Leadership Challenges: Models and Measures of Teaching Effectiveness 03/03/2023

By Susan Gallanis in 2022-2023 CUAA Programs, 2022-2023 CUW Programs, Teaching Best Practices 0 Comment

Below is the recording and resources for the following program:

Leadership Challenges: Models and Measures of Teaching Effectiveness
Friday March 3, Noon – 1:00 pm Central/1:00 – 2:00 pm Eastern via Zoom 

With Elizabeth Evans, Susan Gallanis and Kate Robertson of CELT
Audience: Department Chairs and Program Directors 

In order to support our faculty, CELT has investigated and used multiple models of teaching effectiveness which frame evaluation and feedback to faculty on their teaching. Learn about models in use, where we can obtain data on elements of these models, and how you can provide challenge and support through feedback to faculty through the teaching observation process and reviewing syllabi and courses.  Future reports from Blackboard Learn will also be discussed. 

Recording

Leadership and Challenges PowerPoint

CU Evaluation of Instruction Proposed Model 2019 E Evans
Nine Principles for Good Practice
Sources of Evidence of Teaching Excellence 01-20-23
Link to Teaching Observation Form and Resources

Course Design and Pedagogy Sessions – Summer 2020

By Susan Gallanis in 2020 - 2021 CUAA Programs, 2020 - 2021 CUW Programs, Flipped Classroom, Teaching Best Practices 0 Comment

Link to a previously recorded session (July 13, 2020)

Session PPT (updated June 29, 2020): Course Design and Pedagogy PPT June 29

Class Schedule Template (downloadable and editable)

Uncommon Return Student Return to Campus Plan

Theodore Hopkins (CUAA) article about wearing face masks

Student Laptop Computer Requirements 2020 – 2021

2020 Summer Professional Development for Faculty: Required and Optional – Complete Schedule

By Susan Gallanis in 2020 - 2021 CUAA Programs, 2020 - 2021 CUW Programs, Teaching Best Practices 2 Comments

The 2020 Summer Professional Development and access information is below.

This summer, faculty who normally teach traditional face-to-face or blended graduate and undergraduate courses will prepare for teaching in a fall that will include COVID-19.  Faculty will have to modify courses to accommodate social distancing guidelines and for medical accommodations (for both students and faculty). Classrooms are not assigned until later in the summer, so we will not necessarily know the exact configuration of each classroom. Planning needs to begin before classrooms are assigned.

Therefore, please develop plans for classes with these issues in mind:

  1. Prepare to follow university guidelines on social distancing and any limitations on the number that can gather in one space;
  2. Provide accommodations and access to instruction for students unable or unwilling to appear physically in the class;
  3. Plan for the possibility that we may need to pivot again to remote instruction during the term;
  4. Recognize that faculty may get sick or need to quarantine; advance planning and collaboration among faculty teaching the same course or courses with similar content is encouraged; and
  5. Some lessons should be fully developed in advance so that that content can be “flipped” and the classroom experiences can focus on interactive activities to engage students and enhance learning.

Attention to Blackboard course sites for communication with students will be essential. Faculty will create assignments (“dropboxes”) in Blackboard so students can submit work electronically. It will be important to have each course ready to go and open on the Friday before the term begins. For example, faculty will post information in Blackboard about how the class will be operating, so only those that can fit into the classroom with social distancing appear in person on the first day of class.

Training for all full-time faculty (and adjunct faculty as recommended by department or school) will occur this summer. There will be two required sessions and multiple optional sessions. Training schedules will appear on the campus calendar and will also be sent by e-mail every Monday.

Attendance will be taken at each session; deans are responsible for ensuring that all full-time, and selected part-time faculty in their schools, attend these sessions.

If you have questions or concerns about this training please contact Leah Dvorak at leah.dvorak@cuw.edu or Elizabeth Evans, CELT Director at 262 243 4283 or elizabeth.evans@cuw.edu

Summer Faculty Training Session Schedule

No registration needed for any of these sessions. Please join the Zoom link at the appropriate time. All sessions via Zoom with this link: https://cuwaa.zoom.us/j/2622432358, or Meeting ID: 2622432358.

All sessions will be posted on the campus calendars for each campus; from those postings you can download information for your Outlook calendar. NOTE: If no participants have joined 10 minutes after the session start time, the session will be closed/cancelled.

Contact Elizabeth Evans with questions at 262 243 4283 or elizabeth.evans@cuw.edu

Sessions organized by date are listed on this post (below). Follow the applicable link to view all sessions organized by week:

New Program available

Best Practices for Poly-synchronous Teaching (in-person students and Zoom students at the same time)

Thursday, July 23, 2020 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm Central Time/ 4:00pm to 5:00 pm Eastern Time
Please register for either the in-person session at Mequon or to join via Zoom. Registration link

This is the only program that requires registration. If you have questions, please email Elizabeth Evans at elizabeth.evans@cuw.edu. A recording of this program will be available afterwards if you cannot attend.

Instruction for traditional undergraduate and graduate courses that would normally be fully in-person will be different in Fall 2020 as we use social distancing. In most classes, not all the students will be able to fit in the classroom at the same time; one method to address this problem is to have those students who cannot be present physically join in that lesson via Zoom at the same time the lesson is being delivered.

This is a high tech set up and needs an instructor who is thinking about engaging both groups of students throughout the class period.

Required Training Sessions (Two)

Course Design and Pedagogy

Is a 90-minute program offered on Zoom multiple times starting the week of June 8 and continuing through July 27 (except the week of June 22).

This session focuses on hybrid course design and teaching strategies useful for fall instruction.  Even if you hope to use a fully synchronous delivery, developing content in advance will be essential to meet student needs. This session’s focus is on planning and developing your course in light of the need for social distancing and best teaching practices using the Foundations – Applications – Evaluation model. This model emphasizes class time with students as time for active, applied learning, building on foundations completed by the students prior to class sessions. Also: how to build connections and community, effective live teaching, and the difference between videoconference and in-person. This session is required for full-time faculty. Offered via Zoom. With Elizabeth Evans, Susan Gallanis and Catherine (Kate) Robertson.

Dates and Times Offered:

  • Wednesday June 10, 1:00 – 2:30 Central/2:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Friday June 12, 1:00 – 2:30 Central/2:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Thursday June 18, 9:00 – 10:30 Central/10:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Thursday June 18, 1:00 – 2:30 Central/2:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Monday June 29, 12:00 – 1:30 Central/1:00 – 2:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday June 30, 10:30 – 12:00 Central/11:30 – 1:00 Eastern
  • Wednesday July 8, 11:00 – 12:30 Central/12:00 – 1:30 Eastern
  • Thursday July 9, 1:00 – 2:30 Central/2:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Monday July 13 8:30 – 10:00 Central/9:30 – 11:00 Eastern
  • Thursday July 16, 3:30 – 5:00 Central/4:30 – 6:00 Eastern
  • Thursday July 23, 1:00 – 2:30 Central/2:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Friday July 24, 9:00 – 10:30 Central/10:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Monday July 27, 11:00 – 12:30 Central/12:00 – 1:30 Eastern

Blackboard for Effective Course Delivery Fall 2020 & Beyond

This is a 90-minute program offered on Zoom multiple times starting the week of June 16 and continuing through August 14 (except the week of June 22).

The focus of this session is using your Blackboard course site as a tool for organizing your content and communicating with students. Topics include updated faculty expectations for Blackboard including assignment drop boxes for all students to submit assignments, using the Content area effectively, the Grade Center, a sample Blackboard course template, how to reduce the size of your course, posting your office hours, and an effective course review checklist. This session is required for full-time faculty. Offered via Zoom. With Susan Gallanis and others.

Dates and Times Offered:

  • Monday June 15, 1:00 – 2:30 Central/2:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday June 17, 11:00 – 12:30 Central/12:00 – 1:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday July 1, 9:00 – 10:30 Central/10:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Monday July 6, 9:30 – 11:00 Central/10:30 – 12:00 Eastern
  • Tuesday July 14, 4:00 – 5:30 Central/5:00 – 6:30 Eastern
  • Monday July 20, 1:00 – 2:30 Central/2:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday July 29, 11:00 – 12:30 Central/12:00 – 1:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday August 5, 3:00 – 4:30 Central/4:00 – 5:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday August 12, 10:30 – 12:00 Central/11:30 – 1:00 Eastern
  • Friday August 14, 9:30 – 11:00 Central/10:30 – 12:00 Eastern

Optional Training Sessions (Five) 

Technical Training on Zoom

All sessions with Justin Frisque

Zoom Basics Updated

Topics include logging into your Zoom account, meeting controls, security, screen sharing, how to get help. Optional. Offered via Zoom.

Dates and Times Offered:

  • Monday June 8, 9:00 – 9:30 Central/10:00 – 10:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday June 16, 1:30 – 2:00 Central/ 2:30 – 3:00 Eastern
  • Monday June 22, 11:00 – 11:30 Central/12:00 – 12:30 Eastern
  • Monday July 6, 3:00 – 3:30 Central/4:00 – 4:30 Eastern
  • Monday August 3, 3:00 – 3:30 Central/4:00 – 4:30 Eastern
  • Monday August 17, 10:00 – 10:30 Central/11:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday August 19, 3:00 – 3:30 Central/4:00 – 4:30 Eastern

Zoom Interactive Tools

Topics include polls, using the whiteboard and break-out groups. Optional. Offered via Zoom.

Dates and Times Offered:

  • Tuesday June 9, 9:00 – 9:30 Central/10:00 – 10:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday June 17, 1:30 – 2:00 Central/2:30 – 3:00 Eastern
  • Tuesday June 23, 9:00 – 9:30 Central/10:00 – 10:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday July 7, 2:00 – 2:30 Central/3:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Thursday July 23, 10:00 – 10:30 Central/11:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday August 4, 2:00 – 2:30 Central/3:00 – 3:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday August 18, 9:00 – 9:30 Central/10:00 – 10:30 Eastern
  • Thursday August 20, 9:30 – 10:00 Central/10:30 – 11:00 Eastern

Recordings

Session focus is on making, storing and sharing recordings in Zoom and Panopto for the short- and long-term. Includes recording Zoom sessions and posting link in Blackboard, or pre-recording course content and where to store for future courses. Optional. Offered via Zoom.

Dates and Times Offered:

  • Tuesday June 9, 10:00 – 10:30 Central/11:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Wednesday June 17, 2:30 – 3:00 Central/3:30 – 4:00 Eastern
  • Tuesday June 23, 10:00 – 10:30 Central/11:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday July 7, 3:00 – 3:30 Central/4:00 – 4:30 Eastern
  • Thursday July 23, 11:00 – 11:30 Central/12:00 – 12:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday August 4, 3:00 – 3:30 Central/4:00 – 4:30 Eastern
  • Tuesday August 18, 10:00 – 10:30 Central/11:00 – 11:30 Eastern
  • Thursday August 20, 10:30 – 11:00 Central/11:30 – Noon Eastern

Blackboard Training

All sessions with Susan Gallanis

Interactive Asynchronous Tools in Blackboard

Session covers setting up Discussion Boards (entire class), Group Discussion Boards and Group Assignment, and Private Journals. Optional. Offered via Zoom.

Dates and Time Offered::

  • Tuesday July 7, 11:00 – 12:00 Central/12:00 – 1:00 Eastern
  • Wednesday July 15, 1:00 – 2:00 Central/2:00 – 3:00 Eastern
  • Friday July 24, 1:00 – 2:00 Central/2:00 – 3:00 Eastern
  • Thursday July 30, 10:00 – 11:00 Central/11:00 – 12:00 Eastern
  • Thursday August 13, 4:00 – 5:00 Central/5:00 – 6:00 Eastern

Assessments in Blackboard

Session covers setting up Blackboard Tests, setting Test Options and test security including Respondus. Optional. Offered via Zoom.

Dates and Times Offered:

  • Thursday July 9, 9:00 – 10:00 Central/10:00 – 11:00 Eastern
  • Friday July 17, 1:00 – 2:00 Central/2:00 – 3:00 Eastern
  • Monday July 20, 9:00 – 10:00 Central/10:00 – 11:00 Eastern
  • Tuesday August 4, 10:00 – 11:00 Central/11:00 – 12:00 Eastern
  • Wednesday August 12, 1:00 – 2:00 Central/2:00 – 3:00 Eastern

Final Exams for Unusual Times

By Susan Gallanis in Blackboard Learn, Respondus, Teaching Best Practices, Videoconferencing, Zoom 0 Comment

Concordia University Wisconsin Ann Arbor
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
April 27, 2020

For a 40 minute video presenting most of these ideas on a Zoom call with faculty from the School of Business on April 24 click here.

Final Exams for Unusual Times

Stay the Course

If you have a final exam on your syllabus, keep some type of remote exam rather than change the assignment too much as of this point in the semester. There are many options for exams beyond the traditional timed, exam opened only during your course’s final exam time.

Many of our students are experiencing challenges with internet connections at home, some due to low bandwidth or many people using it at the same time. This article makes suggestions on all the options available, including alternatives that might not be as difficult or stress-producing for students with technology challenges.

Review your course learning outcomes and identify which outcomes your final exam will address. Remember to match the types of questions with the verbs used in your outcomes.  Review the outcomes your exam addresses with students during the final week of the course.

As always, after you develop your plan for your final exam, be sure to communicate that plan in advance with students in writing. The Registrar develops a final exam schedule that is communicated to all faculty. Faculty members may not change the date or time of their final exam, or the due date for a final project or paper.  The final must either be offered within the designated 2-hour time slot listed in the final exam schedule, or if converted into a take-home test, be due by that time.

Communicate with Students

Post information on your exam in your Blackboard course site as soon as you can. Indicate your expectations for the exam include time limits, whether or not students can use books, or notes, or not. Also indicate whether students are allowed to work together on the exam or if they are prohibited from doing so.

If you are using timed exams,  send a reminder the day before the exam and suggest students ask for support from others in their household during the test time to facilitate a good internet connection.  Students can  ask others to reduce use of a shared internet connection during the time of the test. Include suggestions for minimizing distraction such as: find a private space, close the door, ask others to leave them alone, silence notifications and cell phones. Remind students also of your expectations communicated in your Blackboard site.

Connect with the Academic Resource Center on any accessibility or accommodation issues or testing needs for students with accommodations.

CUW https://www.cuw.edu/academics/services/student-academic-resources/academic-resource-center/index.html

CUAA https://www.cuaa.edu/academics/services/student-academic-resources/academic-resource-center/index.html

Conventional Wisdom suggests that exams are to be offered in secure environments to prevent cheating.  In other semesters, it has been easier to create such an environment by giving exams in a physical classroom.  This semester, we are forced to make alternative plans for final exams.

For remote tests in Blackboard, the most secure option is proctoring with Respondus Monitor. This requires students to download and use Lockdown Browser and have a video camera and microphone attached to their computer. The browser students use to access the exam in Blackboard does not allow the student to open other windows or copy or print.  Faculty should notify students at minimum one-week before the test so students can download the software and be ready. Faculty should include a practice test using Monitor in the Blackboard site to facilitate student preparation.

Details on Respondus Monitor include a recorded session from March located here along with the handout. Information to share with students is here

Features of Tests in Blackboard

Remote tests in Blackboard not using Respondus Monitor can also use be secured through test features.

  • Overall time limits can be used to prevent students from looking up a great number of the answers.
  • Individual questions cannot be timed, but a test can be split into parts, each with its own time limit.
  • Randomize test questions and/or randomize multiple-choice responses.

Instructions for creating a Blackboard test are located here Advance to about 25% of the way into the recording. More information about Blackboard tests is available on the CELT blog.

Use Zoom to Observe Students Taking the Test

If you are offering your test during a short window, students could take the exam in Blackboard while also connecting with you and the class on Zoom. You can see everyone on the same Zoom window if you have no more than 25 students.  You will not be able to see if they have papers or notes, but if you have prohibited those, this option will give you the opportunity to observe their faces.  Some students may feel heightened anxiety at “being watched.”

Using Zoom on a Second Device to Observe Students Taking the Test

If students have a second device like a phone, they could prop it up so that it observes their keyboard and work area during the exam.

Unconventional Wisdom in these times suggests using alternate, non-timed exam formats that still effectively evaluate student learning.  Check out these five reasons not to use timed exams at this time

  • Open-book or Take-home test – Convert your final exam to an open-book or take-home test. Adjust your exam questions to accommodate a longer time to work on the exam, but don’t make it a test-and-a-half. Be sure that the questions aim at higher levels on Bloom’s taxonomy, lining up with course-level outcomes. For example, you could use case studies or ask students to respond to a problem using particular critical thinking strategies you have taught.  You could request that references to course resources and supporting evidence be included.
  • Alternative Blackboard Assignment: Create a take-home exam with prompts that students write to in a word document. Make the exam available during the last week of class. Then create an Assignment (dropbox) in Blackboard so students can upload their responses. If you are using a percentage-based Grade Center, you may need to adjust it.  For example, students could be asked to identify and explain five critical concepts learned in your class, supported with evidence and citations.

How to Get Help

Zoom

If you need help with accessing or using Zoom, call the HELP Desk at x4357 or e-mail ithelpdesk@cuw.edu

Blackboard

If you need help with Blackboard, additional information is available Here or contact the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) at celtsupport@cuw.edu (provide information on what you are hoping to do) or call 262-243-2358, and leave a detailed voice message if no one is available.

 

For More Information:

IDEA Paper #76 Writing Better Essay Exams https://www.ideaedu.org/idea_papers/writing-better-essay-exams/

Waterloo University Tips for Writing Exam Questions https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/developing-assignments/exams/questions-types-characteristics-suggestions

Rutgers University’s specific, practical tips for going open-book in quantitative courses: https://sasoue.rutgers.edu/teaching-learning/remote-exams-assessment#special-advice-for-open-book-assessment-in-quantitative-courses

Indiana University Bloomington’s suggestions for adapting assessments:

https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/assessing-student-learning/alternatives-traditional-exams-papers/index.html

UC Berkeley’s list of ideas for alternative assignment types:

https://teaching.berkeley.edu/resources/improve/alternatives-traditional-testing

University of Wisconsin Extended Campus: Unproctored Online Assessments

https://ce.uwex.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/UnproctoredAssessments.pdf

Teaching Observation Process and Form

By Susan Gallanis in Faculty assessment and peer review, Teaching Best Practices, Teaching Observations 0 Comment

Below are resources related to the new teaching observation process and form.

Video explaining the new form and process:

Teaching Observation form (includes an explanation of the 4-part process): Teaching Observation Form 05 22 2019

Here is a quick reference of the observation categories and examples (also found on the Teaching Observation Form):
Resources – Teaching Observation Categories and Examples Only 06052019

For online teaching observation of fully online courses, the same form (above) is used. Here is a document that provides clarification and resources specifically related to observing online teaching: Online Teaching Observations 02192019

Most recent session on this process: September 2022

Resources: Teaching Best Practices

By Susan Gallanis in Faculty assessment and peer review, Teaching Best Practices, Teaching Observations 0 Comment

Related to General Teaching Best Practices

Nilson, L. Burzotta. (2016). Teaching at its best: a research-based resource for college instructors. 4th ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Nine Principles for Good Practice in Teaching and Learning: https://www.cuw.edu/academics/services/faculty-staff-resources/celt/nine-principles.html

Related to Organization and Clarity

Stanny, C., (2017). Clarity and organization in the classroom improve student learning. University of West Florida Fall 2017 Teaching Tips. Retrieved from https://uwf.edu/academic-affairs/departments/cutla/teaching-tips/fall-2017-teaching-tips/clarity-and-organization-in-the-classroom-improve-student-learning.html

Related to Presentation Skills

Washington University. (2009). Improving presentation style. Retrieved from https://ctl.wustl.edu/resources/improving-presentation-style-in-lectures/

Related to Instructor Presence and Rapport

Cavanah, S. R. (n.d.). How to make your teaching more engaging – Advice Guide from the Chronicles of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-teaching

Cooper, K. M., Haney, B., Krieg, A., and Brownell, S. E., (2017). What’s in a name? The importance of students perceiving that an instructor knows their names in a high-enrollment biology classroom. Cell Biology Education—Life Sciences Education, 16 (Spring), 1-13. Retrieved from https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.16-08-0265

Western Washington University, (2018). Teacher presence. Retrieved from https://www.wwu.edu/teachinghandbook/teaching_delivery/teacher_presence.shtml

Related to Instructional Strategies

Harrington, C., & Zakrajsek, T. (2017). Dynamic lecturing: Research-based strategies to enhance lecture effectiveness. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Howard, J. (2019, May 23). How to hold a better class discussion – Advice guide from the Chronicles of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/20190523-ClassDiscussion

Washington University. (n.d.). Using retrieval practice to increase student learning. Retrieved from https://ctl.wustl.edu/resources/using-retrieval-practice-to-increase-student-learning/

Related to Teaching Online

Briggs, A. (2015). Ten ways to overcome barriers to student engagement online. Academic Technology at the College of William and Mary. Retrieved from https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/news_item/ten-ways-overcome-barriers-student-engagement-online/

Darby, F. (n.d.). How to be a better online teacher – Advice guide from the Chronicles of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-online-teaching