Monthly Archives

October 2024

Francesca Joyce
In Instructional Strategies & Student Engagement, Smeal Academy Sessions

Communication Skills for Teaching and Presenting

Skilled staff and professors must possess technical expertise AND communication skills that generate interest in their areas of expertise. This could mean the difference between success (or failure) in the classroom, earning a grant, or garnering support from the community at large regarding why your work matters. This session introduces the strategies required to garner audience interest and support. Andy Gustafson is a professor of Leadership Communication in the Smeal College of Business. He has taught Penn State MBAs for almost 30 years. In addition to the work that Andy does with the college, he has also provided Communication Consulting for firms like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanely, Lockheed-Martin, McDonald’s, and PNC.

Michael Christie
In Smeal Academy Newsletter

Smeal Academy Newsletter: October 2024

Engagement is like a box of chocolates…

Halloween candy and quality classroom engagement share a lot in common!

Variety Appeals to Different Tastes 

  • Halloween Candy: A good candy mix ensures that there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
  • Classroom Engagement: Just like candy, a mix of activities like group discussions, hands-on projects, visual aids, and tech-based learning helps engage all students, not just a select few.

A Little Goes a Long Way

  • Halloween Candy: Even a small handful of candy is enough! You don’t need to overindulge to feel satisfied.
  • Classroom Engagement: You don’t always need an elaborate plan to engage students. Small, well-designed learning moments can go a long way in keeping students engaged and satisfied.

Immediate Gratification and Long-Term Impact

  • Halloween Candy: Candy is a quick, enjoyable reward. But there’s also the lasting memory of the joy of sharing candy with friends.
  • Course Content: Students experience immediate engagement when they can see its value in their lives, and that impact lasts as they apply what they’ve learned in meaningful ways.

Podcast Spotlight

Smeal Students Share What Creates Classroom Connection

This month’s podcast features students from Smeal’s brand-new BA 397 Business Communication Course, discussing their favorite classroom engagement strategies. They discuss everything from TopHat to AI to cold-calling in the classroom!

Podcasts are released frequently, and housed on our eLDIG website, or follow the Smeal Academy Podcast on your preferred podcatcher!


Listen Here

Engage With Smeal Academy

OCT
18

Smeal Academy GenAI Series – How AI is Reshaping the Landscape of Higher Education

October 18, 2024 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Join Raymond Kusch, Founder and CEO of American Inference, and a Smeal Executive DBA student for this engaging session. Raymond will cover:

  • a high-level overview of what faculty should know about AI
  • the nature and capabilities of Generative AI
  • top AI trends and their implications for education
  • foundational knowledge and ethical considerations from an industry perspective
  • critical concerns in higher education, including academic integrity and data privacy

As a special feature, Raymond will demonstrate Engaged Scholar, an innovative SaaS solution streamlining academic research.

Join us via Zoom.

OCT
23

Smeal Academy Session – Communication Skills for Teaching and Presenting with Andy Gustafson

October 23, 2024 from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Skilled staff and professors must possess technical AND communication skills that generate interest in their areas of expertise. This could mean the difference between success (or failure) in the classroom, earning a grant, or garnering support from the community regarding why your work matters. This session will introduce strategies required to garner audience interest and support.

Join us via Zoom.

NOV
4

Smeal Academy Roundtable Discussion: Why Aren’t They Paying Attention? Practical Approaches for Reaching Gen Z Students

November 4, 2024 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Who among us has not had moments of frustration staring out at a sea of young faces beaming looks of boredom or, worse, staring glassy eyed into their phones? Join other Smeal instructors and instructional designers to share experiences and discuss creative connection strategies for today’s higher ed. classroom.

Join us via Zoom.

Previous Smeal Academy session recordings can be viewed on the eLDIG website. You may want to watch our Smeal Academy session on suggestions for how to plan for asynchronous instruction on Election Day, November 5th.

Ask eLDIG: Simple Student Polling Solution?

Q:

I want to better engage students in my classroom. Is there a polling tool that is free, easy to set up and use, and can scale for any size class?

A:

Yes! The Microsoft Forms “Quiz” feature can be used to quickly:

  • identify gaps in student knowledge,
  • guide classroom discussion, and
  • engage students in learning content.

Polls can be set up with just a couple of clicks and students can access them easily via QR code or URL. Best of all, it’s built right into Penn State’s Office 365 suite, so creating engaging polls has never been easier!

Check out our latest Video Tech Tip to get started!

Have a question?
Email [email protected] and let us know!

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.

Contact Us

Francesca Joyce
In Academic Integrity, Smeal Academy Sessions

The Blue Folder: Breaking Down Smeal’s Academic Integrity Violation Process

This session brings together Michelle Darnell, Smeal’s Director of Honor and Integrity, and Lisa Posey, Smeal College Academic Integrity Officer, for a “must-see” session. Whether you have been teaching for years or this is your first semester, this session provides helpful information to streamline the academic integrity violation process. In this session, Michelle and Lisa:

  • discuss the process for instructors who suspect an academic integrity violation in their course,
  • clarify requirements for documentation submitted to the online Academic Integrity System, and
  • review the guidance for GenAI plagiarism detection tools from Faculty Senate and the Joint Standing Committee on the Effective and Responsible Use of AI in Higher Education Instruction.

 

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