Spring into Canvas (…for Fall!)

Dear faculty, 

I want to use this Tuesday Tip to remind you about the Spring into Canvas for Fall day, which will be held on Thursday April 20th both in person and via Zoom

You can access the program here for more details about the sessions. 

The Technology and Learning Program is planning a whole day to help faculty learn about Canvas and start getting familiar with the new learning management system. 

Spring into Canvas for Fall 
April 20, 9am – 4pm 
Colusa Hall 116, 114, 111 

Have a lot on your plate? TLP is  breaking Canvas down into bite-sized tasks. Come for 10 minutes, a single session, or the entire day. Or just come have pastries and coffee and/or lunch. This day is all about you.  

TLP Instructional Technology Consultants are hosting structured sessions and available to help you personally in a dedicated workroom. Join in-person or on Zoom. Our Canvas workroom will provide “10-Minute Tasks” that will help you get started.

  • If joining us in-person, bring your laptop, your coffee mug, and TLP will help you get started with your transition to Canvas.  
  • If joining on Zoom, you’ll arrive in the TLP Lab when you click on Zoom link and will then be directed to a Zoom breakout-room. 
  • Can’t come at all? You haven’t missed the boat. We are here all summer and will continue to offer sessions and consulting to assist you before the fall semester starts when over 600 faculty will be using Canvas for the first time. 

I also want to remind you that Faculty Development released a Zine last week focusing entirely on Canvas. In the Zine, you can read longer pieces about the transition to Canvas but you can also access practical tips about specific tools in Canvas. 

TLP will offer more opportunities for training and support, both in person and via Zoom, later in April and in May, as well as during the summer. 

I hope you will take this and future opportunities to learn more about Canvas and I particularly want to encourage faculty teaching in summer to attend the Spring into Canvas for Fall Day and other workshops this Spring to make sure you have the proper support for your summer courses! 

Upcoming Opportunities to Help Faculty Navigate Research.

This Tuesday Tip brings to you some resources in relation to research and the opportunity to grow as both a teacher and a scholar! 

Faculty Development(opens in new window) is working on a number of resources that can help faculty navigate research at Chico State. Below you find links and information for upcoming opportunities: 

“Join us for a conversation about interdisciplinary research opportunities! We will hear from faculty who are currently collaborating across Departments and Colleges on various research projects, we will discuss examples of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and we will look at possible funding opportunities for collaborative research projects!” (The description will be added to the website soon) 

I also want to take this opportunity to share the link to the Co-Teaching & Community Engagement page(opens in new window) hosted by the Office of Civic Engagement(opens in new window). Here you find tips and ideas on how to consider possibilities for teaching and research collaborations!  

We hope that these resources and events will be an opportunity to learn more about support for research on campus and a chance to hear about innovative research projects at Chico State! 

Stay tuned! 

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D. 

Faculty Development, Director 

Global Engagement Opportunities for Faculty & Students

This week’s Tuesday Tip is brought to you by International Education and Global Engagement (IEGE).

As study abroad opens up the world for students, teaching and conducting research abroad can be a life-changing experience for faculty, tapping into resources and developing pedagogy that incorporates global learning and engagement, a strategic priority of the University.

Chico State joins higher education institutions around the world in honoring and celebrating International Education Week from November 15-19, 2021. IEGE is hosting a series of activities next week for faculty, staff, and students to engage in global learning and cultural events, we ask that you encourage your students to attend, and explore international research and teaching opportunities for yourself.

Research and teaching with global partners, physically or virtually, provides space for faculty to develop intercultural competency and inclusive communication that enrich the CSU, Chico experience. Through these opportunities, faculty can also empathize with the experience of international students, staff and faculty at Chico State, as the instructor is immersed in different languages and cultures and learns to navigate a new educational system and environment. IEGE can help support faculty to internationalize their courses by adding a cultural and academic exchange experience within a class through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).

Additional learning opportunities for global engagement and resources available to Chico State faculty include,  

  1. Upcoming Fulbright Scholar Program Q&A – learn more about this grant and how to put together a successful Fulbright program application for 2023-2024.  Fulbright program staff will discuss award opportunities, the application & selection process, and answer all questions.
  2. Apply to become a Resident Director on a CSU International Program in France, Italy or Spain for a year, deadline to apply is December 31, 2021. Contact Chico State ACIP Rep, Dr. Fay Mitchell-Brown, with questions: fmitchellbrown@csuchico.edu.
  3. Learn more about the COIL experiences of faculty, students and teaching partners through this panel presentation. For more information on COIL Faculty Learning Community, please contact COIL Co-coordinator, Dr. Sara Trechter, strechter@csuchico.edu.
  4. Invite a Study Abroad and Exchange advisor in your class(es) to present on program options, specifically tailored to your department or student interests, by completing this classroom presentation request form.
  5. Join the International Faculty and Staff Association.
  6. Encourage your students to visit the campus English as a Second Language (ESL) Support Services, which offers free online tutoring services for non-native speakers of English who want to improve their English proficiency. 
  7. Consider hosting a visiting international scholar in your academic department.
  8. Take students abroad through Faculty-Led Study Abroad. Deadlines vary by term.

Need more information than above?

Contact Dr. Jennifer Gruber, jlgruber@csuchico.edu, Interim AVP for International Education and Global Engagement.

Share your experience about studying and/or teaching abroad by adding a comment.

Summer Opportunities for Professional Development and Training

Dear faculty,

I know I mentioned in my last Tuesday Tip that you might be tired of opportunities for professional development and that you might prefer a nap at this stage, but….

We do have a great series of summer programs available and I want to make sure you know where to find them and how to apply. Below, you will find information about three different opportunities that we hope you will consider!

2 Ps in 2 Days: Increasing Student Engagement (Hosted by: Office of Civic Engagement)

May 27-28, 2021

Faculty will develop plans to increase students’ engagement through assignments that highlight a sense of place and community partnerships. Learn how you can tweak a single course to better align your assignments with the 2 Ps, or work with a group of interdisciplinary faculty on university-community partnerships. Campus and community presenters will share their experience and expertise. Participants will be provided blocks of time to work with a more experienced colleague to apply the 2 Ps in ways that are meaningful for their discipline and deepen student learning.

Contact Ann Schulte for more information or questions.

Institute on Active & Experiential Learning (Hosted by the Office of Faculty Development)

June 8-10, 14-15

The Office of Faculty Development will be offering an Institute on Active & Experiential Learning in Summer 2021 (June 8-15). The Institute is designed to offer faculty practical tools, resources, and ideas to use in the classroom to facilitate and promote more active methods of learning. The institute will be offered virtually, via Zoom.

The Institute will provide faculty the opportunity to work in cohorts and explore best pedagogical practices that promote:

  1. student research;
  2. innovative use of classroom space;
  3. civic and global engagement;
  4. application of learning to professional fields
  5. collaborations with local institutions and businesses. 

The institute will also offer resources in relation to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and faculty will have a chance to explore successful examples of SoTL. 

Faculty development is looking for both faculty participants and faculty that can facilitate workshops in the areas listed above.

Full Call for Applications

Application for Participants

Application for Workshop Facilitators 

Contact Chiara Ferrari for questions.

GoFlex Summer Institute (Hosted by: TLP, FDEV, and CST)

Session #1 – June 22, 23, 24, 29, and 30; approx 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Session #2 – July 27, 28, 29, August 3 and 4; approx 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In fall 2021, there will be over 100 classrooms equipped with new tracking cameras and microphones installed in the ceilings that allow students online in Zoom to communicate with the faculty and students in-person in the classroom. These classrooms are called hyflex classrooms. 

ChicoFlex is the Mode of Instruction (MOI) we created that gives students flexibility in attending their classes in-person and/or online. ChicoFlex classes are noted in the Class Schedule and are taught in hyflex classrooms. More information on hyflex classrooms and ChicoFlex modes of instruction can be found here.

For faculty to prepare to teach in hyflex classrooms in fall 2021 or spring 2022, we are offering a GoFlex Summer Institute. This call for applications is for faculty participants and mentors. Faculty participants will learn about how to manage the classroom equipment, the features and configurations to engage in-person and online students at the same time. Faculty mentors will lead and facilitate a cohort of up to 15 faculty. GoFlex will support faculty in leveraging tools (e.g. Poll Everywhere for polling students both online and in-person at the same time), sharing templates for student activities and best practices for classroom rules of engagement in this new environment.  

Full call for applications

Application Form

DRAFT Schedule at a glance

Contact Kathy Fernandes or Chiara Ferrari for questions.

Tuesday Tip (Or Lack Thereof)

Dear faculty, 

Rebecca Nelson, the FDEV administrative support coordinator, sent me a nice reminder about the Tuesday Tip today and I panicked: blank, zip, nada. I got nothing! 

The Tuesday Tip snuck up on me, coming out of nowhere: I had not thought of a topic, let alone was ready to write about a topic. The past week has been focused on ChicoFlex, QLT, the Zine, welcoming two new student assistants (we can’t wait for you to meet them!), planning for summer training, and well… the Tuesday Tip surprised me.  

I always feel I can juggle anything, no matter how much work it is, but the Tuesday Tip fiasco was a reminder that, in fact, I can’t. 

And then I realized that this episode was actually worth writing as a tip: I feel your pain, I feel how overwhelmed you are, I know you feel that this semester needs to end because there is not much energy left. The cup is not “runneth over”: it’s running empty.  

I also know that you are tired of being offered professional development opportunities when all you need is a nap! 

So, my tips for you this week are as follows: 

  1. Take a break from grading, seriously. A short break can do wonders for refocusing our mind. I know you have endless grading. But make sure you take some breaks. 
  2. Go outside. Enjoy the sun and the weather (I know, it’s hot, there is pollen, but still, leave the office for a bit). 
  3. Do not feel guilty about saying “No.”  
  4. Do not feel vulnerable about needing help, and reach out for that help. 
  5. Enjoy lovely food and indulge in some treats. 
  6. Take care of your body, in the way your body needs it (for some people this means working out, for others being outdoors, for others maybe just relaxing). Listen to what your body needs. 
  7. Focus on something that does not involve a screen or a computer. 
  8. Have a chat with a friend, and even better, share some laughs too. 
  9. Register(opens in new window) for Angela Davis’ talk (yes, this is nourishment!) 

Faculty Development has a million resources for you, and we are always available to help and provide support. But for today, our only tip is to take good care of yourselves. 

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D. 
Faculty Development, Director 
Campus zip: 026 
Phone: 530-898-3094 
https://www.csuchico.edu/fdev/ 
Professor 
Department of Media Arts, Design, and Technology 
Campus zip: 504 
Phone: 530-898-4647 

Teaching & Storytelling

Dear faculty, 

In high school, I had the pleasure to learn from a teacher of ancient Greek and Latin who was as strict and terrifying as he was intellectually stimulating, challenging, and incredibly dedicated to those disciplines. What I remember most about him was his endless love for the Classics and his ability to get students engaged through his storytelling skills (and Greek and Latin literature certainly offered many opportunities for fascinating stories). 

As I became an instructor, I’ve always looked at storytelling as one of the most engaging pedagogical practices to use in the classroom, and a technique that can help students relate to the material more strongly and directly. Storytelling: Bringing the power of stories to your teaching provides some information about the benefits of using storytelling in instruction, while also offering some tips on storytelling techniques. Our University has unlimited access to Learning Through Storytelling in Higher Education: Using Reflection and Experience to Improve Learning, and lastly, “Reflections on operationalizing an anti-racism pedagogy: teaching as regional storytelling” (2019) offers insights into using storytelling as a fundamental tool in anti-racist pedagogy. 

In relation to this topic, I am excited to promote our next FDEV Zine (to be released on Monday, April 5th), which will focus on teaching as a form of storytelling. I hope you will explore the resources above and you will enjoy our next Zine! 

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D. 
Faculty Development, Director 
Campus zip: 026 
Phone: 530-898-3094 
https://www.csuchico.edu/fdev/ 
Professor 
Department of Media Arts, Design, and Technology
Campus zip: 504 
Phone: 530-898-4647

Help Out with Future FDEV Programming!

The Office of Faculty Development offers a broad range of professional development opportunities to faculty based on input from the FDEV Advisory Board. We are inviting input from you on how we can best serve your needs as a faculty member. Please take this brief survey by this Sunday, 3/1 to inform FDEV of new training programs you may be interested in as well as the format and timing that works best for you.

Additionally, this survey invites you to express your interest in leading an FDEV program. FDEV Leads are compensated with either a course release, taxable income, or professional development funds. Payment depends on the duration of the training and the preparation required.

The FDEV advisory board will review the survey results and may invite interested faculty to a meeting to discuss possible new FDEV programs.

Thank-you for your input!

-Josh

Invitation to a Discussion About the Camp Fire

On November 8th, 2018 a devastating wildfire destroyed the town of Paradise and surrounding areas. While we grieve the loss of these communities and begin planning for the recovery process, Chico State has numerous opportunities for teaching, research, and contributing to the RECOVERY efforts. To help you incorporate some of these ideas into your teaching and scholarship, a group of committed faculty developed this website https://www.csuchico.edu/team-teaching/campfire/index.shtml

It compiles INFORMATION ON grant opportunities, social media resources, RESEARCH and teaching ideas.

To further explore these opportunities, all faculty (lecturers, tenured, and tenure-track) are invited to a discussion about the post-Camp Fire era. 

“Teaching the Camp Fire” Roundtable Discussion

Friday, February 8th from 2:00PM – 4:00PM in Colusa 100B

(Light Refreshments Provided)

Teach Abroad!

This week’s tip brought to you by Jennifer Gruber in the Office of International Education.

Just as study abroad opens up the world for students, teaching abroad can be a life-changing experience contributing to the resources and opportunities that a faculty member can draw on.  The experience of teaching abroad offers opportunities to develop intercultural competency and best practices for communication that can successfully transfer back to the home university (Gopal 2011).  Research and teaching abroad also enables instructors to empathize with the experience of international students as the instructor is immersed in different languages and cultures and learns to negotiate a different educational system and environment (Garson 2010).

Through the Office of International Education, CSU, Chico faculty have a variety of opportunities to establish contact with colleagues abroad for research, diversify their curriculum, and enhance their own language acquisition. Consider applying to

  • Teach abroad with USAC for summer or semester term. Deadline to apply (for 2019/20 terms) is December 15, 2017.

Contact Jennifer Gruber, jlgruber@csuchico.edu.

Need more information than above? Contact Jennifer Gruber, Study Abroad & International Exchange Coordinator.

References:

Garson, B. (2010) Teaching abroad: a cross-cultural journey. Journal of Education for Business. 80: 622-326.

Gopal, A. (2011) Internationalization of higher education: preparing faculty to teach cross-culturally. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. 23: 373-381