OSU Center for Teaching and Learning

The faculty of OSU’s Agriculture and Natural Resource Program at Eastern Oregon University participated in a CTL workshop on Blended, Flipped and Hybrid Course Design and Teaching. The Agriculture and Natural Resources Program is a long-standing cooperative relationship between EOU and OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences to serve students, communities and industries of eastern Oregon and the Intermountain West.

In the workshop, the Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty learned how to apply effective practices to integrate classroom and online learning in course design and teaching to enhance student success. They enthusiastically took part in a variety of activities to build their capacity to implement blended course design and teaching beginning this fall.

Inspiration for faculty on EOU’s Inlow Hall

The workshop is an example of CTL’s commitment to reach out to OSU faculty wherever they are based. This commitment is embodied in options for faculty to participate remotely through Zoom in Tuesday Teaching + Tech Talks and New2OSU. You’re invited to join us, wherever you are!

The first day of class sets the tone for the rest of the semester (Lang, 2019; Saucier 2019). Also, the first day of class comes with some nervousness, “first-day jitters,” even for experienced university teachers. There are several instructional tips for ensuring that the first day gets off to a good start. Lang encapsulates them into four productive principles for striking the right cord with students on the first day of class: Curiosity, Community, Learning and Expectations.

CURIOSITY

While it is important to direct students’ attention to course policies, assessments and assignments on the first day of class, this activity should not be the centerpiece of the first day class. Setting a good feeling tone for the class on the first day requires that the instructor endeavor to whet students’ appetite and spark their curiosity for the course content first, before even handling out the syllabus. The principle of curiosity is reminiscent of the function of the anticipatory set in lesson planning; the purpose is to hook students, grab their attention and intentionally invite them to participate in a stimulating intellectual journey. Effective strategies for generating student curiosity for the course encompass the following:

§     Reflect on what first fascinated you about the subject matter or discipline. Share your reflection with students.

§     Connect the core knowledge that will be presented in the content of the course with real life experiences of students today.

§     Communicate to students why the content of the course is significant and relevant to them and to life outside the classroom.

In other words, share your sweet spot of the content of the course with students on the first day of class.

COMMUNITY

The instructor is definitely not the only one going through first day jitters. The first day of class is a roller-coaster of emotions for students too. They are encumbered with anxieties about time, finances and other personal commitments. It is essential to implement activities that will foster a sense of community and make the classroom an inviting atmosphere for each student right from Day 1. Lang (2019) describes the intellectual journey of facilitating student learning in a semester-long course as a “caravan journey.” As the leader of the caravan, it is the instructor’s responsibility to make sure that each student is empowered to function as a successful co-constructor of the learning experiences that will be produced in the course.  Effective approaches for getting everyone fully on board beginning from day one include the following:

§     Get to class early. Greet students as they come in. Walk around, talk to as many students as you can, ask for their names and other bits of information such as their hometown, major, class level. Use humor; humanize yourself to the students, tell them that you are glad to have them in class for the semester.

§     Introduce yourself effectively “as a unique person sharing the classroom with other unique individuals” (https://cft.vanderbilt.edu). Consider sharing succinct and pertinent information about your personal biography, educational and intellectual biography.

§     Tell them why you have chosen your area of expertise and a little bit about any relevant current or future research project(s). Convey your enthusiasm for teaching and learning to students.

§      Give students the opportunity to introduce themselves. Instead of the usual format of individual introductions, divide students into pairs or small groups and have them complete a simple task that will allow them to get to know each other in the context of the course material.

§     Make it personal. In a chemistry class, the instructor may ask students to introduce themselves and exchange information about how chemistry enriches their everyday lives. Have pairs or members of small group introduce their peers and the information that they exchanged to the rest of the class.

Humanizing yourself to students and getting them into pairs or small groups to introduce themselves in the context of course material sets the tone for the kind of interaction they should expect from you. Furthermore, it sets the tone for the kind of involvement and engagement you will expect from them throughout the semester. This is the essence of cultivating a positive and welcoming classroom environment from Day1.

LEARNING

Learning in the course should not be suspended until the second class meeting. Part of whetting students’ appetite about the course is to engage them in a cognitive task related to course material on the first day. A lecture is not recommended. Instead, use an activity such as the Background Knowledge Probe (BKP) questionnaire to uncover students’ assumptions about the content of the course and also, to document pre-post knowledge gains. On the first day, give students a challenging task for example a few multiple-choice or short answer questions similar to what they will encounter on the mid-term or the final examination. Students will respond to each question with one of the following codes:

1.     I don’t even recognize the content of this question.

2.     I can’t answer the question but know where I can look it up.

3.     I know the answer to this question.

4.     I know the answer and could give at least one example.

5.     I know this well enough to teach my classmates about it (Baker, n.d.).

Upon completion of the BPK questionnaire, students can work together in pairs or small groups to discuss the test items, review the pages in the textbook or other course learning material to identify the information related to each item. The purpose of learning on the first day is to inform the instructor about the levels of students’ understanding. This knowledge should help to shape instruction in the ensuing weeks. At the same time, students’ participation in a BPK classroom assessment activity should help to heighten their awareness of the content areas of the course where they need to dedicate more study time.

EXPECTATIONS

The principles of curiosity, community and learning are guidelines for creating a lively learning environment and engaging students in learning on the first day. However, it is apparent that students will come to the classroom with a lot of expectations about the requirements of the class, course materials, assignments and course policies. Students will want to have a comprehensive response to the question: what do I need to do to be successful in this class? Therefore, it is important that some portion of the first day is allotted to delineating the expectations of the class with respect to the following:

§     Explain the reasoning that informed the structure of the course.

§     Highlight the learning objectives and how they are aligned with assessments and the instructional strategies.

§     Communicate instructor responsibilities with regard to the availability of in-class material, feedback on assignments, provide information about office hours, and how you wish to be contacted by phone, email.

§     Explain students’ responsibilities for example class attendance, absences, submission of assignments, accommodations for special needs.

Students should receive copies of the syllabus online through the learning management system before the first day. It is not productive to read the syllabus in class; highlighting the major parameters of the course should suffice. You may give students a no-points syllabus quiz to ensure that they have good understanding of the most important requirements of the course.

It is a good idea to close the presentation of the requirements of the course with a statement of commitment to student learning and success in the course. Encourage students and communicate to them that you are confident that they will be successful in the course if they expend the required effort (https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/firstday.html).

Lang (2019) affirms that successful implementation of the four principles requires that the following practicable observations must be accomplished in advance before the first day:

§      Go over the class roster and match students’ names with their pictures (if pictures are provided in the in the university’s learning management system). In addition, post a warm welcome message to students, introduce yourself and ask students to introduce themselves to you and to the class.

§     Familiarize yourself with the classroom space and available technology. Observe the space, closely taking note of how the tables and chairs are arranged.

§     Visualize how the space matches the kinds of learning activities that will take place in your course and plan to make adjustments as needed.

§     Test the technology in the classroom and make sure that technological issues are resolved before, not on the first day of class.

The preceding information may seem like a lot to take in and accomplish before or on the first day. However, it is pertinent to reiterate that the first day sets the tone for the rest of the semester. Taking time upfront to stimulate students’ curiosity, foster a sense of community, establish learning, address the expectations of the class and get familiar with the classroom space and technology should yield successful learning experiences dividends in the long run.

References

Baker, M.  (n.d.). Using background knowledge probes. Retrieved from https://ctl.byu.edu/tip/using-background-knowledge-probes

Center for Teaching (n.d.). First day of class. Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu

Eberly Center Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation. (n.d.). Make the most of the first day. Retrieved from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/firstday.html

Lang, J. M. (2019). How to teach a good first day class. The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-firstday

Saucier, D. (2019). Bringing peace to the classroom. Faculty Focus. Retrieved from

 https://www.facultyfocus.com

Funmi Amobi is an instructional consultant and College Liaison in Oregon State University’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Funmi provides consultations to faculty in individual and small group settings to support teaching excellence and student success. Funmi holds a doctorate degree in secondary education with major emphasis in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University.  As a reflective practitioner, she is a life-long student of the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Dear OSU Campus Community,

Greetings from your Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).   Housed on the top floor of LInC, our goal is to create and sustain a culture of teaching excellence, and position OSU at the forefront of educational innovation.  Informed by evidence-based instructional practices and designed to address key faculty, instructor, and GTA needs, we have three major categories of offerings for you.

Individualized Learning Pathways (ILPs)

CTL partners with departments and units across campus to provide professional development opportunities around teaching. Build your own ILPin five key areas: 1) Course Design; 2) Creating & Sustaining Inclusive Learning Environments; 3) Teaching with Technology; 4) Social, Emotional, and Brain Based Learning; and 5) Teacher Evaluation, Promotion & Tenure.

New2OSU

The CTL offers the opportunity to earn a Certificate in University Teaching. New2OSU is focused on impacting student success by accelerating the effectiveness of newer teachers. We also provide teaching renewal for veteran teachers. Completion of the program may be used as evidence of professional development and teaching effectiveness for performance review (subject to supervisor approval).  The CTL can only accept 20 applicants on a first-come, first-serve basis. Our fall cohort launches on Monday, September 30 with the start of Week One.

REGISTER NOW! Find details, hear from New2OSU graduates, and register here.

Tuesday Teaching + Tech Talks (T⁴)

T⁴ formerly Tuesday Teaching Talks, is a certificated series of teaching workshops that support a wide range of pedagogical priorities. The new “T”? Learn about tech tools that can be used to implement the pedagogical ideas shared!  T⁴workshops are held every Tuesday from 10-11:50 or 2-3:50 – join either session!

Participate face-to-face in Milam 215 or online via Zoom (Visit Box for more information about online participation). There is no registration necessary, attend one, some, or all! You can access our T4 schedule here.

We are excited to support you!

Regan A. R. Gurung, Ph. D.  | Interim Executive Director     

Brooke Howland, Ed. D.  | Associate Director

Whereas most college and university faculty and staff teach together with doing research, not many Ph.D. training programs nationwide provide teacher training in graduate school. This week, Oregon State graduate students got a chance to learn about all the Center for Teaching and Learning has to offer at Graduate Orientation.

In addition, new initiatives to support graduate students have rolled out as well. The Oregon State University Libraries and Press and the Graduate School just announced a new space for graduate students on the sixth floor of the Valley Library starting fall term 2019: The Graduate Student Commons.

The Grad Commons supports student success by providing independent, collaborative and facilitated learning experiences. These experiences will help students with timely degree completion, prepare them with the collaborative skills needed for the contemporary workplace, and enhance their contributions to Oregon State’s scholarly enterprise.

As graduate students have unique educational journeys at Oregon State, creating a space on campus dedicated to all graduate students demonstrates their importance to the institution’s culture and mission.

The Grad Commons features a variety of spaces and services to support graduate student needs. At the Grad Commons students can:

• Study and relax in the comfortable and light-filled Reading Room.
• Reserve a small group room for group study and research.
• Reserve the technology-enhanced 6420 classroom for teaching practice, an oral exam, or committee meetings.
• Attend workshops in the 6420 classroom.
• Work in the open study space and utilize computer workstations with statistical software.
• Meet with representatives from the IRB Office, Graduate Writing Center, and the Department of Statistics.
• Reserve long-term research rooms for the length of an academic term. Available to all graduate students in the writing or research phase of their degree.
• Checkout a laptop for up to 10-weeks for off-site research projects.

“Is the final cumulative? How many exams are there? Is attendance required? What book do I have to buy?”

It is somewhat irking when students ask a question about the class which you have already answered in your syllabus. Many faculty bemoan the fact that students do not read the syllabus. One easy fix has been to give student quizzes on the syllabus- using either Canvas or a simple one-page survey, have students answer questions about the syllabus right after you give them the syllabus. Get them in groups for even more fun. Such techniques are useful, but let us take a step back to consider the role of the syllabus.

Best practices in syllabus construction suggest that the syllabus is generally thought to serve as a contract, a permanent record, a communication device, as a learning tool/cognitive map, and requires considerable planning.  Every university has a set of minimum requirements for a syllabus (Oregon State University’s here and a checklist below). Many colleges also have other required or suggested inclusions. While some faculty may think that reaching out and being cognization of issues beyond direct academics goes beyond the call of duty, statements like the one below could help build rapport, a critical element in the classroom. For example, in order to address the growing concerns about student mental health, Oregon State University suggests including the following statement for syllabi:

Reach Out for Success: University students encounter setbacks from time to time. If you encounter difficulties and need assistance, it’s important to reach out. Consider discussing the situation with an instructor or academic advisor. Learn about resources that assist with wellness and academic success at oregonstate.edu/ReachOut. If you are in immediate crisis, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting OREGON to 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

If you want to be a model teacher, then your syllabus should communicate that you are a model teacher. For instance, research suggests that model teachers use specific teaching behaviors (e.g., approachability, flexibility, etc.) and have strong student professor rapport. Cullen and Harris (2009) suggest that syllabi should establish community by having instructors highly available for students (e.g., multiple means of access and open office hours), provide strong learning rational (e.g., rational provided for policies and procedures and tied to student learning outcomes), and highly encourage collaboration (e.g., use of group work).

When organizing your syllabus it is important to consider the students’ perspective. Garavalia and colleagues (2000) found that students primarily viewed the syllabus elements of grading, assignment, and assessment policies to be the most important, whereas faculty viewed these elements as less important. They suggested that, teachers would better serve their students’ needs if they reorganized the syllabus to reflect what students thought were most important.

Creating model syllabi requires considerable planning (Boysen et al., 2015). There are several ways that teachers can create a model syllabus through explicit course planning. These include the planning course goals and student learning objectives, providing an attractive and readable layout, adapting and changing your syllabus based on student and peer feedback, and organizing the syllabus based on student needs.  As you look ahead to your next class, use the checklist below.

SYLLABUS CHECKLIST: Some Recommendations From Teresa Ober, Ph.D. Notre Dame University

• Course Information
• Course name, number and section
• Course mode of instruction (e.g., in-person, hybrid, online, etc.)
• Class days and times: Dates times (for online courses, and also note the time zone)
• Class location: Room number and building (for online courses, include access instructions for real-time online meetings)
• Requisite courses that are expected to have been completed for enrollment in the course
• If using a course website, consider listing that up here as well.Contact Information
  • Instructor’s name and title
  • Institutional email address
  • Office room number and building (if you have one)
  • Office phone number (if you have one)
  • Office hours: day(s), times, location or link to online meeting room for virtual office hours. (Note that if you are an adjunct, simply listing office hours “by appointment” maybe within your contract obligations.)
  • Webpage and/or social media (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, Skype, etc.), if you like to communicate that way.
  • Teaching assistant(s): Name(s) and contact information
  • Department office information: Room/building, phone number, etc.
    
    Course Materials
• Required (and suggested) readings / texts: Full citation with ISBN and link to the college bookstore
• Instructional technologies (e.g., Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai, Pearson MyLab/Mastering, etc.)
• Course materials on reserve in the libraryAdditional considerations, especially for online course materials:
• Display materials in formats that can be viewed on most computers and mobile devices (.doc,.pdf, .mp3, .mp4).
• Instructional materials, such as Word, Powerpoint, PDF, videos and other digital formats, should be created to be accessible to all learners, including students with disabilities.
• Evaluate websites and digital content assigned to students for compliance with accessibility standards. Guides such as National Center on Disability and Access to Education Cheat Sheet(http://ncdae.org/resources/cheatsheets/accessibility.php)are recommended.
  Course Description
  Brief statement on teaching philosophy or approach
• • Goals and Rationale for the Course
    • Statement/s of intent or vision for how course will benefit students (e.g., position them to take other courses or advance toward a particular career, etc.)
    • Learning Outcomes: Specific measurable results expected subsequent to a learning experience
    • Knowledge (cognitive): Knowledge of disciplinary content that students learn
    • Skills (behavioral): The learned capacity to do something
    • Attitudes and values (affective): Changes in views and beliefs about an issue or problem
    • Integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that facilitate successful learning
  • Pre-requisite skills for successful course completion (e.g. use of library databases, participation in online forums, use of specific software, creation of media files, etc.)
• Course Calendar and Content
• Class meeting dates and topics
• Schedule with deadlines clearly indicated (e.g., assignments, exams, etc.)
• Holidays/other non-meeting dates/days when classes follow a different schedule (e.g., a Wednesday that follows a Monday schedule)
• Other academic dates (e.g., last date to drop a course (delete from record), last date to drop without a “W”)
• Grading Method and Scale
• A clear and explicit explanation of evaluation methodology
  • Format and weight of course performance requirements for participation, quizzes, assignments, homework, projects, exams, etc.
  • Indication of grading rubric(s), if applicable
• Policy for late and missed assignments or exams
• Communication
• Preferred method to contact instructor for urgent / non-urgent matters
• Estimated instructor response time for emails / phone calls
• Estimated instructor response time for feedback on assignments
• Expectations for appropriate behavior in online forums
• Resources (Include all that apply)
  • Websites and online resources
  • Laboratories and studios
  • Study groups / review sessions
  • Tutoring (e.g., from peers, at college learning centers)
  • Example/s of excellent performance for applicable requirements
  • Library homepage or course guide created by librarian
  • E-reserve password
  • Technical support information
  • Other types of help
• Course Policy Information (Include all that apply. If applicable, each item should include a statement indicating how eachwill have an impact on grades or degree progress).
  • Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
  • Accessibility and Accommodations
  • Attendance / Lateness
  • Academic Referrals or Writing Center
  • Behavioral Conduct
  • Expectations around the frequency of checking course website or school email
  • Exam dates and scheduling make-up exams
  • Extra Credit
  • Late Work / Missed Tests / Incompletes
  • Sexual Misconduct
  • Use of instructional technology and/or personal technology (e.g., cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc.)
  • Other instructor / classroom policies

Additional Resources

Boysen, G. A., Richmond, A. S., & Gurung, R. A. R. (2015). Model teaching criteria for psychology: Initial documentation of teachers’ self-reported competency. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 1, 48-59. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/stl0000023

Cullen, R., & Harris, M. (2009). Assessing learner‐centredness through course syllabi. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 34(1), 115-125.

Gannon, K. (n.d.). How to create a syllabus: Advice guide.Retrieved from: https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-syllabus.

Garavalia, L., Hummel, J., Wiley, L., & Huitt, W. (2000). Constructing the course syllabus: Faculty and student perceptions of important syllabus components. Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, 10(1), 5-22.

Graduate Center CUNY, Teaching and Learning Center. (2019). Teach@CUNY Handbook (Version 3.0). Retrieved from: https://cuny.manifoldapp.org/projects/teach-cuny-handbook.

Society for the Teaching of Psychology. (n.d.). Project Syllabus. Retrieved from: https://teachpsych.org/otrp/syllabi/index.php/

Society for the Teaching of Psychology. (n.d.). Teaching of Psychology Idea Exchange (ToPIX). Retrieved from: http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19980993/FrontPage

Volk, S. (2012). Size matters: How much reading to assign (and other imponderables).Retrieved from: http://languages.oberlin.edu/blogs/ctie/2012/09/23/size-matters-how-much-reading-to-assign-and-other-imponderables/

University of Rhode Island, Faculty Development. (n.d.). Blank syllabus template. Retrieved from: https://web.uri.edu/teach/blank-syllabus-template/.

Washington University in St. Louis, The Teaching Center. (n.d.). Syllabus template. Retrieved from: https://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/resources/course-design/syllabus-template/.

University faculty and staff are called on to do many things.  Balancing research, teaching, and service can be demanding. Doing any one of these well while also giving the other elements attention can be a challenge indeed. It is particularly inspiring to see universities reward exemplary efforts in the classroom and lab.

We at the OSU CTL would like to especially cheer the 2019 Teaching Award winners!!  For the winners (and a link to nominate deserving candidates ):

The OSU Faculty Excellence in Online Teaching Award recognizes faculty who devote a significant amount of time to online teaching and online course development of for-credit courses. In 2019, the award recipient is Yvette Gibson, Instructor, Online Rangeland Science Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences.

The OSU Faculty Teaching Excellence Award honors unusually significant and meritorious achievement in teaching and scholarship which enhances effective instruction. The 2019 honor is given to Lori Kayes, Senior Instructor I, Integrative Biology, College of Science.

The Richard M. Bressler Senior Faculty Teaching Award recognizes full professors who have been at OSU a minimum of 15 years and consistently provide direct instruction to undergraduate students. Andrew Blaustein, Distinguished Professor of Integrative Biology, College of Science is the 2019 recipient.

The Elizabeth P. Ritchie Distinguished Professor Award recognizes an individual for outstanding undergraduate teaching; research, particularly related to improvement of instruction; and professional leadership. In 2019, the recipient is Gita Cherian, Professor of Animal & Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences.

The Herbert F. Frolander Graduate Teaching Assistant Award recognizes graduate students who have excelled in their capacity as teaching assistants.  For 2019, this honor is given to Thaddaeus Buser, Graduate Teaching Assistant in Fisheries & Wildlife, College of Agricultural Sciences.

CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU to the winners and all faculty and instructors for doing what you do for our students!!

Regan A. R. Gurung has been appointed as interim executive director for the Center for Teaching and Learning at Oregon State University, effective Aug. 26. The appointment was announced by Alix Gitelman, vice provost for undergraduate education.

Gurung, who joined the psychology faculty in the School of Psychological Science earlier this year, is an internationally recognized and widely published figure in the science of teaching and learning, as well as in social and health psychology. He is the author, coauthor or editor of 15 books, and has published over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He is the founding co-editor of the American Psychological Association’s journal, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology.

Read the full announcement here.