August 2020 Newsletter

August 10, 2020

Innovate at Weber State

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”

~William Pollard

One of the key things about education is that it is constantly changing: new ideas, new information to be taught, new ways to teach. Education cannot be static if it is to be successful. Faculty innovation in higher education should not be merely for the sake of innovation, but to help increase student success. For the most part, the status quo will not be sustainable in making an impact on student success because the world and student needs are changing on a daily basis.

Innovation does not always have to involve technology, although in our current circumstances, it very well could. Sometimes it can be as simple, but also as complex, as finding new ways to engage your students. At its core, active and engaged learning moves your students away from passive listening and provides activities that will help them apply their learning. While lecturing can be dynamic and engaging, there are also other effective ways to engage students in their own learning. To learn more, read “How to Make Your Teaching More Engaging” by Sarah Rose Cavanagh.

TLF Announcements and Tools

Fall Book Groups

It’s almost time to sign up for book groups again. Check out this semester’s book list . Sign-up begins this week. Visit our website for changes to book group policy during Covid-19. The deadline to sign-up is September 25.

The Inclusive Teaching Practices Toolkit

Download this set of free resources—including videos and downloadable planning guides—that can be immediately put to use to benefit both faculty and their students. These practices are tailored for online teaching but are also relevant to the physical classroom.

Video Systems for Teaching

With the help of WSU Online and Classroom Technology Services, the CATS team has worked up a quick reference sheet for the various video platforms that are encouraged and supported on campus.

Redesign for Virtual-Online

Find links, learning paths, tools, and contact information for redesigning your class for online or virtual environments. The Faculty Development in Online Teaching & Learning Task Force has put together a checklist with everything you will need to revamp your courses for the next semester.

Teaching in a Digital Classroom Series

The Classroom Technology Services team has upgraded over 200 classrooms with new technology that facilitates lecture capture and live streaming of classes. Many of the courses designated as FLEX in the class schedule will be taught in these technology enhanced classrooms. This Teaching in a Digital Classroom Series is designed to build your skills for teaching in classrooms equipped with this new technology. The first 200 faculty members (contract, tenure track and adjunct included) who successfully complete the series will receive $100.