Reflecting on Reflecting
Contributed by Jean Otsuki, Associate Director, CTL I recently had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the New England Faculty Developer Consortium, where I participated in a workshop called “Unsettling Assumptive Worlds Through Shifting Perspectives: Approaches to Reflective Practice in Teaching and Learning,” led by Dana Grossman Leeman, Senior Associate Director at the Center for […]
Some thoughts on English grammar assessment from a non-native speaker
Contributed by Federica Bocchi, PhD Candidate in Philosophy of Science (5-minute read) In her previous blog post, Maya discussed the tension between recognizing the importance of grammatical accuracy in writing assignments and acknowledging the disadvantages this practice could induce, especially in non-native English speakers. As a multilingual learner and instructor, I would like to offer […]
Spring Workshops on Writing and Feedback
Christina Michaud and Marisa Milanese, Master Lecturers from the CAS Writing Program, will co-facilitate two workshops in early spring. Workshop 1: Putting Grammar Back In: Linguistically-Responsive Writing Instruction For faculty who teach writing, rhetoric, or writing-intensive courses, “what to do” about grammar has long been a concern. Join us for an interactive workshop as we […]
Reimagining the Grading Paradigm
In Spring 2022, the Center for Teaching & Learning created several events and programming that focused on questions about grading. This programming was inspired by, and in partnership with, colleagues from the College of General Studies, Kilachand Honors College, and the College of Arts Writing Program. Why grading? We chose this focus because of the many […]
Making Time for Connection at the End of the Semester
Contributed by Jean Otsuki. As we near the end of the semester, we encourage you to make time to check in with your students about how they are doing and create space for them to connect with their peers. Fostering classroom community is meaningful at any time, but can be especially valuable during stressful periods. […]
Mid Semester Feedback
Contributed by Jean Otsuki The middle of the semester is a valuable time to check in with students – to solicit their feedback about how the course is going, and to reset and refocus for the remainder of the term. Why collect feedback? While instructors typically receive feedback about their teaching in the form of course […]
Setting Up Students to Succeed on Final Assessments
Contributed by CTL staff (2 minute read) As we near the end of the term, it’s critical to prepare students to succeed on their final assessments by building in low-stakes opportunities for them to practice and receive feedback on the skills they will be asked to demonstrate. Too often, there is a disconnect between how […]
Have you checked in with your students?
Contributed by CTL staff (2 minute read) The middle of the semester is the prime time to check in with students, inquire about their well-being, provide support, get feedback for the course, and re-focus on priorities till the end of the semester. Our earlier News & Announcements post, “Harness the Positive Power of Feedback”, offers […]
Student Engagement Part 1: Focusing on the emotional aspects of learning
Contributed by CTL staff (3 minute read) Are your students engaged, actively present and effortful at their learning? Are your students ‘there,’ with you, in class? Are your students still emotionally invested in our course now that you are half-way through the semester? The middle of the semester always presents its own challenges for keeping […]
Keeping Breakout Rooms On Task
Graduate Teaching Blog Post Contributed by Phillippa Pitts (4 minute read) Q: I hear students benefit from small group work and appreciate using Zoom breakout rooms. But how will I know that they’re staying on task if I’m not there? A: This is a question that came up frequently in the physical classroom. Now, in […]