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

December 2024 Newsletter

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

Welcome to our December newsletter! As migrating tundra swans bring stories of the north pole, 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 a recap of the Teaching Academy Fall Retreat “Neurodivergence on Our Campus”, which includes direct links to each speaker and question in the retreat video. And we look ahead to the Winter Retreat, with a call to volunteer to join a carousel of short speakers on the topic of integrating professional skills in teaching! Make your resolution now to join spring professional development from the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring, Delta Program, Discussion Project, and the Clinical Corner.  And…most importantly, we hope you find time to rest and rejuvenate during the end of year break. You deserve it!

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

 

Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?

2025 Winter Retreat: Best practices & innovative strategies to help students deepen their professional skills (draft title)

Professional, 21st-century skills such as communication, teamwork, and collaborative problem-solving are essential for our students’ future success beyond the university. However, finding a balance between course content and skills development can be challenging. Instructors need to keep up-to-date with the changing landscape outside academia and students need opportunities to practice these skills. Students may also need help contextualizing and understanding how they will use these skills in their future career.

We want to hear from you! Share your best practices, innovative strategies you’re trying, or cross-campus partnerships that help students deepen their professional skills! You can have up to 5 minutes of stage-time at the event (in person or on Zoom), or you can record a short video. | VOLUNTEER TO SHARE

Questions about the Retreat? Want to join the Planning Committee? Contact Angela Kita & Dan Pell (Chairs) retreats-uwta@g-groups.wisc.edu 

 

Fall Retreat Recap | Neurodivergence on Our Campus

Thanks for Joining Us! On October 18, over 200 faculty, staff and students gathered in the DeLuca Forum (WID) and on Zoom to talk about experiences of neurodivergence on campus. The edited recording of the Retreat video is available!  Note: We are still in the process of correcting the captions on the video. These will be completed in the coming days.

Retreat Resources

Questions about the Retreat? Want to join the Planning Committee? Contact Angela Kita & Dan Pell (Chairs) retreats-uwta@g-groups.wisc.edu 

 

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

Delta Program | Research Mentor Learning Communities

Want to be an effective and inclusive mentor, now and in the future? Spring registration is open for the Delta Program’s online or in-person Research Mentor Learning Communities, for graduate students and postdocs. Sessions begin in January!

Questions about the Delta Program? Contact Jules Whitaker jwhitak@wisc.edu

The Discussion Project | Sign up for Winter 2025

Seats are still open for The Discussion Project Virtual for Winter 2025, which starts Feb 4, 2025. A free online course, The Discussion Project Virtual supports UW-Madison instructors and leaders in designing and implementing high quality discussion. The focus of the course is online synchronous video conference discussion, and the skills are also relevant and transferable to in-person teaching and facilitating discussions in meetings. | REGISTER

  • Day and Time: Tuesdays on Zoom, 9am-11am CST
  • Dates: 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18 — Each session is preceded by 1 hour of asynchronous work in Canvas.

Questions about the Discussion Project? Contact discussion-project@education.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 & Sarah Pultorak  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

Prepare for spring teaching

  • Teaching at UW – The spring workshop series begins with Setting AI Expectations (Jan. 10) followed by Challenging Conversations (Jan. 31).
  • Ready, Set, Teach! – This Jan. 15 workshop will give you focused time to prepare as well as evidence-based strategies for engaging students and designing course essentials.
  • Exploring AI: A Step-by-Step Approach to Integrating AI – Interested in incorporating AI into your students’ coursework but not sure how to begin? This Jan. 16 session will introduce you to a step-by-step approach, using guided exercises and practical applications.
  • Enhancing Online Education – This series of webinars and micro-courses is designed for online and hybrid instructors. It begins Jan. 24 with a special “Connect & Collaborate” session featuring experienced instructors sharing what they’ve learned.

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. 

 

Learning Community Update | Clinical Teachers’ CornerClinical Teacher Learning Community: Network, Explore, Build. "Furthering Clinical Education"

SAVE THE DATE!

January 24, 2025, celebrates Healthcare Continuing Education Professionals DayTM, a day dedicated to celebrating the professionals who ensure that healthcare providers stay informed, competent, and capable of delivering the best possible care to their patients. Special events will take place on that day, in the afternoon, in the Health Sciences Learning Center (HSLC) Atrium, including exhibits and professional development opportunities for planners and faculty. More information will be available at the ICEP Learning Portal.

Articles for Discussion

Participate in discussion of articles featured in the Clinical Teacher Learning Community. Topics include adult learning theories, medical education and artificial intelligence, building growth mindset, and measuring learner engagement. This online community also offers connections, news, and resources for clinical teachers.

Courses

  • Education Essentials is a collection of modules aimed at developing key skills for all interprofessional health science teachers, in various teaching settings.  How modules are utilized is flexible–one or more modules to all of them–to meet the various needs of our teachers based on their activities, schedules, and priorities. | LEARN MORE & REGISTER
  • Updated Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competenciesis an introductory course and toolkit for clinical teachers to review the interprofessional core competencies and activities that can improve experiential teaching of interprofessional practice. | LEARN MORE & REGISTER 

Registration is free and these courses can be completed at your own pace.

Explore

Questions? Topics you would like to see? Announcements for the next issue?  Contact Marianna Shershneva marianna.shershneva@wisc.edu

 

Join us! Honor a colleague! | The Academy is seeking new members

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. 

Questions about membership?  Are you an FFP who has moved on to another position in the University?  Contact uwta-membership@g-groups.wisc.edu

 

Get involved! | Ways to contribute to the Academy’s ongoing activities

Get Involved! in bold letters beside images of a pile of I Am UW stickers.