Fascinating discussion of the semantics of "trigger warnings" through the lens of universal design for accessibility. It seems to imply a question about when (if ever) surprising students with course content is a useful strategy. Thanks to Jeanne Griggs for the link.

Good discussion on this podcast of the issues of passion, meaning, and work-life balance for faculty. Also, I think, an interesting model for talking to students about our work, and our work histories.

Vitae's new syllabus database is a very limited tool - it's only searchable by file name, author name, and the disciplinary keywords chosen by the author. Still, it's a good step to see the Chronicle of Higher Ed providing a space for open syllabi. Worth a look as you plan next year's courses, or think about your own online presence!

Lots of faculty members give a "getting to know you" survey on the first day of class. This article gives an interesting frame for that exercise - how will you process and respond to the students?

Facilitating good discussion is actually really hard work. Perhaps that's why it's so frustrating when a class "just doesn't click." James Lang reviews a new book (and some shorter resources) which helps explain the steps of sparking discussion.

Facilitating good discussion is actually really hard work. Perhaps that's why it's so frustrating when a class "just doesn't click." James Lang reviews a new book (and some shorter resources) which helps explain the steps of sparking discussion.

If we want to help students take risks and cope with failure, we're going to have to make it transparent when we're doing that as scholars and teachers too.

How many points should you give students for first drafts, project reports, and other assignments which show the student's progress toward an end goal? Andrew Miller argues for zero - he cleaves summative grading from formative assessments. (Mostly.)

How do you look at a student's work and grade the "effort" or "process" which went into it? One answer might be asking them to state briefly what they did particularly well this time around.

We want independent, self-motivated learners, but we also know clear expectations are key to teaching disciplinary modes of thinking (and avoiding basic errors). How do you balance that tension?

How are you storing your research data, and how are you sharing it? Funders are starting to require formal data management plans, including open accessibility, as part of grant applications. Are you talking to your students about these issues?

Syllabi have to include clear policies, but Ed Cunliff says "I have yet to see a policy on syllabi that demands they bore the reader!" By addressing writing style, formal structure, and graphic design, Cunliff tries to make his syllabi lively, engaging documents. What do you do to get students interested in the syllabus?

How do you look at a map, and understand it as an argument about data? And how do you recognize common holes in those arguments? This might be a useful reading for courses with a mapping (or map-reading) component.

You say "any questions", 5 seconds of total silence follow... what then?

"What do students need to know from their major in order to meet their civic obligations at work and in their local and global communities?" This report from AAC&U provides an intriguing framework for a department exploring how its majors are (and aren't) exposed to the public aspects of the discipline.

So you've decided to "free up" some class time by using technology differently in your class. What then? This article gives interesting examples of increasing group work in a "blended" classroom, and the kind of environment which supports independent but collaborative learning.

Many faculty members struggle with how (and whether) to address current events in the classroom. Chad Williams used social media to build a categorized reading list related to the Charleston shootings. It also makes some interesting points about faculty members' potential role as public intellectuals.

One of the benefits of group work could be learning to negotiate different expectations about work styles in a group. Recognizing that up front, instead of 3/4ths of the way through the project when the wheels come off, might help students learn better in collaboration, and feel better about group work. I've seen exercises like this used in leadership or "team-building" exercises - there's no reason this activity wouldn't work with a committee or department.

This report is about a "nationally representative" survey which finds that educational attainment is one of the best predictors of high technology and information literacy skills - so I would assume that the results aren't quite as dire for those Millennials who go to college. That said, it's a good reminder that many so-called "digital natives" are not (yet) sophisticated creators and managers of information with their devices. I also want to point out that the kinds of information management tasks tested are perfectly relevant to research in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts, not just STEM as the think tank suggests.

"In my view, the way to defend the value of college is to defend the importance of intellectual virtues and then show that the education that colleges provide is successful at cultivating those virtues." Swarthmore psychologist Barry Schwartz gives an interesting list of the habits of mind which are the components of "critical thinking."

A good research or critical thinking assignment teaches students to refine their questions as they gather and review evidence. Do we give enough attention to the process of generating those first introductory-level questions?