Unlock Your Teaching Potential with the FDEV Teaching Certificate!

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Dear Faculty,

We are taking the Teaching Tip this week to announce the FDEV Teaching Certificate. This self-paced course includes three modules. The completion of each module comes with a letter designed for inclusion in your dossier as evidence of your commitment to improving your teaching. This work started with Chiara Ferrari and Grazyne Tresoldi and was completed by Jamie Gunderson from the School of Education. I am proud of the contributions all of them made along the way. Special thanks to Jamie for completing the work and doing so in a way to maximize utility for faculty. 

Are you ready to elevate your teaching? We’re excited to invite you to participate in the FDEV Teaching Certificate course on Canvas! This is your opportunity to invest in your professional development and enhance the learning experience for your students—on your schedule, at your own pace.

Why the FDEV Teaching Certificate?

Tailored Learning: Choose from three modules — Instructional Planning, Teaching Enhancements, and Research in Equity, Antiracism, Diversity, and Inclusion — to align with your interests and teaching goals.

Innovative Strategies and Resources: Explore new instructional methods and assessment techniques designed to engage your students more effectively. Gain access to tools and resources to confidently design or redesign your courses. 

Flexible Format: Learn at your own pace! Whether you have a busy schedule or prefer deep dives into specific topics, this course fits your needs.

What’s in it for you? 

Enhance your teaching practices and create more inclusive learning environments. Participants who submit a module deliverable and reflection will receive an individualized letter for their dossier, outlining their work and the resources they applied to improve their pedagogy.

Ready to Get Started?

Don’t Wait! Log into Canvas and enroll in the FDEV Teaching Certificate course today!

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website

Course Materials

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You are at the grocery store selecting ingredients for a fall-themed soup you read about. You have found everything you need except for kale, then you spot some lovely looking organic kale, but there is no price. Asking an employee restocking the produce how much for the kale she responds, “don’t know, and you can’t find out until checkout.” You are confused. “That doesn’t seem right, what if it is really expensive, can I buy some non-organic kale instead?” Her facial expression is somewhere between indifference and judgment. “No, once you get to the checkout you have to buy it, those are the rules.”

This is not a perfect analogy, but it does highlight a difficult situation we sometimes put students in. Course material costs range from free to several hundred dollars and students often have to sign up for classes without knowing. When that information becomes available to them it is often too late to select different kale courses. This is even important if you are using a free resource or something that is not at the bookstore. Create the first step towards trust and transparency with students by selecting materials before 10/28. This process looks different for different people. 

  • You know what you are teaching and the course materials you are requiring. Use the Canvas “Account” menu option in the upper left, and then click “Follett Discover”, or you can email your course materials list to wildcatstore@csuchico.edu, and you will be done in a flash. If you know what you are teaching, but have yet to be officially assigned your Chair can help or you can email the bookstore. 
  • You know what you are teaching, but aren’t sure about course materials. Try to make the time to select something before the 10/28 cutoff. Talk to colleagues, make an informed decision, and give your students the information they need. 
  • You aren’t sure what you are teaching. Talk with your Department Chair. Many courses assign the same materials every term, but the faculty change. In these cases, the Chair can take a moment and select materials for the course. 
  • You are a Department Chair and know the agreed upon materials, but have not assigned classes yet. You have your own menu in Follett where you can make that selection.

Speaking of textbooks, if you are looking to find or develop a quality resource to lower costs for students, that also increases the likelihood they will have the materials and read for your class, be on the lookout for our CAL$ program in Spring. If you are looking to learn more now, check out this recent episode of Teaching in Higher Ed.

Finally a reminder, this Friday at 12PM is the second part of our Zoom webinar series on Free Speech and Inclusion (PDF). This week we are working with Juni Banerjee-Stevens on de-escalation in the classroom. All faculty and staff are welcome.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

New Research on Student Names

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It is week five. There is a robust class discussion, the kind you have been trying to create the space for all semester. A student makes a great point to move the conversation forward and you respond with “Great point! This is the perfect segway to what we are going to cover next…I don’t remember your name, but great job.” Not your best moment.

We have all been there. Remembering student names has always been hard for me, just like it is for so many of us. It is also important to remember names and preferred pronouns to cultivate an inclusive and welcoming classroom which is why this topic has become a somewhat regular tradition for Tuesday Teaching Tips. 

This year I want to emphasize this enduring theme through the work of Michelle Miller whose book A Teacher’s Guide to Learning Student Names will be available in November (you can pre-order now). Miller’s text is more than a how-to guide, it is rich with research from her background in psycholinguistics. One of the takeaways highlighted in this Chronicle of Higher Education interview (available with a free account) is that learning names is hard, because it is different from other words. We have to tap into the power of association in an intentional way to actually remember. 

Miller promotes a four step process of attend, say, associate, and retrieve. This is explained in more detail in the interview and explicated much more in her book. It is worth a read as we all have room to improve in this area. 

Finally a reminder, this Friday at 12PM is the kick-off of our Zoom webinar series on Free Speech and Inclusion. We are starting with Free Speech Basics, which should be accessible to everyone. Faculty and staff are welcome to attend any part of the series, we look forward to seeing you soon.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

Improving Classroom Climate

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Last week we announced our funded webinar series on free speech and inclusion (Google Doc). Everyone is welcome to attend every session, but we have 20 paid spots for people to attend all sessions and produce the related deliverables. The application for these spots is brief and due on 9/20. 

Today’s teaching tip is related to this upcoming webinar series. Dr. Mylien Duong is the Senior Director of Research and Innovation for the Constructive Dialogue Institute. She was a recent guest on the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast for a conversation about Facilitating Contentious Conversations in Your Classroom (Duong, 2024). Her work in this field is cutting edge and I want to share an abbreviated guide to setting up classroom discussions from her co-authored 2022 piece in Times Higher Education (the whole thing is worth a read, but this section is an abbreviated quotation from the article).

  • Invest time to foster a positive climate. Get to know your students as students and as people.
  • Establish ground rules, norms or shared agreements for discussions. Whatever you call them, it’s more effective to co-create these norms with your students rather than simply telling students what they are. 
  • Plan discussions. Meaningful exchanges rarely happen spontaneously. Planning for discussions means two things.
  • Think through what role you want to play during the discussion. Is your stance one of intentional neutrality? Will you challenge a student’s point of view if you don’t agree? What if you find the point of view offensive? Will you play devil’s advocate? Under what circumstances, if any, will you as facilitator express your own stance on an issue?

The key takeaway from the work of Dr. Duong is that facilitating this sort of dialogue requires planning. We often see poorly planned classroom discussions in YouTube shorts or things that seem expertly constructed during peer observations. The planning work is lost in these snapshots. It can take up class time, it can be challenging, but in the end building community is worth it for an array of reasons–not least among them is the capacity to have meaningful conversations about difficult issues. 

Last thing, just a reminder that this Thursday we are collaborating with Information Security, the Technology and Learning Program, and Student Rights and Responsibilities to offer a workshop on Academic Integrity and AI. It is on Zoom from 9-11am on Thursday and we will record it.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

A Quick Guide for Difficult Situations

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Most of us have experienced tense situations in classrooms. A discussion gets out of hand, a student is experiencing some sort of trauma, or, in extreme situations you think someone might be a threat to themselves or others. Whether you are on Zoom or in a classroom, it is tough to know what to do in real-time. In recognition of this difficult circumstance and the sometimes complicated nature of University support structures, we have developed an easy reference guide for faculty, a “one-door” system for you to “knock” on when you need help. You may have also seen the guide as the Canvas pop-up last week and we are working on placing it in physical classrooms.

We are trying to simplify the process of getting help for students by directing most traffic and alerts to the Campus Assessment Response and Evaluation (CARE) team. This is a group of professionals on campus at the intersection of mental health, physical health, and overall well-being. 

Associate Vice President Juanita Mottley shared this additional context with me for the message this week. 

Thank you for your continued commitment to the well-being of our campus community. We appreciate your diligence in submitting a CARE Report when you have concerns about a student.

Please be aware that we take every report seriously and cannot disclose specific information regarding the actions or outcomes related to the student in question. Rest assured, once a concern is submitted, our multidisciplinary team promptly connects with the student to offer the appropriate support and resources. The student’s participation in these support efforts is voluntary.

Thanks again for your understanding and continued support.

Keep a copy of the guide (PDF) handy. We all have a role to play in supporting our students. Let’s take care of each other and our students. If you need help with a situation in your own life don’t hesitate to contact the Employee Assistance Program.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

Protect Your Time

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One of the best parts of Faculty Development is welcoming new tenure-track and lecturer faculty to Chico State. They bring fresh perspectives, interesting experiences, and new life to campus. One of the most important things I share with them is the need to protect their time. Serve on that committee if you want to, take the time to redesign your course, but realize all of the campus commitments take up calendar space that might have been there for taking a walk, having lunch with a friend, or writing a manuscript. I wanted to encourage all of you to be intentional about your commitments. 

This ties in with the application deadline for Fall 2024 Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs). Think of these as opportunities to block off time for something you actually want to get done. Not everything is for everyone, but we think there is something here that matches needs and interests for most of you. We look forward to working with you this semester. 

FLC Opportunities for Fall 2024. All applications are due on 9/3 by 11:59pm.

Advancing Hispanic/Latinx Student Success (Google Doc)
Who: All faculty including lecturers 
Leads: Teresita Curiel and Gloria Lopez
Grant Contact: Sabrina Marquez
Compensation:$1000 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Fall In Person
Application – See the full call (Google Doc) for details.

This project is partially funded by a generous U.S. Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) grant from PI Ryan Patten, College of BSS.  We are happy to collaborate on this important work.  This FLC will feature connected workshops focused on better understanding Hispanic/Latinx university students and how Chico State can advance their success. Applications are due on 9/3 by 11:59pm.


Collaborative Online International Learning (Google Doc) (COIL)
Who: All faculty including lecturers 
Lead: Dr. Nan Li
Compensation:$500 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Fall Online and Synchronous
Application – See the full call (Google Doc) for details.

International Education and Global Engagement (IEGE) is offering faculty an opportunity to participate in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) this fall to support with implementation of Collaborative Online International Education (COIL) as a component within your course at Chico State. IEGE offers support—training, mentoring, resources, and partner matching—for faculty members who wish to develop a virtual exchange experience with a faculty member(s) abroad, connecting students globally to project-based learning and valuable international opportunities. Applications are due on 9/3 by 11:59pm.


Leadership Development (Google Doc)
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers currently in/considering leadership roles on campus
Lead: Holly Nevarez
Compensation: $500 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Fall In Person
Application – See the full call (Google Doc) for details.

The leadership FLC will introduce leadership styles and strategies. This FLC is designed for people who lead from wherever you are. Perhaps you are not a formal leader on campus, but find yourself leading other staff or students; perhaps you would like to be a formal leader someday and want to start to develop skills; or perhaps you are going to be a department Chair next year and want to start preparing. In any of those scenarios, this FLC is for you. We will talk about staffing, shared governance, facilitating meetings, managing difficult people, work to develop a leadership philosophy and more. Applications are due on 9/3 by 11:59pm.

Quality Learning and Teaching (Google Doc) (QLT)
Who: All faculty including lecturers
Lead: Allison McConnell
Compensation: $500 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Fall Online and Primarily Asynchronous
Application – See the full call (Google Doc) for details.

The Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) Program is an asynchronous, self-paced Canvas course structured around the QLT evaluation rubric. This QLT course is designed to meet core standards in the QLT instrument through the completion of eight modules with associated deliverables that guide you to fully redesign a course (or design a new course). Topics and deliverables focus on backwards design, student engagement, authentic assessment, inclusion and accessibility, and more. This QLT course requires a final course review. While focusing on online learning, QLT provides a framework that is applicable to all modes of instruction. Applications are due on 9/3 by 11:59pm.

Universal Design for Learning (Google Doc) (UDL)
Who: All STEM faculty, including lecturers (CNS and ECSCM)
Lead: Jamie Gunderson
Compensation: $1880.00 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Academic Year Online and Synchronous 

Application – See the full call (Google Doc) for details.

The CSU Chico Office of Faculty Development (FDEV) is thrilled to present an NSF-funded Faculty Learning Community (FLC) dedicated to implementing teaching strategies that enhance student learning in STEM disciplines. This FLC invites participants to delve into Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to design assessments and implement activities that foster inclusion, accessibility, engagement, and student success within their courses. We strongly encourage all STEM faculty to apply. Applications are due on 9/3 by 11:59pm.


Writing Support (Google Doc)
Who: All faculty, including lecturers 
Lead: Chris Fosen
Format: Fall Semester. TBD
Application  – See the full call (Google Doc) for details.

We heard from some folks about their desire for writing support this semester so we are offering this experimental program.  Our goal with this is to help group people up into ad-hoc writing teams that will meet regularly through the fall semester, and provide as much structured support for the groups as they would like. This is not really an application, we will take anyone who is interested, but we are asking folks to complete the sign-up by 9/3 at 11:59pm so we can match people up ASAP.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

Early Fall Opportunities are Here!

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We are loving the energy on campus to start the Fall. In FDEV, we are launching our programming as quickly as possible to support you this semester. We don’t want to clog your inbox, so we are using the teaching tips to promote our upcoming workshops and the Fall Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs). 

 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Workshops. All sessions will be recorded. 

  1. AI Basics. 9/5 from 12-1pm. Zoom. Get started with the foundational knowledge you need about this disruptive technology. This session is designed with beginners in mind. Collaboration with TLP.
  2. Academic Integrity and AI. 9/19 from 9-11am. Zoom. This collaboration with Student Rights and Responsibilities covers how Academic Integrity and AI intersect and your changing role as an instructor. 

Classroom Culture. All sessions will be recorded. 
This series will launch in late September and will focus on fostering a healthy classroom environment, especially during contentious times like election season. This is a collaboration with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office. Details forthcoming. Preliminary schedule will be:

  1. Free speech fundamentals. 9/20 from 12-1pm. Zoom.
  2. De-escalation in the classroom. 9/27 from 12-1pm. Zoom.
  3. Campus support systems. 10/4 from 12-1pm. Zoom. 
  4. Culminating event. 10/11 from 12-1pm. In Person. 

FLC Opportunities for Fall. All applications due on 9/3 at 11:59pm.

Advancing Hispanic/Latinx Student Success
(Google Doc)Who: All faculty including lecturers 
Leads: Teresita Curiel and Gloria Lopez
Grant Contact: Sabrina Marquez
Compensation: $1000 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: In Person
Application

This project is partially funded by a generous U.S. Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) grant from PI Ryan Patten, College of BSS.  We are happy to collaborate on this important work.  This FLC will feature connected workshops focused on better understanding Hispanic/Latinx university students and how Chico State can advance their success. Applications are due on 9/3.

Collaborative Online International Learning (Google Doc)  (COIL)
Who: All faculty including lecturers 
Lead: Dr. Nan Li
Compensation: $500 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Online and Synchronous
Application

International Education and Global Engagement (IEGE) is offering faculty an opportunity to participate in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) this fall to support with implementation of Collaborative Online International Education (COIL) as a component within your course at Chico State. IEGE offers support—training, mentoring, resources, and partner matching—for faculty members who wish to develop a virtual exchange experience with a faculty member(s) abroad, connecting students globally to project-based learning and valuable international opportunities.

Leadership Development
(Google Doc)Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers currently in/considering leadership roles on campus
Lead: Holly Nevarez
Compensation: $500 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: In Person
Application

The leadership FLC will introduce leadership styles and strategies. This FLC is designed for people who lead from wherever you are. Perhaps you are not a formal leader on campus, but find yourself leading other staff or students; perhaps you would like to be a formal leader someday and want to start to develop skills; or perhaps you are going to be a department Chair next year and want to start preparing. In any of those scenarios, this FLC is for you. We will talk about staffing, shared governance, facilitating meetings, managing difficult people, work to develop a leadership philosophy and more. Applications are due on 9/3.

Quality Learning and Teaching (Google Doc) (QLT)
Who: All faculty including lecturers
Lead: Allison McConnell
Compensation: $500 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Fall Online and Primarily Asynchronous
Application

The Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) Program is an asynchronous, self-paced Canvas course structured around the QLT evaluation rubric. This QLT course is designed to meet core standards in the QLT instrument through the completion of eight modules with associated deliverables that guide you to fully redesign a course (or design a new course). Topics and deliverables focus on backwards design, student engagement, authentic assessment, inclusion and accessibility, and more. This QLT course requires a final course review. While focusing on online learning, QLT provides a framework that is applicable to all modes of instruction. Applications are due on 9/3.

Universal Design for Learning (Google Doc) (UDL)
Who: All STEM faculty, including lecturers (CNS and ECSCM)
Lead: Jamie Gunderson Compensation: $1880.00 (a taxable training and professional development stipend)
Format: Academic Year Online and Synchronous 
Application

The CSU Chico Office of Faculty Development (FDEV) is thrilled to present an NSF-funded Faculty Learning Community (FLC) dedicated to implementing teaching strategies that enhance student learning in STEM disciplines. This FLC invites participants to delve into Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to design assessments and implement activities that foster inclusion, accessibility, engagement, and student success within their courses. We strongly encourage all STEM faculty to apply.

 Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

Goodbye and Hello

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The end of Spring is such an incredible time at Chico State. It is a great moment to consider what worked and what needs improvement in your classes and workflow. We are reflecting on our year in FDEV and marking some changes in the Teaching Tip for this week. 

Goodbye. I am going to take a moment of personal privilege to say a fond farewell to our Academic Technology Officer, Kathy Fernandes who has served on our campus and in the Chancellor’s Office for over 30 years. She has had an outsized leadership impact on our campus from the founding of TLP to the online pivot during COVID. Kathy’s impact was possible because she had clarity of purpose. She always understood supporting students to be the job and found ways to do that through supporting faculty and using technology. Whether she was negotiating a contract, figuring out work schedules, or helping set up a camera in a room, she was always doing her job with faculty and students in mind. Kathy has been one of my most important collaborators on campus and will remain my friend. We will miss her leadership a great deal. 

We are also saying goodbye to our READI Hub funding cycle as we mentioned in March and this round of Teaching Climate Change and Resilience. These have been strong programs closely aligned to the mission of the campus and we will look for ways to continue this important work. 

Hello. As you reflect on where you might need additional support next year, we are offering a sneak peek at our likely offerings for the Fall. Applications will be live when we start the contract for next year. For now, have a look and see if you can find a match for where you might need support.

  • Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT)
    Lead: Allison McConnell
    Compensation: $500
    Format: Online and Primarily Asynchronous

    The Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) Program is an asynchronous, self-paced Canvas course structured around the QLT evaluation rubric. This QLT course is designed to meet core standards in the QLT instrument through the completion of eight modules with associated deliverables that guide you to fully redesign a course (or design a new course). Topics and deliverables focus on backwards design, student engagement, authentic assessment, inclusion and accessibility, and more. This QLT course requires a final course review. While focusing on online learning, QLT provides a framework that is applicable to all modes of instruction.

  • Advancing Hispanic/Latinx Student Success
    Leads: Teresita Curiel and Gloria Lopez
    Compensation: $500-$1000
    Format: TBD

    This project is partially funded by a generous U.S. Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) grant from PI Ryan Patten, College of BSS.  We are happy to collaborate on this important work.  This FLC will feature connected workshops focused on better understanding Hispanic/Latinx university students and how Chico State can advance their success.

  • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Teaching (EDIT) (probable)
    Leads: Alisa Wade and Allison McConnell
    Format: Flex
    Compensation: TBD

    The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Teaching (EDIT) Series includes six workshops, and is designed to offer faculty an introduction to basic concepts of equity, diversity, inclusion, and how they can be implemented in the classroom in order to create more equitable and accessible learning environments. Each workshop explores–and models–a different facet of student-centered and inclusive teaching through tools, resources, and strategies: positionality in the classroom, antiracist pedagogy, backward design, accessibility of course materials, culturally responsive teaching and the hidden curriculum, and practices of classroom community building. Workshops are each paired with a teaching guide (and other materials) and offer the opportunity for faculty to complete deliverables that they will be able to incorporate into their course(s) moving forward.
  • Leadership Development (probable)
    Lead: Holly Nevarez
    Compensation: TBD
    Format: Flex

    The leadership development faculty learning community (FLC) will introduce leadership styles and strategies. This FLC is designed for you to lead from wherever you are. Perhaps you are not a formal leader on campus, but find yourself leading other staff or students; perhaps you would like to be a formal leader someday and want to start to develop skills; or perhaps you are going to be a department Chair next year and want to start preparing. In any of those scenarios, this FLC is for you. We will talk about staffing, collegiality managing difficult people, explore campus resources,  work to develop a leadership philosophy and more.
  • Grant Writing (probable)
    Lead: Julie Jessen and TBD
    Compensation: TBD
    Format: TBD

    This FLC will lead faculty members through the grant writing process. Julie Jessen from CSE will help faculty in the process of identifying grant opportunities and partners. Faculty writing support will also be there to provide writing structure and guidance. The goal is to have a grant submitted or ready to submit by the end of the Fall!

As the campus prepares for graduation, visit the Chico State Commencement webpage for 2024 ceremony and celebration information.  

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.

You Can Listen

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I have been struggling with what to share this week. This is an exciting and stressful time of the year under typical circumstances with commencement and finals just days away. The budget situation combined with the tension on campuses throughout the nation has many of us trying to find the right words. Faculty are often the face of the institution for students. You are the person they ask questions of and look to for guidance. This is incredibly challenging especially since very few of us are trained in international politics, budget projections, or de-escalation. These issues are making their way into our classrooms and offices whether we want them to or not. 

There are resources on campus to help you and your students navigate challenging situations. The Counseling Center exists as does the Employee Assistance Program. However, the thing we can all do regardless of our professional background is the simplest–we can all listen. You can listen to your students who feel alarmed by what is happening in Israel, Gaza and/or campus. You can listen to students who have been subjected to antisemitic or anti-Muslim bigotry. You can listen to your student who does not want this to be the focus of the end of their semester as they try to finish the term or graduate. You can listen to your colleague who is anxious about the budget and what that will mean for their job. You may hear something you need to share with your Department Chair or a different office on campus–cross that bridge when you get to it.

Listening does not mean agreeing and it almost always helps. It can help you understand and it can help someone else feel heard. This is not the first time I have shared this advice in a fraught moment. I want to borrow the closing line I used in 2016. 

No one ever looks back on a decision and says to themselves “I wish I would have understood people less before proceeding.” So ask students how they are doing, let them know your office student hours are open to them, and listen.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

Universal Design for Learning Showcase

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Sent on behalf of Dr. Jamie Linn Gunderson, School of Education

As Wildcats commit to fostering inclusive learning environments and maximizing student success at Chico State, it’s essential that we explore innovative approaches that address the diverse needs of our students. One approach gaining momentum in higher education is Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

What is UDL?
UDL, rooted in neuroscience, acknowledges that learner diversity is inherent and should be expected. The UDL framework provides a flexible blueprint for designing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Integrating UDL into teaching practice fosters inclusivity and enhances learning outcomes for every student by ensuring that all learners can effectively access, engage with, and demonstrate their learning. Interestingly, many existing teaching strategies align with UDL principles, making adopting of the framework both intuitive and impactful.

How does UDL connect to teaching practice? Consider the following:

  • Do you facilitate peer interactions within your course? Fantastic; you are fostering collaboration and community, which sustains effort and persistence and engages the affective network of the learning brain.
  • Do you provide your students with checklists or templates to organize their learning, assessments, or assignments? Awesome; you are supporting planning and strategy development, which promotes executive function and engages the strategic network of the learning brain. 

These examples are just two of many strategies that can motivate learners to engage in content and provide opportunities for learners to cement their knowledge through practice, planning, and/or action. Implementation of UDL can look different across learning spaces and recognizing how your teaching already aligns with the UDL framework is a natural first step. From there, it’s all about the +1 Strategy (Tobin & Behling, 2018) and a healthy dose of self-reflection – “How can I get 1% better in my next lesson/assignment/assessment?”

How are faculty implementing UDL?
Great question, thanks for asking! Research examining the impact of UDL implementation on students is in action on our campus. Currently, seven STEM faculty across Chico State and Butte College, along with many of the 20+ faculty who participated in last year’s UDL Faculty Learning Community (FLC), are implementing UDL in their courses. UDL implementation varies and faculty who participated in the UDL FLC over the past couple of years worked to design their course syllabi and learning materials to be more inclusive and accessible, their course activities to be more engaging and interactive, and their course assessments to be more rigorous and relevant to learner contexts. 

Interested in learning more and engaging in opportunities to see what UDL implementation can look like?
Join us for the second annual Universal Design for Learning Faculty Showcase on Wednesday, May 8th from 1:00-2:00 p.m. in Colusa 100 (and via Zoom). At this event, you will:

  • Learn about UDL and its impact on learners.
  • Hear from STEM faculty sharing their UDL implementation experiences.
  • Explore examples of inclusive instructional materials, assessments, and activities.

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to see UDL in action and hear directly from faculty at Chico State and Butte College!

JLG

References:

  • CAST (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.2 [graphic organizer]. Wakefield, MA.
  • Meyer, A., Rose, D.H., & Gordon, D. (2014). Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice. Wakefield, MA: CAST Professional Publishing.
  • Tobin, T.J,. & Behling K.,T. (2018). Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University Press.