Fall 2020 Teaching Symposium: Teaching during and after COVID
This event will provide IU instructors with an opportunity to reflect on innovative teaching approaches employed during the fall semester and to begin preparing for the spring term. Presenters will describe how they have adapted their teaching to online and hybrid contexts, and what strategies they will bring back to their face-to-face teaching. All presenters are members of IUB's teaching faculty—those in the lecturer, clinical, adjunct, visiting, or other non-tenure track ranks. This event is sponsored by the CITL and the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
Format
The symposium will utilize a hybrid approach, with each presenter sharing a short video of their instructional approach—to be viewed in advance—followed by a series of informal "Coffee Talk" events that will allow for discussion of these approaches within topical clusters. We encourage participants to watch each video before attending the related discussion.
The individual presentations/discussions will be held during the week of November 2–6. A plenary session, to be held on Friday, November 6, will include comments by Associate Vice Provost Martha Oakley, and a panel discussion of teaching faculty on how the campus can support innovative teaching.
Topics and Sessions
Innovative Activities to Engage Students and Improve Learning
Monday 11/2, 9:30 – 10:30 am
Register here
When teaching in an online environment, it can be challenging to create innovative activities to engage students and help them learn course content. In this discussion, instructors will share their strategies for engaging students using authentic scenarios and problems to solve, improvisation to build community, and student-produced videos to actively involve students with course content. Join us for a casual conversation and share your own teaching strategies for effective group work.
- Heather Scherschel (Psychological and Brain Sciences): Engaging Gen Z Learners
- Dawn Wisher (Business Communication, Kelley School of Business): Practical Improv in a Business Presentations Class
- Olga Kalentzidou Geography): Using Groups to Build Community in an Online Class
- Paul Serex (Operations and Decision Technologies, Kelley School of Business): Teaching Critical Thinking Skills Using Authentic Problems
Teaching Strategies for Equity and Inclusion
Wednesday 11/4, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Register here
How can we enhance the inclusiveness and equity of our courses, while also helping students learn important disciplinary content? In this discussion, instructors will share their strategies for incorporating concepts of diversity and intersectionality into their courses; discussing challenging topics, including current events; and using inclusive course materials. Join us for a casual conversation and share your own teaching strategies for inclusion and equity.
- Laura Brown (Chemistry): Making a Large STEM Course Equitable and Inclusive
- Courtney Fecske (Health and Wellness Design, School of Public Health): Redesigning a Course for Equity and Compassion
- Stephanie Moore (Business Law and Ethics, Kelley School of Business): Creating a Safe, Inclusive Class Environment
How to Connect with Students in Online Classes
Thursday 11/5, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Register here
In the move to online teaching and learning, one aspect of face-to-face instruction that can be challenging to re-create is the connection between an instructor and their students. In this discussion, instructors will share their strategies for keeping in regular contact with students and learning about their experiences in the course; provide individualized feedback, and using technology effectively to facilitate communicating with students. Join us for a casual conversation and share your own teaching strategies for creating a presence in your online course.
- Kim Arnold (Chemistry): Connecting with Students in a Large STEM Course
- Anita Morgan (Accounting, Kelley School of Business): Using Microsoft Teams to Enhance Instructor Presence
- Betty Dlamini (African Studies): Establishing Instructor Presence Using Canvas Tools
Using Group Work to Engage Students and Improve Learning
Friday 11/6, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Register here
How can we use group work to build community and enhance student learning in online and face to face classes? In this discussion, instructors will share their strategies for enhancing interaction among students in online discussion boards as well as face-to-face and synchronous online classes; using technology effectively to promote active discussion, and promoting a sense of community in large classes. Join us for a casual conversation and share your own teaching strategies for effective group work.
- Katie Metz (Accounting, Kelley School of Business): Using Small Groups to Apply Course Content to Practical Scenarios
- Brian Shaw (Jacobs School of Music): Re-Imagining the Discussion Board
- Meghan Porter (Chemistry): Using Group Work to Make a Large Class Smaller
- Tatiana Saburova (History): Technologies for Collaborative Annotation and Group Discussion
Innovative Strategies for Holding Students Accountable and Assessing Learning
Friday 11/6, 1:30 – 2:30 pm
Register here
In online as well as face-to-face courses, it is especially challenging to design innovative assessments that engage students while allowing them to show what they have learned. Equally challenging is the task of holding students accountable for their work while avoiding “busywork.” In this discussion, instructors will share their strategies for assessing learning while students are engaging with new content (and holding them accountable for their work), as well as evaluating student’s learning at the end of a unit or module. Join us for a casual conversation and share your own teaching strategies for assessing student learning and holding students accountable.
- Andrea Astill (Accounting, Kelley School of Business): Creative Alternatives to Traditional Tests
- Elida Behar (Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture, and Design): Using Debates to Engage Students in an Online Design Class
- Anne Zhang (Psychological and Brain Sciences): Daily Active Learning Exercises to Hold Students Accountable
Panel Discussion: Teaching Innovations and the Way Forward
Friday, November 6, 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Register here
This event will include comments by Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Martha Oakley, and a panel discussion of teaching faculty on how the campus can support innovative teaching. Faculty panelists will include: Kim Arnold (Chemistry), Andrea Astill (Accounting, Kelley School of Business), Courtney Fecske (Health and Wellness Design, School of Public Heath), Meghan Porter (Chemistry), and Heather Scherschel (Psychological and Brain Sciences).
Questions: Contact the CITL at citl@indiana.edu.