Each fall, the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning hosts the Showcase on Teaching and Learning to highlight effective teaching and learning practices implemented by faculty across Missouri State University.
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The showcase presents a unique opportunity for faculty to gain insight and perspectives on classroom teaching and student learning through a variety of seminars and workshops focused on faculty members sharing their own experiences with implementing research/evidence based best practices in their own work.
The event features multiple concurrent presentations to showcase effective teaching practices leading to student learning. When attending Showcase sessions, participants will likely encounter:
- Faculty reflections on implementing research/evidence based teaching and learning strategies/practices
- Presentations of Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) projects and/or publications
- Sharing of innovative and/or emerging teaching & learning research and/or methodologies being developed by MSU faculty
- Discussions about high - interest/relevant educational topics, such as Artificial Intelligence, Hyflex modalities, student-centered learning, inclusive teaching, faculty burn-out, sustainability, etc...
- Institutional updates and/or information
- Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration
- Knowledge sharing among faculty of all ranks
- Recognition of faculty achievements in teaching
- Evidence of faculty engaging in a continuous improvmeent process
- Opportunities for networking and building relationships
Event Schedule - Coming Spring 2024!
Past Showcases
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Plenary Session 8 - 8:50 a.m.
MSU Learning Management System (LMS) Transition
The Showcase on Teaching and Learning kicks off with an informational session about the upcoming exciting changes to the Learning Management System: D2L Brightspace.
During the 2023-2024 academic year we will be learning this new system and moving courses from Blackboard Learn to Brightspace.
This plenary session will introduce you to Brightspace and share information about upcoming training, transition plans, and timelines. You will also hear from early adopter faculty that will be using Brightspace teaching their courses this fall.
Session 1: 9 - 9:50 a.m.
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Room 308
Presenter(s)
- Natalie Curry, Clinical Associate Professor, Social Work
The BSW Program at Missouri State launched a Peer Group Program in fall 2021 as a way to promote a sense of connectedness among students and retention in the program. In this voluntary program, students are placed in a small group with others from their cohort and a Peer Group Leader creates a group text where regular communication occurs throughout the semester.
The Peer Group Program has been successful in providing a formal structure that allows relationships to form among students, and we believe long-term that it will continue to positively impact program retention.
Key takeaways for attendees are learning about the formation and structure of the Peer Group Program, our results so far, and ideas for how the program could be replicated in other departments.
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Room 312
Technology Tools
Presenter(s)
- Annice H. McLean, MSEd, Senior Instructor, School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
- Ching-Wen Chang, PhD, Professor, School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
Can you imagine not needing to lift a finger to create a PowerPoint presentation, write an essay, or create responses to discussion questions?
Join us as we demonstrate Artificial Intelligence chatbots such as ChatGPT and discuss the future of coursework knowing that these tools are mostly free and easy to use. We will also look at some AI Detector tools and weigh in on the pros and cons of Artificial Intelligence and chatbots in education.
By the end of the presentation, participants will have a better understanding of ChatGPT and its potential applications, as well as some of the challenges and considerations that come with using AI systems like ChatGPT.
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Room 313
Presenter(s)
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Patrick Sullivan, PhD, Associate Professor of Mathematics
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Kimberly Van Ornum, Senior Instructor of Mathematics
In this session we will share our multi-faceted plan to not only improve success rates in MATH 101 but also improve students' self-efficacy towards mathematics with the goal of increasing their potential of success in future mathematics courses as well as other academic courses.
This multi-faceted plan involved not only looking at the intellectual aspect of the course, but also considering who these students were as individuals and how their past experiences with mathematics shaped their perceptions of mathematics as well as how they viewed themselves as learners of mathematics.
Elements of content and pedagogical redesign focused on "meet[ing] students where they were" while also injecting a higher level of rigor into the course will be shared. These elements include: 1) the nature of mathematics that we wanted students to learn, 2) strategies to support active learning, and 3) community building to create a shared commitment. Successes and barriers to success will also be shared.
Attendees will be asked to participate in a discussion of “Imagining their own something better” while leaving with strategies to begin thinking about how to implement their own “something better” learning
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Room 314
Nonverbal Communication Strategies
Presenter(s)
- Isabelle Bauman, PhD, Associate Professor, Communication
- Nora Cox, MA, Senior Instructor, Communication
As faculty, we spend lots of time choosing the words we’ll use to spark interest and create meaningful connections in our teaching. We invest more time determining what words our students will learn from during our class time together. Then, we spend a lot of time reading and listening to the words our students share. But it’s not just the words that do the work of communicating, it’s how they’re said, when they’re said, the way class time is used, how and when we show various emotions, that also contribute powerfully to learning.
Decades of extensive research in nonverbal communication make clear that everyone believes nonverbal communication over verbal communication. The majority of communication is nonverbal. For a teacher to be truly effective requires an understanding of the power of nonverbal communication.
In this session, we’ll explore how to understand and harness the power of nonverbal communication in the classroom and beyond. Participants will learn the dimensions of nonverbal communication, the nonverbal codes of communication, and most crucially, learn how to deploy and manage nonverbal communication for teaching effectiveness.
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Room 315
Case Studies, Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, Analysis, Evaluation, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (sharing results of implementation of a strategy).
Presenter(s)
- Chloe Bolyard, EdD, Assistant Professor, School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
- Amber Howard, Clinical Instructor, School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
- Stacie Finley, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
Using case studies allows students to analyze real-life scenarios by applying theoretical ideas (e.g., relational pedagogy and equity literacy) to professional practice (Gorski & Pothini, 2018).
Researchers have found the case method deepens critical thinking abilities and problem-solving skills (see, for example, Bonney, 2015; Brown & Kraehe, 2010). Further, analyzing cases enables students to consider multiple perspectives, to practice seeing the complexity of their chosen field, and to evaluate various responses to phenomena.
In our session, we will provide a brief overview of research on the impact of the case method on students' beliefs, practices, and student outcomes.We will share our experiences using the case method in a variety of teacher preparation courses to enhance teacher candidates’ equity literacy (Gorski, 2016). We hope to engage participants in a dialogue around the opportunities for the case method to enhance their own classrooms and will equip them with several potential cases that could be used in a wide variety of curriculum.
References
Bonney, K. M. (2015). Case study teaching method improves student performance and perceptions of learning gains. Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 16(1), 21-28.
Brown, K. D., & Kraehe, A. M. (2010). The complexities of teaching the complex: Examining how future educators construct understandings of sociocultural knowledge and schooling. Educational Studies, 46, 91-115.
Gorski, P. (2016). Rethinking the role of “culture” in educational equity: From cultural competence to equity literacy. Multicultural Perspectives, 18(4), 221-226.
Gorski, P., & Pothini, S. G. (2018). Case studies on diversity and social justice education (2nd ed.).
Routledge.Hinsdale, M. J. (2020). Relational pedagogy. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.28
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Room 317
Strategies for Leveraging LinkedIn Learning to Bolster Student Outcomes
Presenter(s)
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Debbie Donnellan, Human Resources
This session will focus on how faculty can use LinkedIn Learning resources to engage students and improve their learning experience.
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Poster Sessions: 9:50 - 10:30 a.m.
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Presenter(s)
- Mathew McKay, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability
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Presenter(s)
- Melissa Penkalski, DNP, Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Ronda Entlicher-Stewart, DNP, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
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Presenter(s)
- Amber Howard, Clinical Instructor, School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
- Stacie Finley, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences
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Presenter(s)
- Leslie Echols, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology
- Nancy Gordon, EdD, Director FCTL
- Eric Nelson, PhD, Professor, History
- Stacy Rice, Instructional Designer, FCTL
- Marjorie Shavers, PhD, School Director, School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies
- Nicole West, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies
Session 2: 10:30 - 11:20 a.m.
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Room 308
Professional Learning Communities, Reflective Practice
Presenter(s)
- Patrick Sullivan, PhD, Associate Professor, Mathematics
- Kimberly Van Ornum, Senior Instructor, Mathematics
- Alysia Swearingen, Student
- Tyler McGilvey-James, Student
- Sky Adkihari, Student
- Rachel Heili, Student
- Collin Moore, Student
- Alvaro Hernandez Solis, Student
This past year we co-led a significant course redesign with the goal of improving success rates. The sustainability and success of this course redesign is heavily dependent on our graduate teaching assistants.
While teacher quality is the greatest factor affecting student achievement (Hanushek et al., 1998) often very little attention is given to the pedagogical training of graduate teaching assistants (Ganter & Barker, 2004). This training is especially critical in courses in which students have not experienced a great deal of success. One of our greatest challenges was asking a group of inexperienced teachers to not only understand content but teach it in a way that was unfamiliar to them.
To address this challenge, we formed a professional learning community that met each week to reflect on what was learned the previous week and how our practices could improve over the next week.
In this session we will share their stories focused around the following questions with an eye toward how the learning community supported them: 1) What was the greatest challenge you faced; 2) How did your PLC support your growth; 3) What were specific norms of the group that helped accelerated your growth as a teacher; 4) What recommendations do you have for those attempting to create their own professional learning community?
We will offer tips and strategies to support others in creating their own PLC while also discussing how to overcome barriers to creating a quality PLC.
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Room 312
Presenter(s)- Helena Metzker, Senior Instructor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Virtual and augmented reality has the advantage that it helps students immerse in their learning experiences. This allows students to perceive being physically present in a non-physical world (Ranieri et al., 2022). 360° video is widely accepted and reported as an effective way to enhance practice-based disciplines such as STEM-related fields (Ranieri et al., 2022). Integrating virtual content and real experiences enhances student engagement with their learning because 360° video is perceived positively by the public.
In 2019 I acquired a RICOH Theta V for making 360 videos in Adobe Captivate. The issue I ran into was the learning curve for using Captivate and a straightforward way to integrate the assets into my LMS. When I explored ThinkLink, I found it very easy to use, and the assets created can be easily shared as a web link. The free trial allows the creation of assets and individual connections. However, I recommend acquiring the paid version, which provides content engagement statistics.
Let us look at the interactive asset I created! This is a 360 virtual tour of a chemistry laboratory. The goal is to provide students with an immersive experience of the physical laboratory while educating them about the safety measurements of being in a chemistry lab.
Here is a sample of the type ofhttps://www.thinglink.com/video/1699119716972364771Learning objectives for the session:
- Equip faculty with a hands-on, low cost and easy-to-use teaching resource.
- Demo the use of ThingLink for creating interactive content.
At the end of the session, my goal is that attendants can test and try out the sample teaching materials. Creating a learning technology community with faculty interested in creating interactive virtual reality assets would be great.References Ranieri, M., Luzzi, D., Cuomo, S., & Bruni, I. (2022). If and how do 360° videos fit into education settings? Results from a scoping review of empirical research. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 38( 5), 1199– 1219. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12683
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Room 313
Integrating Sustainability; Faculty Learning Communities
Presenter(s)
- DJ Perkins, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability
- Doug Neidigh, Pollution Prevention Specialist, School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability
- Luis Perez, PhD, Department Head, Management
- Alan Tinkler, PhD, Assistant Department Head, English
During the inaugural Sustainability Fellows Program during Spring 2023, fellows participated in four workshops to advance a shared understanding of sustainability, an understanding that centered on the four cornerstones (economy, ecology, society, and culture) and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The program also focused on thinking about ways to integrate the practice of sustainability into teaching and learning.
This session will share the conceptual framework for sustainability that emerged during the workshops. This session will also share some of the visioning that resulted from conversations around teaching and learning. This session will provide time for participants to brainstorm ways to integrate sustainability into their practice of teaching and learning.
One goal of the Sustainability Fellows Program is to build community, so this session will also give participants an opportunity to be in conversation with faculty interested in sustainability. Finally, this session will outline the application process for the Spring 2024 Sustainability Fellows Program.
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Room 314
- Dr. Chris Craig
- Tracy Stout, MLIS, Professor, Head of Research & Instructional Services
This summer a team from MSU participated in the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Institute on Open Educational Resources (OER). The Institute on OER provides a year-long, engagement opportunity for teams to actualize an ambitious strategy to broaden campus engagement with adoption on OER.
This session will provide lessons learned and future directions for OER on college campuses. The team will also present high-level goals and next steps to help encourage the adoption and use of OER in MSU courses.
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Room 315
Presenter(s)- Kyler J. Sherman-Wilkins, PhD, Assistant Professor, Sociology and Anthropology
- Catherine H. Hoegeman, PhD, Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology
Many students who choose to major in the social and behavioral sciences are drawn to their majors because of their interest in identifying and addressing social inequities. Despite the importance of data literacy and basic quantitative research skills for well-rounded grounding in the social and behavioral sciences, many students see core courses in statistics and methods as nothing more than an annoying barrier that they must trudge through en route to completing their major.
In this session, we will be discussing our strategies for grounding the teaching of statistics and methods in the principles of social justice. Namely, we will be incorporating intersectionality and quant crit perspectives into the teaching of undergraduate methods and statistics courses, thus allowing students to truly understand the relevance of both statistics and methods for uncovering, understanding, and ultimately resolving social inequities.
By the end of the session, individuals will
1) have an understanding of both the intersectionality perspective, and quant crit methodology;
2) understand ways to incorporate both intersectionality and quant crit perspectives into their teaching of methods and statistics;
3) be able to navigate the challenges of incorporating said perspectives into their teaching; and
4) be challenged to continue to innovate their teaching of methods and statistics to ensure that students become adept in both data literacy and quantitative reasoning.
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Room 317
Presenter(s)
- Michael Frizell, Director, Student Learning Services
This session will explore embedded tutoring programs available at Missouri State University. Those programs include the Peer Assisted Study Session Program, an engaging student success service designed for historically challenging classes. Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) Leaders and Course Mentors support students in navigating challenging course material while teaching them how to study in the discipline.
Writing Fellows are experienced Missouri State University writing consultants. They hold one-on-one consultations with students in specific writing-intensive courses across the curriculum. Each student must meet with their assigned Writing Fellow at least twice to discuss the assignment, writing strategies, and ways to revise and edit the draft into a polished paper the professor will grade.
Writing Fellows work alongside faculty to develop a powerful writing prompt and guide students to develop strong essays while learning about the writing process.
This session will talk about how to request an embedded program for your class – and how to support it during the semester.
Keynote Luncheon 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Ballroom West
Dr. Jim LangSmall Teaching: Content, Connection, InspirationRegister for Showcase KeynoteAfternoon Workshop 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
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Room 313
Presenter: Dr. Jim Lang
Following up on the keynote presentation, this workshop will dig deeper into two principles of learning: explanation and practice. These two principles can especially guide us as we are helping students cultivate new skills of any kind. Participants will be introduced briefly to the research and then be invited to work with colleagues to devise implementation strategies for their fall semester courses.
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