Tea for Teaching

Faculty workload often feels overwhelming. In this episode, Kristin Croyle joins us to discuss strategies that can help us manage time and keep our workload under control. Kristin is a psychologist and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Engineering at SUNY Oswego. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Impostor phenomena can deter college students, especially students from historically underrepresented groups, from pursuing majors in STEM disciplines. In this episode, Sara Kien joins us to discuss strategies that can reduce imposter phenomena and reduce equity gaps in student success. Sara is an Associate Teaching Professor at Northern Arizona University. She has a PhD in cognitive psychology and recently completed a masters degree in information and data science. Sara is an award winning educator with over 20 years of experience and the author of Data Science and AI in Psychology, an interactive eTextbook on data science, big data, and machine learning in psychology. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Online classes provide opportunities for students not served by traditional in-person classes, but asynchronous experiences can seem isolating for both students and instructors. In this episode, Flower Darby joins us to discuss ways to make online instruction more joyful for both students and faculty. Flower is an Associate Director of the Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Missouri. Prior to this position, she served as an Assistant Dean of Online and Innovative Pedagogies and Director of Teaching for Student Success. Flower has over 30 years of teaching experience, including both in-person and online modalities, and is frequently invited as a keynote speaker at academic conferences. She is a co-author of Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Sciences in Online Classes, and The Norton Guide to Equity-Minded Teaching. Her new book, The Joyful Online Teacher: Finding Our Fizz in Asynchronous Classes, has just been released by the University of Oklahoma Press. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

This podcast is a recording of a panel session featuring three online learning leaders, that was presented at the SUNY Online Learning Summit on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The panelists are Yakut Gazi, Marina Amini, and Van Davis. Yakut is the Vice Provost for Learning Innovation and Digital Education at Duke University. Marina is the Executive Director of the California Virtual Campus, and Van is the Executive Director of WCET and the Vice President of Digital Learning at WICHE. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Students planning to major in STEM fields, especially students from groups historically underrepresented in these fields, are often deterred by their experiences in introductory courses. In this episode, Sarah Rose Cavanagh joins us to discuss an NSF-funded initiative designed to enhance student success in introductory Biology classes. Sarah is a psychologist and the author of four books related to teaching and learning. She is the senior associate director for teaching and learning and associate professor of practice at Simmons University and also is a regular contributor to The Chronicle and many other publications. Sarah often serves as a keynote speaker and we were very fortunate to have her join us for a keynote address at a recent Academic Affairs Retreat on our  campus. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Academic freedom in the U.S. is increasingly under attack. In this episode, Kent Kauffman joins us to discuss the legal and contractual origins of, current threats to, and the social benefits resulting from maintaining academic freedom. Kent is an Associate Professor of Business Law and MBA Programs Faculty Liaison in the Department of Economics and Finance at Purdue University. He is also the author of Navigating Choppy Waters: Key Legal Issues College Faculty Need to Know. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

In challenging times, it is very easy for educators to be distracted from what we value most in our work. In this episode, Roberta Schnorr joins us to discuss how mindfulness practice can help us bring our authentic selves to our classrooms.   Roberta was, until her retirement, one of our colleagues at SUNY Oswego. Her professional career spanned 40 years, including nearly a decade in public schools, over 25 years directing a graduate program in SUNY Oswego’s School of Education, and she has been a mindfulness practitioner for 20 years. She has taught and facilitated mindfulness in community settings, including a prison and a public library. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Tim Curry, a health sciences lecturer building AI tools for autism research and tribal health and creating an Applied Health Analytics program. He discusses using AI tutors instead of textbooks, a portfolio-driven weekly course structure, workload calibration and ungrading, a Gemini-based Socratic tutor with guardrails, and equity, privacy, and culturally adapted AI for tribal health.

Christina Lee, director expanding global learning and short-term/virtual exchanges for STEM and CTE students, and Josh McKeown, associate provost leading international STEM workforce partnerships, discuss a grant-funded international collaboration. They cover consortium formation, short-term faculty-led trips and virtual exchanges, industry partnerships with Samsung/TSMC/Micron, semiconductor workforce needs, and designing accessible, degree-friendly global experiences.

In this engaging discussion, Karen Costa, a faculty development facilitator and author of An Educator's Guide to ADHD, shares her insights on supporting ADHD learners. She debunks myths surrounding ADHD, suggesting a shift toward a strengths-based mindset. Karen discusses barriers to diagnosis and the importance of understanding ADHD as a unique 'open neurotype.' With practical classroom strategies like external task lists and inclusive design, she emphasizes creativity and community connection for empowering ADHD students.