Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation

Strategies for Engaging in Difficult Dialogues in the Classroom
2024-03-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-02-19 07:00 - 08:00 (America/New_York)
Difficult dialogues have the potential to lead to conflict in the classroom or awkwardness in the very least. The purpose of this session is to discuss difficult dialogues from a classroom management perspective and methods to keep difficult discussions aligned with course outcomes and the development of student skills such as critical thinking, effective communication, and empathy.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Explore pre-semester planning strategies
*Discuss additional planning steps to take at the beginning of a course
*Examine options for preparing for specific discussions
*Discuss strategies for managing dialogues as they are happening
*Explore methods for de-escalating situations that have become heated

Please register for this event using the link below. When you do, you will receive an automatic email from the CTLI confirming your registration. This email will include the Zoom link and the option to “add to calendar” using an embedded hyperlink – this will work for Outlook, Google Calendar, and Yahoo Calendar.

Presented By: Jeff Tunney, Associate Director of the CTLI

Accessible Communication and Resources
2024-03-08 07:00 - 08:00
The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation and Disability Services would like to invite you to a professional development opportunity focused on learning the tools and skills involved in communicating accessibly by email and Canvas as well as how to ensure you are distributing accessible documents. This session will provide examples and guidance. Please bring questions and challenges we can tackle together and share this opportunity with any colleagues whom you think might be interested.

Please register for this event using the link below. When you do, you will receive an automatic email from the CTLI confirming your registration. This email will include the Zoom link and the option to “add to calendar” using an embedded hyperlink – this will work for Outlook, Google Calendar, and Yahoo Calendar.

Presented By: Gerry Volpe, Director of Disability Services and Jeff Tunney, Associate Director of the CTLI

An Introduction to Generative AI - Implications for Teaching and Learning
2024-02-23 07:30 - 08:30, 2024-02-02 07:30 - 08:30
This workshop is for beginner/novice Generative AI users.
Whether you have been secretly ignoring Generative AI, hoping it would go away or intimidated to get started, this workshop is for you! It is still early days in the presence of Generative AI, and yet these tools have quickly become embedded in many aspects of life, including education. During this hands-on session, you’ll have the opportunity to try out some of these tools and consider their implications for teaching and learning.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Explore the possibilities and limitations of large-language model (LLM) and image creation Generative AI tools
*Practice variation in prompt generation to compare and contrast the results
*Describe ways you could use Generative AI to enhance or support your teaching
*Access resources for engaging with students around responsible and ethical use of Generative AI

Please register for this event using the link below. When you do, you will receive an automatic email from the CTLI confirming your registration. This email will include the Zoom link and the option to “add to calendar” using an embedded hyperlink – this will work for Outlook, Google Calendar, and Yahoo Calendar.

Presented By: Jen Garrett-Ostermiller, Director of the CTLI

January 11, 2024 Retreat: DEI Outcomes in the Gen Ed
2024-01-11 04:00 - 10:45
Please RSVP for a January 2024 retreat (offered twice – once on Zoom and once in Randolph). The agenda for this session is still under development, but session topics may include: Refamiliarizing with the Gen Ed DEI program and breadth outcomes, Strategies for engaging in difficult dialogues in the classroom, and Setting collective intentions: Why does DEISJ in the Gen Ed matter?
January 11 is in Randolph – when you RSVP, you’ll note any food-related needs.

January 9, 2024 Retreat: DEI Outcomes in the Gen Ed
2024-01-09 04:00 - 07:00
Please RSVP for a January 2024 retreat (offered twice – once on Zoom and once in Randolph). The agenda for this session is still under development, but session topics may include: Refamiliarizing with the Gen Ed DEI program and breadth outcomes, Strategies for engaging in difficult dialogues in the classroom, and Setting collective intentions: Why does DEISJ in the Gen Ed matter?
A Zoom link will be sent to anyone who RSVPs for the January 9 session.

How Growth and Fixed Mindsets (of Students and Faculty) Affect Learning
2023-11-28 04:00 - 05:00, 2023-11-13 07:00 - 08:00 | Use URL below to register:
“I’m not an art person.” “My sibling got the math gene.” “This student wasn’t cut out for this class.” “I’m just not good at public speaking.”
These statements all represent a fixed mindset – the belief that individuals have a set point for their intellect and abilities. Research, in fact, shows that intellect and abilities are far more malleable than once thought – with the right effort, strategies, and support. When someone has a growth mindset, they use a “not yet” framework when they hit a limit or experiences failure. For most people, the mindset they approach a situation with is contextual – someone can have a strong growth mindset in one situation and then exhibit a strong fixed mindset in another. Learning how to monitor one’s mindset and shift to a growth mindset is extremely useful for students and faculty alike.
When students approach college with a growth mindset, they can combat stereotype threat, successfully navigate challenging academic experiences, and achieve more.
When faculty foster their own growth mindset, they create a more inclusive learning environment by challenging prior assumptions, defining more pathways and strategies for learning, and approaching assessment through a new lens.
Come engage with CTLI staff and other faculty in thinking about ways to nurture a productive growth mindset for greater learning.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Define growth and fixed mindsets and the consequences of each for learning
*Evaluate your own situational mindsets and how you communicate your mindsets in your teaching
*Consider strategies to help yourself and your students students adopt a more growth-mindset orientation

Important: Attendees must register for this event. Please do not add the workshop to your calendar until the registration process has been completed.
Presented By: Jen Garrett-Ostermiller, Director of the CTLI

Introduction to the VTSU Canvas Course Template
2023-10-27 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-10-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Use URL below to register:
Studies and survey data indicate that students prefer a consistent experience using a learning management system, such as Canvas. How can this be accomplished while also preserving the academic freedom valued by members of the faculty? This workshop is an introduction to an optional, but recommended, Canvas template that was developed by VTSU with student satisfaction, ease of implementation, and instructor flexibility in mind.
PLEASE NOTE – If you teach under the NVU Online contract, this workshop does not apply to you, as the VTSU Online Programs Administration has developed a separate Canvas template for online programs.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Explore the impacts of inconsistent course structures
*Become familiar with the Canvas template and how it can be integrated into your courses
*Consider the pedagogical advantages of implementing the VTSU Canvas template

Presented By: Jeff Tunney, Associate Director of the CTLI and Sean Dailey, VSC Senior Instructional Technology Specialist

Important: Attendees must register for this event. Please do not add the workshop to your calendar until the registration process has been completed.

Metacognitive Strategies for the College Classroom
2023-10-13 10:00 - 11:00
This workshop has been cancelled due to low-enrollment. If you are interested in the topic, please watch the recording of this workshop from earlier in the week.

Investing a little class time in incorporating metacognitive activities can lead to stronger outcomes for students. Empowering students to take control of their learning, become better problem-solvers, and better assess their strengths and gaps can lead to greater success at the course level and persistence through college.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Identify particular aspects of metacognition most useful for students in your class(es) to adopt
*Consider various metacognitive strategies and activities, aligned with the metacognition cycle, to enhance learning in your class(es)
*Begin planning a metacognitive activity to facilitate in an upcoming class with your students

Presented By: Jen Garrett-Ostermiller, Director of the CTLI

Metacognitive Strategies for the College Classroom
2023-10-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Use URL below to register:
Investing a little class time in incorporating metacognitive activities can lead to stronger outcomes for students. Empowering students to take control of their learning, become better problem-solvers, and better assess their strengths and gaps can lead to greater success at the course level and persistence through college.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Identify particular aspects of metacognition most useful for students in your class(es) to adopt
*Consider various metacognitive strategies and activities, aligned with the metacognition cycle, to enhance learning in your class(es)
*Begin planning a metacognitive activity to facilitate in an upcoming class with your students

Important: Attendees must register for this event. Please do not add the workshop to your calendar until the registration process has been completed.
Presented By: Jen Garrett-Ostermiller, Director of the CTLI

What Faculty Need to Know about Disability Services and Their Role in the Interactive Process
2023-09-22 08:00 - 09:00 | Use URL below to register:
Enhance your expertise in supporting students with disabilities and implementing their classroom accommodations by joining this workshop with VTSU’s disability services staff. Faculty play a pivotal role in the collaborative process for providing accommodations, and this workshop explains the process in depth, and places a spotlight on the dynamic “interactive process”. You’ll gain a better understanding for how students qualify for disability services, how “flexibility” accommodations may or may not work with your course, and how faculty involvement in this process can improve accessibility and inclusivity for students with disabilities and all students.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Gain insight into the disability accommodation process
*Explore the responsibilities professors have in implementing accommodations
*Understand your rights and responsibilities within the interactive process
*Explore accessibility and inclusivity ideas that will benefit all of your students

Important: Attendees must register for this event. Please do not add the workshop to your calendar until the registration process has been completed.
Presented By: Gerry Volpe (Director of Disability Services) and Pam Billings (Coordinator of Disability Services)

Demo of Tutor.com & Overview of VTSU's Academic Support
2023-09-19 08:30 - 09:30 | Use URL below to register:
The first 30 minutes of this session will be a demonstration of Tutor.com’s 24/7 online tutoring and drop-off review services, available to all VTSU students. Tawana Collins, of Tutor.com, will also share insights into how online tutoring can improve student success, along with tips for building awareness about this resource. The final 30 minutes of this session will be an overview of VTSU’s Academic Support services and a Q&A with Jen Jones, VTSU’s AVP for Academic Support & Educational Opportunities Programs.
Important: Attendees must register for this event. Please do not add the workshop to your calendar until the registration process has been completed.

What Faculty Need to Know about Disability Services and Their Role in the Interactive Process
2023-09-18 11:00 - 12:00
This workshop has been cancelled due to low-enrollment. If you are interested in the topic, please register for the upcoming session on Friday, September 22 from 12-1pm.

Enhance your expertise in supporting students with disabilities and implementing their classroom accommodations by joining this workshop with VTSU’s disability services staff. Faculty play a pivotal role in the collaborative process for providing accommodations, and this workshop explains the process in depth, and places a spotlight on the dynamic “interactive process”. You’ll gain a better understanding for how students qualify for disability services, how “flexibility” accommodations may or may not work with your course, and how faculty involvement in this process can improve accessibility and inclusivity for students with disabilities and all students.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Gain insight into the disability accommodation process
*Explore the responsibilities professors have in implementing accommodations
*Understand your rights and responsibilities within the interactive process
*Explore accessibility and inclusivity ideas that will benefit all of your students

Presented By: Gerry Volpe (Director of Disability Services) and Pam Billings (Coordinator of Disability Services)

Demo of Tutor.com & Overview of VTSU's Academic Support
2023-09-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Use URL below to register:
This session has been cancelled due to low enrollment. If you are interested in the topic, please sign up for an equivalent session on Tuesday, September 19 at 12:30pm.
The first 30 minutes of this session will be a demonstration of Tutor.com’s 24/7 online tutoring and drop-off review services, available to all VTSU students. Tawana Collins, of Tutor.com, will also share insights into how online tutoring can improve student success, along with tips for building awareness about this resource. The final 30 minutes of this session will be an overview of VTSU’s Academic Support services and a Q&A with Jen Jones, VTSU’s AVP for Academic Support & Educational Opportunities Programs.
Important: Attendees must register for this event. Please do not add the workshop to your calendar until the registration process has been completed.

Facilitating Engaging Class Discussions
2023-09-08 08:00 - 09:00, 2023-09-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Use URL below to register:
If dialogue is essential to a participatory democracy, then college classes play an important role in teaching and practicing respectful and productive discussion. In this workshop, we’ll consider the purposes of discussion before moving to the more practical: strategies for engaging students in dialogue with each other. We’ll identify types of effective discussion questions and a variety of facilitation techniques for involving students in conversation. During the session, you’ll have time to plan for an upcoming class discussion, using the approaches shared in the workshop. This workshop is appropriate for teaching in any modality.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Consider 4 purposes of discussion and identify those most salient for your course(s).
*Compare and contrast effective vs ineffective questions.
*Browse 15 approaches for facilitating in-class discussions.
*Utilize a Discussion Facilitation Framework to design engaging in-class discussions.

Important: Attendees must register for this event. Please do not add the workshop to your calendar until the registration process has been completed.
Facilitated by: Jen Garrett-Ostermiller, Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation

VTSU Disability Services 101
2023-09-01 08:00 - 09:00 | Use URL below to register:
This workshop has been cancelled due to low enrollment. Please consider coming to one of our upcoming sessions with Disability Services on the Interactive Process, September 18 and September 22.

In today’s diverse educational landscape, understanding and effectively addressing the needs of students with disabilities is critically important. Join VTSU’s disability services staff to: learn about the new staff at each location, learn the new system-wide policies, identify the fundamentals of the accommodations process, understand the difference between an accommodation vs. a recommendation and access vs. success, and understand the importance of a disability statement on your syllabus. By attending this workshop, you will understand changes that have been instituted in the disability process and your role in helping every student thrive.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Understand Disability Statements and their importance on your syllabus
*Understand how Disability Services interprets “access” vs. “success”
*Understand the VTSU Accommodation process
*Explore changes among the campuses that impact faculty
*View the new VTSU Accommodation Memos
*Meet the new Disability Team and their roles

Presented By: Gerry Volpe (Director of Disability Services) and Pam Billings (Coordinator of Disability Services)

VTSU Disability Services 101
2023-08-28 11:00 - 12:00 | Use URL below to register:
This workshop has been cancelled due to low enrollment. If you are interested in the topic, please register for the upcoming duplicate session on Friday, September 1.

In today’s diverse educational landscape, understanding and effectively addressing the needs of students with disabilities is critically important. Join VTSU’s disability services staff to: learn about the new staff at each location, learn the new system-wide policies, identify the fundamentals of the accommodations process, understand the difference between an accommodation vs. a recommendation and access vs. success, and understand the importance of a disability statement on your syllabus. By attending this workshop, you will understand changes that have been instituted in the disability process and your role in helping every student thrive.
By attending this workshop you will:

*Understand Disability Statements and their importance on your syllabus
*Understand how Disability Services interprets “access” vs. “success”
*Understand the VTSU Accommodation process
*Explore changes among the campuses that impact faculty
*View the new VTSU Accommodation Memos
*Meet the new Disability Team and their roles

Presented By: Gerry Volpe (Director of Disability Services) and Pam Billings (Coordinator of Disability Services)

F2F+ Retreat
2023-05-24 05:00 - 11:30

Basics of Yuja
2023-02-22 11:00 - 12:00

VTSU Course Modalities Workshop
2023-02-13 03:00 - 07:00
In future semesters, most VTSU academic programs will be offered as “In-Person Plus”, meaning that the programs will be accessible in some way to students who are not residents of or commuters to a particular campus. Faculty are planning how to deliver these programs through a variety of course modalities. Although the course modalities are not entirely new to the VSC institutions, we are learning that each modality comes with unique opportunities and challenges. This presentation on the course modalities will help faculty to advance this work as they plan for Fall 2023 classes. It will:

Familiarize participants with the VTSU course modalities;
Explore the basic design and pedagogical features of key modalities;
Consider how various modalities could be used to plan the course offerings in VTSU programs.

This workshop is being offered through a collaboration of the Castleton and NVU Centers for Teaching, and Learning, the VTSU Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation, and the Teaching and Learning Innovation sub-team of the Transformation.
Please click the Add to Calendar button to update your calendar.
