Our previous posts in this series focused on creating and introducing inclusive syllabi. While the syllabus is often “the first point of contact with instructors,” your students’ first impression of you and the course is solidified on the first day of class. Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom (Hogan & Sathy,… Read more »
CITL
How to Introduce Your Syllabus
I hope you enjoyed Dr. Sean Sidky’s previous blog post, Creating a warmer and more inclusive syllabus. Now that you have created your syllabus, how do you introduce it to students? Can you share the decisions you made in constructing the syllabus and designing the class? This transparency along with giving students input on parts… Read more »
Meet our new Instructional Technology Consultant, Eric Brinkman
Can you introduce yourself a little? What’s a hobby or two you enjoy? Hi! My name is Eric Brinkman, and I prefer they/them pronouns. I know it can be hard or seem strange for people at first, but it’s actually quite simple and grammatically correct! I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but I haven’t lived… Read more »
Creating a Warmer and More Inclusive Syllabus
Syllabi are one of the most effective tools for communicating information about your courses, from assignments and readings to policies and procedures. A clear and well-constructed syllabus is invaluable to student success. Equally important to what you communicate to students, however, is how you communicate in the syllabus. From reading a syllabus, students can infer… Read more »
Supporting Mental Health in the College Classroom
Since the Healthy Minds Network began their population-level survey of post-secondary student mental health, there has been a steady increase in the percentage of college students experiencing depression and/or anxiety. In the 2021-2022 academic year, 41% of college students experienced depression and 34% experienced anxiety. To put this in perspective, if you have 150 students… Read more »
Rejecting the Deficit Model in the Classroom
As instructors, many of us may prioritize the materials and skills that we want students to learn. But studies have shown that too much of a focus on the skills and knowledge that students have yet to develop may perpetuate bias and inequitable learning environments within the classroom (Williams & Toldson, 2020; Garriott, 2020). Specifically,… Read more »