Podcasts and Teaching/Learning

This tip pulls together several recommendations connected by a common theme: podcasting. I love the format of podcasts because it allows me to learn something while I am doing chores or walking the dog. 

First, Dr. Jamie Gunderson from the School of Education has started the fifth season of our own Rise, Teach, Learn podcast. I was happy to join Jamie along with two of my favorite campus colleagues, Assistant Vice President Mary Wallmark and Dean Tracy Butts to discuss Caffeinated Cats – the first Faculty Development housed podcast at Chico State. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode and exploring the wonderful library of work Jamie has created. 

Second, think about exploring podcasting as a tool for teaching and learning. Faculty Development has a whole workshop series on the topic in our archive. This can be an alternative format for student work and for distribution of your own course content. When I teach I often assign podcasts. Students have traditionally responded well to the change of pace. 

Third, I continue to think the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast with Bonni Stachowiak is an industry leader in exploring key topics related to our work in the classroom. She interviews an excellent guest every week and covers nearly every topic related to teaching and learning. Recent episodes on Equity and Social Justice in STEM Education and Assignment Makeovers in the AI Age have been especially good. 

Finally, I want to remind you that we have purchased an institutional membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. Last week we sent out the simple steps needed to activate your individual membership (look for them below). In each Tuesday Tip I will be trying to highlight a resource or upcoming event through NCFDD. On Thursday of this week they are hosting an interesting webinar on How to Engage in Healthy Conflict hosted by Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha. It is an area of potential growth for many of us. 

1) Go to http://www.FacultyDiversity.org/Join
2) Choose your institution from the drop-down menu. 
3) Select “Activate my Membership” 
4) Complete the registration form using your institutional email address (i.e. @InstitutionalEmail.edu) 
5) Go to your institution email to find a confirmation email. Click “Activate Account” in the confirmation email.

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

Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Dear faculty,

I want to use this Tuesday Tip to promote an event organized by the WellCat Counseling Center.

The center will be offering a free faculty and staff training to learn how to serve students who are on the Autism Spectrum and improve their college experience.

The training will be held via Zoom, on March 24, from 9:00 am-11:00 am. Please register here if you plan to attend. More information is available in the attached document.

I also want to take this opportunity to share a couple of resources available in Faculty Development to support neurodivergent students:

  1. You can listen to an episode of the Rise Teach Learn podcast that focuses on Neurodiversity in Higher Education to learn about information and data about neurodiversity in academia, but especially at Chico State
  2. You can access the corresponding Teaching Guide on Neurodiversity in Higher Education to learn about practices to adopt in your classes to make neurodivergent students feel more comfortable, including communication tips.

We hope you’ll find these resources useful!

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D.
Faculty Development, Director
MLIB 458A
Campus zip: 026
cfferrari@csuchico.edu
FDEV: https://www.csuchico.edu/fdev/
READI: https://www.csuchico.edu/readi/
Professor
Department of Media Arts, Design, and Technology
Campus zip: 504

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