Welcome to our February newsletter! As days grow longer and sap begins to flow, 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.
But before we get to that, please take a moment in your day to remember the students and colleagues who have suffered through violence and tragedy at Michigan State, and in so many other institutions of learning.
This month, navigate the emergence of AI text generators in academia with a Teaching Academy Members+ event, and resources developed by Writing Across the Curriculum. Grad students grappling with old fashioned problems like writer’s block, imposter syndrome, and productivity guilt, can find succor—and actionable strategies—at an upcoming event in the Writing Center. Trying to focus on the positive? Revisit the video and resources from our Winter Retreat on Confronting Burnout, Rekindling Wellbeing, and Rebuilding Connection. And, if you’re just craving conversation, connect with colleagues at an upcoming Teaching Academy T&L Meetup!
Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact Dan Pell, editor-uwta-newsletter@g-groups.wisc.edu
Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?
Member+ Event | ChatGPT in Teaching & Learning
Fri, Feb 24, 2-3p (on Zoom) | Open to all! Virtual doors open at 1:45p. | REGISTER
ChatGPT is a prototype AI-powered chatbot that launched in November 2022. It generates articulate, complex responses and answers on many subjects. In this Member+ event, we’ll explore these and other questions: What opportunities does ChatGPT present to instructors? How can we harness it instead of fearing it? How might it change teaching and learning in higher education? Academy members, please invite interested colleagues to join us! | READ MORE. Send questions & ideas about ChatGPT to johnmartin@wisc.edu
Teaching and Learning Meetups (open to all!)
First and Third Thursdays, 4-6pm at the Memorial Union Rathskeller or Terrace. Every first and third Thursday from 4-6pm at the Rathskeller (or Terrace in warmer times). Come bring your teaching questions, comments, and experiences to share! Meet up with other campus educators in an informal space. Make connections! | READ MORE. Questions about the T&L Meetups? Contact John Martin johnmartin@wisc.edu
Winter Retreat Recap | Confronting Burnout, Rekindling Wellbeing, and Rebuilding Connection
Raquel Tatar, Sarah Webber, Abby Letak and Wei-Chiao Hsu shared insights and inspiration on burnout, wellbeing and connection at our Winter Retreat, on February 3 in the DeLuca Forum. Close to 150 people joined in person or online! Did you enjoy the retreat? Want to help us improve? Want to contribute a topic? Take the Exit Survey. Questions? Want to help plan the retreats? Contact Angela Kita & Dan Pell retreats-uwta@g-groups.wisc.edu. Missed the event or want to look back? —
- Watch the retreat video!
- Read positive strategies, resources, activities, and practices from retreat participants.
- View the slides from the retreat.
- Create a copy of the participant guide.
- Share and read ideas in the crowdsourced resources document.
- Learn to speak a little Ho-Chunk.
Member FYI | News, Events, Training, and Learning Opportunities
Writing Across the Curriculum | Resource Guide on AI Text Generators
- Why would students want to use an AI Text Generator?
- How can you frame policy around AI Text Generators?
- How can you talk with students about their use of AI Text Generators?
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) “chatbots” like ChatGPT create quick and coherent written responses to prompts submitted by users. Read Writing Across the Curriculum’s evolving resource guide reflecting emerging campus guidance and policies around the use of AI Text Generators. Questions? Contact Angela Zito azito@wisc.edu
Writing Center | Virtual Workshop for Grad Students
Writing & Wellness in Grad School: Navigating the Emotional and Psychological Components of the Writing Process
Thu, Feb 23, 4-530pm | Register for the Zoom link.
Does writing stress you out? Do you struggle with handling feedback on your writing? With a focus on the intersection of writing and wellness, this workshop highlights many of the psychological and emotional components of the writing process in graduate school. We will cover topics such as procrastination, writer’s block/writing anxiety, productivity guilt, handling feedback, and imposter syndrome. For each topic, we will explore concrete next steps to navigate these challenges. We will also discuss resources for graduate students that can help provide support at all stages of the writing process. Questions? Contact Abby Letak letak@wisc.edu
Language Institute | Workshop for language educators
Anticipating Disability: Design Strategies for Inclusive World Language Teaching — with Wade Edwards, Longwood University.
Friday, March 31, 2023, 1-3pm, 1418 Van Hise Hall Questions? Contact Jana Martin jcmartin4@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 (editor-uwta-newsletter@g-groups.wisc.edu) Messages received by the second Monday of the month may be included in that month’s newsletter.
Learning Community Update | Clinical Teachers’ Corner
February Feature | Environmental Health
From AAMC: Health equity cannot be achieved by medical care alone. Social and political factors greatly impact the health of communities, including the environments where they live, work, and play.
The AAMC Center for Health Justice is seeking an inaugural full-time fellow with a strong background and network in environmental justice, as well as a passion for the collaborative process of health justice to support the co-development of the center’s environmental justice portfolio. Under the mentorship and guidance of center leadership, and with input from the Multisector Partner Group and the AAMC CHARGE collaborative, the fellow will have the opportunity to develop key skills, knowledge, and networks while contributing to a national effort to promote health equity and environmental justice. The center will support one fellow for a period of two years, starting September 2023. Join the center’s multidisciplinary team and work with communities fighting for safe, healthy environments across the U.S. Deadline for applications is March 31. Learn more & complete your application!
Additional Resources about Environmental Justice & Health Equity
- US Environmental Protection Agency – Environmental Justice
- American Public Health Association: Addressing Environmental Justice to Achieve Health Equity
Explore:
Questions? Topics you would like to see? Announcements for the next issue? Contact Sara Scott (sfscott@wisc.edu)
CTLM Updates | Engage with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring
Teaching & Learning Symposium: Fostering Belonging, Bridging Divides
Thursday, May 18, 9-4pm at Union South. Save the date! The 2023 Teaching & Learning Symposium is coming This year’s theme is “Fostering Belonging, Bridging Divides.” The keynote speaker is Geoffrey Cohen, professor of psychology, James G. March Professor of Organizational Studies in Education and Business, and director of CohenLab at Stanford University. | Get event updates
Renew your teaching and course design through self-reflection
CTLM’s Course Success Self-Review can guide you through a self-directed analysis of a course and connect you with actionable advice and targeted resources in just 20 to 60 minutes. If you haven’t tried it yet, check it out!
To learn more about these programs or to register, visit the CTLM’s Professional Development Opportunities.
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 change status from FFP to Fellow.
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.
Social Media Update | Join the Conversation!
Join the Teaching in Higher Education public Facebook group. Questions about the Facebook group? Contact John Martin johnmartin@wisc.edu
- ChatGPT is still trending, with assignment examples and ideas, and more resources being shared about how it may affect the nature of teaching and learning in higher education (Hint: it’s now about asking good questions rather than finding answers).
- Have you used Education Copilot for Teachers? Got any tips or insights about it?
- How are you changing your Spring semester assignments now that students can generate a *good* essay or answer (that Turnitin cannot detect) in 15 seconds?
Join the discussion on Instagram: @uwteachingacademy. Questions about the Academy’s Instagram? Contact Bri Meyer blmeyer2@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 teachingacademy@provost.wisc.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: 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 teachingacademy@provost.wisc.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