February 2025 Tuesday Tips

4th February 2025

Tuesday Teaching Tip: Remember Why You Started

You have probably seen a quippy phrase like “when you want to quit, remember why you started” at gyms or other places. This is often something I think of when completing tasks(opens in new window) at the University. In Faculty Development, we are lucky to work in the Meriam Library. When we are filling out paperwork or planning an event with thousands of details we can hear students meeting and learning right outside our office doors. It is a reminder of why we are here and the academic growth we are a part of. 

Research suggests(opens in new window) connecting our daily tasks to our broader goals enhances engagement. By reminding ourselves of the reasons we chose this profession we can find renewed motivation(opens in new window). 

• Reflect on Your Origin Story: What was the thing that got you started? Maybe it was a lab experiment or watching others learn as a student–regardless, most of us can point to something that got us started–return to it.
• Celebrate Small Wins: We are bad at this as Academics. We rush to the next milestone without reflecting on the journey. Take a moment to reflect on the students you’ve impacted or the progress you made on a writing project. It’s okay to take time for this.
• Engage with Peers: Sharing experiences and challenges with fellow educators can provide support and remind you that you're part of a dedicated community committed to making a difference.

Visit the Rose Garden Room in MLIB 459 if you need a space for focused work to read, write, or grade. View the calendar for the most up-to-date availability.

We also want to remind you of two programs that may help you enhance your passion for teaching and learning.

The Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) Program is an asynchronous, self-paced Canvas course structured around the QLT evaluation rubric. This QLT course is designed to meet core standards in the QLT instrument through the completion of eight modules with associated deliverables that guide you to fully redesign a course (or design a new course). Topics and deliverables focus on backwards design, student engagement, authentic assessment, inclusion and accessibility, and more. This QLT course requires a final course review. While focusing on online learning, QLT provides a framework that is applicable to all modes of instruction.

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

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

11th February 2025

Tuesday Teaching Tip: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grants

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) application form(opens in new window) is officially open! 

We will be offering awards of up to $1,000 in Professional Development Funds(opens in new window) to directly support faculty research, assessment, implementation, and engagement that enhances teaching and learning.

Last year, awards funded membership subscriptions, art education, student lab hours, robotics and coding skills, conference presentations, community empowerment, and collaborative partnerships to work on projects and publications that directly impact student success.

To apply, fill out the Google application form(opens in new window) by February 18 at 11:59 pm. You need to be logged into Google to complete the application form.

Funds will be transferred to your home department and must be spent or encumbered by the end of the fiscal year on 6/30/2025. We cannot transfer funds for expenses that have already been processed.

We look forward to reviewing the applications.

Application Reminder: Equity-Minded Pedagogy
The Offices of Faculty Development and Undergraduate Education and Academic Success are sharing this opportunity with you from the Chancellor’s Office. The program consists of four Zoom meetings and some asynchronous work totaling an estimated 20-25 hours and the compensation is $1,000. Please see additional details from the Chancellor’s Office below and if interested, complete the simple application(opens in new window). Applications are due by Thursday 2/20 at 11:59 p.m. See the FAQ for full details (PDF).

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

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

18th February 2025

Tuesday Teaching Tip: You Make a Difference

There is a lot going on. I do not need to list the things impacting higher education broadly or Chico State in particular that are occupying mental space for all of us, you already know. For my own mental health in these moments I lean into a daily routine, and into the satisfaction of making small differences, especially for students. A recent Chronicle article (paywall alert) gives greater context to this practice–especially in relation to teaching. Faculty regularly report that while they feel tired, working with students is a bright spot in their lives. In times like this, we need to focus on the areas we have influence. The classroom, whether physical or virtual, is a space where we can make a difference. Our work is connected to a world of political, technological, and economic change, but it is also a space where we can consider those things abstractly and critically to help students build the capacity they will need to thrive in a changing world. 

Speaking of making a difference and teaching, today is the deadline for our Scholarship of Teaching and Learning support applications. Let us help support you by supporting the good work you do with and for your students–apply today. 

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) application form(opens in new window) is officially open! 

We will be offering awards of up to $1,000 in Professional Development Funds(opens in new window) to directly support faculty research, assessment, implementation, and engagement that enhances teaching and learning.

Last year, awards funded membership subscriptions, art education, student lab hours, robotics and coding skills, conference presentations, community empowerment, and collaborative partnerships to work on projects and publications that directly impact student success.

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

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

25th February 2025

Tuesday Teaching Tip: AI Resources and Updates

Division of IT to bring the technology safely to campus(opens in new window). In Faculty Development, our role with Artificial Intelligence has been primarily educational. We have provided tools and strategies for people to use the technology in the classroom and simultaneously to try and make sure students are doing their own original work. We intend to continue working in this space.

We want to emphasize a few points and remind you of the existing resources we have produced and compiled as we adjust our teaching on-the-fly in this ever-changing environment.

1. All of us need to address AI directly in our teaching spaces. We need to be clear with students about our expectations and explain why we are doing what we are doing. We should also be open to hearing from students about their concerns, ideas, and perspectives on AI.
2. The summer will be a moment to reconsider our current dispositions on AI. We continue to compile the best resources from the campus and throughout the system on our AI page. We are also optimistic we will be able to offer AI adaptation programming in May. 
3. We have worked with about 100 faculty in our popular AI retrofit and hundreds more have attended one of our workshops co-produced with TLP. At least one of your colleagues has probably had some exposure that might be helpful, especially if you are starting from scratch. If you want to start a conversation in your program we will come to you–just say the word. 
4. Finally, if you want to meet one-on-one I am happy to make the time and I know my friends and collaborators in TLP feel the same way. 

We look forward to working with you.

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

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