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Arab American Heritage Month
Observed since April 2017, Arab American Heritage Month celebrates the rich and diverse culture of Arab people in the U.S. and their contributions and achievements to our lives and communities. Faculty can work to increase awareness of the bias and discrimination that our Arab American students might be experiencing in the classroom. In partnership with the Office of Internationalization, the Office of Teaching and Learning has developed an Inclusive Teaching Practices Module called “Global Intercultural Pedagogy” to help faculty to critically reflect on intercultural communication and classroom practices in order to highlight and value cultural difference as a part of the classroom content.
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Autism Acceptance Month
Over thirty years ago, the Autism Society promoted April as Autism Awareness Month in an effort to educate the public regarding the needs of autistic individuals and their families. The terminology has shifted to Autism Acceptance Month to stimulate widespread affirmation and celebration for Autism. Since August 2021, the Office of Teaching and Learning has offered the Neurodiversity Institute, which is designed to spark change in faculty support for neurodiverse learners in the classroom. While this event is invite-only, we are working to offer a series of open events this fall to continue learning about inclusive teaching practices including Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning. Lastly, we invite you to attend the DU event to celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) happening on Thursday, May 18. The purpose of GAAD is to get educators talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion.
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Grading Support and Gathering Student Feedback
It's hard to believe that we are halfway through the spring quarter, and that Sturm College of Law is wrapping up the spring semester!
For those prepping for mid-terms, consider also planning to gather feedback from your students so that you can assess how the class is going, discover any points of confusion, and evaluate aspects of the course that you might be able to adjust to benefit your students. Visit OTL's web page Gathering Student Feedback on Teaching and blog post Designing a Mid-Quarter Student Survey for tips on getting this feedback and following up on it.
As you grade, the OTL has many resources to support you. You can reach out to us with questions or schedule a consultation by contacting OTL staff directly or booking 1:1 time with the OTL Instructional Designers. We also have many asynchronous resources on our Ed-Tech Knowledge Base and our OTL website, including information on using the Canvas Speedgrader. Also, visit our blog post Addressing Bias in Assessment to learn strategies for reducing implicit bias in your grading.
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Turnitin and AI Writing
Turnitin now has detection capabilities for AI writing, including writing that comes from ChatGPT. You will not have to do anything new for your Canvas assignments that already have Turnitin enabled.
Keep in mind that this technology is not perfect, and it is still important that you review these reports carefully and communicate thoughtfully with your students. Learn more about Turnitin and its new AI detection capabilities in our new blog post Checking the Checkers: Guidance for Using Turnitin (Including its Artificial Intelligence Detection Tool). Then read about strategies to address academic integrity and AI writing in our blog post Getting Proactive with ChatGPT and Other AI Tools.
If you are interested in using Turnitin with your Canvas assignments, learn more by visiting our Knowledge Base article How to Use Turnitin for Faculty or book a one-on-one consultation with one of our OTL Instructional Designers.
Dr. Kerstin Haring, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, reflects on these AI tools, how they work, and how we might be able to use them to our advantage in two faculty guest blogs:
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Introducing the Teaching and Learning Online (TLO) Badge Program!
The OTL is excited to announce the new micro-credential program, Teaching and Learning Online (TLO)! TLO offers two digital badges for faculty development related to skills of instructional planning, instructional delivery, digital accessibility, and online learning.
First in the sequence is the TLO Foundational Badge, which allows faculty to identify opportunities to enhance student learning through effective and creative online teaching practices.
As required in the program, faculty will select and complete two short courses of their choosing. Learn more about the new short course model and the available short courses in our OTL Short Course Catalog and new blog post.
Visit the TLO Badge Program webpage for more information on the TLO Foundational Badge and apply for the Summer 2023 Cohort today!
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Running for Queen Christina Paguyo
Dr. Christina Paguyo, our brilliant and beloved former DU colleague, left this world by suicide on January 3, 2023. Christina’s death has left many of her friends, family members, and colleagues not only heart-broken, but with questions about how we might continue to honor her radiant light, remember the infinite lessons she taught us, and build communities of care for those struggling with mental health on college campuses and in other organizational settings. “Running for Queen Christina” is a project lead by Dr. Erin Willer (Professor, Communication Studies; 4D Director of Faculty Innovation) that begins to ask and answer these types of questions as she runs the Ft. Collins Quad Rock 25-mile trail race on May 6th in honor of Christina and those she impacted. You can learn more about the project at the link below. Whether you are a friend, colleague, or someone touched by suicide or Christina’s story, you can sign up to have Erin run one of the 25 miles of the race in remembrance of Christina and the infinite impact she has had on so many.
Read more about this project at Running for Queen Christina.
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Restorative Practices in Classroom Dialogues
In alignment with OTL’s Inclusive Teaching Practices, we are happy to announce that the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (SRR) is partnering with OTL to host faculty workshops that intersect curriculum delivery, inclusive classroom development and navigation of difficult dialogue using restorative practices. These workshops will be co-hosted by staff at SRR and Kristen Noble and are meant to create spaces for faculty to explore different teaching strategies to engage in difficult conversations, mitigate and address harm occurring in the classroom, and prevent situations from escalating.
The next workshop is being offered on May 19th from 12:00-1:30pm. Lunch will be served! If you are unable to attend this in-person event but would like to attend a remote version, please register using the link below and note your preference in the box at the bottom right of the registration page! If there are enough interested participants, we will host a remote event.
Restorative Practices in Classroom Dialogues
Friday, May 19, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
The Loft Classroom (AAC 340)
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Heart of Higher Education Online Retreat
Dr. Paul Michalec, Clinical Professor, University of Denver is inviting you to join Parker Palmer and friends for a remote conference-retreat taking place in June 2023, entitled The Heart of Higher Education 2023: Finding Our Place in Shifting Landscapes, June 14-16, 2023. There is also a hybrid in-person option, gathering in the Office of Teaching and Learning on the DU campus. Please contact Paul Michalec at [email protected] for additional information on both the remote and in-person options.
This retreat-conference is for those higher education professionals (faculty, staff, and administrators) who are eager to foster ways to sustain and renew personal identity and professional integrity in the midst of the profound changes that impact our lives.
Parker J. Palmer and friends will join us in this time of inner reflection and outer commitment to cultivating a renewed vision of education. With this rekindled sense of vitality, we will rediscover strengths to use for the common good – connecting with those purposes for which we originally sought this vibrant work.
For more information see:
The Heart of Higher Education 2023: Finding Our Place in Shifting Landscapes | Center for Courage & Renewal (couragerenewal.org)
Or contact Paul Michalec at [email protected].
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Upcoming Events
The Office of Teaching and Learning and the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs office are hosting several events throughout this term. Visit the OTL Events Calendar to discover other upcoming events!
Pathways to Promotion for Teaching & Professional Faculty
Friday, April 28, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Hyflex - join us online or in Community Commons 1600
Heart of Higher Education
Wednesday, May 17, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Hyflex - Join us online via Zoom or in the OTL Conference Room (AAC 345)
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (Campus-Wide Event)
Thursday, May 18, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Hyflex - Join online via Zoom or in Burwell Center for Career Achievement, Room 340
Restorative Practices in Classroom Dialogues
Friday, May 19, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
The Loft Classroom (AAC 340)
Recommendation Letters Made Easy and Equitable
Tuesday, May 23, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Community Commons 1600
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