Center for Teaching and Learning Blog

MORNING COFFEE CHAT: Teamwork and Diversity (Friday, February 19)

Many of us assign group projects in our classes, but far fewer of us feel comfortable helping students navigate the complex interpersonal dynamics of those groups.  How do we keep them on task? What do we do when conflicts arise? How do we help them respect & value diversity? At this event, Marie Paretti, Associate Professor of Engineering Education and co-director of the Engineering Communications Center at Virginia Tech, will lead an informal discussion on these issues. She will draw on her own research — on communication and collaboration, design education, and identity (race, gender, class, etc.) in engineering — and that of others to share practical strategies for helping students develop and thrive in team environments. This event is being partially sponsored/funded by the Visiting Women & Minority Lecturer/Scholar Series (VWMLS), which is funded by a grant to Institutional Equity & Inclusion from the State of Michigan’s King-Chavez-Parks Initiative. Refreshments will be provided to those who register by Wednesday, February 17th. Click here to register.

LUNCH AND LEARN: Inclusive Classrooms (Tuesday, February 23)

Conscious or unconscious bias, whether based on culture, gender, sexual identity or other factors, can result in diminished learning.  In this session, co-sponsored by the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), we’ll explore ways to avoid and address unintentional bias in a classroom.  Prior to the event, participants will be asked to watch several videos by experienced facilitators and select the most relevant topic for further lunchtime discussion. Topics include the imposter syndrome, underrepresented populations, language use, groupings, example choice, and campus resources for instructors.  Lunch will be provided to those who register by Friday, February 19th. Click here to register.

LUNCHEON: The Rise of Network Scholars – Senenge Andzenge, Guest Presenter (Tuesday, March 15)

Traditionally, scholarship has been disseminated through journals which carry an editorial process that takes as long as a year from submission to publication. In many fast-moving fields, scholars are turning to faster – and sometimes more informal – ways of publicizing their work, including blogs, twitter feeds, and online journals. This change is impacting the way we define academic spaces and engage students in conversations about how to stay current in a field. Senenge T. Andzenge, the Instructional Technology Fellow of Digital Education and Innovation in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota, will share his expertise in this area and lead a discussion on how learning is changing across the academy. Lunch will be provided to those who register by Friday, March 11th. Click here to register.

WORKSHOP: Making Social Media Productive in Learning – Senenge Andzenge, Guest Presenter (Tuesday, March 15)

While social media has a reputation for communicating trivia, Senenge Andzenge is working to find ways to expand classrooms and learning into the broader world using unique social media tools. In this workshop, repeated in the morning and afternoon for your convenience, Senenge will explore two unique low-cost tools that allow classes to productively participate in online (and ongoing) video discussions from mobile devices. These tools could be used for small group, project-based, or full class discussions, and allow students to see facial expressions, hear vocal inflection, and share experiences as they discuss. Refreshments will be available to those who register by Friday, March 11. Register for one of the available sessions: 10-11am Session and a 2-3pm Session.

TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS (February and March) Click below for additional information and registration.

• Splashtop for iPad – Thursday, Feb 18 from 2-3pm
• Explain Everything  – Thursday, Feb 25, from 10-11am
• Panopto Recorder – Thursday, March 17 from 2-3pm
• Nb (Annotation and Discussion Tool) – Tuesday, March 22, from 3-4pm
• Mastery in Modules (Canvas Quizzes/Modules to Support Mastery)- Wednesday, March 23, from 3-4pm

Lunch and Learn —Teaching Technology Tips: (Tuesday, Feb. 26)In this session, we’ll introduce you to a number of technologies currently available free or at very low cost. We’ll discuss how these tools could help you communicate with students, organize course materials, or motivate learning. Follow-up workshops will be scheduled throughout spring semester for each tool demonstrated if you find one you like! Lunch will be provided to those who register by Friday, January 22.  Join us for this event on Tuesday, January 26 from  noon to 1:00pm. Click here to register.

Double Header Coffee Chat (Thursday, Feb. 11) – Two events are scheduled:

#1 From 2-3pm — Body Language in the Classroom: Allie Irwin, a 1989 Michigan Tech alumna in Mechanical Engineering and a certified Science of People consultant, will lead an interactive presentation to help us learn what a student’s body language tells us and how an instructor’s body language affects classroom interactions, student evaluation scores, and learning. Refreshments will be provided to those who register by Monday, February 8th. Click here to register.

#2 From 3:30-4:30pm — Impact of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): The MI-STAR grant, led through Michigan Tech, is on the cutting edge of a nation-wide revolution in how Middle School science is taught. Come learn about the structure of the standards, how middle school teaching will change, and how Michigan Tech will have to adapt for students and classrooms with a very different mindset about STEM education. Refreshments will be provided to those who register by Monday, February 8th. Click here to register.

Coffee Chat —Student Accommodation Process (1/19): More than five percent of Michigan Tech students are now registered for some kind of testing accommodation. This is consistent with national trends, and we will likely see this number continue to grow. In this Coffee Chat, we’ll address common questions surrounding the accommodations process. Discussion will include the process by which students are granted accommodations, established university and recommended classroom policies surrounding accommodations, and ways to minimize extra work associated with this growing student need.   Refreshments will be provided to those who register by Friday, January 15. Join us for this event on Tuesday, January 19 from  3:30pm to 4:30pm. Click here to register.

Lunch and Learn —Teaching Technology Tips (1/26): In this session, we’ll introduce you to a number of technologies currently available free or at very low cost. We’ll discuss how these tools could help you communicate with students, organize course materials, or motivate learning. Follow-up workshops will be scheduled throughout spring semester for each tool demonstrated if you find one you like! Lunch will be provided to those who register by Friday, January 22.  Join us for this event on Tuesday, January 26 from  12:00pm to 1:00pm. Click here to register.