Let's Talk Teaching

Connections can make all the difference when it comes to student success. Evidence shows that authentic learning, and authentic assessment of learning, can be achieved more successfully when there's a rapport between teacher and learner, between learners, and between learners and what they need to learn. But how do you pull that off? In January, hundreds of instructors, support staff, and graduate students will come together (both physically and virtually) to search for answers. In this episode, CTLT director Dr. Jennifer Friberg and faculty developer Dr. Dana Karraker join Jim to discuss the upcoming 2022 University-Wide Teaching & Learning Symposium. The theme-- Listen, Encourage, Inspire, Challenge: Building a Relationship-Rich Campus. Learn about the unique perspectives represented by this year's two keynote presenters and how this year's event will blend the best of both online and face-to-face modalities. The Symposium is free for all ISU faculty, staff, and graduate students. Register for the event b

What does it take to create a truly powerful online learning experience for our students? A year of remote instruction thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic has left many more of us in a position to better appreciate that question. For this episode, Jim is joined by two colleagues from CTLT: Linda Summers is the coordinator for Blended and Online Learning, and Dr. Steve Travers is the coordinator for Student Success Initiatives. Together, they examine how a quality online course differs in both design and delivery from the more "just in time" experiences necessitated during the pandemic. Linda and Steve showcase two CTLT professional development programs, DART Online and TOP. They also discuss other, less involved learning opportunities for instructors who want to teach blended or online content.

We return to face-to-face classroom instruction at Illinois State for the fall of 2021, but with a twist. Students and instructors will have to wear face coverings. How do we make masks work? Jim is joined by CTLT's director, Dr. Jennifer Friberg, who is also a speech pathologist by training. They discuss how a little piece of cloth can cause some big challenges when it comes to communicating clearly in class. Jen provides some tips for adjusting our environments and our approaches to speaking to maximize understanding. They also explore ways to take students "emotional temperature" now that their faces are being obscured.

Students don't have to feel like they're "teaching themselves" when taking an online, asynchronous course. Dr. Hulda Black, an associate professor in the College of Business, joins us to highlight ways to make communication work through course design, establishing habits, and timely feedback. She and Jim Gee discuss in importance of creating a "rhythm" through scheduled communications, including announcements through ReggieNet and weekly videos to explain learning goals and give general feedback on student work to the class. They also discuss how to approach office hours using meeting tools like Zoom.

We talk a lot about civic engagement as a core value at Illinois State University. But what does it look like when practiced in our courses? We explore that question in this episode, a preview of the 2021 University-Wide Teaching & Learning Symposium, Civic Engagement in Extraordinary Times. Dr. Katy Strzepek and Harriet Steinbach from the Center for Civic Engagement join Dr. Dana Karraker and Jim Gee from CTLT for an in-depth look at the ties between public higher education and engendering a life-long sense of civic learning in students. The group highlights ways, both big and small, to incorporate civic engagement in classes. They also examine the lessons learned from a semester of teaching and activism during a tumultuous election season, the national spotlight on social justice, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, they preview the three "rock stars of civic engagement" who will keynote the January 6, 2021 Symposium.

As an extraordinary semester wraps up, we check in with three undergraduate students from Illinois State about their experiences learning in the age of COVID-19. They highlight what's worked in their classes this semester, what instructors have done to help them to succeed, and how the new tools we've all had to embrace - things like Zoom, recorded lectures, and other apps - have actually offered some expanded opportunities. They also explore some surprising ways they connect with other students. Plus, they weigh in on synchronous versus asynchronous learning and how those insights have impacted their choices of classes for the spring semester.

Tackling tough social issues is often a minefield in which few instructors wish to tread… and for good reason. From political polarization to the isolation of the global pandemic, a multitude of forces are shaping, and sometimes stifling, our ability to have deep, important conversations in our classes. But it can be done and done successfully. We talk with Dr. Joseph Zompetti from the School of Communication, who shares ideas about how to structure classroom conversations, face-to-face or virtually, to navigate through divisive discourses. Joe and Jim examine some basic ground rules which can help students engage with controversial ideas and provide a sense of camaraderie with the mutual goal of sharing different perspectives. They explore the idea of classrooms as simulation spaces, where it’s okay to examine the real world without succumbing to the weight of real-world ideology. Joe also shares how he transformed his course on political rhetoric through two divisive presidential elections and what teachin

We speak with Dan Taube, Illinois State University's Chief Information Security Officer, about how to keep ourselves and our students safe as we teach and learn online. As college instructors, we don't usually think about our teaching in terms of the exchange or storage of data. But it's an important consideration not just in terms of our personal online habits, but also in terms of ensuring students' privacy. Dan highlight's the best ways to prevent bad actors from getting a hold of the information they so desperately want. We discuss how to to be mindful when interacting with email and websites, and we also explore the process the University when faculty or departments seek to incorporate new online tools into the curriculum. You'll also hear about the good cybersecurity habits instructors can model for their students.

To say the Fall 2020 semester has been a challenge is to undersell it. But still, students say they're having positive learning experiences despite the global pandemic and all it means for higher education. In this episode, we talk with three returning Illinois State undergraduates, who bring a unique perspective about how things have changed since last fall. They share what their professors are doing to help them. They highlight the communication practices, flexibility, and organization that helps them to succeed. Plus, they emphasize the importance of empathy and genuine concern in the student-teacher relationship.

Communication is key to coping with the extraordinary challenges to learning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. That's the number one conclusion we came to in this special edition of our podcast. We sat down with three faculty members to discuss their approaches to teaching this fall, with a special emphasis on supporting students' attendance and helping them to keep learning, even when the novel coronavirus has other plans. We discuss how to set expectations with students, how to encourage them to ask for help, and how to make ourselves available, whether we're teaching synchronously, asynchronously, or somewhere in between. Special thanks to our panel: Dr. Gina Hunter, Dr. Abby Stone, and Tina McGuire shared their unique perspectives from a variety of teaching situations.

It takes more than just an ace team of enrollment managers to meet students' needs on a campus like ours. Faculty play a role in students' choices to come to, or return to, Illinois State. Dr. Jana Albrecht, Associate Vice-President for Enrollment Management, talks about how instructors impact these important decisions. She and Jim also discuss ISU's plans to pilot a "Test Optional" application process for new student applicants starting in the fall.

Dr. Julie-Ann McFann returns to our podcast, this time to discuss a special summer-long professional development opportunity for Illinois State graduate students. Learn how Instructional Design for Future Faculty helps to prepare the next generation of university level instructors by exploring course design, teaching portfolios, and more.

It's week one of completely online teaching at Illinois State University in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Claire and Jim reflect on this extraordinary shift in teaching and learning. They discuss how the new reality has forced us all to be "life-long learners" and how to carry on that example to our students. Plus, they briefly rundown the extensive support available to faculty and students at Illinois State.

Conferences can be an important part of one's growth as a college teacher... or even as a professional developer. Conferences can also be expensive. How do you get the most developmental bang for your buck? In this episode, Claire and Jim brainstorm ways to optimize the conference experience (in Jim's case, it's actually going). Claire shares how she plans ahead for big gatherings. Plus, learn Claire's evil plan to put Jim off his diet on their next trip to Atlanta.

Reporting midterm grades may seem like just more paperwork, but it can be vital to our students' success. In this brief episode, Claire and Jim unpack the uncertainty students sometimes have about their grades and kick around some strategies for giving meaningful feedback… even when you haven't accumulated many points yet in the semester.

We take a break from teaching tips and expert advice to talk about the next big change coming to the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology. Find out what our move to Williams Hall... and, eventually, to destinations beyond... means for Illinois State instructors.

We're excited to be joined by Stacy Ramsey, Associate Director for Enrollment Management at Illinois State, about a new program to help ease students into the their complex digital life on campus.

A new semester is close at hand-- get excited and inspired to teach. CTLT Director Dr. Claire Lamonica shares her top five tips for starting your semester off successfully. She and Jim explore advice about your syllabus, classroom space, breaking expectations the first day of class, and much more! Plus, the talk about why it's okay... even important... to take a little "me" time before classes begin.

Dana Karraker joins Claire and Jim to discuss the 2020 University-Wide Teaching & Learning Symposium. They begin by unpacking the theme, Intentional Technologies: Reclaiming Our Spaces. They draw connections to the works of the 2020 the keynote speaker: educator, musician, and author of Teaching Naked, Dr. José Antonio Bowen. With the call for proposals now open, the three also explore the formats of potential presentations and how they are selected. If you have an idea for a presentation at the 2020 Symposium, the deadline to submit it is Monday, September 30, 2019. Find out more at CTLT.IllinoisState.edu/Symposium.

Co-teaching can bring a potent combination of unique expertise and diverse perspectives to a course, affording students to a rich, deep learning environment. Dr. Jen Friberg is the Endowed Cross Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at Illinois State. She, along with her colleague, Dr. Lisa Vinney, sit down to discuss their journey in creating a truly co-equal collaboration. We discuss how to build trust and confidence in the co-teaching relationship, the importance of communication, and how to avoid missteps. Plus, we look at some of the important questions colleagues must ask each other, and themselves, when trying to determine if co-teaching is right for them.