Tag: research

Where Are Your Students?

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It is that time of year. Today is Halloween. Veteran’s Day and Fall Break are around the corner and students are disappearing. Some of them are sick, others are traveling for school or fun, and others may be homesick. Gazing out into a half-full classroom usually fills me with anxiety on a few levels. I’m wondering how the class is going to go, and I’m also dreading the deluge of emails about making up missed work and class time. 

One remedy to this annual tradition is to consider an alternative format for your classes. Hyflex classes, where a variety of modalities might be implemented, allow students to have more flexible learning experiences. In a recent episode of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast thought leader David Rhoads and Bonni Stachowiak made the point that flexible teaching front-loads instructional work and often saves you as the instructor time in the long run because you deal with far fewer edge-cases where students are not in class. 

You might have tried this during the pandemic and had a terrible experience, or maybe you tried it and loved it, but it seemed like the momentum on campus was back towards traditional face-to-face teaching. Regardless, we have the tools, experience, and now the research on what works and what does not. Join us for a workshop on Wednesday to explore the ChicoFlex modality and why it might be a good fit for you moving forward. 

Why you should attend this workshop and consider ChicoFlex:

  • Expand enrollment in your program by offering flexible arrangements. 
  • Utilize technology that is already available and in rooms all over campus. No need to write a grant to get what you need. 
  • Lower your workload by preemptively building flexibility for students who are sick or traveling. 
  • Research from our campus and around the country indicates flex arrangements maintain or even expand student success.

November 1, 12-1 p.m.
MLIB 045 or Zoom
Led by: Katie Mercurio, Tina Lewis, Kathy Fernandes, and Zach Justus

Professor leading a classroom of students with a chalkboard and computer resources

Figure 1: Professor leading a classroom of students with a chalkboard and computer resources

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

Universal Design for Learning: You Are on Your Way Already!

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The main portion of this tip is brought to you by Dr. Jamie Gunderson from the School of Education and a READI Equity Fellow through Faculty Development.

Here’s an interesting insight – chances are you’re already incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into your teaching methods, even if you’re not consciously aware of it. What is UDL? UDL is an educational framework that aims to create inclusive and flexible learning environments by providing learners with options to engage, represent, and express learning. How am I already implementing UDL? Well, consider if you incorporate peer discussions or collaborative group activities in your lessons. These practices promote collaboration and a sense of community, in line with UDL Checkpoint 8.3. Are you using tools like Canvas or other technologies to share information, interact with your learners, or enhance their engagement? This is a form of using multimedia for communication, as outlined in UDL Checkpoint 5.1. The UDL framework encourages us to reflect on how our existing teaching methods align with UDL’s principles, guidelines, and checkpoints to support all learners.

Another aspect of UDL that I find particularly appealing is its commitment to evidence-based continuous improvement. Did you know that the UDL principles, guidelines, and checkpoints are regularly reviewed, revised, and updated based on ongoing research and feedback from practitioners? Currently, there is a strong emphasis on enhancing equity, diversity, and inclusion, which you can explore further by looking into the UDL Rising to Equity initiative. As soon as the updated framework becomes available, I’ll make sure to share it with our campus community. In the meantime, I encourage you to kickstart or continue your journey towards UDL and equity, diversity, and inclusion by exploring the abundant resources on the Instruction page of the READI Hub, a repository sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development. You’re likely to discover numerous strategies and ideas that will benefit your teaching practices and some that you may already be implementing – kudos! 

For more tips, and resources, or to geek out on all things UDL, please contact Jamie Linn Gunderson at jlgunderson@csuchico.edu.

Additionally, we in FDEV want to highlight another great resource from the NCFDD library. We spend a lot of time as tenure-track faculty working towards tenure and promotion, but not enough time thinking about what happens when you get there. Last Spring NCFDD hosted two panel discussions on what happens after earning tenure and one on promotion to full professor. You have to sign up for NCFDD (which you have free access to for this year), but once you do you will have access to an incredible catalog of useful resources for your classroom and professional development. 

Last thing, remember we have a host of opportunities for faculty this Winter and into Spring. Check them out and find something that will help you.

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

Inclusive Pedagogy and Student Research Support

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Sent on bahelf of Dr. Alisa Wade, Assistant Professor of History and READI Equity Fellow

While serving as a Research on Equity, Antiracism, Diversity and Inclusion (READI) Equity Fellow this past year, I’ve spent a lot of time reading about and reflecting on inclusive and equitable pedagogy. Part of the process of working toward a student-centered approach to teaching entails empowering our students as active agents and considering ways we as educators might draw on their cultural knowledge and creativity in the classroom. How might we, as instructors at a Hispanic-Serving Institution with a growing percentage of first-generation students, find ways to continue to support our students and encourage them to take ownership of their own learning experiences?  

In Active Learning Strategies in Higher Education: Teaching for Leadership, Innovation, and Creativity, the authors advocate for a pedagogical approach that “promotes creativity, imagination, and emotional depth of students along with knowledge acquisition and development” and “cultivates a participatory culture in academia at all levels” (5-6). In this framework, the goal is to embed students actively in work of our disciplines in the classroom and to encourage them as participatory and engaged local, national, and global citizens. In turn, the process of working closely with faculty members can help them learn and grow in new ways, build confidence, bolster their academic success, and give them relevant skills for their academic and professional careers. 

One program on campus designed to facilitate this process is the Adelante Postbaccalaureate Pipeline. The Adelante Program’s mission centers on supporting Latinx and low-income CSUC students, and includes a Summer Research Program for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in a “faculty-mentored, funded research experience” that will give students a hands-on opportunity to engage in—and, later, present on and consider publishing—their research under the guidance of their faculty research mentor. Applications for this summer just opened last week, and the deadline for submissions is April 24, 2023. For those in Agriculture, Engineering, and the Natural Sciences, CSC² offers additional student resources, including a Summer Undergraduate Research Program. 

For details, tips, and resources on encouraging students as active classroom agents, take a look at the FDEV teaching guide for building student agency. 

The New FDEV Virtual Library

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Dear faculty, 

I am glad no one noticed that I missed the Tuesday Tip last week….. next time I miss one, you get extra credit if you notice and email me!! 

Overall, though, I think that this new tool we have in Faculty Development was worth waiting for… so let me unveil it (virtually) to you! 

The FDEV team worked incredibly hard last semester to turn our original FDEV Virtual library into a searchable tool that can provide a much more interactive experience to those faculty who are looking for some resources for their research or their classroom. 

The new FDEV Virtual Library allows you to search books by topic (assessment, curriculum, equity & diversity, etc.) or by title, and we have included a thumbnail photo for each book, in case you have more of a visual memory like me! 

In partnership with the Meriam Library, we have selected a list of electronic publications that cover key areas of faculty interests. The best part? all books are accessible to our campus community via the Ebook Central database so you can access them through a simple login (and the same applies to your students, in case you want to assign some readings in your classes). 

We hope you will take some time to explore these resources and let us know if there are books we should include in our virtual library! 

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D. 
Faculty Development, Director 

Physical Activity and Self Care

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Sent on behalf of Aubrey Newland, Associate Professor of Sport & Exercise Psychology

Self-care…sigh. Is that really a thing for professors? Yes! One way of making sure we have our own backs is to make time for regular physical activity in our lives. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2 days of muscle strengthening per week, but the majority of people across the United States struggle to meet these guidelines. 

Why is it important? 

Regular physical activity (PA) has more benefits than just the obvious physical ones. For example, did you know that physical activity improves mood, cognition, and confidence? The connection between physical activity and general well-being is well-studied. There are massive amounts of evidence extolling the benefits of exercise! We have the physiological and psychological evidence that it is good for us. So why aren’t most of us meeting the daily guidelines for PA?  

Tips for Overcoming Barriers 

For many people it boils down to lack of time and motivation. Based on research in the field of exercise psychology, here are a few practical tips for increasing motivation:  

  1. You don’t have to exercise so intensely that it hurts! Research shows that as exercise intensity increases, emotion (affect) decreases.  
  2. Start slow and have realistic expectations.  
  3. Do something you enjoy. Exercise is more likely to be done if you enjoy it! A recent research article supported the idea that enjoyment leads to more regular exercise adherence. Another article highlighted the importance of fun as a key to regular exercise.   
  4. Make it a habit. 
  5. Reflect on your values and see if they align with your priorities (actions) in life. For instance, what are you spending most of your time doing each day? How does that time spent align with what you say you value? 

Practical  

How do I fit PA into my schedule? 

  1. Plan it into your day. Block it off on your calendar. This is called implementation intentions. Sign up for a class and take a friend. If you take time to sign up for a class, you’re more likely to go.  
  2. Do a little each day. Here are some examples of manageable ways to fit it in.  
  3. Take advantage of small opportunities! For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator when you have the choice. Or park farther away at the grocery store.  

Keep an eye out in the first month of each semester for announcements about enrolling in PA counseling sessions that target motivational issues. Students in the Kinesiology Department offer this service as part of an upper-division course for staff, faculty, and community members. Contact Aubrey Newland for more information or to reserve your spot for next semester!

Welcome Back Faculty!

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Dear faculty, 

I have greatly missed the energy and conversations that all of you bring to Faculty Development and I cannot wait to start offering programs that facilitate meaningful discussions about teaching & learning, research, and other faculty needs. 

As I welcome you back to campus, I want to share some news about this year, so you can begin reaching out to Faculty Development and participating in our initiatives. 

First, I hope you will start taking advantage of the Rose Garden Room, now that the 4th floor of the library is open again! The Rose Garden Room is located in MLIB 459 and it is open to faculty Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5pm. It is a wonderful space to read, grade, write, and meet wonderful colleagues.  

I also want to share that this semester we will launch a new FDEV Challenge, starting Wednesday September 7th, so check your email for a chance to receive a $50 gift certificate at the end of the semester! 

Lastly, I want to announce a new faculty learning community that we will offer this year, focusing on Universal Design for Learning. We are finalizing the call, and we will send it out in early September. We hope that you will consider applying, so stay tuned for more information! 

Welcome back, dear faculty, I cannot wait to see all of you around campus! 

Inspired 2022

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Sent on behalf of Jodi Shepherd, Interim Dean of the Meriam Library, and the Meriam Library and CSE Inspired Team.

Tuesday Tip: Take a few minutes to recognize your research and creative activities for Inspired 2022. 

Event: April 6th 3:30-5:00

Inspired 2022 will be a virtual event hosted on Zoom from 3:30-5:00 on Wednesday, April 6th. During this event we’ll recognize Lantis awardees,  FRAS awards, Early Career Community Engagement award and  Our Civically Engaged Scholar Award, among others. While Inspired 2022 looks a little different this year, we are excited to celebrate the awardees and the work that has gone into research and creative activities in the past year. The decision to hold the event online was a result of COVID uncertainties and  4th floor upgrades. 

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to host Inspired 2020 and Inspired 2021 because of  COVID-19.  We will acknowledge past recipients during this year’s virtual event.  Recognition of awardees will also be on display in the library during the month of April. 

We hope you’ll join us to celebrate the awardees who are being recognized for their achievements. 

In-Person Exhibit: Library throughout April

The continued scholarship of Chico State faculty will be recognized with posters throughout the library during the month of April. With one poster dedicated to each department and each author’s citations listed with a link to their work, we welcome the Chico State community to view the research that has been accomplished during the pandemic. Our aim is to engage students who are in the library as well in displaying their faculty’s research achievements

Participate and be recognized. Please take a few minutes and submit your research or creative work completed between:

January 1st, 2021 to December 31st, 2021

January 1st, 2020 to December 31st, 2020

We are excited to celebrate with you,

Jodi Shepherd, Interim Dean of the Meriam Library

Upcoming Opportunities to Help Faculty Navigate Research.

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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 

Student-Faculty Research Collaborative

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This week’s tip is brought to you on behalf of the Student-Faculty Research Collaborative Team.

Participating in student-faculty research experiences at Chico State fosters student interests, expands their academic and professional skills, and provides them with authentic learning experiences in and outside the classroom. The Student-Faculty Research Collaborative encourages you to explore, discover, and be inspired through research and creative activities. Through this collaborative, Chico State students participate in research or independent creative projects with the support and mentorship of Chico State faculty members.

Key to promoting disciplinary socialization, undergraduate research experience (URE) has long been identified as a High-Impact Practice (HIP).14, 15 Well-structured URE programs are associated with increased retention, stronger STEM identity, and increased likelihood that students will pursue graduate degrees. in a study of multiple factors impacting STEM retention, determine that “faculty mentoring on its own is not necessarily associated with STEM persistence, but rather that its relationship with persistence is contingent on whether or not the student participated in research.” (Chang, M.J., Sharkness, J., Hurtado, S. and Newman, C.B. (2014). What Matters in College for Retaining Aspiring Scientists and Engineers from Underrepresented Racial Groups. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 51(5): 555–580.). Opportunity to engage in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CUREs) may be especially important for URMs, low-income, and/or first generation students who are less likely to seek traditional UREs.

Interested in engaging in topics about authentic research?
Join the Student-Faculty Research Collaborative for the First Annual Fall Research Week
Tuesday, November 30th, to Friday, December 3rd, 2021
All Workshops will be held over Zoom.
Workshop Schedule:  Fall Research Week

Share your experience supporting student research by adding a comment.

Teach Students, Not Subjects

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It’s 2019 and our incoming students are the first university class born this century. While we serve students from all age groups, most of our incoming freshman grew up very differently than most of us.  For example, they were one year old when 9/11 happened and they’ve always had Wikipedia for “research.”

Here are some realities of our students born after the year 2000…

  • Humans have always lived in space, not just traveled there.
  • They have grown up afraid that a school shooting could happen.
  • Same-sex marriage has always been legal somewhere.
  • Oprah has always been a magazine.
  • They never used a spitbowl in a dentist’s office.
  • A visit to the bank is a rare event.
  • Best-selling books have always been available on an e-reader.

Deep learning requires that we know our students and connect with them when we can. As the saying goes, “we teach students, not subjects.”