Welcome to our January newsletter! As you brave the freezing breezes of the new year, 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.
Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact Dan Pell, Editor dan.pell@wisc.edu. Open in Google Docs: Teaching Academy January Newsletter
This month, register for the Teaching Academy’s Winter Retreat, which will focus on fostering belonging through equitable assessment. Assist other instructors by signing up as a peer-observer for Feedback on Teaching (FoT). Take part in professional learning for graduate students (FFPs) through the Delta Program. Engage with professional development with the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring. And start off the year in a positive direction: honor a colleague by nominating them to the Teaching Academy!
Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?
Teaching Academy Winter Retreat: Assessment and Belonging
Please join the UW Teaching Academy for the fully virtual Winter Retreat, February 4th from 9-11 (Virtual Doors Open at 8:45). This event will explore the connection between assessment and belonging, and how assessment can be made more equitable. This retreat will feature: Dr. Shobhina Chheda (Associate Dean for Medical Education of SMPH), Prof. Jerome Camal (Anthropology), Dr. Angela Zito (Writing Across the Curriculum), as well as graduate student panelists.
The Teaching Academy strives to make our events accessible to all. Live captioning will be provided. Please direct requests for other accommodations to teachingacademy@provost.wisc.edu by Friday, January 28.
Feedback on Teaching (FoT) Seeks Peer Observers
The Teaching Academy is looking for Academy members to serve as peer observers for the Feedback on Teaching (FoT)program this spring. FoT seeks to provide a formative or summative review of a colleague’s instructional approaches, and to actively solicit a peer exchange of ideas on how to improve student learning. Please contact Andrew McWard (amcward@wisc.edu) If you are interested in volunteering as a peer observer!
New Member Induction Postponed
We are pausing our plans for the 2021/22 induction ceremony until the warmer half of Spring 2022. We hope to hold the induction ceremony before the end of the semester – maybe in an outdoor space!
Welcome! | Recognizing our new members
The Teaching Academy recognizes individuals for their outstanding commitment to excellence in teaching and learning.
Fellow: The Academy welcomes Corissa Lotta, Counseling Psychology!
Join us! Honor a colleague! | The Academy is seeking 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.
Member FYI | New, Events, Training, and Learning Opportunities
For Future Faculty Partners (FFPs)
The Delta Program is offering some exciting professional development opportunities for graduate students!
Before the busy spring semester kicks into gear, consider participating in one of Delta’s workshops (all workshops listed here), which are designed to be useful whether you are teaching this upcoming semester or preparing for your future career. The workshops below will all be held online.
- Office Hours (Remote and Onsite) That Students Use | Thursday, January 20, 9:30 – 11:30
Explore how to structure and communicate about office hours to promote your students’ engagement and success. - Teaching Inclusively from the First Day of Class | Thursday, January 20, 12:30 – 2
Learn how to set expectations for an inclusive classroom by making a great impression on day one. - Designing and Facilitating Effective Discussions | Friday, January 21, 1 – 3
Develop a toolbox of discussion techniques that engage learners in deeper thinking, foster community, and promote motivation.
If you would like to engage more deeply in teaching and mentoring professional development, consider joining one of Delta’s courses (all upcoming courses listed here). Only a few spots remain in the following spring semester courses:
- Build an Inclusive Canvas Dream Course | Thursdays, 1 – 3
Hone your teaching style while creating an effective, inclusive, and equitable Canvas course. Open to faculty and Staff as well! - Improv to Improve Science Communication and Teaching | Tuesdays, 1 – 3
Use the principles of improv theater to improve your communication for multiple contexts and audiences. - Research Mentor Training | Wednesdays, 2:25 – 3:15 (other sections running a waitlist)
Explore strategies to become a more effective, culturally responsive mentor and discuss mentoring challenges as they arise.
Questions? Contact the Delta Program at info@delta.wisc.edu.
Have an opportunity 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 | Engage with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring
TeachOnline@UW is accepting applications for spring
This faculty learning community offers two free courses: The “Facilitation & Management” course helps instructors explore techniques, strategies, and practices to help identify and hone a plan for connecting with students and managing an online course. The “Plan & Design” course is an opportunity to make significant progress on developing or redesigning a quality online course. Read more details and apply to TeachOnline@UW here!
- Plan & Design, February 7 to April 16, 2022. Apply by January 27, 2022.
- Facilitation & Management, May 16 to June 10, 2022. Apply by May 6, 2022.
Teaching at UW: Semester Sessions
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Teaching at UW: Fostering Community & Student Interaction — Friday, Feb 11, 10-11:30.
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Teaching at UW: Connecting with Students — Friday, Feb 25, 10-11:30.
Self-directed resources
- Course Success Self-Review: Take this quick, anonymous survey to identify ways to strengthen the design and delivery of your course and receive targeted feedback and resources on the comprehensive Course Success website.
- Instructional Resources KnowledgeBase: Find resources that provide a quick introduction and concrete solutions to teaching challenges.
Visit the CTLM website to view and register for upcoming workshops, TeachOnline@UW and Madison Teaching and Learning Excellence (MTLE), or request a consultation with a CTLM staff member for individualized support. The Teaching at UW program will also continue throughout the spring 2022 semester. More workshops will be added by the start of the semester! To learn more about these programs or to register, visit the CTLM’s Professional Development Opportunities. All events are posted on the CTLM Events Calendar.
Learning Community Update | Clinical Teachers’ Corner
January Feature
Mentoring Month – From the SMPH Office for Faculty Affairs & Development
Research Mentoring Seminar — UW ICTR. Designed for faculty who are actively mentoring postdocs or junior faculty developing research careers (this includes junior faculty mentoring postdocs). Register here by Feb 11. Seminars will be held Fridays from 10-12, on Feb 25, Mar 4, Mar 11, Mar 25, Apr 1.
Facilitating Entering Mentoring — UW ICTR. A 6-session online facilitator training workshop (March 7-11, 2022). Participants will learn evidence-based approaches to implementing research mentor training and gain the knowledge, confidence, and facilitation skills needed to design and implement training at their institution or organization. Register by February 7. Enrollment for this workshop is limited to 24 participants. For more information, contact Pam Asquith, psasquith@wisc.edu
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?
- Do you use learning analytics to support your work? How do you use it and how has it helped?
- What tips or tricks do you use to ease grading fatigue at the end of the term?
- What course (real or imagined) have you never taught, but would be thrilled to teach?
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. Contribute questions for the NEXT Academy Forum at go.wisc.edu/theacademyforum. Missed last month? View the Academy Forum responses from November 2021.
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