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Exploring Teaching and Learning in Luddy Indiana University

Conversation on Mastery Grading | Quick Tips on Navigating Classroom Challenges | Teaching Resource Database

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Join Martha Oakley, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
http://www.chem.indiana.edu/faculty/martha-oakley/ 
 
on Monday March 6
1PM – 2:00 PM in Luddy Hall Dean’s Suite – Room 3006
as well as https://iu.zoom.us/j/9550537245
For a Conversation on Mastery Grading:
Light Refreshments served.
 
What is Mastery grading? Consider this question: What does a C mean? While the grade is a deeply familiar symbol, and more or less everyone has received a C at some point, what does the grade actually convey about learning?
  • Mastery-based grades are connected to clearly defined learning objectives.
  • Mastery-based grades separate academic achievement from behaviors.
  • Mastery-based grades are focused on learning progress.
In Chapter 5 of Teaching Matters : A Guide for Graduate Students (Spong and Haynie, 2022) https://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/19777163 (Available via interlibrary loan) The authors note that students face a variety of challenges that aren’t always evident and that may affect their performance in class. Students may exhibit behavior that is rude, disruptive, or even threatening. They advise developing a plan to reduce the likelihood of these behaviors, but also maintaining awareness of your campus resources in case the behaviors occur.
 
The authors reference the following topics in the chapter:
Resource (Available for the month of March via IU Libraries)
 

Content Includes:

  • 1,800 full-text magazines and books
  • 720 videos
  • 180 full-text hobby profiles
  • 13,000 full-text recipes
As well as a Makerspace Spotlight. This area highlights step-by-step projects available in the Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center to promote hands-on learning and creativity. This feature is available on the Home Page in the right-hand column and is rotated on a regular basis. Projects cover a wide range of topics from knitting and crochet to model-building and robotics. Complete, step-by-step instructions and patterns are available for every project, along with detailed, how-to information on related techniques. Works well with https://blogs.iu.edu/luddyteach/2023/02/25/quick-tip-makerspace-materials-available-for-borrow/. 

Quick Tip: Makerspace Materials Available for Borrow

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As you prepare your supply list for AY 2023-24, keep in mind some of the supplies you need may be accessible as a loan from Wells Library https://libraries.indiana.edu/borrow-equipment-makerspace.
(Thanks SICEHELP). Their is a wide array of materials available for check-out on a first come, first serve basis, as well as through reservation including but not limited to: 
  • Digital cameras (Various types and related accessories),
  • Light box/Lighting Kits,
  • 3D printers,
  • Hardware Tool Kits,
  • Sewing Machines,
  • Microphones, and more…

 

Collaborative Learning Preparation

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The Cornell Center for Teaching Innovation highlights the benefits of using peer-to-peer or larger group collaborative learning practices in your class. Specifically, they mention the benefits of collaborative learning include:
  • Development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills.
  • Promotion of student-faculty interaction.
  • Increase in student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility.
  • Exposure to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives.
  • Preparation for real life social and employment situations.
Barkley and Howell Major (2022) emphasize the importance of preparing students for collaborative learning by
  • Helping students develop a rapport with each other before starting an assignment
  • Setting clear rules that explain and differentiate the difference between group participation and individual contributions.
  • Providing opportunities or resources for students to develop the necessary skills for success team-building exercises. This includes:
    • Guidance on how to solve conflicts
    • Resources on how to develop better communication skills
    • Assistance with organization and planning
    • Support on general decision making activities.

The Best Practices for Inclusive Teaching in Yale Computer Science Guide recommends that the course syllabus include a collaboration and academic honesty policy that clarifies expectations for assignments. The guide includes three sample policies (pgs. 11-13), each allowing different levels of collaboration for different types of classes. These samples are modeled on existing policies provided by CS faculty at Yale.

The guide also references using consistent language throughout the department in order to reduce confusion from students, while acknowledging that it may be valuable to add to or modify the beginning of the section to provide some motivation for the policy that is specific to the learning goals for the course.

Lastly, it explains that it is helpful to make clear in the syllabus as well as through class discussion and assignment directions, whether the instructor employs different collaboration policies for different types of assignments (e.g., working in groups on projects, but not on problem sets). Doing so may reduce the instances of students violating academic integrity policies in courses.

Quick Tips and Resource: Inclusive Language/Communications

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The Guidelines for Inclusive Language, published by the Linguistic Society of America (LSA), define inclusive language as language that “acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities.” How language is used, especially by institutions such as educational systems, can deeply impact how communities within those systems view race, gender, ability, and cultures. Inclusive language can also be viewed as the intentional use of words and phrases with the purpose of avoiding biases and discrimination against groups of people based on race, gender, socioeconomic status, and ability. It’s just one part of inclusive communication, which also factors in verbal communication, tone of voice, listening skills, and contextual understanding.

EDUCAUSE has compiled an Inclusive Language Guide https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aaZoDtMySP2pdExyTu56Jfe2fpU5NIsq9EpENrBhe78/edit with the intent to support inclusive dialouge. [As a reminder, IU is an institutional member of EDUCAUSE]

They provide the following caveat: Although these discussions are deeply important, many of the questions won’t be answered with a single solution that is acceptable to everyone. One person’s sense of inclusive language can be another person’s definition of thin-skinned hypersensitivity. Writers and editors should approach these issues with curiosity and use discretion.

In addition to the guiding principles EDUCAUSE provides, it may also be helpful to consider other aspects of inclusive communication (compiled from HubSpot,  The American Psychological Association, and the United Nations) including but not limited to:

  • When focusing on words and correctness, it can become easy to forget you are talking to a real person, so remember to engage in active listening: See Habit 5 of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.
  • Pay attention to how they talk about themselves as well as contextual cues.
  • Avoid stereotyping people, even if the association is positive.
  • Place the person before their condition (there are exceptions, but if you’re not sure, opt for person-first language or ask).
  • Don’t use general or vague terms when a specific term is more appropriate.
  • Be attentive to changes in language used among identity communities.
inclusive language examples: plain language
Image from Hub Spot on Inclusive language

Quick List of ChatGPT and Related AI Educational Resources

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Listed are a few resources related to the educational use of ChatGPT and related AI tools.
Introductions/Overviews 
The following articles encourage the reader to embrace a healthy curiosity with AI educational tools and consider ways that faculty (in collaboration with students) cautiously consider short- and long-term uses of such tools.

General Resources

Teaching Tip: Assignment Deadlines

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Hannah R. Snyder, Assistant Prof. of Psychology at Brandeis University,  is interested in understanding risk and resilience factors for mental health in college students and young adults, focusing on how stress, cognitive function (especially executive function), and coping strategies interact, given that adolescence and emerging adulthood (early 20s) are periods of heightened risk for mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. 
Executive function (EF) skills are learned skills which underlie the capacity of a person to plan ahead and meet goals, display self-control, follow multiple-step directions even when interrupted, and stay focused despite distractions, among others. As you might imagine, these skills are important for students to master in order to be successful in college.
In a recent online conversation, Dr. Snyder explained the danger of being too flexible with assignment deadlines:
Large tasks with long time horizons “turn in all this work by the end of the semester” put max demands on EF. They require extensive planning, breaking down into steps, time management. For folks with EF difficulties, they are overwhelming, lead to procrastination and anxiety. As work piles up it becomes even more overwhelming, leading to more anxiety and avoidance, leading to more pile up. A vicious cycle that sets students up for failure. 
Structure and scaffolding of major assignments instead help students stay on track for success. Students who are neurodivergent, experiencing mental health issues or stressors (which affect EF), or may not have been taught how to self-direct through a US college course (e.g. 1st gen, international) benefit most from scaffolding that takes some of the burden off their EF. e.g., For a major term paper, I assign small assignments throughout the semester that help with each step (selecting topic, lit search, outlining, writing, revising). Students always know what they should be doing now, and I know if they are off track and need help. But everyone benefits from reducing EF demands. Making class structures and assignments more consistent with SMART goal principles (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) helps everyone succeed. (Notice the time-bound!) This does NOT mean you shouldn’t offer extensions when appropriate. You can be flexible and compassionate and have part of that compassion be that you are going to help keep them on track for success.
 
Miyake and Kane (2022) research around academic procrastination support Dr. Synder’s claims. Specifically, their proposed strategies to counter two of the main causes of procrastination, Task-Triggered Negative Mood States and Goal-Management Failures, align with the suggestions Snyder provide, but go into much more detail about teaching interventions faculty members can incorporate into their practice to encourage student success.

(From pgs. 296-299 of Miyake and Kane (2022) )

Chart depicting the key hypothesized causes of procrastination articulated in the process model of self-control (i.e., task-induced negative moods and goal-management failure).
Fig. 1. A schematic illustration of our proposed approach to intervention studies targeting academic procrastination, based on the idea that academic procrastination is multifaceted and is not easy to change with a single, narrow-focused intervention. We propose to reduce academic procrastination by addressing multiple facets associated with academic procrastination both directly and indirectly. Some small-teaching (or small-change) interventions should directly target the main causes of academic procrastination hypothesized in one’s model. As shown here (the dark-green boxes), in our model these causes are negative mood states triggered by impending tasks and the resulting goal-management failures (i.e., choosing immediate pleasure over long-term goals). In addition, we advocate for addressing broader metacognitive and social contexts that indirectly contribute to academic procrastination (the blue boxes). Specifically, we argue that asking students to regularly reflect on their efforts to reduce procrastination (e.g., what is and is not working, what changes to implement for improvement) is important in facilitating the effectiveness of the interventions that more directly target the hypothesized causes. It is also important to target social contexts surrounding students’ efforts to reduce procrastination, through community building, which helps motivate them to change their behavior. A host of specific small-teaching intervention options that interested researchers and instructors can employ in their research and teaching are discussed in the Theoretical Motivation section.
Targeting Hypothesized Cause 1: Task-Triggered Negative Mood States
  • Practicing starting rituals: These techniques target initial resistance that students might feel toward an academic task as a result of task aversion and help them get started on that task. Once they start working on the task, it is likely that they will keep working on it. These techniques are also helpful because they focus students not on the outcome (e.g., delivering a finished product, getting a good score on an upcoming exam) but rather on the process (e.g., a current task at hand), which has been found to be more effective in dealing with procrastination (Kaftan & Freund, 2019). A challenge is to develop ways to help students practice these techniques consistently so that they remember to apply them when appropriate situations arise.
    • Teach students the pomodoro technique: This technique begins with setting a timer to 25 min, starting on the task right away, working in a focused manner for that duration, and then taking a 5-min break; this sequence can be repeated four times before a longer break. The pomodoro technique is a popular and well-known productivity tool, and some good apps gamify this process (e.g., Forest; Seekrtech, http://www.seekrtech.com/en). This technique has an added benefit of enhancing students’ focus on the task at hand.
    • Teach students the 5-second rule: This rule was initially proposed by Robbins in her TED talk (Robbins, 2011) and subsequently elaborated in her popular book (Robbins, 2017). The rule states, “The moment you have an instinct to act on a goal you must [start counting backwards from 5] and physically move [by the end of that 5-s period] or your brain will stop you” (Robbins, 2017, p. 35). Robbins claims that applying the rule consistently and taking action can have positive impacts on various life domains (e.g., mental health, personal finance), including procrastination. Although the 5-second rule has not been scientifically tested, this simple idea holds promise.
  • Reducing task aversion: Initial task aversion, if strong enough, triggers a need to repair one’s negative mood, which leads to seeking short-term pleasure. Thus, reducing students’ aversion toward academic tasks is important, and the techniques listed here may be helpful in this regard.
    • Assign utility-value writing exercises: A simple writing exercise in which students reflect on why or how a particular educational activity (e.g., learning statistics, completing a writing assignment) is personally valuable to them has been shown to be an effective social-psychological intervention in classroom settings (see Harackiewicz & Priniski, 2018, for a review). Although this technique has not yet been applied to academic procrastination, it may reduce initial task aversion and thereby nudge students toward getting started on the task at hand. Note that this technique may simultaneously address the second hypothesized cause in our model by enhancing the personal value students place on their long-term learning goals (see below).
    • Break down complex assignments into separate ones: Assignments that require multiple days of work (e.g., writing a term paper) can feel overwhelming and thus elicit the feeling of task aversion. Moreover, the deadlines for such assignments are set well into the future (e.g., a month way), which makes it easier for students to procrastinate (in fact, Svartdal et al., 2020, identified long deadlines as one of the procrastination-friendly study environments). Breaking down a complex assignment into multiple mini-assignments, each with its own deadline (e.g., generating an outline, writing some parts of the paper, completing a full rough draft, revising the final paper), may help students not only reduce procrastination but also produce a better-quality final product.
    • Set up an assignment in a way that promotes a process focus (vs. an outcome focus): When students work on a major assignment or exam, their long-term goal may focus on the expected final outcome. Such an outcome focus is associated with greater stress, greater task aversion, and reduced motivation, compared with a process focus (e.g., focus on the next small step one can take to make progress on a bigger task; Kaftan & Freund, 2019). Teaching students about the importance of process focus may be helpful, and so is presenting an assignment in a way to encourage students to focus on specific processes (e.g., breaking down a complex task into smaller chunks, providing a to-do list for exam preparation). This technique may be particularly helpful if combined with other tools that promote a focus on processes (e.g., the pomodoro technique).
Targeting Hypothesized Cause 2: Goal-Management Failures
  • Enhancing long-term goals: A critical aspect of the second hypothesized cause of procrastination—goal-management failures—is the self-control dilemma, a conflict between short-term pleasure (e.g., a need for temporary mood repair) and long-term goals (e.g., working on a writing assignment). One way to help students resolve this dilemma in favor of their long-term goals and hence avoid procrastination is to help them increase the personal value they attach to their long-term learning goals.
    • Assign utility-value writing exercises: Utility-value writing exercises (already described above) should enhance the value of long-term goals by clarifying why studying a particular topic or working on a particular assignment is important and worthwhile.
    • Teach students how to create goals: Many students do not set specific long-term goals, let alone write them down, so teaching students how to set goals effectively may be helpful, especially if they can commit to these goals and if the goals are effective. Productivity books frequently recommend SMART goals, that is, goals that are Specific (or Simple), Measurable (or Meaningful), Actionable (or Achievable), Relevant (or Realistic), and Time-bound (or Trackable). Our experience is that students struggle with creating SMART goals (Gustavson & Miyake, 2017); guidance and repeated practice seem necessary, along with strong commitments from students to strive toward the SMART goals they create.
  • Making long-term goals more accessible: Even if students have set goals and know why those goals matter to them personally, goals are not useful if students cannot easily access them when they need them. Thus, helping students keep reminding themselves of those long-term goals (as well as specific tasks associated with those higher-level goals) in their everyday lives should facilitate their resolving the self-control dilemma in favor of long-term goals and even minimize the likelihood of facing the self-control dilemma in the first place.
    • Teach students about useful planning tools: Many students do not regularly use calendars, to-do lists, reminders, and other useful planning tools (either online or on paper) to keep track of their daily tasks. Teaching students how to use these resources effectively (via either short lectures or useful videos available on the Internet, e.g., Frank, 2021) should improve goal accessibility. (Thomas Frank’s website, called College Info Geek, https://collegeinfogeek.com, also provides various useful resources covering all aspects of students’ academic lives.) Moreover, encouraging students to plan in advance when to work on which academic tasks and to mark those study sessions in their calendars (with reminders) may be helpful.
    • Send students timely and well-crafted reminders: Students should eventually learn how to keep track of assignments and other academic tasks on their own. In the meantime, however, instructors may assist this process by strategically sending out timely reminders, especially early in the semester. Ideal reminders make clear what students are expected to do by when and are written in an encouraging manner (they may also include direct links to the assignments). Learning management systems allow instructors to send out reminders to only those students who have not yet completed an assignment. Recent research provides some suggestions as to what sort of information should be included in such reminders. For example, results of one large-scale study (Huang et al., 2021) suggest that including the assignment completion rate (e.g., “62% of the students have completed this assignment”) may be helpful.
  • Dealing with temptations and distractions: Goal-management failures (i.e., resolving the self-control dilemma at hand in favor of short-term pleasure) are more likely to occur if the study environment has many potential temptations and distractions. Thus, another way to reduce the likelihood of goal-management failures and hence academic procrastination is to reduce the impact of temptations and distractions surrounding students.
    • Teach students to create implementation intentions: Implementation intention is a self-regulatory tool used to help turn an intention (e.g., to reach a long-term goal) into an action. It takes the form of an “if-then” rule that describes the specific action to take if a certain situation arises (e.g., “When I finish eating dinner, I will start working on a weekly quiz right away”). This simple rule-creation technique has been often used to promote desirable (but potentially unpleasant) health behaviors involving some degree of self-control (e.g., dieting), but it should also be applicable to the academic domain. Tips for maximizing the potential benefits of implementation intentions are available from the technique’s developer, Gollwitzer (see Gollwitzer et al., 2010). Knowing exactly what to do and when should help students minimize the impact of potential distractions and temptations.Challenge students to preemptively remove sources of temptations: Self-control research has revealed two approaches to deal with temptations: (a) exerting willpower after one encounters a temptation and (b) preemptively removing potential sources of temptations (Hofmann & Kotabe, 2012). The latter is often a more effective approach to resisting temptations and getting sidetracked by them (e.g., Vohs & Piquero, 2021). Teach students about preventive strategies for self-control (possibly via in-class discussions) and challenge them to implement these strategies in everyday situations. For example, the most common sources of distractions reported by students are their electronic devices, such as smartphones, computers, and tablets. Possible preventive strategies for students to reduce distractions due to electronic devices include (a) leaving their smartphones in a different room while studying, (b) turning on the “do not disturb” mode to block notifications, (c) closing all nonessential browser windows while studying, and (d) using a program that blocks distracting apps and websites while studying (e.g., Freedom, https://freedom.to).
Targeting Contextual Factors That Facilitate Behavior Change
  • Encouraging reflection (metacognitive factor): Although this factor does not directly address the two causes of procrastination hypothesized in our process model, it is nevertheless potentially important because successfully implementing procrastination-reducing strategies and turning them into habits likely requires regular reflection on one’s own progress. Providing opportunities for such reflection is likely to help enhance the effectiveness of the specific intervention methods discussed above.
    • Regularly ask students to evaluate their study habits: Although it is easy to recommend techniques to students, it is not easy for students to implement them effectively and habitually. Check in with students regularly (e.g., every 3–4 weeks) and ask them to reflect on their progress (e.g., what is working, what is not, what changes they want to implement).
    • Administer postexam exam wrappers: Ask students to reflect on how they studied for an exam right before they see their scores (see Lovett, 2013, for the rationale behind administering exam wrappers and some concrete examples). To address procrastination, focus students’ reflections on the extent to which they crammed for the exam and on possible ways to avoid cramming for the next exam.
    • Building community (social factor): As any instructor knows, classroom climates really matter for students’ motivation and engagement. Simply administering the simple intervention techniques outlined above in a vacuum, without engaging students in this “fight against procrastination” effort in some way, seems to be missing some important (and potentially crucial) element for success. Thus, we advocate for including some community-building and peer-support activities to engage students and motivate them to work together to reduce procrastination.
    • Teach students about academic procrastination: Most students do not know how procrastination occurs and what can be done to reduce it. Teaching them about procrastination in classroom settings (via brief lectures or Internet videos; e.g., Frank, 2018, and Urban, 2016), especially if combined with in-class discussions, should help develop an antiprocrastination culture. In fact, the simple process model outlined in this article is easy to convey, and students resonate to the model’s explanation of how procrastination occurs. It provides a useful starting point for engaging students in classroom discussions (e.g., jointly generating possible ways to tackle procrastination).
    • Make “fight against procrastination” a classwide effort: In addition to teaching students about academic procrastination, share with the class some relevant statistics about their progress. For example, provide a weekly report of the percentage of students who completed assignments reasonably early (e.g., > 24 hr before deadline) and encourage (if not reward) the class to beat this average for the next assignment.
    • Engage students in small-group activities: Some of the activities discussed in this table (e.g., creating goals and implementation intentions, reflecting on progress) can be done in small groups. Also consider introducing an “accountability partner” system (although knowing how to pair up students can be challenging).
    • Gamify efforts to reduce procrastination: Introduce some fun elements to the classwide effort to fight against procrastination. For example, student groups can compete against each other to see which has the earliest average completion time for an assignment.
 

Higher Ed Podcasts

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Dr. Laura Pasquini is an educational coach and consultant who is passionate about podcasts. She has created two resources that may be useful to you if you are interested in finding more educational podcasts to listen to, or creating your own:
  • HigherEd Podcasts: https://bit.ly/higheredpodcasts is a spreadsheet that she has curated. The first page has a list of more than 200 podcasts that focus on various aspects of higher education. The second page is a more general list of podcasts that touch on more random topics in the range of education, general interest and self-improvement.

  • Behind the Podcast: http://bit.ly/behindthepodcast provides a behind the scenes look at how some of the more popular higher education podcasts are created recording set-ups of several higher ed podcasts. The producers of podcasts such as Teaching in Higher Ed and Thinkudl.org share information about the hardware and software they use to create their podcasts, as well as their hosting service and resources they use to produce the content for their podcasts.

The Role of Faculty in Student Mental Health and Announcements

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The following Teaching in Higher Ed Podcast episodes focus on mental health:
These podcasts discuss tips faculty can consider integrating into their teaching practice in order to help address some of the mental health issues students may be facing while matriculating through school. they include:
Flexibility v. Coddling 
 
The top recommendation was being flexible when possible.
 
(Episode 422)
 
“We don’t think the solution is, when a student comes up and says, “Wow, I was out of commission last week in bed with depression,” we don’t suggest saying, “Ah, forget about it. No need to do that work that you missed.” That doesn’t really help them… Now whether it’s designing subtler, more flexible late policies or even opportunities for resubmission, not for as much credit, but still for some additional credit [still offer] incentives so that students can learn more… “
(Episode 373)
 
“Building in flexibility, and it depends on the discipline and the class structure, but whether you get to drop your lowest assignment or for me, I really laid out a clear process to students where I was trying to eliminate any shame in asking for an extension. Saying, here’s the process. It’s simple, its uniform, it’s not a mystery. Here’s how you do this.”
Note: These conversations noted how this is really helpful for vulnerable groups such as first-generation students who may not know the hidden curriculum of academia. For example, If you have a “No late work accepted policy” but make unadvertised exceptions for emergencies on a case-by-case basis, some students will take your policy literally, even in dire consequences.  “As a friend who was a first-generation academic told me, first-gen students like her got where they are by following the rules. It would never have occurred to her that “no late work accepted” had an unwritten caveat of “unless you’ve had a serious emergency.””
When is the Assignment Due? (Episode 373)
“If you’re making an assignment due at 9:00 AM, [some] students are going to pull an all-nighter. If you have an assignment due at midnight, they’re going to work through dinner. If you have an assignment due at 5:00 PM, that’s likely one of the healthiest times. It might be different at a community college or a school where a lot of folks are working full-time, but either way, the point is just to be intentional about the time that is selected [based on your student population]”.
Encourage Self Help (Adapted from Episode 317 and The Jed Foundation)
 
Consider incorporating meditation, breathing, or other mindfulness practices into the classroom and adding self-care activities—such as getting exercise, spending time in nature, or talking with a friend—to assignments. You can also model self-care by sharing with students what you do to manage stress.
The counseling center, wellness center, and/or peer health educators on campus often have workshops that are ready to go. Consider having students review a pre-recorded workshop https://healthcenter.indiana.edu/counseling/workshops-groups/recorded-workshops.html and provide feedback on what they learned as part of an extra credit assignment.
Sharing Resources 
 
Consider sharing departmental/school/campus resources in a Student Resource Slideshow that plays before class starts and at the end of the lecture. You can add in slides with resources based around the needs of your students. Also, you can put resources in your syllabi.
Sample language
—————————
“If you are feeling stressed, worried, or down during the semester, or if you notice signs of emotional distress in someone else, please feel free to stop by my office or
consider reaching out for support. Here are some campus resources:
 
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)​ – Stressing out over your studies? Just need someone to talk to? The trained, professional staff at CAPS will give you the confidential support you need.​
Location: ​
IU Student Health Center, Fourth Floor​
600 N. Eagleson Ave​
Bloomington, IN 47405​
The crisis line is available to students 24/7 choosing option 1 after-hours – ​
​Phone: 812-855-5711 ​
Website: https://healthcenter.indiana.edu/counseling/index.html ​
Center for Human Growth Counseling Clinic​

The Center for Human Growth Counseling Clinic provides support for mild to moderate mental health issues. As a client, you’ll receive support from our student counselors, supervised by a licensed faculty member.​
Location​
IU School of Education
201 N Rose Ave, Ste Rm. 0001​
Bloomington, IN 47405​
Phone: 812-856-8302 ​
Email: centgrow@indiana.edu to request a free intake appointment.​
Website: https://education.indiana.edu/chg/index.html
If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone right now, visit https://988lifeline.org/ or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor 24/7.”
——————–
Additional Resources
 
Announcements
 
SoTL Spring Reading Group Application – The New College Classroom
 
The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) program within CITL will host TWO reading group experiences around the book The New College Classroom. The first reading group will be for graduate students meeting on campus from 10-11:30am on the following Tuesdays: February 7, February 28, and March 21, 2023. The second reading group will be for full-time faculty members meeting virtually from 9-10:30am on the following Thursdays: February 2, February 23, and March 23, 2023. In addition to receiving a physical copy of the book, participants will have the opportunity to talk with author Christina Katopodis. Applications are due Friday, January 13th 
 
Apply at: https://citl.indiana.edu/events/event-registration.html?scheduleid=c365e563-3b1e-6f49-07d2-b83b01f0c345
 
CFP: TILTed Pedagogy: A Collection Evidence-Based Assignments to Inspire Learning
 
Co-editors Shannon M. Sipes (Indiana University), Mandy Frake-Mistak (York University), and Jennifer C. Friberg (Illinois State University), invite submissions for their proposed text: TILTed Pedagogy: A Collection Evidence-Based Assignments to Inspire Learning This text is being proposed to Elon’s Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Open Access Book Series (spring 2024 pub date expected).
This text will present a collection of activities and assignments formatted using the TILT framework, which has been shown to increase equity and inclusion in student performance. Each activity/assignment will be mapped to literature on the evidence/model/principle and will provide a reflection from the contributor related to their thinking about the design of the activity/assignment. For additional information, please see: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1057Ajhw_VRUBYPoyRScFOPv3faP46XiE/view?usp=sharing
Teaching Faculty Career Development Series – 2023
The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL)  is partnering with the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs (VPFAA) and the Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching (FACET)  to offer the annual Teaching Faculty Career Development Series. This workshop series is designed to give teaching faculty (those who are not on the tenure track) opportunities to learn about career development, network with peers and colleagues, and engage in activities to plan their own career paths. All workshops are facilitated by teaching faculty, who offer their own insights and experiences about the process of setting and achieving long-term professional goals. For the full agenda, please see: https://nttdot.sitehost.iu.edu/

UDI and Effective Instruction

Posted on by akesha

In the past we have discussed Universal Design for Learning (UDL), 
However, we have not formally discussed Universal Design for Instruction (UDI). While UDL and UDI are similar frameworks that are devised to optimize teaching and learning for diverse groups of students based on scientific insights into how people learn best, UDL provides specific guidance for designing curricula, while UDI can be used for applications related to teaching and learning. UDI ensures that students have multiple ways to learn, engage and demonstrate what they have learned. UDI also ensures that each UDI practice is accessible, usable, and inclusive.

According to Scott, McGuire, and Shaw (2001), there are nine principles of UDI:

  1. Equitable use: Accessible and usable by everyone.
  2. Flexibility in use: Accommodated to individual needs with choices provided.
  3. Simple and intuitive: Clear and understood regardless of student’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
  4. Perceptible information: Accessible regardless of students’ sensory abilities.
  5. Tolerance for error: Anticipates learning pace and prerequisite skills.
  6. Low physical effort: Minimizes nonessential physical effort (unless physical effort is integral to the essential requirements of a course [e/g/ lifting requirements in a physical therapy program]).
  7. Size and space for approach and use: Considers physical and sensory access to environment, equipment, tasks.
  8. A community of learners: Promotes interaction and communication among students and between students and faculty.
  9. Instructional climate: Welcoming and inclusive.
  • Class climate. Adopt practices that reflect high values with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Example: Put a statement on your syllabus inviting students to meet with you to discuss disability-related accommodations and other special learning needs.
  • Interaction. Encourage regular and effective interactions between students, employ multiple communication methods, and ensure that communication methods are accessible to all participants. Example: Assign group work for which learners must engage using a variety of skills and roles.
  • Physical environments and products. For outside instruction, ensure that facilities, activities, materials, and equipment are physically accessible to and usable by all students and that diverse potential student characteristics are addressed in safety considerations. Example: Develop safety procedures for all students, including those who are blind, deaf, or wheelchair users.
  • Delivery methods. Use multiple instructional methods that are accessible to all learners. Example: Use multiple modes to deliver content; when possible, allow students to choose from multiple options for learning; and motivate and engage students—consider lectures, collaborative learning options, hands-on activities, Internet-based communications, educational software, field work, and so forth.
  • Information resources and technology. Ensure that course materials, notes, and other information resources are engaging, flexible, and accessible for all students. Example: Choose printed materials and prepare a syllabus early to allow students the option of beginning to read materials and work on assignments before the course begins. Allow adequate time to arrange for alternate formats, such as books in audio format.
  • Feedback and assessment. Regularly assess students’ progress, provide specific feedback on a regular basis using multiple accessible methods and tools, and adjust instruction accordingly. Example: Allow students to turn in parts of large projects for feedback before the final project is due.
  • Accommodations. Plan for accommodations for students whose needs are not fully met by the instructional content and practices. Example: Know campus protocols for getting materials in alternate formats, rescheduling classroom locations, and arranging for other accommodations for students with disabilities.

While Burgstahler (2015) explains that Effective instructors:

  1. Provide clear and explicit expectations.
  2. Provide advanced organizers and supports.
  3. Provide information in multiple formats.
  4. Provide a welcoming classroom environment.
  5. Make connections between topics and real-life experiences.
  6. Provide frequent, consistent, & formative feedback.
  7. Support individual learning needs within the group.
  8. Use effective assessment strategies.
  9. Are approachable and available.
  10. Are knowledgeable and focused on their subject matter.
  11. Make personal connections with their students.
  12. Hold challenging standards for learning.
  13. Engage in & encourage metacognition.
  14. Understand human development & learning theory
Additional Resources:

Quick Tip – Syllabus Checklist/Sample Wording

Posted on by akesha

A couple of weeks ago I shared resources on how to prepare to discuss difficult topics in class. Within that post was a link to a Google Doc from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This doc compiled sample language from syllabi collected from different courses (with faculty permission) . The policies addressed in this document include: 

  • Late work
  • Participation
  • Plagiarism and academic integrity
  • Intellectual property – course materials
  • Accommodations for students with learning and physical differences
  • Sample LGBTQ syllabus statement
  • Use of Pronouns
  • Non-discrimination policy
  • Mental health
  • Statement on sexual harassment
  • Mandatory Reporting
  • Difficult topics
Many of the policies have an explanation as to why the policies are in place, which help students not only understand the importance of the policies, but help them understand they are not arbitrary. It may be helpful to review how others have worded policies that align with those mentioned in the updated Start of the Semester Memo From the Office of the VPFAA as well as any other academic policies at IU. 
 
Also, as you prepare for the semester, this syllabus checklist, adapted from  “Starting the Semester on the Right Foot: 40 Concrete Ideas to Take Into the Classroom Tomorrow,” , might be helpful to make sure you cover everything you want students to know about your course and course/school/university policies.
 
If I do not see you before, have a very Happy New Year. As always, feel free to contact me so we can follow up on any of the points in this email or any instructional questions/concerns you may have.
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