May 2021 Tuesday Tips

4 May 2021:

Dear faculty, 

Rebecca Nelson, the FDEV administrative support coordinator, sent me a nice reminder about the Tuesday Tip today and I panicked: blank, zip, nada. I got nothing! 

The Tuesday Tip snuck up on me, coming out of nowhere: I had not thought of a topic, let alone was ready to write about a topic. The past week has been focused on ChicoFlex, QLT, the Zine, welcoming two new student assistants (we can’t wait for you to meet them!), planning for summer training, and well… the Tuesday Tip surprised me.  

I always feel I can juggle anything, no matter how much work it is, but the Tuesday Tip fiasco was a reminder that, in fact, I can’t. 

And then I realized that this episode was actually worth writing as a tip: I feel your pain, I feel how overwhelmed you are, I know you feel that this semester needs to end because there is not much energy left. The cup is not “runneth over”: it’s running empty.  

I also know that you are tired of being offered professional development opportunities when all you need is a nap! 

So, my tips for you this week are as follows: 

1. Take a break from grading, seriously. A short break can do wonders for refocusing our mind. I know you have endless grading. But make sure you take some breaks. 
2. Go outside. Enjoy the sun and the weather (I know, it’s hot, there is pollen, but still, leave the office for a bit). 
3. Do not feel guilty about saying “No.”  
4. Do not feel vulnerable about needing help, and reach out for that help. 
5. Enjoy lovely food and indulge in some treats. 
6. Take care of your body, in the way your body needs it (for some people this means working out, for others being outdoors, for others maybe just relaxing). Listen to what your body needs. 
7. Focus on something that does not involve a screen or a computer. 
8. Have a chat with a friend, and even better, share some laughs too. 
9. Register(opens in new window) for Angela Davis’ talk (yes, this is nourishment!) 

Faculty Development has a million resources for you, and we are always available to help and provide support. But for today, our only tip is to take good care of yourselves. 

Chiara Ferrari, Ph.D. 
Faculty Development, Director 
Campus zip: 026 
Phone: 530-898-3094 
https://www.csuchico.edu/fdev/ 
Professor 
Department of Media Arts, Design, and Technology 
Campus zip: 504 
Phone: 530-898-4647 

If you’d like to comment on this or any other Tuesday Tip, visit the FDEV Blog(opens in new window).

11 May 2021:

Dear faculty,

I know I mentioned in my last Tuesday Tip that you might be tired of opportunities for professional development and that you might prefer a nap at this stage, but….

We do have a great series of summer programs available and I want to make sure you know where to find them and how to apply. Below, you will find information about three different opportunities that we hope you will consider!

2 Ps in 2 Days: Increasing Student Engagement (Hosted by: Office of Civic Engagement)

May 27-28, 2021

Faculty will develop plans to increase students' engagement through assignments that highlight a sense of place and community partnerships. Learn how you can tweak a single course to better align your assignments with the 2 Ps, or work with a group of interdisciplinary faculty on university-community partnerships. Campus and community presenters will share their experience and expertise. Participants will be provided blocks of time to work with a more experienced colleague to apply the 2 Ps in ways that are meaningful for their discipline and deepen student learning.

Contact Ann Schulte(opens in new window) for more information or questions.

Institute on Active & Experiential Learning (Hosted by the Office of Faculty Development)

June 8-10, 14-15

The Office of Faculty Development will be offering an Institute on Active & Experiential Learning in Summer 2021 (June 8-15). The Institute is designed to offer faculty practical tools, resources, and ideas to use in the classroom to facilitate and promote more active methods of learning. The institute will be offered virtually, via Zoom.

The Institute will provide faculty the opportunity to work in cohorts and explore best pedagogical practices that promote:

1. student research;
2. innovative use of classroom space;
3. civic and global engagement;
4. application of learning to professional fields
5. collaborations with local institutions and businesses. 

The institute will also offer resources in relation to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and faculty will have a chance to explore successful examples of SoTL. 

Faculty development is looking for both faculty participants and faculty that can facilitate workshops in the areas listed above.

Full Call for Applications (Google Doc)

Application for Participants(opens in new window)

Application for Workshop Facilitators(opens in new window) 

Contact Chiara Ferrari(opens in new window) for questions.

GoFlex Summer Institute (Hosted by: TLP, FDEV, and CST)

Session #1 - June 22, 23, 24, 29, and 30; approx 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Session #2 - July 27, 28, 29, August 3 and 4; approx 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In fall 2021, there will be over 100 classrooms equipped with new tracking cameras and microphones installed in the ceilings that allow students online in Zoom to communicate with the faculty and students in-person in the classroom. These classrooms are called hyflex classrooms. 

ChicoFlex is the Mode of Instruction (MOI) we created that gives students flexibility in attending their classes in-person and/or online. ChicoFlex classes are noted in the Class Schedule and are taught in hyflex classrooms. More information on hyflex classrooms and ChicoFlex modes of instruction can be found here(opens in new window).

For faculty to prepare to teach in hyflex classrooms in fall 2021 or spring 2022, we are offering a GoFlex Summer Institute. This call for applications is for faculty participants and mentors. Faculty participants will learn about how to manage the classroom equipment, the features and configurations to engage in-person and online students at the same time. Faculty mentors will lead and facilitate a cohort of up to 15 faculty. GoFlex will support faculty in leveraging tools (e.g. Poll Everywhere for polling students both online and in-person at the same time), sharing templates for student activities and best practices for classroom rules of engagement in this new environment.  

Full call for applications (Google Doc)

Application Form(opens in new window)

DRAFT Schedule at a glance (Google Doc)

Contact Kathy Fernandes(opens in new window) or Chiara Ferrari(opens in new window) for questions.

If you’d like to comment on this or any other Tuesday Tip, visit the FDEV Blog(opens in new window).

18 May 2021:

Sent on behalf of Ariana Singh, FDEV Student Assistant

In my four years as the Student Assistant(opens in new window) for the Office of Faculty Development(opens in new window), I have learned many things and met many people. Fresh out of high school, this was my first and only job before starting my career – what a serious jump, right? All the experience and knowledge gained from a tiny office job – and by tiny, I mean with such a small team – all to get me to where I am today. I’m graduating this week, so cheers to that! I start with my career full time in less than a month with a prestigious law enforcement agency. With this week’s Tuesday Tip, I am offering a student perspective on Faculty Development. 

FDEV has taught me a lot over the years, but it has mostly given me the rare opportunity to see things from the perspective of the faculty. I loved getting to know the cohorts of new faculty over the years, planning events for all faculty on-campus, and being able to provide resources. It’s truly been an honor, as I know that not as many students get to know faculty on the level I feel that I have. I mean, had I never worked for FDEV, I’d probably be that student that complains about grades not being posted fast enough, and so on. 

Fortunately, I have been able to work with so many awesome faculty and other members of the campus community. Just last week, I was presenting FDEV Website Metrics data to the President and Provost, as well as many other VPs, and I realize that not many students may have that opportunity in their academic careers. I feel that this job has given me experience that I will hold near and dear, and it also has matured me in ways that I know will benefit me in life. Did I expect this assistant job to impact me this much when applying? Absolutely not! Yet, here I am. I always try to bring my best understanding of the faculty perspective into student conversions amongst my peers, and also I try to bring the student perspective to my work. This balance has helped myself and others think bigger, and more “outside the box.” It also brings me to appreciate the work that we all do together on this campus. I appreciate all the faculty I’ve had as professors, I’ve met through work, or haven’t met personally but have processed paperwork for. You are the fuel that keeps students going, so please keep working on your professional development because I can assure you that it helps! Take advantage of what the Office of Faculty Development has to offer you, your students will love you for it!

If you’d like to comment on this or any other Tuesday Tip, visit the FDEV Blog(opens in new window).