Welcome to our May newsletter! Amongst all the showers and the flowers, 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 share summer opportunities to learn and grow as a teaching professional. We highlight Wellness Resources in our Clinical Corner. We welcome 37 new Affiliates to the Academy – individuals from across our campus who completed four modules of Teaching at UW professional learning. And as she steps down from Co-Chair, we thank Sue Wenker for years of dedication and service to the Academy!
Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact Dan Pell, Editor dan.pell@wisc.edu.
Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?
Summer Teaching and Learning Meet Up
Open to all! First and Third Thursdays, 4-6pm at the Memorial Union Rathskeller or Terrace if it’s nice out. 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! Questions about the T&L Meet Up? Contact John Martin john.martin@wisc.edu
Fall and Winter Retreats: Save the Date(s)!
Dates are set for the Teaching Academy’s Fall 2022 and Winter 2023 Retreats. Read future newsletters for registration and details as they emerge.
- Friday, September 30, 2022, 9-11:30 in Gordon Commons*
- Friday, February 3, 2023, 9-11:30 in the DeLuca Forum* (WID)
* Venues for these events are to be confirmed.
Thank you! | Sue Wenker Steps Down as Co-Chair
The Teaching Academy extends a warm and heartfelt thank you to Sue Wenker (PT, PhD, MS) as she steps down from the Executive Committee and Academic Staff Co-Chair of the Teaching Academy. Anyone who has worked with Sue will recognize the warmth, diligence, care, and boundless enthusiasm which she has brought to the Academy. Amongst her many contributions, Sue was instrumental to strengthening the Academy’s connection with Clinical Affiliates, sparking off our Clinical Corner, and helping to open our membership to those who serve our teaching and learning community in roles outside of the classroom. We will miss you Sue!
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!
Affiliates
Maryam Ahmadi, Communication Arts, Oluwayinka Arawomo, English, Yaa Asantewaa Klu, Food Science, Kyle Bartholomew, Veterinary Medicine, Leslie Bellais, History, Kristin Bevil, Anesthesiology, Liza Chang, CALS Academic Affairs Office, Jessica Coburn, School of Nursing, Grayson Doss, Surgical Sciences, Madeline Fisher, Life Sciences Communication, Theresa Fishler, Social Work, John Giblin, Spanish and Portuguese, John Gubner, Electrical and Computer Engineering, April Hall, Pediatrics, Emily Hamm, Counseling Psychology, Anthony Hernandez, WCER, Leslie Holland, Plant Pathology, Billy Jackson, Mathematics, Melissa Lindsey, Mathematics, Laura Livingston, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Anthony Lizarraga, Educational Policy Studies, Rachel Maina, African Cultural Studies, Morgan Mayer-Jochimsen, Educational Policy Studies, Megan McDermott, Law School, Mollie McQuillan, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Scott Mobley, Political Science, Jean Paul Habumugisha, Chemistry, Leah Rineck, Mathematics, Beth Rosen, Pharmacy, Stacy Schmitt, Nursing, Mariam Sedighi, Educational Policy Studies, Melissa Sheedy, German, Nordic, and Slavic+, Shiqi Shen, Civil Society and Community Studies, Devika Suri, Nutritional Sciences, Emma Wathen, Department of History, Elise Whatley, Philosophy, James Windsor, Wisconsin School of Business.
Feedback on Teaching | Seeking peer observers
The Teaching Academy’s Feedback on Teaching (FoT) program is looking for academy members to serve as peer observers for the fall semester. 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.
Member FYI | News, Events, Training, and Learning Opportunities
Discussion Project (In Person)
The application for The Discussion Project in-person 2022-23 is now open! The Discussion Project supports instructors in designing and implementing high quality discussion for classes of 40 or fewer. The course is open to all UW–Madison instructors (faculty, academic staff, and graduate students) who meet the eligibility requirements for the related research study. The in-person course is three full days, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and is held on campus. Because The Discussion Project is also a research study, instructors will receive either $250 or $500 depending on their level of participation. Read more about the course and the research study and apply.
Delta Program
Teaching & Research Mentoring PD for Your Grad Student and Postdocs: The Delta Program engages graduate students and postdocs in professional development in teaching, mentoring, outreach and advising. Please pass along the following opportunities to the grad students and postdocs you work with!
This Summer:
- Intro to Evidence-Based STEM Teaching: Local UW–Madison Learning Community: 7 week course, Fridays, 10-11am, starting June 24 — Are your grad students and postdocs interested in becoming inclusive and evidence-based STEM instructors? Encourage them to join this streamlined 7-week course to get an overview of effective college teaching strategies, and explore how to apply them with a local learning community of fellow UW-Madison postdocs and graduate students.
Courses this Fall:
- Build an Inclusive Canvas Dream Course: Thursdays, 1-3pm — Building on existing skills, participants will hone their teaching styles and gain a solid foundation in the learning sciences, while creating an effective Canvas course that is inclusive and equitable.
- Teaching in Science and Engineering: The College Classroom: Two available sections: Thursdays, 11–1pm, or Tuesdays, 1:20-3:15pm. Participants will develop foundational knowledge of evidence-based pedagogical practices, explore how excellence and diversity are intertwined, and try new teaching approaches in a supportive environment.
- Improv to Improve Science Communication and Teaching: Wednesdays, 1– 3pm starting September 7. Participants will use the principles of improv theater to improve their communication in multiple contexts and audiences, including talking with colleagues, presenting their research, and teaching in the classroom.
UniverCity Alliance Seeks Campus Partners
Are you an instructor interested in public service? UniverCity Alliance is looking for instructors on campus to incorporate real-world community-based projects into your course that have been defined by local governments across Wisconsin (topics include: innovative solutions to solve the childcare crisis; helping a county rebrand itself; improving zoning regulations; building sustainability plans for a county; helping a city build an innovation center). There are too many projects to list in this newsletter, but there are many interesting, relevant projects that could be a good fit for your course! Interested? Email Gavin Luter, gavin@cows.org.
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
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.
Social Media Update | Join the Conversation!
Join the Teaching in Higher Education public Facebook group to share your knowledge and expertise for questions like:
Hello all! I am a graduate student in Learning Design and Technology at ASU (former UW student). I’m currently taking a class on research and evaluation in education. I am curious about your definitions of research and evaluation. How do you define research? How do you define evaluation? And what do you see as some major distinctions between the two? Having just finished a course on evaluation, I am seeing a lot of similarities between the two especially in their systematic processes. I would love to hear from you all and your thoughts on this topic! Thanks!
Questions about the Facebook group? Contact John Martin john.martin@wisc.edu
Follow us on Instagram: @uwteachingacademy — Questions about the Academy’s Instagram? Contact Bri Meyer blmeyer2@wisc.edu
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 have your status changed from FFP to Fellow.
CTLM Updates | Engage with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring
Summer Professional Development Programing
10 ways to boost your teaching, learning and mentoring skills this summer: Summer is a great time to explore new approaches to teaching and learning, design a new course or enhance an existing one, and dive deeper into instructional technologies and media. Check out this collection of campus resources for instructors at all career stages, curated by the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring.
Madison Teaching and Learning Excellence applications open!
Madison Teaching and Learning Excellence (MTLE) is a two-semester CTLM program in teaching that helps early-career faculty succeed with personalized support from a cross-disciplinary community of peers and teaching and learning experts. Applications for the next cohort cycle (Fall 2022 – Spring 2023) will be open through May 30. Apply now.
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. An EDUCAUSE an 2022 exemplary program of professional development for hybrid teaching!
- Instructional Resources KnowledgeBase: Find resources that provide a quick introduction and concrete solutions to teaching challenges.
All events are posted on the CTLM Events Calendar.
To learn more about these programs or to register, visit the CTLM’s Professional Development Opportunities.
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