Teaching for Student Well-being Program

Timeline

This biweekly program, which runs from January 27 to April 30, 2021 is open to all UMN instructors.

Enrollment & Registration

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

Register for Teaching for Student Well-being Program

Format

Blended using Canvas and meeting via Zoom for six synchronous, 60-minute interactive presentations (12:00-1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays: February 3, 17, March 3, 17, 31, and April 14).

Program Overview

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 semester-long online program is for faculty and instructional staff within the University of Minnesota System who wish to explore the answer to these questions.

The format consists of both content to be delivered to participants as well as regular forms of interactivity between participants or with the facilitator. Preparation for a given session may involve a short reading or a response in a discussion post on a Canvas site. In alignment with the President’s and Provost’s focus on student mental health as a top public health issue, by the end of this program, participants will be able to:

  • Identify/examine institutional and individual expectations around supporting student mental health.
  • Recognize the key role instructors play in student mental health.
  • Adopt effective strategies to prevent unnecessary stress without compromising academic rigor and provide reasonable accommodations for all students, including those with mental health challenges.

Schedule/Tentative Topics

Details on how to join the Zoom meetings will be shared with registered participants closer to the start of the program.

Module 1: Teaching for Student Well-Being: An Introduction

  • Facilitated Canvas Module, January 27–February 3  || Zoom Conversation, February 3

Module 2:  Effective Practices in Course and Syllabus Design

  • Facilitated Canvas Module, February 4–17 || Zoom Conversation, February 17

Module 3: Universal Design for Learning Strategies

  • Facilitated Canvas Module, February 18–March 3 || Zoom Conversation, March 3

Module 4: Empirically-Based Instructional Strategies and Behaviors

  • Facilitated Canvas Module, March 4–March 17 || Zoom Conversation, March 17

Module 5:  Grading Practices and Policies

  • Facilitated Canvas Module, March 18–31 || Zoom Conversation, March 31

Module 6:  Trauma-Informed Pedagogy and Equity

  • Facilitated Canvas Module, April 1- 14  || Zoom Conversation, April 14
  • Final project due April 30

Successful completion 

Participants who participate in a minimum of four of the six Zoom sessions, are active in weekly online discussion forums, and who complete a brief final reflection highlighting a new or revised teaching strategy will receive a letter of completion following their participation in the program.

Questions? 

Contact Mary Jetter