Things are beginning to heat up here in Houston and I am in a bit of denial over both the occasional humid day and the reality that this spring semester at UHD will soon end. While the higher education landscape is ever changing, this semester really stood out with the beginnings of some considerable disruptions that we will need to continue to navigate in the coming semesters. In particular, the rise of generative AI (i.e. ChatGPT) has led to some uncertainty about what the future of teaching and learning will hold. In addition, we have all been working tirelessly to begin the process of transitioning from Blackboard to Canvas. All that said I want to assure you that the CTLE is committed to providing you with the support and resources you need to navigate these challenges.
To that end, over the past few months, we have held a series of webinars and workshops designed to facilitate conversations about the potential benefits and challenges of generative AI in the classroom. Our new Instructional Designer, Fabiola Vacatoledo, was instrumental in gathering resources and collaborating with our Associate Director, Georges Detiveaux, in facilitating these sessions. They explored topics ranging from the academic integrity implications of AI in education to practical strategies for incorporating AI into your teaching. We will continue to provide you with the comprehensive and responsive support you need to help our students learn and succeed, even with these changing circumstances. Whether you are looking for guidance on how to incorporate AI tools into your course design or need some advice on how to make the most of the new learning management system, Canvas, we are here to help. For example, as you begin to explore Canvas you will find resources developed by the CTLE team in collaboration with the TTLC and leadership in the Provost Office. Check out (page 5) of this newsletter for on overview of one such course, Growing with Canvas @ UHD
While we have been busy responding to these disruptions, we have continued to offer you our ongoing programs and services that are faculty-driven, evidence-based, and student-centered. Along those lines, I have heard from several faculty members that they are planning to submit a Teaching Circles proposal addressing ChatGPT in the classroom. We hope to receive proposals for a range of other topics. If you are interested in exploring a topic in teaching and learning with your colleagues in the coming academic year, the Teaching Circles Initiative is a great opportunity. If you are interested but would like to consult about possible proposal ideas, reach out soon with an email to ctle@uhd.edu or use our consultation request form (airtable.com/shrEP9zxfalDPPHRX). The May 5 due date is quickly approaching. Learn more on (page 6).
As we move forward, I encourage you to stay engaged with the CTLE and take advantage of the many resources and programs we offer. Be sure to peruse this newsletter for some additional updates and more detail on our various services. From workshops and webinars to consultations and support services, we are here to help you achieve your goals and continue to provide the highest quality education to our students. Together, we can embrace the potential of generative AI, Canvas, and other emerging technologies to build on the tradition of teaching excellence and student success at UHD.
All my best, Gregory
Prof. Natacha Poggio is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design in the Department of Arts + Communication. She holds a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Experience Design from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Graphic Design from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Before joining UHD in 2018, she taught at Lamar University (Beaumont, TX) and also taught Visual Communication Design at the Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, in Connecticut, United States. As a social impact design educator, she is a passionate advocate of art and design for social change. She spearheads award-winning projects that promote sustainable development and educational awareness of global issues. Her strategic work fosters transdisciplinary, multi-level partnerships that bring positive change in local and international communities. Click here to read more about Professor Poggio
Wrapping up a 2-year term, UHD Faculty Teaching Fellows (i.e. Krista Gehring, CPS; Kimberly Gleason, MDCOB; Bridget Mueller, CHSS; and Timothy Redl, CST), along with members of the CTLE team hosted another successful Teaching Café event on April 19. This concept, originally developed by Dr. Gehring for the College of Public Service, was adapted as a collaboration among the fellows for sharing foundational and emerging best practices in teaching and learning with faculty university-wide. While geared towards supporting adjunct and junior faculty, all faculty were welcome and over 40 attendees enjoyed lunch while learning about various topics. During this Spring 2023 event, the fellows and CTLE Instructional Designer, Fabiola Vacatoledo, led round-robin discussions on topics ranging from effective online discussion and feedback to considerations for the impact of generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) on teaching and learning in higher education. In addition to benefiting from the content presentations and discussions with colleagues, attendees will be able to submit a plan-to-implement reflection in order to earn a digital credential toward the CTLE Certificate in Evidence-Based Instruction and Course Design. There are currently 187 UHD faculty actively pursuing this certificate.
Faculty: have you taken and completed the newest version of the Growing with Canvas at UHD course that the Provost’s Office now requires of all instructors? This applies to all UHD instructors (adjuncts, too)!
Have you chosen your migration semester yet? Please think about moving to Canvas for the Fall 2023 term! Search your email inbox for messages from Dr. Michelle Moosally on this topic to communicate your migration preferences today! There’s a form to fill out in Dr. Moosally’s messages on Canvas migration.
The Growing with Canvas at UHD course is available to all UHD instructors at uhd.instructure.com (that’s the URL to log into Canvas with your UHD credentials). Here are some details about the new course:
MODULE OVERVIEW
Module 1: Navigation & Communication
The Canvas dashboard; configuring your profile and settings; notifications; the Canvas inbox; the calendar; announcements; key concept quiz.
Module 2: Customizing Your Course
Course settings; publishing a course; the course navigation menu; file management; storing your videos in Panopto; the rich content editor; the Canvas accessibility checker; your course’s home page; your syllabus page; building course pages; modules; key concept quiz.
Module 3: Creating Activities & Assessments
Discussions; VoiceThread; assignments; giving feedback on assignments; TurnItIn; quizzes; question banks; Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor; key concept quiz.
Module 4: Grading & Evaluating Student Work
Course settings and weights; SpeedGrader and the gradebook; rubrics; key concept quiz.
Module 5: Collaboration & Sharing
Student collaboration; groups; copying and sharing courses; the Canvas Commons; course importing and copying; key concept quiz.
Module 6: Completion: Reviewing Key Concepts
Final thoughts; key concept review assessment.
A teaching circle (TC) is a supportive community of about 3-5 instructors who come together to explore a specific topic or theme related to best practices in teaching and learning. TC members will experiment with new instructional approaches, reflect on implementation, and document lessons learned or best practices related to the group’s specific topic.
Participants in UHD Teaching Circles will enjoy opportunities to:
Experiment with new teaching and learning strategies
• Network and interact with colleagues.
• Increase student learning and academic success.
• Access resources and funding for TC activities.
Receive a $500 stipend upon completion of the preliminary report.
Approximately 35-50 faculty participate in 10-12 Teaching Circles each academic year, with some yielding productive Course Innovation Initiative awards or even external grants, such as the Steelcase Education Active Learning Center Grant earned through a collaboration of the CTLE and a mathematics faculty teaching circle.
All full-time or part-time instructors at UHD may apply each Spring when the call for applications is distributed. To apply, recruit a group of 3-5 colleagues and propose the formation of a TC that fits within one of the topic groups described. Proposals should outline specific goals/tasks, deliverables, and a detailed budget, as outlined in the application form.
How to Apply: airtable.com/shrEP9zxfalDPPHRX
Important Dates:
•May 5 – Teaching Circles Applications Due
•Sep 1 – Teaching Circles Launch
For examples of circle projects, please visituhd.edu/ctle
The current cohort of 33 UHD faculty participating in the Association of College and University Educator’s (ACUE’s) Course in Effective Teaching Practices is nearing completion of the course. This will be the third cohort of UHD faculty that have demonstrated their commitment to teaching excellence and UHD student success through completion of this intensive yearlong course. The course involves learning new evidence-based teaching practices, discussing strategies with colleagues, implementing strategies in active courses, and reflecting on that implementation. In addition, over 30 faculty are also working as part of the same content and approach through the CTLE-sponsored ACUE Microcredential program, where faculty tackle the course in 6-8 week chunks over time. We will be offering these microcredentials again in the coming academic year. As a bonus, the course is delivered in Canvas, giving participating faculty a unique student experience within our newly adopted LMS. Apply to participate in an upcoming microcredential course using the link below: airtable.com/shrzzf2X99wDjkOUy
1. Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment
2. Promoting Active Learning
3. Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners
4. Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses
(Note: You can choose any of the start dates below for the course you selected):
1. June 3, 2023
2. August 5, 2023
3. October7, 2023
4. January 20, 2024
5. March 23, 2024
Your University of Houston-Downtown Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence recommends the Quality Matters Rubric (Higher Ed, 6th edition) for the review, design, and redesign of quality courses. The rubric is available as a one-pager, and it can be accessed in an expanded form (with annotations and examples) online at qualitymatters.org by creating a MyQM account using your @uhd.edu email address. Once your account has been created, log in with your credentials, and go to MyQM Account > My Tools > Course Review System > View Sample Reviewer Worksheet. Additionally, printed copies of the QM rubric and workbook with annotations are available by request by emailing detiveauxg@uhd.edu
To learn more about the rubric and to being using it to review, design, and redesign courses, we invite all UHD faculty (adjuncts included!) to take and complete QM’s Applying the Quality Matters Rubric. Faculty can take up to two short-duration workshops per academic year through the CTLE. Qualifying workshops are offered by Quality Matters and also the Online Learning Consortium. Upcoming instances of Applying the QM Rubric include 4/25 to 5/9, 5/2 to 5/16, 5/6 to 5/30, 5/23 to 6/6, 5/30 to 6/13, and 6/6 to 6/20. Several other dates further into the summer are also available (see the QM website for more).
To participate in a QM or OLC workshop, make a note of your desired session title, start date, and end date, and apply online at the CTLE’s application form at https://airtable.com/shrvwCowzoWKTjM3z
Once we receive your application, we will enroll you and notify you with additional instructions. Then, take and complete your workshop, saving your completion certificate. SUbmit the certificate to us to get in line for a one-time $150 stipend! Submit certificates at https://airtable.com/shrEOgbWJ4keFa3A5
Through participation in a series of workshops offered by the UHD Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, faculty can earn various badges and micro-credentials, leading to a Certificate in Evidence-Based Instruction and Course Design. Completion of this certificate signifies a dedication to continuous improvement of teaching skills and a commitment to UHD student success. Upon completion, participants will be able to implement backwards course design, identify evidence-based strategies relevant to their courses, and increase student motivation and engagement. In addition, certificate completion comes with a $500 stipend. Click here to learn more about the program
As part of a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) initiative, UHD, through the Office of the Provost, is participating in a grant program to enhance learning continuity through transformed digital learning. As a key part of this effort, the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) collaborating with UHD faculty to create course design elements aligned with Quality Matters (QM) standards and the following abbreviated Learning Continuity Objectives:
LC1: Communicate Transparently
LC2: Normalize Digital Learning
LC3: Emphasize Outcomes
LC4: Facilitate Discourse
LC5: Maintain Active Learning
LC6: Provide Flexible Resources
LC7: Highlight Academic Support
LC8: Design for Equity, Access, and Care
Through this program, we seek to enhance and bring stability to the learning experience for all students and across all modalities at UHD. To that end, 21 faculty members are currently creating these course elements within the new Canvas LMS or through integrated digital tools like VoiceThread or Perusall. CTLE team members have already received over 30 how-to videos from faculty that will be produced and featured on the CTLE Learning Continuity Webpage (under construction), along with other helpful resources created by faculty participants. Our goal is to have the webpage complete, with course element examples and faculty demonstrations for all LC objectives posted before the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester. Submit a Proposal (Due May 19): airtable.com/shrU1hU4ae2jRG2DE
The CTLE recently hosted a series of webinar sessions exploring ChatGPT and its use in academic contexts. In the first session, participants discussed the advantages and limitations of this tool and what it means for instructors, administrators and institutions. In the second session, we reviewed classroom examples of the creative use of ChatGPT and discussed how these activities could apply in their own courses and assignments. The third session, we explored tried-and-true practices and assessment alternatives to approach academic integrity in the new area of AI.
WEBINAR 1: ChatGPT: What Is It?
WEBINAR 2: Who is Doing What with ChatGPT
WEBINAR 3: Academic Integrity and AI: Tried & True Practices
Keynote Workshop
Embodied Learning Strategies to Create Human Connection and Engagement - Dr. Susan Hrach
Interactive Presentations
Presentations with Opportunities for Q&A/Dialogue
• P1: “Student Mid-Course Progress: Beyond Grade Reports” | L. Burks
• P2: “Service Learning During COVID” | A. Chadha
• P3: “Creating an Open Educational Resource (OER) to Engage All Learners: A Collaborative Experience” A.Goins, & S.Bonario
• P4: “Engaging Dialogues – Virtual Conversations between Teacher Candidates and Scientists through Skype-A-Scientist” | F. Allaire, & T. Jeffery
• P5: “The Service Learning Teaching Circle: Aims for Student Success, Student Engagement, and Student Retention” | Z. Mitha
• P6: “Polling Practices for Increased Online Engagement and Student Learning Outcomes”
D. von Biedenfeld
Presenters speak for 10 minutes in a breakout room, address questions for 5 minutes, then everyone changes to another room, repeated 3x
• QT1: “A Game-Changer: Digital Badges in Higher Education” | K. Gehring
• QT2: “Re-engaging Students Back into the Classroom with Strategies that Are Less Instructor and More Student Driven” | K. Gleason
• QT3: “Engaging the Virtual Learner: Visually, Organizationally, and Economically” | K. Mhoon
• QT4: “Course Redesign with the Student In Mind” B. Mueller & M. Fernandez
• QT5: “Teaching Mathematics through Inquiry in a Steelcase Active Learning Classroom” | T. Redl, J. Quander, & J. Hallaway
• QT6: ”I3D-TC: 3D Makers Enhance Teaching to Engage Learners in Natural Science” | C. Standlee, S. Heinlein, & J. Martz
Mission
The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at the University of HoustonDowntown aims to support student success by providing targeted faculty support, promoting evidenced-based instructional strategies, and cultivating an innovative and collaborative learning environment at UHD. The center’s ongoing initiatives aim to achieve the student success objectives outlined in the UHD Strategic Plan and to support the University’s continual growth and development as a vibrant teaching and learning institution.
Goals
• Increase success in high-enrollment courses through the Course Innovation Initiative (CI2).
• Improve the quality of Online Courses offered at UHD.
• Expand the use and improve the quality of High-Impact Practices.
The center provides all full-time and part-time instructors at the University of Houston-Downtown with access to programs and services designed to support their teaching efforts, with consideration for different teaching styles and methods across the disciplines.
Contact Information
Email: ctle@uhd.edu
Location: ACAD 700A
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
CTLE Staff
Gregory Dement, PhD Director
Georges Detiveaux, M.A. Associate Director
Email | Submit a Request
Fabiola Vacatoledo, MS Instructional Designer
Email | Submit a Request
Courtney Banks
Graphic Designer
Email | Submit a Request
2022-2023
Faculty Fellows
• Krista Gehring
CPS
• Kimberly Gleason
MDCOB
• Bridget Mueller
CHSS
• Timothy Redl
CST
Boards & Committees
Click below to learn more
CTLE ONLINE SUBCOMMITTEE AY23
For more information on the CTLE, including how faculty can benefit from our services and initiatives, visit us online at uhd.edu/ctle. Faculty and staff at UHD can request to join our Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/ctleuhd/
CTLE ADVISORY BOARD AY23
