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2023 Midwest SoTL Program

2023 Midwest SoTL Program

The 2023 Midwest SoTL Conference is March 31, 2023 on the Indiana University South Bend campus. The keynote speaker is James M. Lang, Ph.D. former Professor of English and the founding Director of the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence at Assumption University in Worcester, MA. addressing the conference theme Refocusing Our Attention. Dr. Lang's keynote is titled: "Teaching Distracted Minds: Old Challenges, New Contexts."

8:00-9:00am	Registration & Networking in the Education & Arts Lobby Continental Breakfast in EA 1010
9:00-10:30am	Keynote in the University Grill - James M. Lang, Ph.D. "Teaching Distracted Minds: Old Challenges, New Contexts."
10:30-10:45am	Break
10:45-11:15am	Concurrent Session #1
EA 1013	Refocusing Students Toward Learning Through Alternative Assessment Approaches Emily Dosmar, Sylvia Carlisle, Richard House, Eric Reyes, Julia Williams (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) The panel is comprised of educators from a breadth of disciplines who have implemented non-traditional grading schemes (ungrading, competency-based, specifications, and contract grading) in their courses. We discuss the common themes in these grading frameworks and our experiences with implementation, including seeing students refocus on learning instead of points and our classes transform to promote growth and a more equitable learning experience.
EA 1015	Driving Change with Inclusive and Equitable Syllabi in Undergraduate Nursing Jamie Kozel, Angela Schooley (Purdue University Northwest) At a regional college, faculty used strategies learned from the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project by Boston University to create an inclusive syllabus template. In an effort to reduce learner barriers, faculty created a syllabi template to be used across the undergraduate nursing program. This presentation will discuss strategies to unify courses and create consistent equitable syllabus language and policies.
EA 1017	Redirecting Attention: Reflecting on ChatGPT using Burke's Terministic Screens Dacia Charlesworth (Indiana University Bloomington) Using Kenneth Burke’s concept of terministic screens as its foundation, this session invites participants to engage in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle to (1) discover the ways in which they identify with or disassociate from ChatGPT and (2) consider how these perspectives can impact our teaching approaches.
EA 1019	What We are Still Learning... Social Emotional Learning Strategies for College Debra Pratt, David Pratt (Purdue University Northwest) All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum highlights social emotional skills that once were the focus for young students. It turns out, these SEL strategies need to be supported and promoted even while in college. This session highlights how to incorporate SEL strategies among a variety of college courses and results of their impact.
EA 1021	James M. Lang book signing & chat
EA 1025	Perceived Faculty Barriers to the Use of Active Learning Methods Letrisha Stallard, Tammy Shilling, Kim Pichot, Michelle Allyn, Jenica Joseph, Anneris Coria-Navia, Bea Ade-Oshifogun (Andrews University) Studies support use of active learning methods in classrooms. However, faculty find the consistent implementation of active learning methods challenging to maintain. Institutions and accrediting agencies encourage faculty to demonstrate various teaching methods that reach students' varied learning needs. We conducted a survey of 1,000 faculty members to find out what were the perceived barriers to utilizing active learning methods.
11:15-11:25am	Break
11:25-11:55am	Concurrent Session #2
EA 1013	Finding Their Flashlights: Strategies for Facilitating Focus in Intensive-Writing Courses Emily Esola, Laura Rosche, Joe Morgan (Kelly School, Indiana University) Neuroscientific research indicates that when lamenting student failure to pay attention, what we’re actually witnessing is lack of focus. Using Jha’s (2021) metaphor of attention as switching between the detailed focus of a flashlight or the wider scope of a floodlight, this panel provides strategies for facilitating student focus as they develop critical thinking and writing skills.
EA 1015	The Reciprocal Interview Reinvented: How to Artfully Begin Week One Matthew Bauman (Purdue University Northwest) The present generation of students desire a deeper connection with their instructors and involvement in co-creating classroom norms. More than ever, students desire "buy-in" in the co-created learning experience, the relationship they develop with their instructor, and the development of classroom norms. This presentation disseminates an adaptation to the "reciprocal interview” for achieving these outcomes to artfully begin the semester.
EA 1017	The Rise of AI in Student Writing: Challenges and Prospects Sarah Lucas(Ferris State University), Kyle Lucas (Grand Valley State University) This presentation discusses the impact of new AI tools such as ChatGPT on teaching and learning in regard to student writing. The presentation first provides an overview of ChatGPT, showing the capabilities of this tool in regard to generating written text. The presentation then discusses the pros and cons of the technology as well as solutions to problems.
EA 1019	Using the Affective Learning Model to Activate Classroom Learning Michele Schricker (Indiana University South Bend) This presentation will introduce the affective learning model, sharing examples of its application in the classroom for undergraduate and graduate teaching. When utilized in group work it is referred to as the Group Affective Model where students have a shared focus on learning. This model facilitates the development of student’s self-awareness, interpersonal skills and supports creative thinking and reflection.
EA 1021	James M. Lang book signing and chat
EA 1025	Engagement of Students and Teams: by Developing Own Team Policies Venkata Inukollu (Purdue University Fort Wayne), Goutham Reddy Alavalapati (Fontbonne University) This research poster focuses on the impact of allowing flexibility in decision-making ( students/team developing their own group/team policies and contracts) on student engagement in group projects. The study examines the use of these tools as a means of enhancing communication, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and promoting accountability among team members.
12 noon - 1:00pm	Networking Lunch - University Grill
1:10-1:40pm	Concurrent Session #3
EA 1013	Are Instructors Distracted Too? Faculty and Students' Perceptions on e-teaching Raquel Prieta (Oakland University) This presentation examines faculty and students’ perceptions on how distractions and multi-tasking have impacted faculty members during online teaching. The findings will generate a debate on how it has affected their productivity and overall teaching performance. Attendees will discuss some effective approaches and practices to help ourselves to re-focus, and become less distractible in this new era of e-teaching.
EA 1015	The Experience of an Eco-pedagogy Faculty Learning Community Alberto Lopez Martin (Valparaiso University) This presentation reflects on the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty to design and implement activities that promote ecoliteracy, sustainability and environmental awareness in the undergrad classroom. It is based on the work done by an eco-pedagogy faculty learning community during the 2021-22 academic year at Valparaiso University, and the participants’ subsequent organization of an eco-pedagogy workshop for VU faculty.
EA 1017	Enhancing Undergraduate Informatics Curriculum by Bridging Signature Assessments Louie Zhu, Fawzi BenMessaoud, Ran Chang (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) This engaging presentation features an innovative teaching practice designed to enhance the Informatics undergraduate curriculum by bridging signature projects of three data-centered courses. Integrating these courses with signature assignments creates pathways among the courses. It helps students understand and develop solutions to large-scale problems that are complex and cannot be solved with the skills learned from a single course.
EA 1019	The Power of Your Name Angela Schooley, Jamie Kozel (Purdue University Northwest) The power of using your students' names in the classroom has a positive impact on teaching and learning. Hearing your own name includes you in the conversation and creates a sense of belonging. Simple strategies encourage students and faculty to increase a student’s sense of belonging simply by learning and using his/her/their name.
EA 1025	Leveraging Group Theory to Cultivate Classroom Interactions in the Here-and-Now Noelany Pelc (Marian University) This session will focus on activating the here-and-now and cohesion-building grounded in group theory and Gottman’s themes of foundational relationship building (2000; Yalom, 2005), as powerful tools for refocusing a group and promoting engaged learning. Participants will learn about common group stages (Yalom, 2005), and experiment with modeled exercises/skills to cultivate shared purpose in the classroom.
1:40-2:20pm	Poster Sessions - EA 1010
EA 1010	To Grade or Not To Grade - That is the Question Kelly Eberhart (University of Saint Thomas) In this poster presentation, ungrading will be presented as a way for students to take control of their own learning. Considerations of how to implement ungrading as a way of assessment/evaluation will be presented. The presentation will also explore how ungrading can support Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) initiatives, as well as the benefits and challenges of ungrading. Scaffolding Student Learning: Supporting Teacher Candidates to Be Effective Teachers Jeong Il Cho (Purdue University Fort Wayne) Teacher candidates move through five steps of explicit instruction and demonstrate their proficiency in adapting classroom environments to meet the diverse needs of K-6 students with disabilities in the Lesson Plan Adaptation Project. The five steps are: (1) Warm up Activity; (2) Guided Practice; (3) Independent Practice and Peer Review; (4) Final Lesson Plan Adaptation Project; (5) Presentation (Role Play). ChatGPT and Moonbeam: AI in an Upper Level Chemistry Farai Gombedza (Purdue University Northwest) ChatGPT and Moonbeam are two natural language processing (NLP) systems that have exploded in popularity since they were introduced in late 2022. The rapid adoption of these powerful AI tools has generated considerable consternation in academia. Here, we explore their use in an biochemistry course and discuss their impact on teaching and learning in the college classroom. A Fun Strategy to Prepare Students for Skills-based Instruction Amanda Borden, Mark Warner, Matt Hutchins (Indiana State University) Skill-based learning creates opportunities for students to speak in front of others and learn how to make/follow a plan. ‘Teach a skill’ is a chance to experience talking in front of a class while being able to instruct them on an otherwise common skill. The overall goal is to help students effectively communicate and learn planning skills through hands-on learning. Is 3 Better than 1?: Team-teaching an Interdisciplinary Course Hubert Izienicki, Christabel L. Rogalin, David P. Nalbone (Purdue University Northwest) As three faculty members in a midsize public university, we were tasked with creating an interdisciplinary course for first-year students as a part of the new Liberal Arts core curriculum. Drawing on formal and informal student feedback, we report on our experiences, examining the benefits and the drawbacks of the team-taught approach for both the students and the instructors. Improving Instructor Clarity to Refocus Student Attention Sarah Johnson, Keely Floyd (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) Cognitive load theory tells us that our brains can only do so many things at once. Our students have always been at risk of cognitive overload, but the pandemic, mental health challenges and economic forces have taken that risk to new levels. In this session, two instructors will share tangible ways to help reduce cognitive overload by improving instructor clarity. A Power BI Dashboard for Instructional Insights from Your LMS Erik Kowalik (Marquette University) The Marquette library developed a Power BI dashboard for an easy to use one stop shop to review student responses and usage of library tutorials from any course in the LMS. This has streamlined the feedback process for course librarians and helped them discover courses they had not previously known were using the tutorials. A Tale of Two Disciplines: Engaging Students in Online Learning Stacie Merken, Jenny Deranek (Indiana University South Bend) The pandemic required educators to swiftly adapt and redefine expectations of learning and teaching. The use of various technologies create student engagement and provide active learning components to the online realm. An overview of best practices used in two disciplines (Criminal Justice and Health Sciences) by experienced online educators to maintain the focus of students will be discussed.
2:20-2:50pm	Concurrent Session #4
EA 1013	Cultivating Attention: Exploring Six Strategies for Maintaining Student Focus David Pratt (Purdue University Northwest) One of the most challenging aspects of teaching is capturing and maintaining students’ focus. Yet one of the key phases of learning is paying attention. Instead of attempting to lessen or eliminate distractions, teachers can deliberately “cultivate” attention in the classroom. This session shares the results of putting six attention-building strategies into practice. Do I still have your attention?
EA 1015	Inclusive Teaching and Learning: Accessibility from the Beginning Steven Varela, Nick Srmek, Crystal DeJaegher (University of Notre Dame) Facilitating a class that is inclusive for all students takes leadership, planning, and commitment. As we refocus our attention post-pandemic, this should include a proactive mind-set of accessibility and equity in teaching and learning to “Consciously create an environment of mutual respect, hospitality and warmth in which none are strangers and all may flourish."
EA 1017	Increasing Analytics Skills: One Lesson at a Time Amber Gray (Columbia University Wisconsin, Ann Arbor), Stacey Todaro (Adrian College) Advances in digital technologies have disrupted the business world and created challenges for educators who seek to prepare students for the data-driven demands of their future careers. While data analytics skills are increasingly necessary for graduates, there is often limited room in the curriculum. This presentation highlights key takeaways from an attempt to incorporate analytics skills into an existing course.
EA 1019	Integration of NACE Career Readiness Skills into Senior-Level Courses Jenny Deranek (Indiana University South Bend) The reason most cited for enrolling in higher education is to improve the student’s job prospects (Gallup & Strada, 2017). The National Association of Colleges and Employers released transferable core career readiness skills including communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and technology. This presentation will discuss research and examples of these skills in a senior-level interdisciplinary course.
EA 1025	Increasing Student Participation in a Course through Increased Stakeholder Involvement Venkata Inukollu, Amal Khalifa (Purdue University Fort Wayne) This study looks at how student participation in a course is enhanced by including more stakeholders. A sample of undergraduate, graduate, and professors are surveyed, interviewed, and observed as part of the study's mixed-methods approach to data collection. The study's findings show a correlation between stakeholder involvement and student engagement, indicating that increasing stakeholder involvement can promote student engagement.

3:00-4:00 pm	Quick Hits - EA 1011
	Collaborative Quizzing: Active learning? Deliberation? Communication? Or all the above? Dianne Hoekstra (Purdue University Northwest)
	Increasing Students' Metacognition and Performance through Exam Wrappers Mohammad Errihani (Purdue University Northwest)
	Innovative, Quick Review Formats for Before/During/End of Class Donetta Cothran (Indiana University Bloomington)
	Promoting Student Engagement in Class Discussions Through Active Listening Patrick Keegan (Purdue University Northwest)
	Annotate This! Reflective Teaching Through Annotating Your Syllabus Stacy Betz (Purdue University Fort Wayne)
	Developing an Ad - Understanding Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Joseph Coti (Southwestern Michigan College/Indiana University South Bend)
	Integrating an Incentives System into the Classroom Aaron Wilkin (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology)
	Building Student Engagement and Community With Flip David Pratt (Purdue University Northwest)
	Get'em Up! Using Vertical Spaces to Engage Students Betsy Berry (Purdue University Fort Wayne)
	Help Students Reclaim their Attention in Class Kathleen Sullivan (Indiana University South Bend)

Thank You to the Consortium Members
Indiana University South Bend University of Notre Dame Saint Mary's College Holy Cross College Purdue University Fort Wayne Valparaiso University Ivy Tech Community College	Indiana University Northwest Purdue University Northwest Southwestern Michigan College Aurora University Michigan State University Indiana State University
Thank You to the SoTL Committee Members
Raman Adaikkalavan (IU South Bend) Alex Ambrose (University of Notre Dame) Linda Behrendt (Indiana State University) Jeong-il Cho (Purdue University Fort Wayne) Marcia Dixson (Purdue University Fort Wayne) Terri Hebert (Saint Mary's College) Cati Hebert-Annis (IU South Bend) Emily Hixon (Purdue University Northwest) Beth Kern (IU South Bend) Gisele Kuhn (Andrews University) Joel Langston (IU South Bend) Caleb Lewis (Aurora University) Anna Michelle Martinez-Montavon (IU South Bend)	Amanda McKendree (University of Notre Dame) Nancy Merrick (IU South Bend) Cody Miller (Southwestern Michigan College) Ellen Moll (Michigan State University) Amy Pawlosky (IU South Bend) Felicia Reid-Metoyer (Holy Cross College) Cynthia Rutz (Valparaiso University) Carolyn Schult (IU South Bend) Tiziana Serafini (University of Notre Dame) Jay VanderVeen (IU South Bend) Kathryn Waltz-Freel (Ivy Tech North Central) Chris Young (Indiana University Northwest) Chenfeng Zhang (Indiana University Northwest)

2023 Midwest SoTL Program

Poster Sessions - EA 1010