Welcome to our October newsletter! While you enjoy the colors of another beautiful autumn in Madison, we hope you find time to read and enjoy this month’s newsletter, which includes updates, and multiple ways of staying connected with the Teaching Academy.
This month
We highlight an exciting range of professional learning opportunities from Academy members working across diverse areas of our campus. We invite you to revisit the Academy’s Fall Retreat on Ableism, Disability and Inclusive Practices. We share news and events from the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring. And, new for October 2021, the newsletter comes to you in an updated visual format!
Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact Dan Pell, Editor dan.pell@wisc.edu. Trouble viewing this email? Open in Google Docs: Teaching Academy October Newsletter
Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?
Details and registration will be shared later for two upcoming Teaching Academy events:
Members Only Roundtable (MoR): “Doing more with less (time/energy/etc.): An opportunity to share our tips and tricks from the past two years.”
- Save the Date! Friday, December 10, from 2:30–4pm. VIRTUAL EVENT. Exact title to be confirmed.
Teaching Academy Winter Retreat
- Save the Date! Friday, February 4, 2022 from 9–11am.
Welcome! | Recognizing our new members
These individuals have been recently recognized for their outstanding commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. Welcome to the Teaching Academy!
Fellows
Ajay Sethi, Population Health, Franklin Hobbs, Material Science and Engineering, Sandrine Pell, Collaborative Language Program
Affiliates
Reba Luiken, Horticulture, Roberta Pawlak, Nursing, Khasan Redjaboev, Political Science, Becca Beets, Life Sciences Communication
ExComm seeks FFP members!
If you are a Future Faculty Partner (FFP), please consider nominating yourself or a peer to join the Executive Committee (ExComm). We currently have several open positions for FFPs and need your voice as graduate students!
Note: Places on the ExComm are open to all FFPs, including new members. To learn more about the process and expectations email: teachingacademy@provost.wisc.edu
Fall Retreat 2021 Recap | Ableism, Disability, and Inclusive Practices
The Teaching Academy 2021 Fall Retreat: Ableism, Disability, and Inclusive Practices was held virtually on Friday, October 1st.
The Fall Retreat featured a panel discussion with Ruben Mota (Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator), Mari Magler (Director of the McBurney Disability Resource Center), Britt Marie Zeidler (Founder and Co-Director, Graduate and Professional Students with Disabilities Initiative and PhD Candidate, Curriculum & Instruction), and Beth Allen (Vice-President on the Executive Board for the Advocates for Diverse Abilities and 4th Year Student, Political Science & Social Work).
Some of the themes explored by the panel included:
- good practices during the period of emergency remote instruction
- disability in the experience of graduate students and TAs
- how to ask about disability
- moving the conversation from individual instructor responsibility or patchwork solutions over to campus providing support (especially for instructors of large classes)
- managing privilege, being inclusive, and avoiding othering language
- honoring both formal and informal student accommodations
- changes individuals can make towards a more inclusive atmosphere
- improving communications around accessibility and flexibility to overcome barriers and reach more positive outcomes
Missed the retreat? Want to revisit the panel discussion?
Watch the Fall 2021 Retreat Video (57m22s). Read the Participant Guide.
Thank you to our volunteers and planning committee! Abby Bartlett, Angela Kita, Chris Cantoni, Claire Barrett, Dan Pell (Chair), Erica Hagen, Franklin Hobbs, John Martin, John Parrish, Margene Anderson, Mick Miyamoto, Patrick Hills-Meyer, Sarah Korpi
Did you attend the Retreat? Tell us how it went! Please complete our short exit survey.
Member FYI | Events, Training, and Learning Opportunities
Delta Program workshop
- Teaching for Well-Being Wednesday, October 20 @ 10–11:30 am (Online). Facilitators: Claire Barrett and Devin Wixon. This introductory workshop will present strategies to support both student and instructor well-being by cultivating a welcoming, trusting, and empowering learning environment.
Writing Across the Curriculum workshops
The Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Program is offering workshops this semester for faculty, instructional staff, and TAs.
- Facilitating Effective Peer Review and Student Conferences (virtual) Tuesday, October 19 @ 1–2:30 p.m. CST
- Equitable Assessment and Student Writing (virtual) Wednesday, November 3 @ 2–3:30 p.m. CST
The WAC Program is eager to help you think about creative and effective ways to incorporate writing and speaking assignments into your courses at all levels and in all disciplines. Learn more about the WAC program.
Questions or requests for consultations? Contact Emily Hall, Interim Director, ebhall@wisc.edu
Healthy Academics Toolkit Update
The Healthy Academics Toolkit was developed by UHS Prevention & Campus Health Initiatives in consultation with partners across and beyond campus. It equips faculty, instructional staff, TAs, and advisors with the knowledge, skills, and resources to create academic environments in which all students can thrive. The toolkit offers:
- an interactive data visualization that allows users to understand the unique needs of the student populations they serve.
- data are then linked to specific strategies and resources that can be implemented in learning environments to proactively support the health and well-being of both undergraduate and graduate students.
Please visit the toolkit to learn more about this important resource!
To request a consultation, contact Dr. Claire Barrett, UHS Healthy Academics Manager, claire.barrett@wisc.edu
Inclusion@UW: Disability & Ableism Awareness training
The Office of Human Resources Inclusion@UW program, in collaboration with UW-Madison disability and accessibility partners, is offering a Disability and Ableism Awareness training which launches this fall. The first training is Tuesday, October 26, 9–11am. There will be four sessions offered this academic year. If you are interested in learning about disability, ableism, and university resources to improve accessibility, register for the October 26 training.
If you are interested in completing this training asynchronously and independently or with a group of peers, contact Ruben Mota (ada_coordinator@wisc.edu) to gain access to the Canvas course.
Panel Discussion: Trauma, Education and Institutional Violence
Save the Date! November 5 from 2–5pm (exact time TBA). Content Warning: The topics covered in this event may be disturbing for some participants.
- Panel of Graduate Students sharing their experience and/or research
- Q&A session: Dr. Christina Olstad (Dean of Students), Dr. Sarah Nolan, UHS Director of Mental Health, and others.
For more information contact Britt Marie Zeidler: bzeidler@wisc.edu
Have something to share? Academy members work in diverse roles and learning environments across our university. If you have an event, training, or opportunity you would like to share with the Academy, contact Dan Pell, editor (dan.pell@wisc.edu) Messages received by the second Monday of the month may be included in that month’s newsletter.
CTLM Updates | Professional development opportunities
The Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring (CLTM) continues to offer professional development opportunities this fall semester and beyond. CTLM offers a range of professional development programs, from the basics of teaching at UW-Madison to deep-focus explorations of important topics like online course design and teaching, assessment, student engagement, accessibility, and inclusive practices. All sessions posted on the CTLM Events Calendar.
PD opportunities currently available
- TeachOnline@UW (online courses + webinars): Explore and apply research-based online course design and teaching practices. Facilitation & Management: Dec. 27, 2021 – Jan. 21, 2022. Apply by Dec. 20, 2021
- Course Success Series (1.5 hours via Zoom, Wednesdays 8:30–10am): Focus on particular teaching topics and related strategies to make meaningful progress on course design and teaching challenges and opportunities.
- Teaching and Learning Forums (1 hour via Zoom, Wednesdays 1–2pm): Meet and talk with one another about increasing effective, efficient, and equitable teaching and learning.
Self-directed PD resources are also available
- Fall 2021 Instructional Resources KnowledgeBase: Find documents that provide a quick introduction and concrete solutions for dealing with specific challenges related to fall instruction.
- Course Success Self-Review: Take this quick, anonymous survey to identify areas to strengthen the design and delivery of your course, and receive targeted feedback and resources.
To learn more about these programs or to register, visit the CTLM’s Professional Development Opportunities.
If you’re not sure which of the above opportunities is right for you or you’re looking for a different kind of engagement or instructional support, you can request a consultation with a CTLM consultant.
Learning Community | Clinical Teachers’ Corner
October Feature
Civic Responsibility: Healthcare & Democracy. Tuesday 10/26/2021, 4–5pm.
View the Program & Register* today! (pre-registration required)
Join nationally renowned panelists for this live online activity. In collaboration with the Kern National Network (KNN), we invite you to join us for an hour-long discussion on healthcare and democracy through the lens of Human Flourishing.
The KNN is dedicated to enhancing and reimagining character and caring in the healthcare profession.
Grant Writing Workshop
Registration deadline: Oct 22, 2021. Begins: Oct 25, 2021 Learn more & register here.
“This 12-week workshop is intended for PIs who are planning to submit applications for February/March deadlines. But the lessons and community support will be valuable for you no matter which granting agency you’re applying to. For those not planning to submit this winter, you’re welcome to join us to get a head start on your next application (your future self will give you a high five for starting so early)”
Explore
Resources
Questions? Topics you would like to see? Announcements for the next issue? Contact Sara Scott (sfscott@wisc.edu)
The Academy Forum | Share ideas with other members
The Academy Forum is a space waiting for YOU to fill it!
This is a place to share ideas and inspiration with Fellows, FFPs, Affiliates & partners across campus! Why not take 5 minutes to share a few thoughts right now?
Contribute to the NEXT Academy Forum: go.wisc.edu/theacademyforum
- How do you assess and manage the workload for students (and instructors) in your courses?
- What tools or approaches can we use to assess the “co-curricular” best practices of teaching excellence – e.g., mentoring, community partner inclusion, alumni contact & networking?
- What is your take on virtual conferences and events? Share any positive (or negative, or funny) experiences.
View the Academy Forum responses from August 2021
Submission Deadline: Please submit your answers by Monday, November 8, 2021
Responses included in the newsletter will typically be less than one paragraph, but in some cases we may include a longer response. Responses may be edited for brevity and to fit the format of the newsletter.
Join us! Honor a colleague! | The Teaching Academy is seeking new applications and nominations
Now is the perfect time to honor a colleague or nominate yourself! Our mission is to promote, recognize and support excellence in teaching and learning among faculty, staff and students across campus and beyond. The Teaching Academy welcomes nominees who work in traditional classrooms, clinical practice, field instruction, or instructional support with learners at any level.
There are three types of membership: Future Faculty Partner (FFP), Fellow, and Affiliate. Read about how to become a Member.
Are you an FFP who has moved on to another position in the University? Contact teachingacademy@provost.wisc.edu to discuss changing your status from FFP to Fellow.
Get involved! | Ways to contribute to the Academy’s ongoing activities
Affiliate/Clinical Affiliate: Teaching experiential courses, from clinic to fieldwork? Become involved in growing the clinical affiliate or affiliate program. Contact wenker@pt.wics.edu
Analytics Committee: Help ensure that we are capturing the right information to determine who the Academy’s programs are reaching, whether participants find them valuable, and most importantly, what was learned through participation. Contact teachingacademy@provost.wisc.edu
Fall Retreat | Winter Retreat: Join the committee to plan, organize & facilitate campus-wide teaching development events. Contact dan.pell@wisc.edu
Feedback on Teaching (FOT) Committee: FoT offers an opportunity to participate in scaling up and implementing a new peer observation program across campus. Contact teachingacademy@provost.wisc.edu
Members-Only Roundtables (MOR): We are seeking Fellows who are interested in organizing one-per-semester roundtable discussions among members on issues surrounding teaching & learning. Contact claire.barrett@wisc.edu
Newsletter & Academy Forum: Join the planning committee, contribute to the forum, act as guest editor for the Academy newsletter. Contact dan.pell@wisc.edu
Nomination Committee: We are seeking Fellows (Faculty & Academic Staff) and FFPs to help review nominations. Honor great campus educators & promote excellence by helping to review nominations to the Teaching Academy. Contact wenker@pt.wics.edu
U-Class: Explore teaching and learning from the student perspective by attending our U-CLaSS sessions. Contact jamie.henke@wisc.edu