Events

Welcome to the April edition of Pedagogical Innovations Journal Club.

While there have been growing calls to understand and support rural student success in higher education, rural students' experiences remain largely misunderstood. In this article, the authors employ an integrative literature review method to synthesize existing literature on rural students' experiences and persistence in higher education. Author Ty McNamee will be joining us to summarize this research and discuss its findings with participants.

The challenges of teaching can feel difficult to manage by ourselves. How can a focus on community help us strategize and sustain our teaching craft for the long term? In this interactive workshop, participants will learn about the meanings and purposes of teaching communities and identify ways to build our teaching communities to support a sustainable, and sometimes joyful, teaching practice.

This session will not be recorded, but materials will be shared following its completion.

Ever feel like you've had superb training in your discipline, but little preparation for the student mental health challenges facing educators today? Or that you'd like a chance to discuss in-depth how course design and teaching practices affect student well-being and learning? This two session online program is for faculty and instructional staff within the University of Minnesota System who wish to explore the answers to these questions. This program takes place on May 9 and 10, 2024.

Module One (Thursday, May 9, 2024: 9:00 - 11:00 am)
Module Two (Friday, May 10, 2024: 9:00 - 11:00 am)

Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis and will be capped at 60 participants. Early registration is encouraged.

Ever feel like you've had superb training in your discipline, but little preparation for the student mental health challenges facing educators today? Or that you'd like a chance to discuss in-depth how course design and teaching practices affect student well-being and learning? This two session online program is for faculty and instructional staff within the University of Minnesota System who wish to explore the answers to these questions. This program takes place on May 11 and 12, 2023.

Module One (Thursday, May 9, 2024: 9:00 - 11:00 am)
Module Two (Friday, May 10, 2024: 9:00 - 11:00 am)

Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis and will be capped at 60 participants. Early registration is encouraged.

During the week of 13 May 2024, this 5-day synchronous, 9am – noon, Zoom-based seminar will include discussions, guest presentations, and work time to support instructors in (re)designing a comprehensive course assessment plan based on course learning aims.

Registration is open system-wide to full-time University instructors, with a limited number of openings also for graduate students who are teachers of record for at least one class during the Fall 2024 semester.

Please complete the application form by 4pm on Tuesday, April 30th. We'll send acceptance notifications on Monday, May 6th.

You may email Ilene Alexander (alexa032@umn.edu) with questions about the May 2024 Assessment Deep Dive Seminar.

During the week of 13 May 2024, this 5-day synchronous, 9am – noon, Zoom-based seminar will include discussions, guest presentations, and work time to support instructors in (re)designing a comprehensive course assessment plan based on course learning aims.

Registration is open system-wide to full-time University instructors, with a limited number of openings also for graduate students who are teachers of record for at least one class during the Fall 2024 semester.

Please complete the application form by 4pm on Tuesday, April 30th. We'll send acceptance notifications on Monday, May 6th.

You may email Ilene Alexander (alexa032@umn.edu) with questions about the May 2024 Assessment Deep Dive Seminar.

During the week of 13 May 2024, this 5-day synchronous, 9am – noon, Zoom-based seminar will include discussions, guest presentations, and work time to support instructors in (re)designing a comprehensive course assessment plan based on course learning aims.

Registration is open system-wide to full-time University instructors, with a limited number of openings also for graduate students who are teachers of record for at least one class during the Fall 2024 semester.

Please complete the application form by 4pm on Tuesday, April 30th. We'll send acceptance notifications on Monday, May 6th.

You may email Ilene Alexander (alexa032@umn.edu) with questions about the May 2024 Assessment Deep Dive Seminar.

During the week of 13 May 2024, this 5-day synchronous, 9am – noon, Zoom-based seminar will include discussions, guest presentations, and work time to support instructors in (re)designing a comprehensive course assessment plan based on course learning aims.

Registration is open system-wide to full-time University instructors, with a limited number of openings also for graduate students who are teachers of record for at least one class during the Fall 2024 semester.

Please complete the application form by 4pm on Tuesday, April 30th. We'll send acceptance notifications on Monday, May 6th.

You may email Ilene Alexander (alexa032@umn.edu) with questions about the May 2024 Assessment Deep Dive Seminar.

During the week of 13 May 2024, this 5-day synchronous, 9am – noon, Zoom-based seminar will include discussions, guest presentations, and work time to support instructors in (re)designing a comprehensive course assessment plan based on course learning aims.

Registration is open system-wide to full-time University instructors, with a limited number of openings also for graduate students who are teachers of record for at least one class during the Fall 2024 semester.

Please complete the application form by 4pm on Tuesday, April 30th. We'll send acceptance notifications on Monday, May 6th.

You may email Ilene Alexander (alexa032@umn.edu) with questions about the May 2024 Assessment Deep Dive Seminar.

This event is part of the Teaching of Enrichment Series.

Discussions are a traditional teaching/learning method that ideally promote active learning, peer learning, critical thinking, and problem solving. In this session learn how to structure discussions effectively to meet these important goals.

This event is part of the Teaching of Enrichment Series.

Students and instructors feel more stress now than ever before. Join us to explore concrete, empirically-based strategies that support student mental health and well-being. We will discuss how you can reduce stress in your educational setting, including areas of course climate and belonging, pedagogical strategies, managing cognitive load, and planning your course policies in the future.

This event is part of the Teaching of Enrichment Series.

Are you new to Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and wondering how to integrate them into your fall courses? In this workshop, participants will consider how Generative AI tools align with their teaching goals, how they might leverage these tools for assignments, and how course policies like academic integrity may need to be reconsidered. The workshop will also outline a range of potential risks and ethical implications when using AI tools. We'll discuss issues related to bias, privacy, copyright, and misinformation, while exploring opportunities for students to build new AI literacies.

This event is part of the Teaching of Enrichment Series.

In this webinar, we'll focus on sharpening your skills in student assessment and feedback. Facilitators will share effective practices for student assessment with a focus on using Canvas to set clear grading expectations and offer constructive feedback. We'll also explore how generative AI tools can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your assessment strategies.

This event is part of the Teaching of Enrichment Series.

In this interactive online session, new teaching assistants will be introduced to university resources for teaching, and will reflect on and discuss teaching strategies, roles, and responsibilities. Participants will be introduced to key policies around FERPA*, working with students with disabilities, and responsibilities in reporting Title IX violations, among others. All participants will learn from each other by talking through responses to potential challenging moments in the classroom.

Note: For comprehensive FERPA training contact Academic Support Resources.

Grading exams and problem sets can quickly consume your life, but it doesn't have to! In this hands-on webinar for teaching assistants, participants will learn how to effectively use rubrics and answer keys to save time and be more consistent in their grading.

Designing and Delivering Online Learning will help you explore and make plans to implement effective pedagogical practices in your online courses. This four module seminar is open to faculty and instructors systemwide and will be delivered completely online, making use of Canvas activities and incorporating Zoom. The four Zoom meetings will be held on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 pm between September 23 and October 24, 2024. You can expect to spend between 10 and 15 hours on seminar activities during the entirety of the program.