Teaching and learning resources brought to you by:Smeal’s eLearning Design & Innovation Group (eLDIG)
Set the Stage on the First Day
Welcome back to a brand-new academic year! As you prepare to navigate the first week of classes, take a moment to embrace the opportunities for learning – for you and your students – that come with it.
As you plan your first day of class, consider these ideas for sparking student curiosity and excitement:
- Consider the Climate: Research shows that the instructor’s emotions have an impact on instructional behavior and learning. Start the semester by infusing your classroom with confidence, enthusiasm, and optimism. Make space for communicating your passion for your topic. It’s contagious!
- Make Connections: Learning is social! Students are often more willing to participate when they feel connected to others in the classroom. Make time for you and your students to introduce yourselves to each other. As the semester progresses, you can build on this by having students work in pairs or small groups.
- Motivate Students: “I Care. I Can. I Matter.” In a recent LinkedIn post, Jose Antonio Bowen shared that students are motivated when they feel all three of these things. How can you reinforce these beliefs in your students this semester?
For more great suggestions, listen to the latest Smeal Academy Podcast, highlighted below!
Podcast Spotlight
Faculty Focus: Strategies for Engaging Students from the Start
Join Jennifer Eury, Ron Johnson, and Schalyn Sohn as they share their best advice for starting the semester off strong! They discuss everything from engaging activities for the first day of class to cultivating connection in the classroom!
Podcasts are released frequently, and housed on our eLDIG website, or follow the Smeal Academy Podcast on your preferred podcatcher!
GenAI and Syllabus Recommendations
Add a Policy About Artificial Intelligence Tools Like ChatGPT or Claude
eLDIG has prepared sample syllabus statements you can adapt based on your course objectives. Once you determine the GenAI policy for your course, we suggest adding a statement in each Canvas assignment reminding students of the GenAI policy. Our GenAI Canvas Assignment icons can be incorporated into your course to communicate your expectations.
Include a Link to Syllabus Policy Language Maintained by eLDIG
Do you struggle to keep up with syllabus policies? eLDIG maintains a current Smeal Undergraduate Residential Syllabus, Part 2 based on the semester instructions from Undergraduate Programs. You are welcome to link to this from your syllabus now or in the future.
Tips for Teaching with Technology
1
Ensure Your Canvas Course is Ready with eLDIG’s Beginning of Semester Checklist for Instructors
There is a lot to think about when preparing to teach and set up your Canvas space. Use this helpful checklist to ensure that you have covered your Canvas bases and are ready for Day 1!
2
Set Up Your Gradebook
If you will be using the Canvas Grades feature to calculate and communicate grades to students (recommended), you will need to configure the gradebook settings. For detailed instructions, refer to the How Do I Use the Gradebook? page.
We’re Here to Help!
We can help you with course design and redesign, educational technology tools such as Canvas, Zoom, and Kaltura, strategies for assessment and evaluation, instructional best practices, and the integration of Smeal College and University-wide resources.
Let’s start a conversation about how Smeal’s eLearning Design & Innovation Group can help you.
