How well does the CIP do as a place for "fika" or even "hygge"? What would it look like if we thought of (more of) our "programming" as a valued time for rest and reflection?

A collection of articles from Profhacker on teaching in the first week of classes.

An approach to class introductions, designed to start forming relationships and working on the classroom dynamic.

An approach to class introductions, designed to start forming relationships and working on the classroom dynamic.

This article makes a good argument for spending more time on introductions in class, and for including some metacognitive work on students' interests and self-perceptions as learners on the first day. Now personally, it takes some work to get me to buy into icebreaker activities - but I think the argument, and the techniques described, have merit.

Jon Green, K'10, writes about the ways in which computer programming is similar to good writing of any kind. Both require detailed planning of the argument or instructions, and both value precise language.

Did you know that grades weren't widespread in American education until midway through the 20th Century? This article features a literature review of the history of grading, discusses some of the ways in which grading doesn't work as well for learning as we'd like, and suggests alternative approaches to assignments and assessment.

"Do nothing in isolation; always connect the events." The author says this in the context of a digital humanities program, but I think it applies to all professional development efforts, and probably to many course designs.

Lots to think about in this deceptively short article. The finding highlights the importance of course design - I think Koh undersells the point that her online course may require more writing than many.

A quick list of 8 tips which students could use to learn more deeply. Hat tip to Judy Holdener, for recommending this article.

"Both digital writing and information literacy call attention to today's interactive and multimodal information environments, which have both expanded and complicated the ways people use, create, and share information. As both composition instructors and librarians expand our conceptions of writing and of research, we may find that rhetoric becomes all the more essential for situating information literacy and writing."

"Our real goal is to improve how students integrate new information. We want to change them. While what we have to teach our students may get them a first job, it will not on its own get them a second job-especially one that may not yet even exist. We want our students to be able to learn new things, analyze new knowledge, integrate it into their thinking, and change their minds when necessary." Jose Bowen argues that we should treat both technology and disciplinary content as tools, in pursuit of the larger cognitive changes we try to create in the liberal arts.

We don't offer "online" courses at Kenyon, but these tips do apply to our course websites and Moodle pages. It's worth the time to think how a student with a disability would experience your resources and assignments.

A report of a conference session in which a philosophy professor at John Carroll University presented her use of thought experiments as a signature pedagogy in her classes. (Also note the use of flipped classroom approaches to make the class time for the students to engage in the thought experiments.)

The author uses a syllabus so detailed that it can function like a textbook, and offers specific tips on how she uses the syllabus every day. This is an intriguing way of making sure the syllabus is not just a contract read on the first day and referred to only when people break it. I was particularly taken with the approach Dr. Crossman uses to make students actually do the "recommended" reading.

Treating something as a "game" is usually a pejorative - meaning that the thing is not taken seriously or is manipulated outside its original purpose. But games (in all their forms) are also good at building skills and knowledge in the players, and at moving players from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation. Are there techniques used in games which apply to classes?

When you borrow an assignment or part of the course structure from a colleague, do you note that on your syllabus? Do you make your syllabi (or other writeups of your course activities) available to your colleagues? What would happen if you did?

How can we encourage students to take their time with serious study instead of rushing through reading and assignments?

This article includes an interesting discussion guide which can help faculty members articulate their philosophies of teaching and consider the impact of philosophy on practice.

The college conducts student evaluations of teaching for all courses, and many faculty members supplement those evaluations by asking questions of their own (within, or along side, the college's official system). But do you take time to conduct a self-evaluation? This article includes a link to a self-evaluation form.