CTL Happenings - Message #409

Rubrics make grading consistent and speedy, and increase the transparency of assignments to students. Rubrics also make concrete a course’s and assignment’s learning objectives, which helps students become critical thinkers and to assess their own work. In this webinar, participants will learn basic principles to streamline the creation of effective rubrics and will think about ways to use rubrics as a foundational element of teaching and learning practice. Participants will evaluate and discuss the merits of sample rubrics.

Complete listing of upcoming Teaching@IUPUI webinars here.

Good assessment practices include checking students’ learning on a regular basis during the learning experience. They provide faculty with feedback on what, how much, and how well their students are learning. Instructors can use this feedback to modify their teaching to improve student learning. It helps students reflect on their learning and identify gaps in their knowledge. In this webinar, participants will learn the difference between formative and summative assessment as well as how to implement formative assessment techniques in different teaching contexts and disciplines. Questions and discussion will be encouraged.

In this webinar, the IUPUI CyberLab team will introduce CN ePortfolio, a tool invented and developed here at IU. This LinkedIn-style ePortfolio is easy to use. In addition to networking, CN ePortfolio supports badging and micro credentialing, empowers students to showcase and reflect on their experiences, and promotes competency-based learning. Take a look at an example here.(opens in new tab)

CN ePortfolio is available to all IU users through Canvas. Students have free, lifelong access. This webinar will introduce several unique features that the CN ePortfolio offers: a visual resume, badges and certificates, Showcases, skill tags, content archiving, and more. The team will present real student ePortfolios and offer ideas for implementing the ePortfolio into learning communities, first year seminars, capstones, and courses for career preparation.

This session provides TILT Pilot participants with an opportunity to receive feedback on assignments they have or will revise to implement in either summer or fall 2018. Participants should bring three copies of their assignment(s) to the session. More information about the Transparency in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (TILT Higher Ed) project is available here(opens in new tab).

Diversity and inclusion play an important role in promoting student learning. Today’s college students are increasingly diverse compared to prior generations.  Traditional teaching strategies have also been shown to lead to lower academic achievement for under-served students compared to majority students even when differences in GPA and other factors are controlled for. By considering the diversity of the classroom and implementing equitable teaching strategies, instructors can increase student learning and sense of belonging for all students, not just those who are under-served. In this webinar, participants will learn how to leverage student diversity and incorporate inclusive teaching strategies in their classrooms. Questions and discussion will be encouraged.

Save the Date, TA Orientation:  August 16, 2018

Will you be a new graduate teaching assistant (TA) in fall 2018 and/or spring 2019? Register for the 2018 TA Orientation to learn about the expectations and responsibilities of your new position, and develop strategies to confidently and effectively interact with faculty and undergraduate students. Click here for more information and registration details(opens in new tab).

Apply for a FACET/Mack Center Travel Grant for Fall 2018 travel: FACET & The Mack Center for Inquiry on Teaching and Learning offer travel grants to faculty presenting SoTL work at a conference. The deadline for Fall 2018 grant proposals is July 1, 2018.  

Mack Fellows join the community of Mack Center SoTL scholars. Fellows not only work on their own research with the mentorship of the community, but also have additional opportunities for collaborating on additional research projects. The call for proposals is  posted on the FACET website. Click here for more information on Mack Fellow Proposals. 

The 23nd Annual Facet Associate Faculty and Lecturer Conference (FALCON) will take place on November 9-10, 2018, at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre. The theme is Successful Strategies for Student Engagement: Sometimes it’s the little things . Gwynn Mettetal, IU South Bend, Chancellor’s Professor of Psychology and Education and founding Director of the University Center for Excellence in Teaching, will give the Robin Hass-Birky Keynote. On Friday evening, a plenary will be given by Ange Cooksey, Senior Lecturer Humanities and Coordinator of the Philosophy Program.   Click here for FALCON 2018 Registration. 

There are a variety of ways faculty, staff, and administrators can enhance their knowledge and share their expertise in global and intercultural learning this year. The Office of International Affairs has a small fund available to offset a portion of the associated costs of these professional development opportunities.

For information about the opportunities, click here: http://international.iupui.edu/global-learning/grants

For information about funding, contact Dr. Leslie A. Bozeman, Director of Curriculum Internationalization lbozeman@iupui.edu.

LaGier, M.J., Using assignment choice to promote course relevancy. Faculty Focus, https://goo.gl/hcaEgQ

Giving students options in assignments to encourage them to connect course topics to their own interests is a good way to increase motivation and engagement. In this article, the author shares the way he has incorporated choice into his microbiology course.