This Week for Faculty: A welcome message from the CTL Executive Director, and more
Dear colleagues,
I hope your semester is off to a wonderful start. At the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), we are excited to share our Fall 2024 Offerings with you! We look forward to seeing you at the CTL for workshops and events, or in your home department through our CTL To Go opportunities. The CTL is available to facilitate an introduction to our offerings, conversations on teaching and learning, and pedagogical and instructional technology workshops to meet your teaching needs.
To support the Columbia teaching community as we enter a new academic year, the CTL has curated a wide range of resources and guides on our website. Building on the foundational work of the CTL’s Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia, we have developed companion resources that explore applying principles of inclusive teaching in the clinical setting, building community in the classroom, navigating HOT moments in the classroom, and teaching in times of stress and challenge. The CTL is also partnering with the Office of the Provost to host a series of workshops as part of the Dialogue Across Difference initiative. Please join us for sessions dedicated to enhancing faculty skills for managing differing viewpoints on sensitive subjects in the classroom.
In addition to the above resources, the CTL is also leading conversations about teaching effectively with Artificial Intelligence (AI). We are hosting learning communities, book discussions, and an AI Institute for faculty who are interested in thinking about how to integrate AI into their teaching.
Finally, we continue to build on the Office of the Provost initiative Advancing Mentorship Practices. We have a series of sessions this fall for faculty and research officers who mentor graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at Columbia.
We invite you to engage with these resources and workshops, or reach out to schedule a one-on-one opportunity to discuss pedagogical strategies that facilitate inclusion, belonging, and deep learning. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Best wishes,
Amanda Irvin
Executive Director, Center for Teaching and Learning
Join us for upcoming sessions
Easing into a New Semester of Teaching: A Conversational Space for Faculty
September 10, 12-1pm
Related resource: Teaching in Times of Stress and Challenge
Navigating HOT Moments: Before, During, & After Class
September 12, 10-11am
September 24, 12-1pm
This session will also be offered on October 15
Related resource: Navigating Heated, Offensive, and Tense (HOT) Moments in the Classroom
AI for Teaching and Learning Institute
September 17, 10am-4pm
Related resource: Teaching and Learning in the Age of AI
Ways to Be More Inclusive in Your Course
September 19, 1-2pm
This session will also be offered on October 8 and October 21
Related resource: Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia
Entering Mentoring: Addressing Equity and Inclusion
September 19, 4-5pm
Related resources on the Advancing Mentorship Practices page
Faculty Book Discussion Group: Teaching with AI
September 26, 3-4pm
This discussion group will also meet on October 24 and November 21
Dialogue Across Difference (DxD) Workshops
The Office for the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and the Center for Teaching and Learning will host a series of professional development workshops designed for faculty to have more hands-on experiences addressing ways to run more effective classrooms. It is recommended to take all three workshops, though not mandatory, as each workshop is designed to stand alone.
Listening Skills and Empathy for Effective Classrooms
Friday, September 13, 9-11am, 203 Butler Library
The first workshop, led by Martin Epstein, is designed to develop better active listening skills. Good, effective listening can facilitate communication and build more positive relationships. It can also be a valuable tool in de-escalating possible emotionally escalated and charged conversations. The workshop will explore different levels and types of listening, with a particular emphasis on how empathy naturally arises from good listening practices.
Managing Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom
Friday, September 20, 9-11am, 523 Butler Library
Led by Jenny Besch, the second workshop is designed to explore specific strategies and tactics to de-escalate behaviors that may disrupt learning in the classroom. Faculty will learn techniques for effectively managing classroom interactions among students and between students and faculty. These skills will be especially important during discussions on sensitive or “hot” topics, helping to create a more inclusive environment for all students.
Healing and Restorative Practices in the Classroom
Friday, September 27, 9-11am, 203 Butler Library
The third workshop, led by Dianne Williams, builds on faculty’s existing skills to support the use of Restorative Justice approaches in the classroom as a way to build community and repair relationships while encouraging reflection, communication, and healing. When students experience a campus climate and relationships that cultivate trust, safety, and belonging, they are more likely to demonstrate positive behavior. Restorative approaches aim to promote student investment and responsibility for shared routines and norms.
The CTL is here to help you throughout the semester!
Virtual Office Hours
Join us for office hours via Zoom (or phone) Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm to have your teaching with instructional technology questions answered.
*In-person Office Hours through September 20, 9am-5pm*
Stop by 212 Butler Library for in-person support to help you get your courses ready for Fall 2024! CTL Learning Designers can assist you with setting up your CourseWorks sites, making your CourseWorks sites more accessible, and help you integrate other Columbia-supported instructional technologies.
In-person support is always available by appointment! To schedule an appointment, contact the CTL at ColumbiaCTL@columbia.edu.