Let's Talk Teaching

Mid-semester means midterm grade reporting-- a task that some instructors view with mixed emotions, at best. But timely feedback to students is critical for their learning. And the grade submission process can help academic support staff intercede when students show signs of struggling. Amy Roser of University College joins Jim to discuss how the reimagined "Early Alert" grades are designed to standardize the experience for instructors while optimizing feedback for students. They explore just why changes were made, what academic support staff do with the information, and how Illinois State is including more students in the process. Plus, they have advice for instructors who feel that they haven't given enough grades to warrant a report, yet.

Instructors officially adopted Canvas at Illinois State this fall. It replaces ReggieNet, which served students and teachers for more than a decade. As we wrap up the first semester of instruction with Canvas, Jim Gee sits down with Allison Hauser, Alyssa Herman, and Nichol Brown—three colleagues who helped to shepherd faculty members through the process. They discuss the major differences between the platforms, the hidden gems that make teaching easier, and advice for taking your Canvas course sites to the next level in the new year.

The pace of AI development and innovation shows no signs of slowing, and the only thing for sure is that the academy will never be the same. We follow up on our conversation from earlier this year with Dr. Jennifer Friberg and David Giovagnoli on the current state of generative AI in higher education. Joining them is Dr. Roy Magnuson, professor of music and a current Provost Fellow tackling this important issue. The three of them, along with host Jim Gee, discuss how these types of artificial intelligences have transformed in just a few months, how it all works on the most basic of levels, and how AI is impacting the way we teach and the way our students learn. They also explore opportunities for rethinking how we design and deliver our courses, and they end with some advice for instructors as they prepare their next semester’s worth of courses.

Dr. Jennifer Friberg joins Jim Gee to explore how instructors new to Illinois State University can get started developing their teaching and other skills, while still balancing all of their new obligations. They talk about the challenges of course design for someone new on the job, how new instructors can find their place (and their voice) in their department, and the many services for both new and early career faculty available through the Center for Integrated Professional Development.

As summer break winds down, we pause and take a glance behind to get a sense of the road ahead. Dr. Jennifer Friberg, the Center's director of scholarly teaching and the Cross Endowed Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, joins Jim to talk about teaching in the coming academic year. They explore the idea that we may always be "pandemic adjacent," in terms of the COVID-19 years' impact on student learning and how it has informed how we conduct classes. We discuss how issues with student engagement, attendance, and emergent AI tools is causing us to rethink our teaching strategies.

New teaching tool or machine menace? ChatGPT and other A.I.-generated content services have been in the hot topic of discussion in academia in the start of 2023. Our director of scholarly teaching, Dr. Jennifer Friberg, and our coordinator for scholarly teaching, David Giovagnoli, weigh in. We explore strategies for instructors looking to spot A.I.-generated materials in students' work. We also unpack how it works, its strengths and (at least for now) weaknesses, and how teachers can get ahead of the game by making use of these services in their teaching, now.

Like any successful public university, Illinois State relies on a corps of graduate teaching assistants as a part of its overall mission of teaching and learning. In this episode, Jim is joined again by David Giovagnoli, the Center's Coordinator for Scholarly Teaching and Learning, to explore the many professional development opportunities available for both graduate students with teaching assignments and for those who aspire to teach in the academy. The also talk about the particular challenges that face both master's and doctoral-level GAs, and some strategies to help them connect with and support the undergraduates in their charge.

We often talk about respecting our diverse student population and creating a welcoming, inclusive learning environment. But sometimes, as instructors, our own fear of looking stupid or out-of-touch can cause us to stumble upon the path. In this episode, Jim is joined by David Giovagnoli, the Center's new Coordinator for Scholarly Teaching and Learning, to talk about two opportunities for faculty and staff to become versed in LGBTQ+ terminology and perspectives. In fact, they start with a frank discussion about how the very term "LBGTQ+" and its many variations can pose a challenge. They also talk about the best ways to invite students to share their pronouns without making them feel like they have to come out unwillingly. They then explore the new Safe Zone workshop developed by David, based in part on the national program but customized for university faculty and staff. And for those who wish a deeper dive into the topic, they preview the newly developed Queer Allyship learning community, which launches this fall.

We plunge into a new academic year, taking a deep dive through classroom climate and culture, one of the dimensions which makes up the Framework for Inclusive Teaching Excellence. A positive classroom culture isn't only about fostering respect in students for their peers' ideas-- it's about creating a balance of expectations and interactions which allows the instructor to apply their pedagogy in rewarding ways for both their students and themselves. Jen and Jim explore these ideas in the context of both long-term, thoughtful approaches to our development as teachers (e.g., "How do I develop a truly useful, impactful teaching philosophy?") and through a more pragmatic lens which acknowledges the tyranny of the calendar (e.g., "Holy crap! The semester starts on Monday!").

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology is transforming, and with its new mission comes a new name… and new opportunities for instructors at Illinois State University. CTLT is now the Center for Integrated Professional Development, a hub which combines transformative teaching practices, scholarship, and career advancement under one metaphorical roof. These are changes a long-time in the planning. Dr. Aondover Tarhule, Illinois State’s vice president of academic affairs and provost, joins Jim and Yojanna to discuss the goals of the reimagined unit and his vision for the future of online education at Illinois State. They explore how many of the improvements planned for the Center are based on an in-depth study of both faculty and student needs. They unpack what the term “integrated” means when taking holistic approach to professional development for faculty, staff, and graduate students.

Dr. Jennifer Friberg and Dr. Dana Karraker join Jim to preview CTLT's Summer Institute 2022. They talk about design workshops, including some new opportunities centered on the scholarship of teaching and learning. They also discuss this year's Teaching Scholars-in-Residence and share ideas on how to approach professional development after a two summers' worth of pandemic.

A large group of faculty, staff, and students are picking Illinois State's next learning management system. In this episode, Dr. Yojanna Cuenca-Carlino and Dr. Rosie Hauck join Jim to talk about the process of replacing ReggieNet.

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology is on a journey of change. It's been a long road, and there's still more road ahead, but soon, a lot of behind-the-scenes planning will come to the forefront for the entire Illinois State University campus. Dr. Yojanna Cuenca-Carlino is the Assistant Vice President for Faculty Development, Diversity, and Learning. She gives a preview of what a new CTLT will look like and how these changes will affect faculty, staff, and students.

Share your passion for teaching while learning the ins and outs of faculty professional development. Dr. Jen Friberg joins us to discuss CTLT's 2022 Teaching Scholar-in-Residence program. This unique opportunity will bring up to three Illinois State faculty members on board to deliver in-depth programming as a part of our Summer Institute. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage in scholarship about the teaching and learning topic of their choice.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty at Illinois State can take advantage of an exciting opportunity from the Office of the Provost and the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. NCFDD's Faculty Success Program is an intensive, twelve-week online experience which helps faculty find new direction in their careers and strike a balance between their work-life, home-life, and overall wellbeing. We dive in-depth with what the program can provide with two colleagues who experienced it firsthand, Dr. Susan Hildebrandt and Dr. Jeongae Kang, both of the Department of Special Education. Plus, Dr. Yojanna Cuenca-Carlino joins us to explain how faculty can apply for a special scholarship to pay for this workshop experience.

It's survey season... but if there's one survey you do take this spring, be sure to check out COACHE. Illinois State has partnered with the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education, based in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, to implement a comprehensive assessment of faculty work-lives. In this brief episode, Dr. Yojanna Cuenca-Carlino joins us to discuss how the survey works and what Illinois State plans to do with this important data. Faculty members should keep an eye on their campus email for an announcement and an invitation to participate in the survey starting in February of 2022.

Connections can make all the difference when it comes to student success. Evidence shows that authentic learning, and authentic assessment of learning, can be achieved more successfully when there's a rapport between teacher and learner, between learners, and between learners and what they need to learn. But how do you pull that off? In January, hundreds of instructors, support staff, and graduate students will come together (both physically and virtually) to search for answers. In this episode, CTLT director Dr. Jennifer Friberg and faculty developer Dr. Dana Karraker join Jim to discuss the upcoming 2022 University-Wide Teaching & Learning Symposium. The theme-- Listen, Encourage, Inspire, Challenge: Building a Relationship-Rich Campus. Learn about the unique perspectives represented by this year's two keynote presenters and how this year's event will blend the best of both online and face-to-face modalities. The Symposium is free for all ISU faculty, staff, and graduate students. Register for the event by December 17, 2021, at prodev.illinoisstate.edu/Symposium.

What does it take to create a truly powerful online learning experience for our students? A year of remote instruction thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic has left many more of us in a position to better appreciate that question. For this episode, Jim is joined by two colleagues from CTLT: Linda Summers is the coordinator for Blended and Online Learning, and Dr. Steve Travers is the coordinator for Student Success Initiatives. Together, they examine how a quality online course differs in both design and delivery from the more "just in time" experiences necessitated during the pandemic. Linda and Steve showcase two CTLT professional development programs, DART Online and TOP. They also discuss other, less involved learning opportunities for instructors who want to teach blended or online content.

We return to face-to-face classroom instruction at Illinois State for the fall of 2021, but with a twist. Students and instructors will have to wear face coverings. How do we make masks work? Jim is joined by CTLT's director, Dr. Jennifer Friberg, who is also a speech pathologist by training. They discuss how a little piece of cloth can cause some big challenges when it comes to communicating clearly in class. Jen provides some tips for adjusting our environments and our approaches to speaking to maximize understanding. They also explore ways to take students "emotional temperature" now that their faces are being obscured.

Students don't have to feel like they're "teaching themselves" when taking an online, asynchronous course. Dr. Hulda Black, an associate professor in the College of Business, joins us to highlight ways to make communication work through course design, establishing habits, and timely feedback. She and Jim Gee discuss in importance of creating a "rhythm" through scheduled communications, including announcements through ReggieNet and weekly videos to explain learning goals and give general feedback on student work to the class. They also discuss how to approach office hours using meeting tools like Zoom.