Tea For Teaching

Peer observation and peer feedback can be useful resources for faculty professional development. In this episode, Anna Logan, Ann Marie Farrell, and Martina Crehan join us to discuss a cross-institutional, cross-disciplinary peer observation process. Anna is an Associate Professor in the School of Inclusive and Special Education and the former Dean of Teaching and Learning at the Institute of Education, Dublin City University. Ann Marie is an Assistant Professor, also in the School of Inclusive and Special Education at Dublin City University. Martina is Head of Teaching Enhancement Unit at Dublin City University. She has over 20 years experience in professional development and as a curriculum innovator. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Students in math classes often treat math as a set of rules or procedures to be memorized, and do not see it as a creative and powerful way of modeling reality. In this episode, Manuela Manetta and Lori Teague join us to discuss how they have combined dance with math instruction to help students develop a deeper connection to mathematical concepts while also building human connection with their peers. Manuela is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Emory University. She is the recipient of a 2023 Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching Award. Lori is a choreographer and Associate Professor of Dance and Movement Studies at Emory University. They are co-developers of the initiative Mathematics through Movement, and they have taught different types of courses integrating movement into mathematics instruction at Emory. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Providing more autonomy can increase students’ intrinsic motivation. In this episode, Chris Hromalik joins us to discuss ways of increasing student autonomy within the UDL framework. an Assistant Professor of Spanish and Distance Learning Instruction and Design at SUNY Oswego. He is also the Project Manager of the Universal Design for Learning at SUNY Project. In this role he provides Universal Design for Learning professional development across the SUNY system. Chris is also the recipient of a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. His research focuses on UDL as well as statistical analysis on applied linguistics and education. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

There has been a consistent downward trend in the amount of time college students spend reading and completing assignments outside of class. In this episode, Betsy Barre joins us to discuss some strategies that might be used to increase student motivation to engage with assigned coursework. Betsy is an Assistant Provost and the Executive Director of the Center for Advancement of Teaching at Wake Forest University. In 2017 she won, with Justin Esarey, the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education’s Innovation Award for their Course Workload Estimator. Among her many other roles, Betsy is also a Professor in the Department for the Study of Religions. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Faculty often have a teaching persona that they bring to the classroom. In this episode, Liz Norell joins us to discuss the benefits of sharing your authentic self with your students. Liz is a political scientist and the 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. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Building a sense of community is an important component of inclusive teaching. In this episode, Anna Logan and Ann Marie Farrell join us to discuss strategies that can be used to cultivate belonging and increase student engagement in large classes. Anna is an Associate Professor in the School of Inclusive and Special Education and the former Dean for Teaching and Learning at the Institute of Education, Dublin City University. Ann Marie is an Assistant Professor, also in the School of Inclusive and Special Education at Dublin City University. Anna and Ann Marie are both recipients of multiple teaching awards. Since 2018, they have been running an annual Pedagogy for Higher Education Large-classes Symposium. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

AI tools can help faculty improve the quality of their teaching and assist students. In this episode, Dan Levy and Angela Perez Albertos join us to discuss a variety of ways in which ChatGPT can be used to support learning. Dan is an economist and a senior lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard University where he teaches courses in quantitative methods, policy analysis, and program evaluation. Angela is a graduate of the MPA program in International Development at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she currently serves as a Teaching Fellow. Dan and Angela are the authors of Teaching Effectively with ChatGPT.  A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Engaging and motivating students starts but doesn’t end with inclusion. In this episode, Bryan Dewsbury joins us to discuss ways of connecting class content to students’ core values to prepare students to productively engage with their communities as we work with our students to make our disciplines more equitable.  Bryan is an Associate Professor of Biology at Florida International University. He is the Principal Investigator of the Science Education and Society research program, an Associate Director of the STEM Transformational Institute where he directs the Division of Transformative Education, and a Fellow in the John N. Gardner Institute. Bryan is also one of the co-authors of The Norton Guide to Equity-Minded Teaching. He is the developer of a free MOOC on Inclusive Teaching, offered through the HHMI Biointeractive and Science and Education Society. Bryan is a highly regarded keynote speaker and workshop leader. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Learning students’ names can be a challenging, but important, component of inclusive teaching. In this episode, Michelle Miller joins us to discuss evidence-based strategies for learning students’ names.  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 and Remembering and Forgetting in the Age of Technology: Teaching, Learning, and the Science of Memory in a Wired World. Her newest book, A Teacher’s Guide to Learning Students’ Names: Why You Should, Why It’s Hard, How You Can will be released in November from the University of Oklahoma Press. Michelle is also a frequent contributor of articles on teaching and learning in higher education to publications such as The Chronicle of Higher Education. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Students experiencing academic difficulties are often encouraged or required to complete courses to improve their learning skills. In this episode, Andrew Buchmann, David Runge, and Sean Milligan join us to discuss how gamification is transforming one such course for students on academic probation. Andrew, David, and Sean are Academic Success Advisors at SUNY-Oswego. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Faculty have reported a decline in student engagement during the last few years. In this episode, Jed Locquiao joins us to discuss how the use of autonomy-supportive teaching can increase student motivation and engagement. Jed is an Assistant Professor in the Curriculum and Instruction Department here at SUNY Oswego. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Digital storytelling provides students the opportunity to bring their lived experiences into the classroom as creators rather than consumers of knowledge. In this episode, Tom Mackey and Sheila Aird join us to discuss ways digital storytelling can be used to increase student information literacy, critical thinking skills, and to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Tom is a Professor of Arts and Media and Program Coordinator for the BA and BS degrees in Digital Media Arts at SUNY Empire State University. He is the recipient of a 2022 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities and the recipient of several other awards for his teaching and mentoring work. Tom is also the co-author of several books and two MOOCs that focus on metaliteracy. Sheila is an Associate Professor and European Director of International Programs at SUNY’s Empire State University in Prague, in the Czech Republic. Her work broadly focuses on cultural history and public scholarship with a p

A growing number of faculty members participate in the scholarship of teaching and learning, or SoTL. In this episode, Janice Miller-Young and Nancy Chick join us to discuss a new open educational resource designed to assist faculty interested in pursuing SoTL research.  Janice is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and a past Academic Director at the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Alberta. Nancy Chick is the director of the Endeavor Foundation Center for Faculty Development at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Nancy had also served as a Professor of English within the University of Wisconsin System, where she codirected the Teaching Fellows and Scholars Program for all of the system’s 26 campuses. Janice and Nancy have both published extensively on the scholarship of teaching and learning and have each co-authored influential books on SoTL methodologies and signature pedagogies.  A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Higher educational institutions tend to adapt slowly in response to changing cultural, economic, and  technological environments. In this episode,  Kim Scalzo and Jennifer Miller join us to discuss strategies that can be used to help lead productive change initiatives. Kim is the Interim Senior Associate Provost for Digital Innovation and Academic Services, the former Executive Director of Open SUNY and SUNY Online. Jennifer is the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Community College Support at the State University of New York and Executive Director of the New York State Success Center. Kim and Jennifer co-teach a professional development course at the SUNY Center for Professional Development on Leading Change in Higher Education. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

There are few private quiet spaces on most college campuses where students can record podcasts or converse online with counselors or health care providers. In this episode, Michael Revenaugh and Forrest Warner join us to discuss how Hamilton College addressed this by providing students with privacy booths and soundproof recording spaces.  Michael is an instructional designer who specializes in video and audio production at Hamilton College. Forrest Warner is also an instructional designer with a focus on 3D modeling, graphic design, visualization, spatial analysis, and video and audio production, also at Hamilton College. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Most freshman students enter college with little knowledge of evidence-based strategies for successfully navigating the college experience. In this episode, Todd Zakrajsek joins us to discuss a variety of approaches that students can use to more efficiently achieve their learning goals. Todd is an Associate Research Professor and Associate Director of a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also the Director of four Lilly conferences on evidence-based teaching and learning. Todd is the author of many superb books, and has published six books (so far) in the past five years. His most recent book is Essentials of the New Science of Learning. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Socratic teaching is a primary pedagogical technique in American law school education. In this episode, Jamie Abrams joins us to discuss barriers this method can impose and strategies for a more inclusive approach to Socratic teaching. Jamie is a Professor of Law and the Director of the Legal Rhetoric Program at the American University Washington College of Law.  She has published numerous books, chapters, and articles, including several on legal education pedagogy. Jamie is the recipient of teaching awards from Blackboard, the University of Louisville, and the American University Washington College of Law. She also co-founded the Brandeis Human Rights Advocacy Program at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law which works to advance the human rights of immigrants, refugees, and noncitizens. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

When thinking about creativity, many students (and faculty) believe that they are either creative or not. In this episode, Susan Keller-Mathers joins us to discuss how the study of creativity can help us get past this false dichotomy in order to develop our creative thinking skills. Sue is an Associate Professor at the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University.  She teaches graduate courses in creativity and has published over 30 articles, chapters, and books on creativity, creative behavior, and the use of deliberate methods to facilitate creative learning. Sue has worked with multiple departments on her campus and with colleagues in over a dozen countries to help infuse creative learning into teaching and learning practices. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Institutional racism in the form of redlining and unequal access to educational and housing opportunities have left generations of students without equitable access to higher education. In this episode, Anthony Abraham Jack joins us to discuss the challenges that first-gen students face and what colleges and faculty can do to reduce these inequities.  Tony is the Inaugural Faculty Director of the Boston University Newbury Center and Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership at Boston University. Tony’s research has appeared in numerous scholarly publications and he is the recipient of numerous awards from the American Sociological Association, American Educational Studies Association, Association for the Study of Higher Education, Eastern Sociological Society, and the Society for the Study of Social Problems. He is the author of The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students and Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price. A transcript of t

International college students face cultural and financial challenges in addition to those all new college students face. In this episode, Peter Ghazarian and Hayley Weiner join us to discuss strategies institutions might use to support international students.  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. Hayley is a graduate student in the Higher Education Leadership program at SUNY Oswego. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.