Welcome to our April newsletter! As you wait for the weather to catch up with the calendar, 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 look ahead to new events and revisit those of the recent past. Build connections by stopping by the first ever “trial” Teaching & Learning Meet Up. Dive deep with other members at the Members Roundtable on Instructional Flexibility. Explore belonging and equitable assessment with written responses from the Winter Retreat panelists. Skill up with focused training workshops from our partners in the Writing Across the Curriculum program, the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring, our Clinical Teachers’ Corner… and more!
Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact Dan Pell, Editor dan.pell@wisc.edu.
Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?
Member Roundtable – Fri 4/29
Instructional Flexibility: What Students Need and Instructors Can Provide. Friday, April 29 2-3 (via Zoom). Academy Members can join for a conversation delving into what we’re hearing from students — and research in teaching and learning — regarding instructional flexibility. We’ll touch on ways instructors can build flexibility into their courses without compromising rigor and structure. Register for the Members’ Roundtable event to access the Zoom link!
Co-Hosts: John Zumbrunnen, Morton Ann Gernsbacher, Corissa Lotta, John Martin
Questions? Contact Morton Ann Gernsbacher, magernsb@wisc.edu
Teaching and Learning Meet Up – Starting Thu 4/21
Open to all! 1st and 3rd Thursdays (starting this Thursday, April 21st), 4-6pm at the Memorial Union Rathskeller. We’ll grab a table or two for informal conversations. Look for the “T&L Meet Up” table tent(s). Come connect with other educators who are passionate about teaching and learning. Bring a question or comment you’d like to talk about, or just jump into conversation at hand. Food, coffee, and other beverages nearby. We hope you’ll join us for this first “trial” community event! Questions? Contact johnmartin@wisc.edu
Social Media Update | Join the Conversation!
Join the Teaching in Higher Education public Facebook group for regular posts, resources, and conversations on supporting learners and educators in higher education.
Follow us on Instagram: @uwteachingacademy — We’re stepping into multiple spaces to try to connect with a wider range of social media. Questions about the Academy’s Instagram? Contact Bri Meyer blmeyer2@wisc.edu
If you’d like to help us facilitate our social media outreach, please contact johnmartin@wisc.edu
Member FYI | News, Events, Training, and Learning Opportunities
Assessment and Belonging – Responses from our Panel
Read written responses from our Winter Retreat panelists Emily Hall, Angela Zito, and Jerome Camal to audience questions posed during the retreat.
Missed the Teaching Academy’s Winter Retreat on Assessment and Belonging?
Questions about the Winter Retreat? Want to help plan future retreats? Contact Dan Pell, dan.pell@wisc.edu
Writing Across the Curriculum – Online Training Modules
Developing and Teaching Effective Multimodal Writing Assignments (20m12s)
This online/asynchronous workshop shares strategies for incorporating multimodal readings, discussions, activities, and assignments into your courses. Multimodality – or, the use of more than one mode or format in a piece of communication – can help instructors build a class environment that values diverse literacy skills. By engaging with this asynchronous workshop, you will (1) reflect on what literacies (e.g., digital literacy, auditory literacy) students must develop to be prepared to create their own multimodal texts, (2) learn tools for scaffolding students’ multimodal work to target those literacies, and (3) consider effective ways of designing multimodal assignments. Sample materials for multimodal classroom practice, scaffolding, and assignment design are provided.
Tools for Offering Effective Written Feedback (21m04s)
This online/asynchronous workshop focuses on giving feedback that supports students in the writing process. We’ll look at current research about instructor feedback and practice different forms of responding effectively and efficiently to student papers. We’ll also explore various tools for evaluating student writing in Microsoft Word and other platforms.
Writing Recommendation Letters for Students (22m05s)
Do you feel unprepared when asked to write letters of recommendation for your students? Are you uncertain about how much to say, how many details to include, or what tone to take? In this online/asynchronous workshop, we’ll look at a sample of letters and we’ll offer advice about writing letters that are honest and effective.
Questions about the Writing Across the Curriculum Program? Contact Angela Zito, azito@wisc.edu
Course Success Self-Review — 2022 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report
The Course Success Self-Review at UW-Madison has been profiled in EDUCAUSE 2022 Horizon Report – Teaching & Learning Edition. Published in April, the Horizon Report identifies and describes “higher education trends, technologies, and practices that are likely to impact teaching and learning”. The Course Success Self-Review (CSSR) was selected as an exemplary project in the category of “Professional Development for Hybrid/Remote Teaching”. It was developed to help instructors support their learners, improve their teaching, and update their course design. Academy Fellows Dan Pell and Karen Skibba will join a panel at the 2022 ELI Annual Meeting in San Diego to discuss the Course Success Self-Review as part of the ELI’s showcase theme “The Digital versus Brick-and-Mortar Balancing Game.” Questions about the CSSR? Contact Karen Skibba karen.skibba@wisc.edu and Dan Pell dan.pell@wisc.edu
Have something to share? Academy members work in diverse roles and learning environments across our university. If you have news, events, training, or opportunities you would like to share with the Academy, contact Dan Pell (dan.pell@wisc.edu) Messages received by the second Monday of the month may be included in that month’s newsletter.
Welcome! | Recognizing our new members
The Teaching Academy recognizes these individuals for their outstanding commitment to excellence in teaching and learning. Welcome to the Academy!
New Fellow: Theresa Kim, Learning and Talent Development
New Executive Committee Co-Chair (Academic Staff): John Martin, Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring
Since joining the Teaching Academy in 2013, John Martin (PhD, Curriculum and Instruction) has been an energizing and inspirational figure for countless people across our campus and beyond. As the past leader of the Active Teaching Labs, his boundless enthusiasm for all that is good (and getting better) in education, has given meaning and purpose to early Friday mornings, realizing a rare achievement: a “learning community” that truly honors both of those words. Beyond that, John has been a long-serving member of the Academy’s Executive Committee, Chair of the Retreat Planning Committee, and much, much more. More recently he has launched the Academy’s Facebook group, and (literally today) the Teaching and Learning Meet Up (4/21 in the Rathskeller, see above!). John continues to innovate and inspire, proving every day that no mountain is too tall to be climbed, no box is too tightly-sealed to be thought-outside, and no idea is too abstract to be explained in scholarly yet passionate and accessible terms. Please add your comments to welcome John (opens Padlet) as Co-Chair of the Teaching Academy! John’s term begins in May.
“With CTLM now in the campus landscape, I think the Academy faces the challenge of finding and redefining its place as a T&L Community Builder. I think this affects our work with the Newsletter, Retreats, Member Events, the new Colloquium initiative, and in social media networks. I believe a big part of that task involves facilitating and growing conversations on T&L — including also revisiting and strengthening connections with members who have moved away from UW Madison.” — JM
Join us! Honor a colleague! | The Academy is seeking nominations
Hey, that list of new members is way too short! 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.
Congratulations | Recognizing Excellence
The Teaching Academy extends its warm congratulations to all the winners and nominees of the 2022 Academic Staff Excellence Awards and 2022 Distinguished Teaching Awards!
2022 Award Winners
Aws Albarghouthi, Computer Sciences, George Arndt, Anesthesiology, *Mo Bischof, Office of the Provost, Joshua Calhoun, English, Isa Dolski, Center for Healthy Minds, Juan Egea, Spanish & Portuguese, Kassem Fawaz, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Martha Fischer, School of Music, Stacy Forster, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Judith Houck, History and Gender and Women’s Studies, John Koger, Center for Healthy Minds, Nancy Linh Karls, Writing Center, Writing Across the Curriculum, Stephen Meyers, Geoscience, Paula Niedenthal, Psychology, Asifa Quraishi-Landes, Law, *Rosemary Russ, Curriculum and Instruction, Joy Schelble, Division of Extension, *Dietram Scheufele, Life Sciences Communication, Christine Sorenson, Pediatrics, Brenda Spychalla, MERIT, School of Education, *Catalina Toma, Communication Arts, Dale Wilson, Sonderegger Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Changjiu Zhao, Integrative Biology
* Fellow of the Teaching Academy.
All the nominees and winners are invited to submit their award nomination packets as an application to join the Teaching Academy!
CTLM Updates | Engage with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring
TeachOnline@UW is accepting applications for the Summer Facilitation & Management course. May 16-June 10, 2022 – Apply by May 12, 2022. Explore techniques, strategies and practices to help identify and hone a plan for connecting with students and managing an online course.
Teaching at UW is a fully online and interactive workshop series designed to help instructors improve their course design and instruction with two more sessions this semester:
- Teaching at UW: Clarifying Expectations & Grading Using Rubrics – April 22, 10-11:30am
- Teaching at UW: Promoting Student Health and Well-Being – April 29, 10-11:30am
Looking for 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. Recognized by EDUCAUSE as an exemplary program of professional development for hybrid teaching.
- 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
April Feature
Provider Wellness
From the UW-SMPH Faculty Central Resources
Take a moment for mindfulness
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not be overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis. Below are some useful resources to help you begin your journey to mindfulness.
- 5 Minute Calming Meditation (With Guiding Voice) (video)
- Mindfulness Practices in 5 Minutes or Less (link)
- 5 Minute “Follow Me” Tai Chi – Great for Beginners (video)
Explore:
Resources:
Questions? Topics you would like to see? Announcements for the next issue? Contact Sara Scott (sfscott@wisc.edu)
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
Member Events: 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
Teaching Academy Facebook Group: Are you on Facebook? So is the Teaching Academy! Join other Higher Ed teaching and learning enthusiasts for thought-provoking questions, shared resources, and asynchronous community connections. Contact johnmartin@wisc.edu