吃瓜网

Teaching Support Network

The Teaching Support Network pairs faculty for one semester to engage in activities focused on pedagogical development. This could be peer observations, exchanging course syllabi, reading and discussing pedagogical scholarship, sharing strategies for handling challenges in the classroom, assisting with course development, and more.  
 
All participating faculty will be matched and invited to gather for a kick-off meeting from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, in the Weller Room of the library. During the semester, participants should make time to meet with their co-mentor two or three times. The CLTL will provide lunch tickets to subsidize one of those meetings. A final wrap-up session will be held at the conclusion of the semester. All efforts will be made to pair you with someone whose teaching schedule does not conflict with yours and whose pedagogical development activities align with your own. If you are interested in participating in the coming semester, please complete the form on the CLTL website by Friday, Sept. 6.   

AI Learning Clusters 

This mentoring program will unite interested faculty with fellow colleagues proficient in harnessing AI in the service of student learning. These clusters will consist of two AI-proficient faculty and three or four faculty seeking to build AI fluencies in pedagogical pursuits. Each cluster will have divisional diversity to foster interdisciplinary learning.  
 
CLTL and LEDS will host a kick-off meeting in the Weller Room (Lib 212) from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. The meeting will connect you to your cluster and include an introduction to and basic training in AI. Participants will be given a copy of 鈥淭eaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Learning鈥� (Bowen & Watson, 2024) and encouraged to attend a discussion with co-author Eddie Watson on Sept. 24.  
 
Clusters will meet biweekly (total of six times) for an hour. Mentors will provide guidance on designing AI-related course content, developing assignments, and evaluating student learning outcomes. Each participant is encouraged to share case studies, best practices, and AI tools relevant to their own and different disciplines. With generous support from the Office of the Dean of Faculty, we can compensate all participants $250 for the semester. To signal interest in belonging to an AI Learning Cluster, please complete by Friday, Sept. 6. 

Universal Design for Learning Consultants  

This academic year, the CLTL and Student Academic Services (SAS) are relaunching a consultancy program pairing folks on campus who have undergone training in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with colleagues who wish to adopt UDL practices in their own course design and practice. Participants will be compensated at a rate of $150 to meet twice (60-90 minutes) throughout the semester. The CLTL will support one of those meetings with lunch tickets to Murray-Aikins Dining Hall and each participant will receive a copy of 鈥淩each Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education鈥濃��(Tobin & Behling, 2018).  
 
If you would like to benefit from this kind of tailored individual pedagogical support, please by Friday, Sept. 13. We will do everything we can to accommodate requests, but there are a limited number of consultancies (first come, first served!). While preference will be given to folks who have not signed up in the past, we welcome all faculty to apply! If you are simply interested in learning more,鈥�check out these UDL resources and read over this written by 吃瓜网 students on the benefits of UDL.  

鈥淭eaching with AI鈥� with Eddie Watson 

Date: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24  

Description: The CLTL and Macalester College cordially invite you to join us virtually for a livestream interactive presentation and conversation with C. Edward Watson, co-author of鈥�鈥淭eaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning鈥� (Johns Hopkins UP, 2024). In this groundbreaking and practical guide, you will discover how to harness and manage AI as a powerful teaching tool. The authors present emerging and powerful research on the seismic changes AI is already creating in schools and the workplace, providing invaluable insights into what AI can accomplish in the classroom and beyond. Please Folks interested in obtaining a free copy of the book in advance of the event should  

Fall book club: 鈥淣ew College Classroom鈥�  

Date: 12:30-2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall Test Kitchen 

Description: This book by Distinguished Professor at the CUNY Graduate Center Cathy Davidson and Postdoctoral Research Associate and Associate Director of Transformative Learning in the Humanities Christina Katopodis uses the latest research in learning science to discuss easily implemented strategies for active learning across disciplines (Harvard UP, 2022). If you are interested in participating in a discussion about this book, please email Beck Krefting to receive a copy of the book prior to the event. There is space for up to 12 folks to participate 鈥� first come, first served. You may only request a copy if you know you can commit to attending. Lunch tickets will be distributed in the Atrium.

鈥業nteractive鈥疭tudent-Faculty Pedagogy Partnership鈥疨anel鈥痑nd Discussion鈥� 

Date: 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, on Zoom

Description: The specifics of student-faculty pedagogy partnership programs vary, but all follow a similar model: Students partner with faculty, combining their perspectives and knowledge to analyze, adapt, and improve pedagogical practices and create more equitable classrooms. Both student and faculty participants in these programs have a wealth of knowledge and experience on critical pedagogy, mediation, and communication in the classroom. In this panel, three pairs of student-faculty partners from Bryn Mawr College, Agnes Scott College, and Carleton College will discuss their respective programs, introducing 吃瓜网 students and faculty to models of student-faculty pedagogy partnerships. The discussion will be facilitated by Lucia Hulsether, assistant professor in religious studies, and co-sponsored by the CLTL, HHMI, and students in IL 258: Allies in Learning and Teaching.

(Spooky) Research Salon with Sarah Sweeney: 鈥楳y Deepfake Dad (Photographs and Conversations)鈥� 

Date: 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, in the Weller Room (Lib 212)

Description: Can you make new memories with someone who is dead? In two interrelated projects, Sweeney attempts to answer that question.鈥�鈥淐onversations with My Deepfake Dad鈥� is a series of six conversations created through interactions with the audio deepfake of her father who died 30 years ago; meanwhile, 鈥淧hotographs of My Deepfake Dad鈥� is a series of six photographic experiments in which she uses analog and digital tools to try to visually conjure her father. Lunch is provided. In order to accommodate dietary needs, . 

Allies in Learning and Teaching 
Allies in Learning and Teaching (ALT) is a pilot teacher-learner liaison program. Designed with both students and faculty in mind, student liaisons collaborate with professors to create more equitable and accessible classrooms by facilitating faculty-student communication and offering insights into pedagogical practices. Complete this brief form to participate. 

Teaching Support Network 
The Teaching Support Network pairs faculty for one semester to engage in activities focused on pedagogical development 鈥� this could be peer observations, exchanging course syllabi, reading and discussing pedagogical scholarship, sharing strategies for handling challenges in the classroom, assisting with course development, and more. The CLTL director will match faculty before inviting all participating faculty to gather for a kick-off meeting from 4 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, in the Weller Room of the library. During the semester, participants should make time to meet with their co-mentor two to three times. The CLTL will provide lunch tickets to subsidize one of those meetings. All efforts will be made to pair faculty with harmonious schedules and whose pedagogical development activities are in alignment. Those interested in participating in the coming semester should complete this form by Monday, Feb. 3.

鈥楢I can do that? What鈥檚 left for student learning? Well, a lot, actually!鈥� with Chris Hakala 

Date: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, in LEDS Classroom (Lib 222)

Description: Since the introduction of widely available AI tools, faculty have consistently expressed concern over the use of AI in their courses. The biggest concern has been that students will use the AI tool to not engage in the content, and students will not learn what they are expected to learn. This workshop will discuss ways faculty can leverage AI in their teaching by considering how students learn and how AI can support learning by removing cognitive load on some areas to focus on the course鈥檚 learning objectives. in this workshop. 

Bio: Chris Hakala, director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship and professor of psychology at Springfield College, has over 30 years of experience as a professor and center director in higher education. Over the years, his research has focused on reading comprehension, teaching, and learning, as well as effective faculty development and assessment. Chris has presented at dozens of colleges and universities on topics ranging from reading narrative text to how to effectively manage large classes or engage students in ways that maximize learning. This year, Chris is one of approximately 30 faculty members from around the country serving as a faculty mentor on AI through the American Association of Colleges and Universities.鈥�

鈥楿nderstanding Neurodiversity and Working with Students Who Are on the Autism Spectrum鈥� with Rachel Mann-Rosan (supported by SAS)   

Date: Noon-1:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, in Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, second floor

Description: Research suggests that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present with a unique profile of challenges and needs compared to students with other disabilities, such as ADHD. Some of these unique characteristics of ASD can present challenges for faculty and staff.鈥疉dditionally, the accommodations typically used for providing for the needs of students with other disabilities (e.g., extra time on exams or separate test rooms) may not be as helpful for students with ASD or fully meet their needs. This presentation and discussion will help attendees better understand what these characteristics are and what typical practice and research would suggest as possible avenues for intervention and support by faculty and staff.鈥� Mann-Rosan will offer a solution-oriented approach to specific concerns and challenges submitted by attendees. by Thursday, Feb. 6, to attend. 

Bio: Rachel Mann-Rosan is a clinical psychologist and senior teaching professor in the Department of Psychology. She teaches a variety of courses related to general and clinical psychology with a focus on individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities, as well as ASD. She has spent the past 25 years working with and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and a range of psychological disorders. Currently, she also acts as the consulting psychologist for Saratoga Bridges.

Faculty Panel: 鈥楶erceptions of AI 鈥� Biases, Ethics, and Approaches鈥� 

Date: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, in the Wyckoff Center 

Description: Faculty will share their perspectives on how they integrate AI into their teaching, their experiences of (re)designing assignments to further student learning, and the challenges and ethical concerns of this new technology.

Student Panel: 鈥楶erceptions of AI 鈥� Biases, Ethics, and Approaches鈥� 

Date: 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in Emerson

Description: Students will share their experiences with AI in the classroom and how it contributes to their learning, the opportunities it provides, as well as the challenges and ethical concerns of this new technology.

Spring Book Club  

Date: Noon-1:15 p.m. Friday, March 21, in the Test Kitchen (Murray-Aikins Dining Hall) 

Description: Join us to discuss 鈥淭he Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World,鈥� the latest book by ecologist and writer Robin Wall Kimmerer. In 鈥淭he Serviceberry,鈥� Dr. Kimmerer explores concepts of natural and human interconnectedness through the lenses of science and indigenous knowledge. Dr. Kimmerer, MacArthur fellow and distinguished teaching professor at SUNY-ESF, will visit Skidmore as a distinguished scholar in STEM on Thursday, March 27, and Friday, March 28.鈥� Faculty and staff interested in participating 鈥� first come, first served. All spaces for the Tuesday, March 25, event have been filled. Copies of 鈥淭he Serviceberry鈥� should only be requested by those who can commit to attending. Lunch tickets will be distributed in the Atrium prior to each event. 

AI and Creativity: In Art and in the Classroom 

Date: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, March 21, in the Weller Room (Lib 212) 

Description: Join the discussion around AI and creativity in our work as artists and in our teaching. Share knowledge and ideas, engage in conversation, and build community around the many ways AI is transforming, disrupting, and opening new pathways. This gathering will begin what we hope will be an ongoing conversation between people with all levels of comfortability using AI. All are welcome! 

Research Salon with Jeff Segrave: 鈥楳y Olympic Journey鈥� 

Date: 12:30-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, in the Weller Room (Lib 212) 

Description: Segrave鈥檚 interest in the Olympic Games encompasses a lifetime, with his scholarly involvement enduring throughout his entire career. "My Olympic Journey鈥� will focus on the interim years 鈥� the years between the abolition of the ancient Games in the late fourth century and their revival in 1896 鈥� and the ways in which the Olympic legacy has endured in art, literature, poetry, music, and dance, and in passing iterations of Olympic Games. Lunch is provided. To accommodate dietary needs, by Thursday, April 3.

Bio: A native of Birmingham, England, Jeffrey Segrave earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree at the University of Exeter, a master鈥檚 degree at Washington State University, and a doctoral degree at Arizona State University. His main area of scholarly interest lies in the sociocultural analysis of sport, embracing an interdisciplinary approach that seeks to study sport at the intersections of history, sociology, philosophy, and literature.

Teaching with Wikipedia 

Date: 3-4:30 p.m. Friday, April 11, in the Weller Room (Lib 212) 

Description: This workshop explores how faculty can use Wikipedia to enhance digital literacy, foster critical thinking, and engage students in knowledge creation. Caitlin Jorgensen (English), Nurcan Atalan-Helicke (environmental studies and sciences), and Evan Halstead (physics) will share how they have integrated Wikipedia into their courses, discussing their experiences, assignment design, resources, and best practices. The session will provide practical strategies for making Wikipedia an effective part of teaching, for both those curious about using Wikipedia and those looking to refine existing assignments.   

Faculty Retention Lunch Series 

Date: 12:15-1:15 p.m. Monday, April 14, and 12:45-1:45 p.m. Thursday, April 17, in the Test Kitchen (Murray-Aikins Dining Hall) 

Description: Join Janet Casey, associate dean for diversity and faculty affairs, and Beck Krefting for one of two lunch discussions on faculty retention. These discussions will explore best practices for fostering an inclusive, supportive, and sustainable academic environment. We鈥檒l examine strategies that enhance faculty satisfaction, belonging, and long-term engagement. This should be an informative conversation for faculty members at any stage of their career.