, a 10 question quiz might have 18 total questions in the pool, 10 of which are randomly distributed to each student by D2L.
Randomize answer order: In questions in which it makes sense, have D2L randomize the order in which the answer options appear.
Individual question per page: This can reduce instances of students taking the assessment together. It is even more effective when question order is randomized and a question pool is used. <//li>
Honor code attestation: Give students an opportunity to affirm their intent to be honest by making question one of every assessment a 0-point question asking students to agree to an honor code. You can access the MSU Honor Code: https://www.deanofstudents.msu.edu/academic-integrity
Live Zoom availability: In D2L Quizzes, set a time window during which the assessment will be available to students.
Hold a live open office hours session in Zoom at some point during that window, so that students who want to can take the assessment while they have direct access to you - this way they can ask questions if any arise.
Ultimately, our guiding principles for remote teaching are flexibility, generosity, and transparency. Try to give students as much of an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge as possible.
Consider allowing multiple attempts on an assessment.
When conditions allow, consider allowing multiple means of expression.
Can students choose to demonstrate their knowledge from a menu of options
M/C test
Written response
Video presentation
Oral Exam (via Zoom)
Consider giving students choices. Perhaps they can opt out of answering a question or two. Perhaps they can choose which of a series of prompts to respond to. Perhaps students can waive one test score (to help accomodate for their rapidly changing environments)
Proctored assessments
Description: Respondus Lockdown Browser and Respondus Monitor are tools for remote proctoring in D2L. More information is available at https://help.d2l.msu.edu/node/4686. Please consider whether your assessments can be designed without the need for Respondus. While Respondus may be helpful in limited circumstances (e.g., when assessments must be proctored for accreditation purposes), introducing a new technology may cause additional stress for both students and instructors, and academic integrity is still not assured. High-stakes exams (those that are a large percentage of a student’s grade) that use new technologies and approaches can decrease student performance and may not reflect students’ understanding of the material. Please do not use an online proctored approach unless your assessment needs require its use.
Benefits:
Increases the barrier to academic dishonesty. Allows for use of existing exams (assuming they are translated in D2L’s Quizzes tool).
Implementation:
Any online proctored exam must be created and administered using D2L’s Quizzes tool.
Prior to offering a graded proctored exam, we strongly recommend that you administer an ungraded (or very low-stakes) practice test using the proctoring tool.
Clear communication with students about system and hardware requirements and timing considerations is required.
MSU has gained temporary no-cost access to a pair of online proctoring tools provided by Respondus: https://help.d2l.msu.edu/node/4686
Respondus Lockdown Browser requires that students download a web browser.
When they click into your exam, the Lockdown Browser opens, and prevents users from accessing anything else on their computer.
Respondus Monitor requires use of Respondus Lockdown Browser and a webcam.
Students are monitored via the webcam while they complete the exam in Lockdown Browser.
Additional Resources:
Remote Assessment Quick Guide
Remote Assessment Video Conversation
D2L Quizzes Tool Guide
Self-training on D2L Quizzes (login to MSU’s D2L is required; self-enroll into the training course)
References: Alessio, H.M.; Malay, N.; Mauere, K.; Bailer, A.J.; & Rubin, B.(2017) Examining the effect of proctoring on online test scores, Online Learning 21 (1) Altınay, Z. (2017) Evaluating peer learning and assessment in online collaborative learning environments, Behaviour & Information Technology, 36:3, 312-320, DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2016.1232752
Couch, B. A., Hubbard, J. K., & Brassil, C. E. (2018). Multiple–true–false questions reveal the limits of the multiple–choice format for detecting students with incomplete understandings. BioScience, 68(6), 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy037 Cramp, J.; Medlin, J. F.; Lake, P.; & Sharp, C. (2019) Lessons learned from implementing remotely invigilated online exams, Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 16(1). Guerrero-Roldán, A., & Noguera, I.(2018) A Model for Aligning Assessment with Competences and Learning Activities in Online Courses, The Internet and Higher Education, vol. 38, pp. 36–46., doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2018.04.005.
Johanns, B., Dinkens, A., & Moore, J. (2017). A systematic review comparing open-book and closed-book examinations: Evaluating effects on development of critical thinking skills. Nurse education in practice, 27, 89-94. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595317305486 Joseph A. Rios, J.A. & Lydia Liu, O.L. (2017) Online Proctored Versus Unproctored Low-Stakes Internet Test Administration: Is There Differential Test-Taking Behavior and Performance?, American Journal of Distance Education, 31:4, 226-241, DOI: 10.1080/08923647.2017.1258628 Schrank, Z. (2016). An assessment of student perceptions and responses to frequent low-stakes testing in introductory sociology classes. Teaching Sociology, 44(2), 118-127. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0092055X15624745 Soffer, Tal, et al. “(2017) Assessment of Online Academic Courses via Students' Activities and Perceptions, Studies in Educational Evaluation, vol. 54, pp. 83–93., doi:10.1016/j.stueduc.2016.10.001.
Tan, C.(2020) Beyond high-stakes exam: A neo-Confucian educational programme and its contemporary implications, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 52:2, 137-148, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2019.1605901
VanPatten, B., Trego, D., & Hopkins, W. P. (2015). In‐Class vs. Online Testing in University‐Level Language Courses: A Research Report. Foreign Language Annals, 48(4), 659-668. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/flan.12160
Authored by: Jessica Knott, Stephen Thomas, Becky Matz, Kate Sonka, Sarah Wellman, Daniel Trego, Casey Henley, Jeremy Van Hof, David Howe
Assessing Learning
Posted on: Teaching Toolkit Ta...
Teaching Multilingual Students: Challenges and Strategies
Image from U Central Florida
Challenge: Students lack discipline-specific vocabulary.
Strategy: Have a grad student collect and translate a glossary of common words in the field.
Challenge: Students are unsure how to respond to common writing prompts, like “synthesize” or “analyze.”
Strategies: Foreground these in a class session. Provide illustrations and examples.
Be consistent in your use of prompts.
Avoid embedded metaphor, like “leave breadcrumbs during your research.”
Challenge: Students hesitate to speak up in class.
Strategies: Allow a few minutes to make notes or freewrite answers before speaking.
Have students discuss in pairs and small groups before speaking before the entire class.
Be aware that their hesitation may be for linguistic or cultural reasons (they may not be used to active-learning classrooms).
Challenge: Students are not following the lecture or presentation.
Strategies: Don’t ask, “Does everyone understand?”
Ask students to demonstrate understanding by “saying back” (paraphrasing), giving examples, connecting a concept to a previous one…
Communicate concepts in different ways: visual illustrations, examples, stories… Put keywords on slides or blackboards. Allow students to photograph board. Share slides with them.
Challenge: Students still haven’t mastered subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency or definite and indefinite articles.
Strategy: Choose your battles. Some of these grammatical structures may be radically different in a student’s home language, and almost impossible to learn perfectly as an adult.
Consider, for example: Do you speak a Romance language? Do you ever make mistakes of noun gender? You probably do, but you can still communicate. Emphasize communication and clarity in your assessments.
Contact: Dr. Cheryl Caesar, WRAC, caesarc@msu.edu
Dr. Joyce Meier, WRAC, meierjo@msu.edu
Dr. Patricia Walters, ELC, walter31@msu.edu
Challenge: Students lack discipline-specific vocabulary.
Strategy: Have a grad student collect and translate a glossary of common words in the field.
Challenge: Students are unsure how to respond to common writing prompts, like “synthesize” or “analyze.”
Strategies: Foreground these in a class session. Provide illustrations and examples.
Be consistent in your use of prompts.
Avoid embedded metaphor, like “leave breadcrumbs during your research.”
Challenge: Students hesitate to speak up in class.
Strategies: Allow a few minutes to make notes or freewrite answers before speaking.
Have students discuss in pairs and small groups before speaking before the entire class.
Be aware that their hesitation may be for linguistic or cultural reasons (they may not be used to active-learning classrooms).
Challenge: Students are not following the lecture or presentation.
Strategies: Don’t ask, “Does everyone understand?”
Ask students to demonstrate understanding by “saying back” (paraphrasing), giving examples, connecting a concept to a previous one…
Communicate concepts in different ways: visual illustrations, examples, stories… Put keywords on slides or blackboards. Allow students to photograph board. Share slides with them.
Challenge: Students still haven’t mastered subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency or definite and indefinite articles.
Strategy: Choose your battles. Some of these grammatical structures may be radically different in a student’s home language, and almost impossible to learn perfectly as an adult.
Consider, for example: Do you speak a Romance language? Do you ever make mistakes of noun gender? You probably do, but you can still communicate. Emphasize communication and clarity in your assessments.
Contact: Dr. Cheryl Caesar, WRAC, caesarc@msu.edu
Dr. Joyce Meier, WRAC, meierjo@msu.edu
Dr. Patricia Walters, ELC, walter31@msu.edu
Authored by: Cheryl Caesar and Joyce Meier
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: Teaching Toolkit Ta...
Strategies for Engaging in Dialogue Across Difference
Strategies for Engaging in
Dialogue Across Difference
Interrupting Bias: The PALS Approach
This is a methodology to use when you hear someone say something that may be problematic or hurtful to a specific group of people or yourself. The objective of this approach is to stay connected with the person and speak your truth clearly.
Pause/Halt/Slow the conversation
Interrupt the flow of the conversation and let the speaker know you are interested in learning more about something they said – “Wait a second..”
Acknowledge/Ask
Ask for clarification, get curious, make sure you understand what the person said – “What I hear you saying is…”
Listen to what the person said
Practice engaged listening in which you truly try to understand the meaning of what is being said.
Speak your truth/Share stories
Share your experience and/or learning. Tell stories, as they are shown to be more effective than data at reaching hearts and minds
How to Apologize:
Re-AACT
Reflect - listen to what others are saying is the harm done
Acknowledge responsibility for your actions
Apologize and DO NOT explain your intent
Change your behavior
Thank them for bringing this to your attention
Interested in participating in MSU Dialogues?
Faculty & staff applications will open soon!
Email Jackie Heymann at heymannj@msu.edu to among the first to receive the application as soon as it opens.
Dialogue Across Difference
Interrupting Bias: The PALS Approach
This is a methodology to use when you hear someone say something that may be problematic or hurtful to a specific group of people or yourself. The objective of this approach is to stay connected with the person and speak your truth clearly.
Pause/Halt/Slow the conversation
Interrupt the flow of the conversation and let the speaker know you are interested in learning more about something they said – “Wait a second..”
Acknowledge/Ask
Ask for clarification, get curious, make sure you understand what the person said – “What I hear you saying is…”
Listen to what the person said
Practice engaged listening in which you truly try to understand the meaning of what is being said.
Speak your truth/Share stories
Share your experience and/or learning. Tell stories, as they are shown to be more effective than data at reaching hearts and minds
How to Apologize:
Re-AACT
Reflect - listen to what others are saying is the harm done
Acknowledge responsibility for your actions
Apologize and DO NOT explain your intent
Change your behavior
Thank them for bringing this to your attention
Interested in participating in MSU Dialogues?
Faculty & staff applications will open soon!
Email Jackie Heymann at heymannj@msu.edu to among the first to receive the application as soon as it opens.
Authored by: Jackie Heymann
Navigating Context
Posted on: MSU Online & Remote...
Assessment strategy for remote teaching
With our guiding principles for remote teaching as flexibility, generosity, and transparency, we know that there is no one solution for assessment that will meet all faculty and student needs. From this perspective, the primary concern should be assessing how well students have achieved the key learning objectives and determining what objectives are still unmet. It may be necessary to modify the nature of the exam to allow for the differences of the remote environment. This document, written for any instructor who typically administers an end-of semester high-stakes final exam, addresses how best to make those modifications.
Check out the full resource here, and read more about the three primary alternatives to a semester-end final:
1) Multiple lower-stakes assessments (most preferred)2) Open note exams (preferred)3) Online proctored exams (if absolutely necessary)
Check out the full resource here, and read more about the three primary alternatives to a semester-end final:
1) Multiple lower-stakes assessments (most preferred)2) Open note exams (preferred)3) Online proctored exams (if absolutely necessary)
Authored by: 4.0 International (CC by 4.0)
Assessing Learning
Posted on: #iteachmsu
What tools or strategies do you use to help your students feel a sense of community and belonging?
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
What strategies, ideas, practices, etc. have your tried/implemented to build a more inclusive learning environment? Tell us more in the comments below!
Posted by: Makena Neal
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: Teaching Toolkit Ta...
Strategies for Growing Your Online Presence
This tipsheet raises several things to consider when creating and building your online presence and offers ways to get started.
This tipsheet raises several things to consider when creating and building your online presence and offers ways to get started.
Posted by: Kristen Mapes
Posted on: #iteachmsu
How to Build an Online Learning Community (In 2020) https://www.learnworlds.com/build-online-learning-community/ via @learnworlds
Posted by: Rashad Muhammad
Posted on: #iteachmsu
The more educators can treat students as professional learners by providing them with reliable, timely, and accurate information about their progress in a course, the more likely it is that students will persist, thrive, and ultimately succeed in their educational journey.
The typical learning experience in American high schools is an in-person experience that is infused with online tools. Students are regularly required to engage with learning content in online platforms, and they have constant access to their grades, class announcements, and course materials via online and mobile platforms. Given that this is the most common learning experience students have prior to beginning at MSU, it follows that establishing a digital learning environment that mirrors the students’ known processes will create a more seamless transition into the MSU learning ecosystem.
An effective way to support student learning is for educators to use the learning management system as a student-centered academic hub for their course. At MSU, that means using D2L in specific, targeted ways that are intentionally geared toward meeting most students’ needs. In addition to optimizing the students’ experience, this intentional deployment of the learning management system serves to streamline much of the administrative load that is inherent in teaching, thereby simplifying many of the time-consuming tasks that often dominate educator’s lives. Accomplishing this need not require a comprehensive deployment of D2L in your course. In fact, using the LMS in four or five critical ways, and perhaps modifying your practices slightly to facilitate that use, can make a significant difference in students’ perceptions of your course.
1) Use the Grade Book
2) Post a syllabus and a clear schedule
3) Use the announcements tool
4) Distribute materials via D2L
5) (optionally) Use the digital drop box
Click the PDF below for more context on how these five simple steps can maximize the students' experience in your class, and streamline your teaching workflow at the same time.
The typical learning experience in American high schools is an in-person experience that is infused with online tools. Students are regularly required to engage with learning content in online platforms, and they have constant access to their grades, class announcements, and course materials via online and mobile platforms. Given that this is the most common learning experience students have prior to beginning at MSU, it follows that establishing a digital learning environment that mirrors the students’ known processes will create a more seamless transition into the MSU learning ecosystem.
An effective way to support student learning is for educators to use the learning management system as a student-centered academic hub for their course. At MSU, that means using D2L in specific, targeted ways that are intentionally geared toward meeting most students’ needs. In addition to optimizing the students’ experience, this intentional deployment of the learning management system serves to streamline much of the administrative load that is inherent in teaching, thereby simplifying many of the time-consuming tasks that often dominate educator’s lives. Accomplishing this need not require a comprehensive deployment of D2L in your course. In fact, using the LMS in four or five critical ways, and perhaps modifying your practices slightly to facilitate that use, can make a significant difference in students’ perceptions of your course.
1) Use the Grade Book
2) Post a syllabus and a clear schedule
3) Use the announcements tool
4) Distribute materials via D2L
5) (optionally) Use the digital drop box
Click the PDF below for more context on how these five simple steps can maximize the students' experience in your class, and streamline your teaching workflow at the same time.
Posted by: Jeremy Van Hof
Posted on: GenAI & Education
AI Commons Bulletin 2/5/2025
Human-curated news about generative AI for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
📝 Try This: Teach Students How to Direct AI to Write an Entire Paper Well
Zufelt (2025) proposes an A to Z strategy for quality writing, whether done manually or with AI. Students follow stages: Gather & Summarize, Prompt & Draft, Curate, Revise & Edit, Review, and Format, with clear instructions at each step.
Learn More: http://doi.org/10.1177/23294906241309846
🤖 The Education Revolution Through AI
AI holds immense potential in education, offering opportunities for personalized learning, task automation, and adaptive teaching. However, challenges such as bias, ethical concerns, and data privacy must be carefully addressed. Its applications are vast, spanning research, teaching, and course design integration.
Learn More: http://octaedro.com/libro/the-education-revolution-through-artificial-intelligence/
💬 Engage With Your Colleagues to Establish Your Strategy for AI in Teaching and Learning
The BYU theatre education faculty proactively explored AI’s role in their curriculum, adopting a shared perspective of AI as a multiplier to enhance their work. They established and shared a set of values on AI use with students, fostering clarity and alignment.
Learn More: Jensen in ArtsPraxis vol. 11, no. 2, p. 43. http://sites.google.com/nyu.edu/artspraxis/2024/volume-11-issue-2.
🎭 Try This: Make a Discussion of AI Ethics More “Real” For Your Students With Personas
To make ethical AI discussions relatable, create characters representing diverse perspectives on AI’s impact. For each character, detail:
* What they’ve heard or read about AI
* Their direct experiences with AI
* Their opinions and statements about AI
* Actions they’ve taken regarding AI
* Their skill level as an influencer, user, or researcher
Learn More: Prietch, S. S., et al. (2024). http://doi.org/10.47756/aihc.y9i1.142
Bulletin items compiled by MJ Jackson and Sarah Freye with production assistance from Lisa Batchelder. Get the AI-Commons Bulletin on our Microsoft Teams channel, at aicommons.commons.msu.edu, or by email (send an email to aicommons@msu.edu with the word “subscribe”).
Human-curated news about generative AI for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
📝 Try This: Teach Students How to Direct AI to Write an Entire Paper Well
Zufelt (2025) proposes an A to Z strategy for quality writing, whether done manually or with AI. Students follow stages: Gather & Summarize, Prompt & Draft, Curate, Revise & Edit, Review, and Format, with clear instructions at each step.
Learn More: http://doi.org/10.1177/23294906241309846
🤖 The Education Revolution Through AI
AI holds immense potential in education, offering opportunities for personalized learning, task automation, and adaptive teaching. However, challenges such as bias, ethical concerns, and data privacy must be carefully addressed. Its applications are vast, spanning research, teaching, and course design integration.
Learn More: http://octaedro.com/libro/the-education-revolution-through-artificial-intelligence/
💬 Engage With Your Colleagues to Establish Your Strategy for AI in Teaching and Learning
The BYU theatre education faculty proactively explored AI’s role in their curriculum, adopting a shared perspective of AI as a multiplier to enhance their work. They established and shared a set of values on AI use with students, fostering clarity and alignment.
Learn More: Jensen in ArtsPraxis vol. 11, no. 2, p. 43. http://sites.google.com/nyu.edu/artspraxis/2024/volume-11-issue-2.
🎭 Try This: Make a Discussion of AI Ethics More “Real” For Your Students With Personas
To make ethical AI discussions relatable, create characters representing diverse perspectives on AI’s impact. For each character, detail:
* What they’ve heard or read about AI
* Their direct experiences with AI
* Their opinions and statements about AI
* Actions they’ve taken regarding AI
* Their skill level as an influencer, user, or researcher
Learn More: Prietch, S. S., et al. (2024). http://doi.org/10.47756/aihc.y9i1.142
Bulletin items compiled by MJ Jackson and Sarah Freye with production assistance from Lisa Batchelder. Get the AI-Commons Bulletin on our Microsoft Teams channel, at aicommons.commons.msu.edu, or by email (send an email to aicommons@msu.edu with the word “subscribe”).
Posted by: Michele (MJ) Jackson
Posted on: #iteachmsu
"Reflect & Connect: Navigating Life and Work Effectively in Challenging Times" by MSU's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers self-care strategies (such as a 3-breath reset) as well as components of emotional wellness at work. Check out the 2-page PDF attached to learn more!
Posted by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context
Posted on: Teaching Toolkit Ta...
ASK ME ANYTHING with Justin Wigard - Ludic Pedagogy: Teaching with Video Games in the Online Classroom
As part of my ongoing engagement with game studies, I worked with video games in various contexts (popular culture courses, as pedagogical tools, as a mode of research), and regularly teach video games in different classroom formats/contexts (F2F popular culture courses, asynchronous summer courses, etc). Throughout the day, I will be online talking through approaches to teaching games in the online classroom, including but not limited to different methodological approaches (quantitative and qualitative), how to choose the best game for the class, and even some helpful pedagogical strategies for games and access/accessibility.
As part of my ongoing engagement with game studies, I worked with video games in various contexts (popular culture courses, as pedagogical tools, as a mode of research), and regularly teach video games in different classroom formats/contexts (F2F popular culture courses, asynchronous summer courses, etc). Throughout the day, I will be online talking through approaches to teaching games in the online classroom, including but not limited to different methodological approaches (quantitative and qualitative), how to choose the best game for the class, and even some helpful pedagogical strategies for games and access/accessibility.
Posted by: Justin Wigard
Host: CTLI
Make It Count: High-Impact Assessment Feedback in Less Time
This workshop explores strategies for providing feedback that enhances student learning while helping you manage grading time. Participants will learn how to deliver intentional, elaborative feedback and how to prioritize higher-order concerns in written assignments. The session will also introduce educational technology tools and assessment strategies designed to streamline the feedback process. By the end, attendees will walk away with practical techniques to support student growth without increasing workload.
Upon completion of this learning experience, participants will be able to:
describe the role of feedback in promoting student learning
explain the benefits of providing students with intentional, elaborative feedback on multiple-choice questions (MCQs)
differentiate between higher-order and lower-order concerns in feedback on assignments
identify assessment strategies and educational technology tools that assist in time management when providing feedback.
Navigating Context
Host: CTLI
The Educator Exchange Learning Community
The Educator Exchange is intentionally designed to provide protected time and space for meaningful connections about our work and paths as educators. We believe that the best [lifelong] learning occurs when we connect in spaces that affirm our experiences and celebrate our unique perspectives! Our aim is to be a community of practice where you can openly share when things don’t go as expected and brainstorm solutions to challenges, explore teaching practices in different ways, talk through the challenges of educator roles in myriad situations, and cultivate joy in the celebration of each other’s successes. Join The Educator Exchange and rediscover the joy of being part of a caring community dedicated to uplifting one another and making a positive impact in our classrooms, labs, and beyond. This offering is facilitated in collaboration with the Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Development. Check out their website more about MSU's formal Learning Communities [hyperlink: https://ofasd.msu.edu/teaching-learning/learning-communities/]
Upon completion of this learning experience, participants will be able to:
Build connections and foster a supportive community among MSU educators by sharing experiences, challenges, and successes
Exchange innovative teaching strategies and best practices to improve instructional effectiveness
Encourage peer-to-peer learning and reflection to promote professional growth, student engagement, and educator well-being.
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: CTLI
No Surprises: Designing Assignments Students Understand
This workshop introduces the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework as a tool for designing clear, equity-minded assignments. Participants will explore how transparency supports student success, reduce confusion and grading time, and learn how to structure assignments using the Transparent Assignment Design (TAD) model. The session includes strategies to improve student motivation, performance, and clarity around expectations.
Upon completion of this learning experience, participants will be able to:
understand the history of the TILT and it’s related research findings
describe how the TAD framework relates to equitable learning
define transparent assignment design and its key elements (purpose, task, criteria)
apply TAD best practices
identify resources for implementing the TAD framework.
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: CTLI
Introduction to Creating Effective Assessments
This hybrid workshop introduces educators to core strategies for designing effective assessments that support student learning and course goals. Participants will explore various types of assessments, evaluate their alignment with learning objectives, and compare approaches based on course context, including discipline, size, and level. The session will also address the emerging role of generative AI in assessment design, offering insights into both challenges and opportunities in today’s evolving educational landscape.
Upon completion of this learning experience, participants will be able to:
identify various assessments strategies and their types
evaluate whether various assessment types are aligned with a course's objectives
compare different assessment strategies based on course discipline, size, level, and goals
describe the role of generative AI in assessment design.
The in-person location for this session is the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Please join us in the Main Library, Room W207. For directions to W207, please visit the Room Locations page..
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: CTLI
Instructor Jumpstart: Part 2
Join the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CTLI)- in partnership with the Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Development (OFASD)- for a two part introduction to high-level topics related to quality, inclusive teaching at Michigan State University. Each session in “Instructor Jumpstart” is a one-hour, hybrid, presentation, co-facilitated by Drs. Makena Neal and Ellie Louson.
Upon completion of this learning experience, participants will be able to:
participants will be able to identify key principles of quality and inclusive teaching practices at MSU
participants will recognize core strategies for creating an engaging and equitable learning environment
participants will describe foundational concepts related to effective instructional design and inclusive pedagogy.
The in-person location for this session is the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Please join us in the Main Library, Room W207. For directions to W207, please visit the Room Locations page.
Navigating Context
EXPIRED
Host: CTLI
Setting the Tone from the Start
The way a course begins is crucial for educators to establish an environment that fosters engagement, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Join us for a one-hour hybrid workshop where Educator Developers with MSU's Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation will share actionable strategies that lay the groundwork for an engaging and inclusive course experience from day one including items related to syllabi, expectation setting and pedagogical transparency, checking in on learner needs throughout the term, and way to build a sense of classroom community.
In this workshop, we'll delve into practical techniques and approaches educators can employ to create a welcoming and motivating atmosphere that resonates with learners. 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. Whether you're a seasoned educator or just embarking on your teaching journey this academic year, "Setting the Tone from the Start" is designed to equip you with actionable insights that will make a difference in your classroom.
Upon completion of this learning experience, participants will be able to:
learn how to craft an engaging and purposeful course introduction that communicates the course's relevance, objectives, and expectations
discover techniques for fostering an inclusive and supportive learning community, understanding how to encourage peer connections and embrace diverse viewpoints
be equipped with a range of interactive strategies, including icebreakers and technology tools, to effectively engage students and cultivate an active learning environment that persists throughout the course duration.
The in-person location for this session is the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. Please join us in the Main Library, Room W207. For directions to W207, please visit the Room Locations page..
Navigating Context
EXPIRED