Preparation and dedication are key to starting a successful semester. To support faculty in kicking off the fall semester effectively, the Center for Faculty Development hosted the "Start Fall Strong: Tools and Tips for Fall Planning" workshops. Sessions were designed to equip faculty with practical tools and strategies to enhance their fall course planning, ensuring they are ready to inspire, engage, and foster a sense of belonging among their students. The workshops were designed with faculty new to 麻豆国产AV and teaching in mind.
The two-hour event began with a focus on syllabus design. Annette Finley-Croswhite, Director of the Center for Faculty Development, provided examples of inclusive syllabus language and student-centered syllabus design. Drawing on Catherine Denial's book, A Pedagogy of Kindness, Finley-Croswhite emphasized the importance of embedding kindness in the classroom. Faculty explored ways to design syllabi that help students grasp new material, apply knowledge, and retain information for their future careers. Participants also shared tips and ideas for improving classroom policies, and Finley-Croswhite reviewed the requirements for syllabi outlined in the 麻豆国产AV Teaching and Research Faculty Handbook.
Course design is another vital component of student success, which was the focus of the second session on course design and welcome videos. Kristal Kinloch-Taylor, Educational Program Developer for the Center for Faculty Development, led the first part of the session, guiding faculty through the process of constructing courses that are easy to navigate, feature consistent and logical file names, and eliminate unused tools from the course navigation. Approaching the workshop from an inclusivity perspective, Kinloch-Taylor referenced What Inclusive Instructors Do to guide faculty in creating inclusive courses that are equitable, accessible, and representative of diverse student voices.
The second half of the session centered on welcome videos. Faculty learned how to use applications like Zoom to create accessible, relatable welcome videos that provide an overview of the course. Kinloch-Taylor demonstrated the importance of starting with a brief script and keeping videos to 2-3 minutes in length. She also showcased how she developed a 90-second welcome video in Zoom, including a meeting link.
More than 80 麻豆国产AV faculty attended the workshops, and it was clear that everyone was eager to start the semester strong. For further reference, the CFD houses a discussion of syllabus design and a syllabus template online: Syllabus Design.
Works cited:聽
Addy, T., Dube, D., Mitchell, K., & SoRelle, M. (2021). What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices in College Teaching. New York: Routledge.
Denial, C., A Pedagogy of Kindness. (2024). Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.