By Beth Petitjean, Ph.D., Digital Learning Specialist, Reinert Center Last month, I had the good fortune to attend and present a paper at The Teaching Professor Conference in New Orleans. I had never been to the conference nor the city before, and, honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from them either. A recent bout… Continue reading Authenticity in Action
Author: Reinert Center
Words matter: the influence of language on women in STEM disciplines.
by Elodie Pozzi, Department of Mathematics and Statistics It is widely recognized that words wield significant power and influence: their role extends beyond mere communication and persuasion, as they can evoke emotions, convey authority, instill confidence, and either motivate or demotivate. Certain usages of language can be as harmful as those with an explicit negative… Continue reading Words matter: the influence of language on women in STEM disciplines.
The End is Another Beginning
by Gina Merys, Director, Reinert Center The occasion of end of the academic year often asks us to hold in tension multiple different emotions. We are anxious about end-of-term exams, projects, and presentations; enthused about summer jobs and first “real” jobs; nostalgic about memories from years ago and yesterday; sad to say farewell to close… Continue reading The End is Another Beginning
Clickers and Peer Instruction with a Diversity, Equity and Inclusive (DEI) Approach
by Elodie Pozzi, Assistant Professor, Mathematics and StatisticesDEI Fellow, Reinert Center The Clickers and Peer Instruction is a method in education that consists in combining handheld electronic devices (called clickers) with peer-discussion. It aims at actively engaging students in the learning process and promoting peer interaction and discussion. Peer Instruction was developed by Eric Mazur,… Continue reading Clickers and Peer Instruction with a Diversity, Equity and Inclusive (DEI) Approach
Book Review: Creating Inclusive Online Communities (2022) by Sharla E. Berry
by Beth Petitjean, Ph.D., Digital Learning Specialist, Reinert Center How do you define community? How do you define inclusivity? Or, even, how do you know when your class is an engaged, inclusive learning community? We tend to throw these words around a lot, but how often do we really stop and ask ourselves what we… Continue reading Book Review: Creating Inclusive Online Communities (2022) by Sharla E. Berry
Creating counter-narratives in STEM classrooms through scientist spotlights
by Nicole States, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Back in February, in Bedelia Richards’ “Teaching RaceTalk as a Skill” workshop, we had a great discussion on creating counter narratives to stereotypes from our fields. This discussion led me to reflect on the persistent image I see of scientists as primarily white, cisgender men. So how can… Continue reading Creating counter-narratives in STEM classrooms through scientist spotlights
The Myth of Learning Styles: Pedagogical Considerations Supporting a More Inclusive Learning Environment
by Christopher Grabau, Program Director, Reinert Center The concept of "learning styles" has persisted for decades, shaping teaching practices and curriculum design. However, a large body of research confirms that the notion of distinct learning styles, such as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic, lacks empirical support and may even be detrimental to effective teaching and learning… Continue reading The Myth of Learning Styles: Pedagogical Considerations Supporting a More Inclusive Learning Environment
Implicit Processes and the Challenge of Deficit Thinking
by Mitch Lorenz, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center With midterms recently passing, now is an ideal time to reflect on how we react to student performance in our classrooms. As an instructor, it can be especially disheartening when students do poorly on tests or assignments. How we react to these situations can serve as a reflection… Continue reading Implicit Processes and the Challenge of Deficit Thinking
M is for…Mindfulness
by Beth Petitjean, Ph.D., Digital Learning Specialist, Reinert Center It’s March. Besides the word itself, what other words starting with “M” spring to mind? “March Madness,” perhaps, as we cheer on our Billikens and other favorite college basketball teams. Perhaps “melancholy,” as we hope for mild weather during the last vestiges of winter. This week… Continue reading M is for…Mindfulness
Designing for Student Wellbeing in Online, Distance Courses
by Eric Royer, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Data from the 2022-2023 Healthy Minds Study[1] indicate that mental health challenges remain a vexing problem for students, with more than two-thirds of student respondents reporting that they felt isolated sometimes or often, 41 percent reporting symptoms of mild to moderate depression, and 34 percent reporting feelings of… Continue reading Designing for Student Wellbeing in Online, Distance Courses
The Notebook 