OTL Celebrates Black History Month

The intention behind Black History month is to spotlight the experiences of Black people in America— honoring both their achievements and their misrepresented or completely absent lived histories under oppression. As educators, how do we integrate this practice into our classrooms year-round, to honor and represent those who have been traditionally asked to assimilate to a dominant culture? It is good to remind ourselves that students aren’t marginalized by their identities; they are marginalized by their instructors and peers for what their identities represent to those within dominating groups. Those who commit to teaching through a culturally responsive framework aim to consistently represent multiple perspectives in the content and structure of their courses. By including those perspectives, we communicate to students that how they frame their worldview matters.  

We invite you to take action to allow for shifts in your teaching practice, that specifically focus on creating welcoming spaces for Black students.

• DU welcomes John Robinson-Miller, IV as the new Associate Director of Black Community Initiatives! Attending one of the talks offered by the Black Community Initiatives in February will provide a deeper understanding and solidarity with the experience of Black students in public spaces.
• Plan to attend the OTL Equity Workshop on Creating DEI Content for Your Classroom. During this brainstorming session, we will share examples of DEI learning outcomes which you can tie to pedagogical approaches that highlight diverse perspectives and allow students to bring their lived experience to the learning process.

Faculty Survey Results

The OTL is committed to a data informed approach to faculty support. We are pleased to share the results of our Fall 2020 and Fall 2022 faculty surveys. Thank you to the faculty who took the time to contribute their voice! Your feedback has helped us to ensure our programming is aligned with your needs. Thank you to the office of the VPFA and IT for their partnership on these surveys. 

Seeking Participants for Spring 2023 Student-Faculty Partnership Program

Do you wish to better-understand your students and how they experience your class? In the Student-Faculty Partnership Program, students and faculty members learn and work together as partners in addressing the question of how we can create more engaging and inclusive learning environments. Now in it's seventh year at DU and backed by 20 years of research, this program is premised on the idea that students and faculty members can learn much from each other regarding the experience of teaching and learning, and that it is through dialogue and sharing of different perspectives that this learning can occur.   

Participating faculty members will be paired with a student partner for the Spring 2023 quarter. Every week throughout the quarter, students observe their faculty partner's class, and they and their faculty partners meet - either virtually or in person - to discuss their respective observations, insights, and wonderings.

We are currently seeking faculty participants who teach undergraduate classes in any format.  The application deadline is Thursday, February 16, 2023. To learn more about this program and to apply, please visit our Student-Faculty Partnership Program web page. We are also seeking student participants for this program, particularly students from groups that are under-represented in shaping higher education, so if you know of any undergraduate students whom you would like to recommend, please contact Virginia Pitts.

Resources for Providing Mid-Term Exams to Students With Accommodations

As you start to plan your mid-term exams, visit these resources to learn more about how to add extra time to your Canvas exams and how to work with Disability Services Program (DSP) to accommodate your students:

Adding Extra Time on Classic Quizzes

Adding Extra Time on New Quizzes

Setting Up Alternative Testing Time

Providing DSP with Testing Information on Accommodate

You can also reach out to DSP directly at [email protected], or reach out to Ellen Hogan, the OTL’s Accessibility Technologist, at [email protected] for 1:1 technical support.

Writing Across the Curriculum Winter Workshop Series: Writing Processes, Processing Writings

The University Writing Program invites graduate students and teachers from all lines and ranks to participate in the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Winter Workshop Series to discuss how to better support students’ learning by engaging meaningfully with them and their work throughout the writing process. Each workshop stands alone, so you can attend as many as you like, in person or online. Learn more about the Writing Across the Curriculum Winter Workshop Series and register!

Life C/raft - A 4D Community of Care Experience

In line with the 4D commitment to individual and community thriving, faculty and staff are invited to join Life C/raft (Craftivists Re-storying Academic Fatigue and Turmoil), a 4D Community of Care. Recognizing that an individual's well-being is not the sole responsibility of one person, but the responsibility of the collective (Mehreen & Gray-Donald), Life C/raftivists will engage in a community quilting project designed to make space for stories of grief and loss, mental health, burnout and more that often go untold by faculty and staff in academic spaces.

Through resisting the silencing of our challenges, we will create a community of care, making our campus a more human(e) place to work and support students. In addition, participants will also learn ways to creatively build communities of care in their own units and classrooms across campus.

Dr. Erin Willer (4D Director of Faculty Innovation; Professor, Communication Studies) will lead the community along with additional support provided by Dr. Sister Fred Chevillot (Professor, Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; quilter extraordinaire) and Dr. Becca Ciancanelli (Director of Inclusive Teaching Practices, Office of Teaching and Learning). Participants will receive a $250 stipend. You do not need to have quilting or sewing experience or even consider yourself a creative person to participate. However, Life C/raftivists will be asked to commit to the following:

Attending at least four out of five of the following in-person Life C/raft quilting workshops:

• Feb. 24, 10–11:30 a.m.
• March 10, 10–11:15 a.m.
• April 7, 10–11:15 a.m.
• April 21, 10–11:15 a.m.
• May 5, 10–11:30 a.m.
• Participating in a Life C/raftivist workshop at the 4D Symposium on Thursday, May 18

Interested participants should complete the Qualtrics interest form by noon on Feb. 6.

Spots are limited, so participation will be on a first-come, first-served basis once the Qualtrics form is complete. You will be notified if you have secured a spot or been placed on the waiting list.

Please contact Erin Willer with questions: [email protected].

Student Success Invites You to Learn More About the CARE Team

Sometimes, an incident or concern regarding student behavior may need to be addressed through the Crisis Assessment Risk Evaluation (CARE) behavioral intervention team. Join the CARE team for a session to learn more about how they take a proactive, supportive approach to manage situations and behaviors that may be disruptive or pose a risk to the safety, health, or well-being of individuals or the DU campus community.

CARE Behavioral Intervention Team Overview

Thursday, February 9, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Community Commons 2600

Internationalization Summit Call for Proposals

The Office of Internationalization invites members of the University of Denver and the front range regional academic community (faculty, staff, and students) to submit session proposals and attend this year’s Internationalization Summit at the University of Denver, taking place on Friday, April 14. The theme this year is Global Challenges and (In)Action: Examining the role of internationalization in higher education.

This event provides the university community, regional university colleagues and international partners with a forum to exchange ideas, experiences and strategies while considering the impact of internationalization of higher education in addressing or perpetuating global challenges. How do we move toward solving the challenges of poverty, hunger, clean energy, migrations, environmental sustainability and regeneration, economic prosperity, peace, and a host of inequalities?

Sessions will highlight action on the local-global continuum as well as everyday work in the university – teaching, research, learning, and working with students and community – that contribute to the internationalization of higher education and intersect with global challenges. Proposals can come from diverse philosophies and perspectives including research-based, theoretical, dialogic, collaborative, practical/applied, experiential, and action-oriented.

The priority deadline to submit proposals is Friday, February 24, though later submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Learn more and submit your proposal at the Internationalization Summit website.

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!

Revisiting or Writing Your Teaching Philosophy

Thursday, February 9, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The Loft (AAC 340)

Equity Workshop #4: Addressing Intercultural Pedagogy

Thursday, February 9, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Hyflex - Join us online via Zoom or in the OTL Conference Room (AAC 345)

Considering the Role of Student Voice in Teaching Evaluation

Wednesday, February 15, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Maglione Hall (Sie Complex, Room 5025)

Heart of Higher Education

Thursday, February 16, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Hyflex - Join us online via Zoom or in the OTL Conference Room (AAC 345)

Responding to Faculty Burnout: Purpose and Compassion

Thursday, February 16, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom