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Small Changes: Big Results

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We are a month into Spring and the time for adjustments or changes may seem to have passed. It is not too late to make a small change that could make a big difference for your students. I often return to the Small Change Series from James Lang during these moments because it is such a pragmatic guide to making adjustments during the semester (you only need a free Chronicle account to access these). In this tip I want to recommend an excerpt from his short essay on the last five minutes of class (library link) where instead of cramming in another example or theory you could try out a connection exercise. 

Closing connections. If we want students to obtain mastery and expertise in our subjects, they need to be capable of making their own connections between what they are learning and the world around them — current events, campus debates, personal experiences. The last five minutes of class represent an ideal opportunity for students to use the course material from that day and brainstorm some new connections.

Finish the last class of the week five minutes early, and tell students that they can leave when they have identified five ways in which the day’s material appears in contexts outside of the classroom. You’ll be amazed at how quickly they can come up with examples when this activity stands between them and the dining hall.

I liked this suggestion because it promotes student activity and a solution to something we sometimes struggle with–helping students see themselves in the work we are doing. 

Finally, just a reminder that we are still soliciting feedback on our summer programming through tonight at 11:59pm. Please help us better understand your needs by filling out this brief survey.

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.

Understanding Fair Use

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This tip is brought to you by librarian Patrick Newell.

In our work and studies, most of us realize that most of the content we use is digital (or gets digitized) content. For many of us who teach, as we build our classes online, we realize how much we rely on outside material for our courses. Outside of work, we share photos, videos, remixed music, and memes (both those we created as well as those found online) via text, email, web pages, and social media. A lot of our work, scholarship, teaching, and personal lives that take place online involve using materials created by other people (or companies) and sharing these materials with others.   

When preparing for classes, faculty constantly make decisions about materials regarding what documents we post online, what videos (and how much) we can show in an online class, and what materials we distribute in a classroom, and each of these decisions involve copyright law.  While copyright law provides copyright holders exclusive rights, it also provides a number of exceptions to these rights, including the legal right of fair use. Fair use is an essential limitation and exception to copyright, allowing the use of copyrighted materials without permission from the copyright holder under certain circumstances.   

To help educate the campus community about fair use, Meriam Library joins libraries worldwide celebrating Fair Use Week (February 26-March 1, 2024) and have created some fun opportunities to learn more about copyright and how it applies to the materials we use online (and offline) daily.   While fair use (and fair dealing outside of the U.S.) is employed daily by students, faculty, librarians, journalists, and all users of copyrighted material, Fair Use/Fair Dealing Week is a time to promote and discuss the opportunities presented, celebrate successful stories, and explain the doctrine. 

Please consider attending one of these events to Celebrate Fair Use Week with us. 

Tuesday, February 27, 2024 – 4pm to 530pm; Online Meeting – 90 minutes
Fair Use Boot Camp: How to Document Your Fair Use Argument
Please register at https://forms.gle/Jg891GrYQJREtxBo7

This workshop is focused on faculty and students who use copyrighted materials.  The first 60 minutes of this workshop will provide an overview of copyright law, the public domain, authors/creators- and copyright holders-rights (and exceptions to those rights), and how to document a Fair Use argument; the final 30 minutes of the workshop will include discussing the concerns attendees bring to the class and documenting their Fair Use arguments.  This online workshop will not be recorded to allow those attending to openly discuss their copyright issues.   

Thursday, February 29, 2024 – 11am to 1pm; Online Meeting – 120 minutes
Fair Use Study Hall [Non-Drowsy Formula]
Please register at  https://forms.gle/uAiXL9vp4QyL18y58

In this two-hour workshop, we will cover the same material from the Fair Use Boot Camp (above), but at a slower pace and with additional time for group work to resolve questions that arise from members of the class.  This workshop will not be recorded to allow students to openly discuss their copyright issues.   

Wednesday, February 28, 2024 – 12pm to 1pm; Meriam Library’s Innovation Lab
“Seems Fair To Me” – A Copyright Game Show
Cheer on (or shout advice from the audience to) the campus community’s mystery contestants as they answer questions about Fair Use from recent legal cases. This workshop will not be recorded to protect the dignity of all involved.

Please consider joining us for one of these educational opportunities.  We’ve attempted to make them engaging and interesting.  You be the judge! 

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.

Last Call for Spring Faculty Learning Communities

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Tonight is the deadline for all of our Spring professional development opportunities. Every semester starts with wonderful ambition. You may have a manuscript you are going to finish, a teaching practice you are going to improve, or a commitment to connect with colleagues interested in a key topic. For almost all of us, the difference between realizing those ambitions or deferring them (again) is a system of structure and support. Get the help you need in the form of a Faculty Learning Community. 

BIPOC Faculty Writing Community (FWC) 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers who identify as BIPoC
Format: In Person
Compensation: $500
Contact: Stef Baldivia and Gloria Lopez
Full Description
Application

The purpose of the Black, Indigenous, People of Color Faculty Writing Community (BIPoC-FWC) is to cultivate community and support for a diverse group of faculty to successfully navigate the retention, tenure, and promotion process, by developing scholarly and creative work, while strengthening a network of colleagues at the Chico State campus. The BIPoC-FWC is designed to create a space for BIPoC faculty to share their research ideas and publication goals, while supporting and motivating each other. All self-identified Black, Indigenous, or faculty of Color, are encouraged to apply. Members will regularly meet in a set location for a total of ten 90-minute sessions and two community building events. During writing sessions, every writer works on their own project, with mutual support offered through fellowship both prior to and following the writing sessions. Faculty will be working in a large cohort led by two peer-mentors, Gloria Lopez and Stef Baldivia. There will be a mandatory kick-off meeting in early spring based on participants availability.

Chico Affordable Learning Solutions (CAL$)
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: Online and Asynchronous
Compensation: $500
Contact: Beth Shook
Full Description
Application

Want to decrease course costs for students? And at the same time provide students high quality and accessible course materials? Participate in an asynchronous Canvas training designed to help faculty identify and evaluate Open Educational Resources (OER) and other free or affordable course materials for your courses. Faculty who complete the online training, including developing a cost-savings plan to be implemented in a Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 course, will earn $500 in taxable income. 

Canvas modules will cover the following topics: OER and why they are important, finding and evaluating OER, Library resources, understanding copyright and Creative Commons licenses, ensuring accessibility, curating and adapting materials for your course, teaching with open resources, and the Zero Cost Course Materials (ZCCM) designation.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Teaching (EDIT) 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: Primarily Zoom, with one in person session
Compensation: $500 for attending at least four workshops
Contact: Alisa Wade and Allison McConnell
Full Description
Application

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 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers currently in/considering leadership roles on campus
Format: In Person
Compensation: $500
Contact: Holly Nevarez
Full Description
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.

Publish and Flourish 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: One online FLC and one in person FLC
Compensation: $500
Contact: Chris Fosen
Full Description
Application

The Office of Faculty Development is bringing back faculty writing groups FLCs for the spring 2024 semester. After a survey was sent out in Dec 2023 to “Publish and Flourish” and “Write an Article in Twelve Weeks” participants about meeting preferences, we recognized the need for two distinct meeting patterns and goals for FLC participants. Faculty can select either option below:

  • Meeting one hour a week on Zoom for dedicated writing time with minimal interruption, for the purposes of getting words down on paper and providing mutual accountability.
  • Meeting two hours every other week in MLIB 455 (flex possible) for time to reflect on their writing process, plan out benchmarks for completion, and share drafts in small groups of 2-4. These groups provide accountability and increased understanding of how writing time can mesh with other professional duties.

Participating faculty will receive $500 in taxable income for completing some significant portion of their writing goals, and attending all meetings (through week 13 or 14).

Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: Online and Asynchronous
Compensation: $750
Contact: Allison McConnell
Full Description
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.

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.

Welcome Back!

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The start of the semester often brings excitement and uncertainty for us and our students. This semester that uncertainty was compounded by the strike. Given the rapid adjustments to teaching and learning schedules I am writing to urge you to give yourselves, each other, and your students some extra grace and space to start the semester. 

  • Your normal add/drop policy may require some adjustment if students saw the news of the strike and stayed out of town or picked up extra work shifts. 
  • You may not have your Canvas site as built-out as you normally would because your mind has been elsewhere, it’s okay.
  • Staff support spent their days yesterday fielding questions from confused students and without all the answers. Let’s be extra kind at this time. 

When you do catch your breath, take a moment to consider the robust slate of professional development opportunities we are offering this Spring. All applications are due at 11:59pm on 1/30.

BIPOC Faculty Writing Community (FWC) 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers who identify as BIPoC
Format: In Person
Compensation: $500
Contact: Stef Baldivia and Gloria Lopez
Full Description
Application

The purpose of the Black, Indigenous, People of Color Faculty Writing Community (BIPoC-FWC) is to cultivate community and support for a diverse group of faculty to successfully navigate the retention, tenure, and promotion process, by developing scholarly and creative work, while strengthening a network of colleagues at the Chico State campus. The BIPoC-FWC is designed to create a space for BIPoC faculty to share their research ideas and publication goals, while supporting and motivating each other. All self-identified Black, Indigenous, or faculty of Color, are encouraged to apply. Members will regularly meet in a set location for a total of ten 90-minute sessions and two community building events. During writing sessions, every writer works on their own project, with mutual support offered through fellowship both prior to and following the writing sessions. Faculty will be working in a large cohort led by two peer-mentors, Gloria Lopez and Stef Baldivia. There will be a mandatory kick-off meeting in early spring based on participants availability.

Chico Affordable Learning Solutions (CAL$)
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: Online and Asynchronous
Compensation: $500
Contact: Beth Shook
Full Description
Application

Want to decrease course costs for students? And at the same time provide students high quality and accessible course materials? Participate in an asynchronous Canvas training designed to help faculty identify and evaluate Open Educational Resources (OER) and other free or affordable course materials for your courses. Faculty who complete the online training, including developing a cost-savings plan to be implemented in a Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 course, will earn $500 in taxable income. 

Canvas modules will cover the following topics: OER and why they are important, finding and evaluating OER, Library resources, understanding copyright and Creative Commons licenses, ensuring accessibility, curating and adapting materials for your course, teaching with open resources, and the Zero Cost Course Materials (ZCCM) designation.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Teaching (EDIT) 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: Primarily Zoom, with one in person session
Compensation: $500 for attending at least four workshops
Contact: Alisa Wade and Allison McConnell
Full Description
Application

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 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers currently in/considering leadership roles on campus
Format: In Person
Compensation: $500
Contact: Holly Nevarez
Full Description
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.

Publish and Flourish 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: One online FLC and one in person FLC
Compensation: $500
Contact: Chris Fosen
Full Description
Application

The Office of Faculty Development is bringing back faculty writing groups FLCs for the spring 2024 semester. After a survey was sent out in Dec 2023 to “Publish and Flourish” and “Write an Article in Twelve Weeks” participants about meeting preferences, we recognized the need for two distinct meeting patterns and goals for FLC participants. Faculty can select either option below:

  • Meeting one hour a week on Zoom for dedicated writing time with minimal interruption, for the purposes of getting words down on paper and providing mutual accountability.
  • Meeting two hours every other week in MLIB 455 (flex possible) for time to reflect on their writing process, plan out benchmarks for completion, and share drafts in small groups of 2-4. These groups provide accountability and increased understanding of how writing time can mesh with other professional duties.

Participating faculty will receive $500 in taxable income for completing some significant portion of their writing goals, and attending all meetings (through week 13 or 14).

Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) 
Who: Tenure/Tenure-Track and Lecturers
Format: Online and Asynchronous
Compensation: $750
Contact: Allison McConnell
Full Description
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.

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.

The Strike

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The scheduled strike to start the Spring 2024 term is of great concern for us all. This tip is dedicated to some advice about navigating this time of uncertainty. 

First, be transparent with your students. They have a lot of anxiety about what a work stoppage would mean for their semester and whether they are supposed to go to class next week. You should be sending them an announcement through Canvas this week about what your plan is. Consider including information about whether your class will meet and your availability to answer questions. I would also recommend some transparency about why you are doing what you are doing. Students should also know many campus services they rely on like the WellCat Health Center and the Food Pantry will be open. 

Second, if you have questions about your rights please reach out to your local CFA contact or consult the FAQ on the CFA website and the email from Faculty Affairs on 1/9. 

Finally, I will be on strike as a faculty member for the first week of the semester unless a resolution is reached. I will not be replying to work related emails or inquiries while I am on strike. The FDEV office will be open and is reachable at fdev@csuchico.edu. 

In Solidarity,

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

Tools for Spring

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Faculty start work on their spring courses at different times and with different needs. For those of you preparing now, we want to highlight a couple of asynchronous faculty development resources.

We have a robust set of teaching guides developed by campus experts on everything from Teaching with Case Studies to Culturally Responsive Teaching. Check out the full, searchable and sortable, FDEV Teaching Guides list to get help with your prep for the spring semester. 

We also developed an asynchronous Canvas course with a step-by-step guide to course revision in the world of generative AI. The world has changed, and this will help you change with it. Enroll in the course at a time that works best for you.

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

What Was Missing This Fall?

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The end of the year is often a time for reflection. Some of you may be ending the term and thinking about the project that got away–the manuscript you were meaning to finish or a class you want to improve. We hope you will have a look at the preliminary slate of Spring offerings from FDEV and find something that connects to a professional goal in your life. We are going to start fast in the Spring. Applications will be live for most programs on 1/18 with a due date of 1/30 so we wanted to preview the slate for you now. 

Chico Affordable Learning Solutions (CAL$)
Lead: Beth Shook 
Compensation: $500
Format: Asynchronous online

Want to decrease course costs for students? And at the same time provide students high quality and accessible course materials? Participate in an asynchronous Canvas training designed to help faculty identify and evaluate Open Educational Resources (OER) and other free or affordable course materials for your courses. Faculty who complete the online training, including developing a cost-savings plan to be implemented in a Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 course, will earn $500 in taxable income. 

Canvas modules will cover the following topics: OER and why they are important, finding and evaluating OER, Library resources, understanding copyright and Creative Commons licenses, ensuring accessibility, curating and adapting materials for your course, teaching with open resources, and the Zero Cost Course Materials (ZCCM) designation.

Advancing Hispanic/Latinx Student Success
Leads: Yvette Zuniga and Teresita Curiel
Compensation: TBD $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.

BIPoC Writing Community 
Leads: Stef Baldivia and Gloria Lopez
Compensation: TBD, at least $500
Format: TBD

The purpose of the Black, Indigenous, People of Color Faculty Writing Community (BIPoC-FWC) is to cultivate community and support for a diverse group of faculty to successfully navigate the retention, tenure, and promotion process, by developing scholarly and creative work, while strengthening a network of colleagues at the Chico State campus. The BIPoC-FWC is designed to create a space for BIPoC faculty to share their research ideas and publication goals, while supporting and motivating each other. All self-identified Black, Indigenous, or Faculty of Color, are encouraged to apply. Members will regularly meet in a set location for a total of ten 90-minute sessions and two community building events. During writing sessions, every writer works on their own project, with mutual support offered through fellowship both prior to and following the writing sessions. Faculty will be working in a large cohort led by two peer-mentors, Gloria Lopez and Stef Baldivia. There will be a mandatory kick-off meeting in early spring based on participants availability.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Teaching (EDIT)
Leads: Alisa Wade and Allison McConnell
Compensation: $500 for attending the majority of the workshops
Format: FLEX

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.

Grant Writing Support
In Development
Compensation: TBD

Leadership Development
Lead: Holly Nevarez
Compensation: $500
Format: TBD

The leadership development faculty learning community (FLC) will introduce leadership styles and strategies. This FLC is designed for you 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.

Publish and Flourish
Lead: Chris Fosen
Compensation: $500
Format: One online synchronous FLC and one in-person FLC

The Office of Faculty Development is bringing back faculty learning community (FLC) writing groups for the spring 2024 semester. After a survey was sent out in December 2023 to “Publish and Flourish” and “Write an Article in Twelve Weeks” participants about meeting preferences, we recognized the need for two distinct meeting patterns and goals for FLC participants. Faculty can select either option below:

  • Meeting one hour a week on Zoom for dedicated writing time with minimal interruption, for the purposes of getting words down on paper and providing mutual accountability.
  • Meeting two hours every other week in-person (flex possible) for time to reflect on their writing process, plan out benchmarks for completion, and share drafts in small groups of 2-4. These groups provide accountability and increased understanding of how writing time can mesh with other professional duties.

Participating faculty will receive $500 in taxable income for completing some significant portion of their writing goals, and attending all meetings (through week 13 or 14).

Teaching Climate Change & Resilience (TCCR)
Lead: Mark Stemen
Compensation: $500
Format: Online synchronous and asynchronous
Applications due on 12/15

Faculty participating in the TCCR FLC will learn from experts in the field about the science behind climate change, the solutions available to counter it, the need to incorporate justice into the conversation and the enormous anxiety all of this produces in our students. The five 90-minute sessions spread evenly throughout the semester will be held over Zoom, allowing faculty to form breakout rooms based on discipline for further discussion and curriculum development. In addition to changing their own courses, participating faculty will also become part of the systemwide network of colleagues focused on issues of climate change that formed after the first FLC, and learn how other faculty incorporate those issues across a wide spectrum of curricular disciplines.

Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT)
Lead: Allison McConnell
Compensation: $750
Format: Asynchronous online

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.

Finally, if you find yourself with time and an inclination toward professional development in the next few weeks, remember we have developed a 100% online and asynchronous course to help you redesign your classes in a world of generative AI. We also have our institutional subscription to the NCFDD with a variety of great resources. Or you could just get some rest–up to you!

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