Episodes
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Grading for Growth
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Traditional grading systems provide incentives for students to focus on maximizing their grades, rather than their learning. In this episode, David Clark and Robert Talbert join us to discuss alternative grading systems that encourage students to recognize that learning from mistakes is a normal part of the learning process.
Robert is a Professor of Mathematics at Grand Valley State University and the author of Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty. David is an Associate Professor of Mathematics, also at Grand Valley State University. Robert and David are co-authors of Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices that Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education, which will be published this summer by Stylus Publishing.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Teaching at its Best
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
New faculty often start their faculty roles without training in teaching. In this episode Linda Nilson and Todd Zakrajsek join us to talk about the evolving roles and expectations of faculty and explore the new edition of a classic teaching guide.
Now Director Emeritus, Linda was the Founding Director of the Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation at Clemson University. Todd is an Associate Research Professor and Associate Director of the Faculty Development Fellowship in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Linda and Todd are each individually the authors of many superb books on teaching and learning and now have jointly authored a new edition of a classic guide for faculty.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Nov 16, 2022
Reflect to Deflect
Wednesday Nov 16, 2022
Wednesday Nov 16, 2022
Students experiencing difficulty in challenging courses will sometimes blame their professor, especially when their professor’s identity does not align with the student’s cultural stereotype of who is a professor. In this episode, Melissa Eblen-Zayas joins us to discuss how she uses metacognitive reflection exercises to address student biases.
Melissa is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Astronomy and Physics at Carleton College. Melissa has served as a Director of a teaching center, and has published extensively on a wide variety of topics such as STEM education, student metacognition, and diversity, equity and inclusion. One of her most recent publications is a chapter in Picture a Professor, edited by Jessamyn Neuhaus.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Social Justice Assessments
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Traditional methods of assessing student learning favor those students that reside in well-resourced school districts while leaving low-income students at a substantial disadvantage. These grading systems also encourage students to focus on their grades rather than on their learning. In this episode, Judith Littlejohn, Meghanne Freivald, and Katelyn Prager join us to discuss a variety of social justice assessment techniques that can help to create a more equitable environment in which all students can be successful.
Judie is the Director of Online Learning at SUNY Genesee Community College, Meghanne is an Instructional Technology Specialist at Alfred University, and Katelyn is an Assistant Professor in the English Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Judie, Meghan, and Katelyn worked together on a SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology committee on social justice assessments.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Experiential Learning
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Course content and instructors are often forgotten once a semester concludes. In this episode, Breanna Boppre joins us to discuss how experiential learning can humanize course content and provide meaningful and rich experiences that stick with learners for many years. Bree is an Assistant Professor at Sam Houston State University’s Department of Victim Studies. She is also the author of a chapter in Picture a Professor, edited by Jessamyn Neuhaus.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Deconstructing Assumptions
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Students enter classes with preconceptions about what a professor looks like. In this episode, Jesica Fernandez joins us to discuss a learning activity that can be used at the start of the semester to help confront and deconstruct these assumptions. Jesica is an Assistant Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at Santa Clara University. She is also the author of a chapter in Picture a Professor, edited by Jessamyn Neuhaus.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
Sharing Our Stories
Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
Students do not always recognize the expertise of faculty who do not match their cultural stereotype of what a professor looks like. In this episode, Sarah Mayes-Tang joins us to discuss how she has used personal narratives to address these student biases. Sarah is an Assistant Professor in the Mathematics Department at the St. George Campus of the University of Toronto. She is also the author of a chapter in the Picture a Professor project, edited by Jessamyn Neuhaus.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Teaching Up
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Creating an environment where members of the learning community can be taken seriously as their own authentic selves requires planning. In this episode, Celeste Atkins joins us to discuss how shifts in context, like reframing an assignment, can impact the way people engage with each other and the content.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
ePortfolios
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
As David Wiley has noted, “disposable assignments” often have small impacts on student learning. In this episode Nikki Wilson Clasby joins us to discuss how one campus has used ePortfolios to create authentic learning experiences in their English composition courses.
Nikki is the coordinator of the English Composition Program at SUNY New Paltz
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
Wicked Students
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
Much of the training that students receive in college involves working with well-defined problems that can be resolved using the tools and techniques of a specific discipline. In this episode, Paul Hanstedt joins us to discuss strategies that colleges can use to better prepare students to collaborate on the “wicked problems” they will face in the future.
Paul is the Director of the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning at Washington and Lee University. He is the author of Creating Wicked Students: Designing Courses for a Complex World, General Education Essentials: A Guide for College Faculty, which is about to go into its second edition, and numerous publications related to general education and writing across the curriculum. He has worked with many colleges and universities in revising their general education requirements.
A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.