Teaching Academy
Promoting, Recognizing and Supporting Excellence in Teaching and Learning

October 2023 Newsletter

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Welcome to our October newsletter! As you mull the question “Is there really pumpkin in pumpkin spice?”, 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, learn more about the history of the Teaching Academy in the run up to our 30th anniversary event. We’ll gather on November 9 to celebrate our membership and chart our future. View resources, links, and video of September’s Fall Retreat on ‘How to build a culture of feedback’. And…take advantage of learning and community building opportunities from our partners in WISCIENCE, the Discussion Project, the Language Institute, and the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring.

The Academy is looking for two more graduate student (FFP) members for our Executive Committee. Interested? See below for details.

Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact Dan Pell and Sarah Pultorak, Editors, editor-uwta-newsletter@g-groups.wisc.edu 

 

Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?

  • Teaching Academy’s 30th Anniversary Reunion & Membership Meeting. Thu Nov 9, 3-6pm, Tripp Commons, Memorial Union. Socializing and hors d’oeuvres from 3pm. Hybrid program 4–5:30pm (in person or on Zoom) | REGISTER |See below for more details. Please help facilitate!  Contact John Martin johnmartin@wisc.edu 
  • Teaching and Learning Meetups. Open to all! First and Third Thursdays, 4-6pm at the Memorial Union in the Rathskeller (or Terrace, weather permitting). We’ll grab a table or two for informal conversations. Look for the “T&L Meetup” table tents. 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 Meetups? Contact John Martin johnmartin@wisc.edu
  • Save the Date! 2024 Winter Retreat, Fri Feb 2, 9–1130am, DeLuca Forum, WID. Questions about the Retreats?  Contact Dan Pell & Angela Kita retreats-uwta@g-groups.wisc.edu

 

Teaching Academy 30 Year Celebration & Membership Meeting | What’s the Future for the Teaching Academy?

On Thursday, November 9th, 3-6pm, we’ve reserved Tripp Commons in Memorial Union to meet each other, socialize, and discuss potential futures (or join on Zoom from 4-5:30pm). We hope to share stories on the evolution of the Teaching Academy and share hopes and dreams for the future.

It’s been 30 years since the UWTA was founded with a mission to “provide leadership to strengthen undergraduate, graduate, and outreach teaching and learning by the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty members and instructional staff.” It’s basic functions were to:

  • Provide a forum for dialogue on effective teaching-learning.
  • Communicate the best practices of teaching-learning.
  • Link individuals interested in improving the teaching-learning process.
  • Sponsor professional development events.
  • Analyze issues and make recommendations on University policies affecting teaching-learning.
  • Create a learning community for sharing for the future.

Times have changed! In 1993, there were just two campus teaching awards. There were few opportunities for professional development in teaching. The focus was primarily on research, and students had to keep up largely on their own.

Campus now has dozens of teaching awards centrally and across its schools and colleges. It promotes student-centered teaching widely, and in addition to School and college level resources, there’s a campus-wide Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring that provides professional development for faculty and instructional staff.

Many of these changes are a direct result of the work and advocacy of the Teaching Academy. With such a significant change in the teaching and learning environment what role should the Teaching Academy play now?

Let’s Celebrate and Brainstorm

  • What role do you see the Teaching Academy playing in the future?
  • How should we adjust our mission, given changes across campus?

We’ll have refreshments, stories from the early days, and plenty of opportunities for you to connect with colleagues! We hope you’ll join us! | REGISTER | We are looking for help facilitating this 30th Reunion event! Please contact johnmartin@wisc.edu. 

 

Leadership Opportunity | Executive Committee Seeks Graduate Student (FFP) Members

The Executive Committee of the Teaching Academy is looking for two FFP members.  One third of our ExComm membership is reserved for Future Faculty Partners. FFPs do not need to be long-term members of the Academy before joining the ExComm. The ExComm meets monthly. FFPs: take advantage of this opportunity to engage in leadership, networking, and collaboration with other active members of the Academy!

Contact Ailea Merriam-Pigg (FFP Co-Chair) for more information merriampigg@wisc.edu 

 

Fall Retreat Recap | How to Build a Culture of Feedback

Over 150 people took part in the Teaching Academy’s Fall Retreat on Fri Sept 29 in the DeLuca Forum (WID). Invited guest speakers Ayse Okur (Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis), Mitra Sharafi (Law), Sandrine Pell (Collaborative Language Program), Tracy Puccinelli (Biomedical Engineering) discussed how to set the foundation for getting valuable feedback from students, processes to approach feedback, and practical stories of using feedback to improve teaching and learning.

Missed the event? Want to watch again?  

Thank you to our featured guests, our partners & contributors, and our planning committee!

Planning Committee: Angela Kita & Dan Pell (Co-Chairs), Colleen Valdez, Courtney Parker West, Franklin Hobbs, Haley Briel, Jennifer Horace, John Martin, John Parrish, Karen Hershberger, Karen Skibba, Kate Rotzenberg, Kelly Copolo, Mary K. Thompson, Theo Howard.

Want to help organize future Retreats? Contact retreats-uwta@g-groups.wisc.edu  Angela Kita & Dan Pell, Co-Chairs

 

Recognizing our new members

This individual has been recognized for outstanding commitment to teaching and learning. Welcome to the Teaching Academy!

Fellow: Patty Sigler, Consumer Science, School of Human Ecology.

 

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. Learn 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.

 

Member FYI | News, Events, Training, and Learning Opportunities

The Language Institute | Disability-Centered Design Workshop

Please join us for a workshop on Building the World We Long for: Disability-Centered Design for World Language Learning.

  • Oct 20 1-3pm, 1418 Van Hise Hall

In this workshop, Dr. Tammy Berberi, University of Minnesota-Morris, explores the ethical and practical rationale for disability-centered course design and connects Universal Design for Instruction to specific strategies that engage every student in their learning. Participants will consider specific classroom strategies, teaching practices, policies, and assessment approaches that acknowledge disability as diversity and pave the way for every student’s growth, belonging, and success. | LEARN MORE & REGISTER

The Discussion Project | Sign up for Winter

The Discussion Project has a new course open for January 2024! A free three-day course, The Discussion Project supports UW-Madison instructors and leaders in designing and implementing high quality classroom discussion. Over 850 UW instructors have taken The Discussion Project from every school and college on campus. We hope you can join us! | REGISTER Questions about the Discussion Project? Contact discussion-project@education.wisc.edu 

WISCIENCE | Become a Fellow

Become a 2024 Public Service Fellow. This year-long program is meant for STEM grad students and postdocs interested in the social and community impact of their work. Fellows build foundational knowledge and skills in public service and community engagement, then gain hands-on experience in a mentored practicum with a campus or community organization. Fellows from any STEM discipline will be able to incorporate issues of public concern into their career goals. | LEARN MORE & APPLY

Become a 2024 Scientific Teaching Fellow. This year-long program is meant for grad students and postdocs in the biosciences (or connected fields) considering careers with a teaching component. Fellows get in-depth training and hands-on experience with research-based, inclusive teaching and serve as instructors (not TAs!). Through coursework and practical teaching experience in an undergraduate course, Fellows participate in a supportive community of colleagues and collaboratively develop innovative and effective ways to teach science. | LEARN MORE & APPLY

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.

 

CTLM Updates | Engage with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring

Learn about and adapt coursework to generative AI

Register now for Teaching at UW: Generative AI Opportunities and Challenges to learn about ChatGPT and other AI tools. We’ll discuss approaches to writing assignments as well as strategies to incorporate AI into your teaching.

  • Oct 25, 10–1130am | Via Zoom | REGISTER

Get ready to design and teach online/hybrid courses: Check out the 2024 programming lineup for Enhancing Online Education. Registration opens soon! | SIGN UP for EOE Updates.

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 | LEARN MORE
  • Instructional Resources KnowledgeBase: Find resources that provide a quick introduction and concrete solutions to teaching challenges.

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, please contact CTLM with your request – we look forward to working with you! To learn more about these programs or to register, visit the CTLM’s Professional Development Opportunities. 

 

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. FoT provides 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 teachingacademy@provost.wisc.edu if you are interested in volunteering. 

 

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Learning Community Update | Clinical Teachers’ Corner

Collaboration in Health Care: The Journey of an Accidental Expert?

Joy Doll, the executive director of the Center for Interprofessional Practice, Education and Research at Creighton University, discusses how Creighton is using a team-based approach to care by drawing on the knowledge of diverse health care professionals. Creighton is one of the first in the nation to provide interprofessional education.

UW encourages all of our clinical teachers to incorporate interprofessional education into their curricula. For more information and resources, please check out the Clinical Teacher Learning Community or visit ce.icep.wisc.edu to learn more about the UW Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (UW-ICEP).

Explore:

Questions? Topics you would like to see? Announcements for the next issue?  Contact Sara Scott (sfscott@wisc.edu)

 

Social Media Update | Join the Conversation!

Join the Teaching in Higher Education public Facebook group

Join the Teaching in Higher Education public Facebook group

Questions about the Facebook group? Contact John Martin johnmartin@wisc.edu 

 

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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 Retrea​t | Winter Retreat: Join the committee to plan, organize & facilitate campus-wide teaching development events. Contact retreats-uwta@g-groups.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 editor-uwta-newsletter@g-groups.wisc.edu
  • Membership 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 johnmartin@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