by Eric Royer, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning In the near future, we hope for a return to regular, or semi-regular, in-person instruction, albeit with some modifications and social distancing guidelines remaining in place. Planning, now, for a shift back to fully in-person teaching is important, yet many of us are… Continue reading When we return, what follows?
New Resource Guide
The Reinert Center has created a new Resource Guide to help faculty when drafting recommendation letters. The guide offers a few framing thoughts as well as a strategies to help faculty work against implicit bias and stereotypes when writing letters for students. Avoiding Racial and Gender Bias When Writing Recommendation Letters Although the guide is… Continue reading New Resource Guide
Teaching Strategies to help combat Zoom fatigue
by Christopher Grabau, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Using video platforms like Zoom has quickly become a standard way to connect with colleagues, friends, or family. However, it is becoming apparent that video meetings can be both mentally and physically draining. Often referred to as “Zoom fatigue,” these exhausting feelings can have an impact on our… Continue reading Teaching Strategies to help combat Zoom fatigue
Wise feedback to reduce stereotype threat and to support your classroom community
by Christopher Grabau, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Offering constructive feedback on student performance can offer important opportunities for social and intellectual development. However, research has found that students do not always understand how teachers critique their work and may misconstrue comments as overly negative. This misunderstanding can reinforce negative stereotypes and undermine teacher/student trust. Wise… Continue reading Wise feedback to reduce stereotype threat and to support your classroom community
It’s Been A Year
By Sandy Gambill, Sr. Instructional Developer, Reinert Center When spring break started on March 9, 2020, students were asked to report their travel plans to the university, and quarantine after visiting countries on the CDC warning list. It was unthinkable that ten days later they would be moving out of residence halls, while instructors made… Continue reading It’s Been A Year
Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Classroom
by Eric Royer, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning My disciplinary research and teaching area of expertise is in human rights and post-conflict transitions. Students in my classes are often exposed to genocides and mass killings, humanitarian crises, and child trafficking rings linked to conflict minerals. These topics, as well as the… Continue reading Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Classroom
Anti-Racist Pedagogy: Resources for Getting Started
by Christopher Grabau, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center “The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify it and describe it–and then dismantle it.” –Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist (2019) As a part of our ongoing commitment to providing equitable and inclusive educational structures for teaching and learning, the Reinert Center… Continue reading Anti-Racist Pedagogy: Resources for Getting Started
Pandemic Lessons for Spring
by Eric Royer, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning Remote and now dual-mode teaching has forced many of us to change (and likely question) our teaching activities, tools, and strategies in the classroom. With the start of a new semester, I’d like to briefly reflect on our shared pandemic teaching experience and… Continue reading Pandemic Lessons for Spring
Striking a Balance in Scholarship and Teaching
by Robert Cole, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Upon entering academia, we are very aware that scholarship and research are emphasized on the path to success. Kehrer and Svenson (2012) state that “At its core, a university is a community of scholars, scholarship should permeate every… college and school”. However, now more than ever, universities are… Continue reading Striking a Balance in Scholarship and Teaching
Digital Storytelling as a Pandemic Community-Building Mechanism
by Eric Royer, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Since our shift to remote and now dual-mode teaching, students have become more adept at using our course sites to access materials and complete course activities. They’re also more comfortable using Zoom and other tools to collaborate, engage, and meet key learning outcomes. At the same time, countless… Continue reading Digital Storytelling as a Pandemic Community-Building Mechanism
