CTL & ASSETT Newsletter - February 2024

Active learning is an evidence-based and inclusive teaching practice that has shown beneficial impact for all learners, but specifically those from underrepresented groups (Theobald EJ, et al., 2020). Among the ways to implement active learning, two easy ways are through alternating lecture with activities. In the mini-lecture format, the instructor talks ten to twenty minutes about a topic while students take notes as normal and then pauses for students to review their notes, find questions, and work with others to fill in gaps. The second technique is an active listening lecture where students just listen to a short lecture without taking notes and then students work together to recall, clarify, and elaborate on the lecture's content.

Structured active learning strategies to use during pauses are:

• Think-pair-share
• Minute papers
• Muddiest point
• Snowball questions
• Peer review
• Role playing
• Problem solving using real data
• Game-based learning

• ASSETT's Active Learning Card Deck can help you implement active learning strategies in your class. Email the CTL@colorado.edu to schedule a time to pick up your own free physical deck of Active Learning Cards at our office, or access an online, interactive version of our cards on our website.
• Barkley, E. F., & Major, C. H. (2020). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty. John Wiley & Sons.
• Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. 1991 ASHE-ERIC higher education reports. ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education, The George Washington University, One Dupont Circle, Suite 630, Washington, DC 20036-1183.
• Supiano, B. (2023, November 16). Which Is Better, Active Learning or Lecture? It’s Not So Simple. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
• Theobald, E. J., et al. (2020). Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(12), 6476-6483.

The newest members of the Active Learning Academy (ALA) engaged in community to learn from their peers across STEM disciplines. The Learning by Design seminar is the first part of the ALA, a three-part program along with the Follow-up Peer Mentoring and Course Re/Design. By exploring backwards design and experiencing active learning methods like the jigsaw method and gallery walk, this cohort gained new perspectives about teaching and learning. Successful participants develop a teaching portfolio including a teaching statement, student learning outcomes, a redesigned course module, an assessment plan, performance tasks, and rubrics. Applications to the ALA will be accepted again in August, 2024.

Join us for a two-day exploration of innovative teaching methodologies and practices that are shaping the future of learning in higher education. This conference is free to all CU educators and future educators, including faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students. Come gain insights and inspiration on ways to foster dynamic learning environments through interactive workshops and panel discussions!

RSVP here

Monday, February 26th: 

• 10:10 a.m.-11:00 a.m. MT - Work Life Balance in the Classroom: The Graduate Student Perspective, With CTL Leads - Jesse Rush, Antonio Berbel Viudez, Pablo Botin, Olivia Joyner, Katie Mercer
• 11:15 a.m.-12:05 a.m. MT - Cultivating an Environment of Belonging in Our Classrooms (Keynote), With Christina Katopodis, PhD, City University of New York (CUNY)
• 12:20 p.m.-1:10 p.m. MT - Lunch and Community, Bring your lunch and join fellow conference goers for lunch and conversation in E-390. A quiet lunch space is also available for lunch and heads down time in E-351.
• 1:25 p.m.-2:15 p.m. MT - Active Learning with Confidence (and without the Burnout), With Christina Katopodis, PhD, City University of New York (CUNY)
• 2:30 p.m.-3:20 p.m. MT - Curriculum Revision for Large Courses: Data-driven Strategies for Increased Engagement and Student Success, With Dr. Warren Sconiers, Associate Teaching Professor and Dr. Katja Friedrich, Professor, 

Tuesday, February 27th:

• 9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m. MT - Pedagogy of a Peacebuilder (Plenary), With Rev. Pedro Senhorinha Silva II, Director of Engagement, YOUnify
• 11:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m. MT - Climate and Processing Emotions through Creative Pedagogy, With Beth Osnes, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Theatre & Performance Studies

February

BoulderTalks: Insights from Education Innovators - The Practical and Moral Imperative for At-Scale Learning on Tuesday, February 6 from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. MT, Learn more here

Your Teaching Philosophy on Wednesday, February 7 from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. MT, RSVP here

Wellbeing for Ourselves and Our Students on Thursday, February 8 from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. MT, RSVP here

Get the big picture: Visualizing your instructional practices (VIP) on Tuesday, February 13 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT, RSVP here

Ayelet Fishbach: Techniques to motivate students in the classroom on Friday, February 16 from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. MT, RSVP here

We’re Not OK: Black Faculty Experiences and Higher Education Strategies on Tuesday, February 27 from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. MT

March

Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (AICoP), Join us on Zoom from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. MT on Tuesday, March 5, Email Blair.Young@colorado.edu to join the AICoP network. 

Course Projects with BuffsCreate on Wednesday, March 6 from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. MT, RSVP here

"TILT" ing Assessments: Transparency in Assessments on Monday, March 11 from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. MT, RSVP here

New Inspiration for Active Learning on Tuesday, March 12 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT, RSVP here

Portfolios with BuffsCreate on Thursday, March 14 from 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. MT, RSVP here

BoulderTalks: Insights from Education Innovators - The Evolving Roles of ChatGPT & Generative AI in Education on Thursday, March 21 from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. MT, Learn more here

April

Career Networking on Thursday, April 4 from 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. MT, RSVP here

Rubrics: What, why and how? on Thursday, April 11 from 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. MT, RSVP here

Recurring

BuffsCreate Drop-in Office Hours, Join us on Zoom every Monday from 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. MT

Inclusive Community of Practice (ICoP), Join us on Zoom from 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. MT

• Equity-minded Course Design on Wednesday, February 7
• Wednesday, March 6
• Wednesday, April 3

Online Teaching Community of Practice (OCoP), Join us on Zoom from 1:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. MT

• Wednesday, February 14
• Wednesday, March 13
• Wednesday, April 10
• Wednesday, May 8

Creating an Accessible Learning Environment in Canvas Series

• Canvas and Incorporating Universal Design for Learning on Thursday, February 15 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MT, RSVP here
• Canvas Course Design Basics on Thursday, March 21 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MT, RSVP here 
• Canvas Accessibility on Thursday, April 11 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MT, RSVP here

Introduction to BuffsCreate

• Thursday, February 15 from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. MT, RSVP Here
• Wednesday, February 28 from 3:30 p.m-4:30 p.m. MT, RSVP Here

Alternative Grading Series

• Specification Grading and Ungrading Approaches on Thursday, February 22 from 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. MT, RSVP here
• Contract Grading and Labor-based Grading Approaches on Thursday, March 21 from 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. MT, RSVP here

Inclusive Research Mentoring (CIMER) Session Schedule for Grad/Postdoc Attendees

• Fostering Mental Health and Well-being on Thursday, February 29 from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. MT, RSVP here
• Fostering Professional Development on Thursday, March 21 from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. MT, RSVP here
• Mentoring Capstone: Building out your Mentoring Philosophy on Thursday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. MT, RSVP here

Inclusive Research Mentoring (CIMER) Session Schedule for Faculty Attendees

• Fostering Mental Health and Well-being on Friday, March 1 from 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. MT, RSVP here
• Fostering Professional Development on Friday, March 22 from 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. MT, RSVP here
• Mentoring Capstone: Building out your Mentoring Philosophy on Friday, April 26 from 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. MT, RSVP here

CIRTL@CU - The Joyful Journey: Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Professional Development Series (Spring 2024), RSVP for the series here

• Writing Your Diversity/Inclusion Statement for the Academic Job Market on Friday, March 15 from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. MT
• Writing Your Research Statement for the Academic Job Market on Wednesday, April 3 from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. MT
• Writing Your Teaching Statement for the Academic Job Market on Friday, April 5 from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. MT
• Careers Outside of Higher Education on Friday, April 19 from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. MT

Are you interested in trying active learning to bring new energy to your class? ASSETT has an Active Learning Card Deck to help you implement active learning strategies. Active learning is “anything that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing” (Bonwell & Eison, 1991). This card deck has 50 ideas for uniquely engaging students in that process.

Whether pulling a card at random or referencing them when planning your course, these cards are a refreshing resource to bring variety to your class. Email the CTL@colorado.edu to schedule to pick up your own free physical deck of Active Learning Cards at our office, or access an online, interactive version of our cards on our website.

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