by Christopher Grabau, Program Director, Reinert Center Educators in higher education are navigating an increasingly complex landscape, where faculty and graduate student instructors must balance demands ranging from maintaining academic integrity and designing effective assessments, to fostering meaningful student engagement. These challenges are compounded by broader societal stresses and uncertainties, which affect both students and… Continue reading Teaching Authentically: Strategies to Remain Present in Uncertain Times
Category: Practical Strategies
Supporting Neurodiversity Using UDL: An Exercise in “Where Do I Begin?”
by Mitch Lorenz, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Winter break approaches and, with it, comes the Reinert Center’s annual Winter Institute. This half-day institute is tailored to match the Reinert Center’s annual theme. This year’s theme is “Teaching, Learning, and Neurodiversity” and the Winter Institute will focus on applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support… Continue reading Supporting Neurodiversity Using UDL: An Exercise in “Where Do I Begin?”
A New Resoruce for Using Generative AI to Support Neurodiverse Students
by Robert Cole, Program Director, Reinert Center Many of us are curious about generative AI but don’t really want students to use it to complete assignments for our classes. Just asking generative AI to write something to turn in undermines their learning and presents issues with the ethical use of technology. There are ways to… Continue reading A New Resoruce for Using Generative AI to Support Neurodiverse Students
Kindness at Thanksgiving
by Beth Petitjean, Ph.D., Digital Learning Specialist, Reinert Center Whew, a lot has been going on in the world and in SLU’s little corner of it this semester. It’s time for a breather and in a couple of days we’ll get one with the Thanksgiving holiday break. Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday as a… Continue reading Kindness at Thanksgiving
Preparing for Election-Related Discussions in the Classroom
by Christopher Grabau, Program Director, Reinert Center Political and global affairs often enter our learning spaces. While these discussions can be challenging to navigate, they offer a unique opportunity to engage with and develop critical reflection. As we anticipate potentially challenging but crucial conversations in the classroom, it's essential to approach these moments with intentionality… Continue reading Preparing for Election-Related Discussions in the Classroom
Fall Disruptions: Instructional Continuity amid Changing Circumstances
by Beth Petitjean, Ph.D., Digital Learning Specialist, Reinert Center We’re a few weeks into the Fall semester. That time when everyone is in a groove, when they’ve found their footing with the course work and the schedule, and the exhaustion that comes with all that hasn’t set in yet. The bloom of motivation is still… Continue reading Fall Disruptions: Instructional Continuity amid Changing Circumstances
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
Something’s Brewing: Repurposing Content into Culturally Responsive Activities
By Beth Petitjean, Ph.D., Digital Learning Specialist, Reinert Center At the Winter Institute earlier this month, the morning workshop focused on creating culturally responsive introductory activities. The intent was to show participants how they could take content and repurpose it into an activity to promote engagement, to introduce ways of thinking within the course discipline,… Continue reading Something’s Brewing: Repurposing Content into Culturally Responsive Activities
The Notebook 