Tea for Teaching

There are few private quiet spaces on most college campuses where students can record podcasts or converse online with counselors or health care providers. In this episode, Michael Revenaugh and Forrest Warner join us to discuss how Hamilton College addressed this by providing students with privacy booths and soundproof recording spaces.  Michael is an instructional designer who specializes in video and audio production at Hamilton College. Forrest Warner is also an instructional designer with a focus on 3D modeling, graphic design, visualization, spatial analysis, and video and audio production, also at Hamilton College. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Todd Zakrajsek, an Associate Research Professor at UNC Chapel Hill, explores essential strategies for college success. He discusses how freshmen often struggle with evidence-based learning techniques and the importance of understanding cognitive load and metacognition. The impact of sleep, nutrition, and exercise on academic performance is highlighted, alongside practical advice for time management, especially for students with ADHD. Todd also shares insights on the writing process and the role of editing in enhancing productivity.

Socratic teaching is a primary pedagogical technique in American law school education. In this episode, Jamie Abrams joins us to discuss barriers this method can impose and strategies for a more inclusive approach to Socratic teaching. Jamie is a Professor of Law and the Director of the Legal Rhetoric Program at the American University Washington College of Law.  She has published numerous books, chapters, and articles, including several on legal education pedagogy. Jamie is the recipient of teaching awards from Blackboard, the University of Louisville, and the American University Washington College of Law. She also co-founded the Brandeis Human Rights Advocacy Program at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law which works to advance the human rights of immigrants, refugees, and noncitizens. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

When thinking about creativity, many students (and faculty) believe that they are either creative or not. In this episode, Susan Keller-Mathers joins us to discuss how the study of creativity can help us get past this false dichotomy in order to develop our creative thinking skills. Sue is an Associate Professor at the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University.  She teaches graduate courses in creativity and has published over 30 articles, chapters, and books on creativity, creative behavior, and the use of deliberate methods to facilitate creative learning. Sue has worked with multiple departments on her campus and with colleagues in over a dozen countries to help infuse creative learning into teaching and learning practices. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Institutional racism in the form of redlining and unequal access to educational and housing opportunities have left generations of students without equitable access to higher education. In this episode, Anthony Abraham Jack joins us to discuss the challenges that first-gen students face and what colleges and faculty can do to reduce these inequities.  Tony is the Inaugural Faculty Director of the Boston University Newbury Center and Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership at Boston University. Tony’s research has appeared in numerous scholarly publications and he is the recipient of numerous awards from the American Sociological Association, American Educational Studies Association, Association for the Study of Higher Education, Eastern Sociological Society, and the Society for the Study of Social Problems. He is the author of The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students and Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

International college students face cultural and financial challenges in addition to those all new college students face. In this episode, Peter Ghazarian and Hayley Weiner join us to discuss strategies institutions might use to support international students.  Peter is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership in the School of Education at SUNY Oswego. He has worked in international education in the US, UK, Germany, and Korea. Peter's work focuses on higher education, leadership, public policy, multiculturalism, and human migration. Hayley is a graduate student in the Higher Education Leadership program at SUNY Oswego. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Marc Watkins, the Assistant Director for Academic Innovation at the University of Mississippi and director of the AI Institute for Teachers, dives into the nuanced impact of AI tools on student learning. He addresses concerns around academic integrity while emphasizing the importance of skill development. The conversation shifts to how generative AI shapes reading and note-taking skills, stressing the need for critical thinking and human oversight. Additionally, Marc explores the ethical implications of AI in education and the urgency of transparent communication in fostering effective learning environments.

We often don't have the opportunity to hear directly from students about inclusive teaching practices. In this episode, Tracie Addy, Derek Dube, and Khadijah A. Mitchell, the authors of Enhancing Inclusive Instruction, join us to explore how student perceptions of inclusive teaching practices align with the growing consensus on what constitutes inclusive teaching.  After serving as the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning at Lafayette College, Tracie will be transitioning to a new role this summer as the Director of the Institute for Teaching, Learning, and Inclusive Pedagogy at Rutgers University - New Brunswick. Derek Dube is an Associate Professor of Biology and the Director of the First-Year Seminar Program at the University of St. Joseph in Connecticut. Khadijah A. Mitchell is an Assistant Professor in the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in the Temple University Health System and Affiliated Faculty in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Temple University College of Public Health. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

Beginning faculty often receive warnings that lead to antagonistic relationships with their students. In this episode, Cate Denial joins us to discuss how a pedagogy of kindness can build productive learning environments for all students. Cate is the Bright Distinguished Professor of American History and Director of the Bright Institute at Knox College. She is the winner of the American Historical Association’s 2018 Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award and sits on the board of Commonplace: A Journal of Early American Life. She is also the author of A Pedagogy of Kindness, one of the first publications in the new Oklahoma University Press series on teaching and learning, edited by Jim Lang and Michelle Miller. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

During the pandemic, faculty participation in professional development activities expanded dramatically. Faculty involvement, though, has been gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels. In this episode, Sarah Rose Cavanagh joins us to discuss strategies for bringing more faculty into discussions of teaching and learning. 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 Sarah join us for a keynote address at our Academic Affairs Retreat in Oswego last August. A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.