Tea For Teaching

Faculty often struggle to reduce equity gaps and to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion in their classes. In this episode, Courtney Plotts joins us to discuss course design strategies to increase transparency and to allow students to express and share their own cultural identities as part of an inclusive class community. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

During the past decade, public confidence in education has been declining. In this episode, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. joins us to discuss his new book that provides a compelling narrative of the value of education in transforming lives. Chancellor King  has a long history of involvement with education. After graduating from Harvard, he acquired a Master's degree from Teacher’s College at Columbia University and taught high school social studies. He later co-founded Roxbury Preparatory Charter School and served as a co-Director for five years. Under his leadership, students in this school attained the highest scores of any urban middle school in the state and closed the racial achievement gap. After acquiring his doctoral degree from Columbia and a law degree from Yale, Dr. King served as New York State’s Education Commissioner from 2011 to 2014. He left NY for a while to work in the Obama administration as Deputy Secretary of Education from 2015 to 2016 and joined Obama’s Cabinet as Secretary of Educat

One of the challenges facing faculty, staff, and administrators is keeping up with the continuous flow of email. In this episode, Robert Talbert joins us to discuss strategies to efficiently handle email so we can allocate time to other essential tasks.  Robert is a Professor of Mathematics at Grand Valley State University and the author of Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty and a co-author of Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices that Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Student feedback is important to improving teaching, but may not be aligned with evidence-based teaching practices. In this episode, Lauren Barbeau and Claudia Cornejo Happel join us to discuss a midterm student feedback instrument focused on critical teaching behaviors, an AI-assisted tool for analysing the feedback, and strategies for debriefing with students.  Lauren is the Assistant Director for Learning and Technology Initiatives at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Claudia is the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Lauren and Claudia are the authors of Critical Teaching Behaviors: Defining, Documenting, and Discussing Good Teaching as well as a whole series of other resources related to this book. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Undergraduate math courses, as traditionally taught, often serve as barriers to entry into many STEM disciplines. In this episode, Aris Winger joins us to discuss strategies that can increase student success and reduce equity gaps in student outcomes in these classes. Aris is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Georgia Gwinnett College. His current areas of interest include equity in mathematics education, culturally responsive teaching, and social justice mathematics. He is a co-author of the book series Advocating for Students of Color in Mathematics and is the Executive Director of the National Association of Mathematicians. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Student use of generative AI tools as a substitute for learning has led to increased concerns about academic dishonesty. In this episode, Tricia Bertram Gallant and David A. Rettinger join us to discuss why students might use these tools and strategies instructors can use to encourage academic integrity. Tricia is the Director of the Academic Integrity Office at UC San Diego and Board Emeritus for the International Center for Academic Integrity. David is an Applied Professor and Undergraduate Program Director in the Psychology Department at the University of Tulsa. He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Mary Washington, where he directed Academic Integrity Programs and the Center for Honor, Leadership, and Service. David is also President Emeritus of the International Center for Academic Integrity. Tricia and David are the authors or co-authors of numerous articles, books, and book chapters on academic integrity. Their most recent book, The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching for Integrity in the Age of A

Primary sources can often feel irrelevant and difficult to navigate for students. In this episode, Jessamyn Neuhaus joins us to discuss how student-created photographs can provide a personalized learning experience and foster a deeper connection to history and the university archives.  Jessamyn is the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and Professor in the School of Education at Syracuse University. Prior to this, she served as Director of the SUNY Plattsburgh Center for Teaching Excellence and was also a Professor in the History Department at SUNY Plattsburgh. Jessamyn is the author of Geeky Pedagogy: a Guide for Intellectuals, Introverts, and Nerds Who Want to be Effective Teachers and the editor of Picture a Professor: Interrupting Biases about Faculty and Increasing Student Learning. See is also the editor of Teaching History: A Journal of Methods. Jessamyn also regularly serves as keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found

Throughout human history, we have relied on technology to make our work easier. In this episode, Michelle Miller joins us to discuss how to foster students’ critical thinking skills in the age of AI. Michelle is a Professor of Psychological Sciences and President’s Distinguished Teaching Fellow at Northern Arizona University.  She is the author of Minds Online: Teaching Effectively with Technology, Remembering and Forgetting in the Age of Technology: Teaching, Learning, and the Science of Memory in a Wired World and A Teacher’s Guide to Learning Students’ Names: Why You Should, Why It’s Hard, How You Can. Michelle is also a frequent contributor of articles on teaching and learning in higher education to a variety of publications including The Chronicle of Higher Ed. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Many students use generative AI tools to complete writing assignments. In this episode, John Warner joins us to discuss what may be lost when they do so. John has twenty years of experience teaching college writing at five different institutions and is the author of 8 books encompassing a wide variety of topics including political humor, short stories, and a novel, including Why They Can’t Write: Killing the Five-Paragraph Essay and Other Necessities. He writes a weekly column on books for the Chicago Tribune and an associated newsletter, The Biblioracle Recommends. John is also a contributing writer to Inside Higher Ed. His most recent book is More than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Writing is often perceived as a solitary activity, but this may lead to a sense of isolation. In this episode, Rachael Cayley, Fiona Coll, and Dan Newman join us to discuss the benefits of writing in community. Rachael is an Associate Professor in the Graduate Centre for Academic Communication at the University of Toronto. Before joining the University of Toronto, she worked as an editor at Oxford University Press. Fiona is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education & Practice and at the Graduate Centre for Academic Communication. Fiona had earlier been one of our colleagues at SUNY-Oswego. Dan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English and the Director of Graduate Writing Support in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, also at the University of Toronto. Rachael, Fiona, and Dan  are the editors of Writing Together: Building Social Writing Opportunities for Graduate Students, which was recently released by the University of Michigan Press. A tran

Most faculty receive limited information on legal issues associated with their role. In this episode, Kent Kauffman joins us to discuss a new resource he created to help educate faculty on their legal rights, responsibilities, and liabilities. Kent is an Associate Professor of Business Law and MBA Program’s Faculty Liaison in the Department of Economics and Finance at Purdue University. He is also the author of Navigating Choppy Waters: Key Legal Issues College Faculty Need to Know. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

The number of high school graduates in the U.S. is expected to decline for several years. In this episode, Peter Ghazarian joins us to discuss the experiences of higher ed institutions in Korea and Japan, which have recently experienced similar reductions in college enrollments. Peter is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership in the School of Education at SUNY Oswego. He has worked in international education in the US, UK, Germany, and Korea. Peter’s work focuses on higher education, leadership, public policy, multiculturalism, and human migration. He is the author of a very recent article on higher education and an aging population in the U.S. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Many students experience challenges transitioning from high school to college. In this episode, Beckie Supiano joins us to discuss changes in the K-12 environment that impact student preparation for college. Beckie is a senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education. She began her work at The Chronicle as an intern in 2008 and is a co-author, with Beth McMurtrie of The Chronicle’s Teaching Newsletter. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Generative AI tools have made it easy to create custom chatbots. In this episode, JeVaughn Lancaster joins us to discuss the process of creating chatbots and some potential uses in higher education. JeVaughn is the Manager of Instructional Design at Lynn University. JeVaughn’s work using generative AI to support effective course design resulted in a Best in Track award at the 2024 OLC Innovate Conference. Some of her more recent work on this topic was presented at the OLC Accelerate Conference in November 2024. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Many attempts at influencing adolescent behavior fail. In this episode, David S. Yeager joins us to the use of a mentor mindset by faculty members can  increase student motivation and academic success.  David is the Raymond Dixon Centennial Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, and a co-founder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth and Greg Walton on interventions that influence adolescent behaviors. David has served as a consultant for Google, Microsoft, Disney and the World Bank, and is the recipient of over 15 awards for his work in social, developmental, and educational psychology. He has published extensively in scholarly publications, and his research has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, CNN, Fox News, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and many, many other places. David and Carol Dweck and others have also created a MasterCl

Authentic learning experiences help to create intrinsic motivation for students. In this episode, Julia Koeppe, Bonnie Hall, Paul Craig, and Rebecca Roberts join us to discuss BASIL, a course-based undergraduate research experience in Chemistry that has been implemented in many institutions. Julia is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Chemistry Department here at SUNY-Oswego. Bonnie is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Chemistry & Physics Department at Grand View University. Paul is a Professor in the School of Chemistry and Material Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Rebecca is a Professor in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program in the Department of Biology at Ursinus College. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Class discussions of public policy issues can be challenging in our politically polarized environment. In this episode, Lauren C. Bell, Allison Rank, and Carah Ong Whaley join us to discuss a new resource that suggests a variety of strategies that encourage students to address their differences and to engage productively in civic engagement projects.   Allison is an Associate Professor of American Politics and chair of the Department of Politics here at SUNY-Oswego. Lauren is the inaugural James L. Miller Professor of Political Science and Associate Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs at Randolf-Macon College. Carah is the Vice President of Election Protection at Issue One and is a co-chair of the American Political Science Association’s Civic Engagement section and a member of the APSA’s Civic Engagement Committee. Allison, Lauren, and Carah are editors of Civic Pedagogies: Teaching Civic Engagement in an Era of Divisive Politics, which was recently released by Springer. A transcript of this episode and sh

Faculty members often design and revise courses with limited direct feedback from students. In this episode, Laurel Willingham-McLain and Jacques Safari Mwayaona join us to discuss a program in which faculty work with trained student consultants to improve the student learning experience.  Laurel is a consulting faculty developer at the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at Syracuse University. Jacques is a Faculty Development Fellow, also at Syracuse University. Laurel and Jacques both work with the Students Consulting on Teaching program at Syracuse University. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

In November 2024, we moderated a panel at the OLC Accelerate Conference that used the universal design for learning (or UDL) framework to consider the impact generative AI has on equity and access. This episode is the live recording of this session. The panelists were: Liz Norell, Sherri Restauri, and Thomas J. Tobin.  Liz is a political scientist and Associate Director of Instructional Support at the University of Mississippi Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. She is also the author of The Present Professor: Authenticity and Transformational Teaching, which has recently been released as part of the Oklahoma University series on teaching and learning. Sherri is a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Coastal Carolina University, having recently left administration in her role overseeing digital learning and access. She has been working in the field of digital and online learning for 24 years and now runs an educational consulting business to provide support to educational companies an

Educators at all levels have raised concerns about growing student disengagement. In this episode, Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson join us to discuss their new book, The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better, which examines the causes of, and possible solutions, to this problem. Rebecca is the Director of the Center for Universal Education at Brookings, where she leads global studies on how to better support children’s learning, and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Jenny is an award-winning journalist who spent over a decade at The New York Times before pioneering coverage on the science of learning at Quartz. She now writes a column on education in Time.  A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.