This Week for Faculty: Build community in your classroom

by | Jan 24, 2025 | Announcements

Tips for setting the tone for the Spring 2025 semester

Establish community agreements. Communicate expectations for respectful and inclusive behavior during interactions inside and outside of the classroom. Use class time to discuss agreements. Consider co-creating the agreements with your students to ensure their buy-in. Review and revise the agreements as class needs evolve. Post agreements in CourseWorks and remind students of them.

Sample agreements may include:

  • Prepare for discussions by completing the assigned readings.
  • Be open to new ideas and viewpoints, even if they challenge your own beliefs.
  • Use respectful language and tone, even when disagreeing.
  • Be considerate of how contributions to the discussion might affect others.
  • Make space for all voices to be heard.

Make your expectations of students clear and communicate what students can expect of you. This is important when creating an environment of high trust and low stress with your students. While a syllabus can convey this information, in addition, engage your students in conversation about expectations. Share with your students what your values as an educator are, the rationale for your course assessments and policies, why you are excited about the course you are teaching, or other information that would be helpful for your students to know as they are welcomed to your course and your classroom.

Connect your students to resources to support their learning in your course. Invite your students to connect with you during office hours. Share campus resources that will allow students to do their best work in your course. This might include connecting students with a librarian, the Writing Centerwell-being, or health resources. Provide links to these resources on CourseWorks, share them in class, and during office hours to remind students that there is a network of support available to them.

Spring 2025 workshops for you!

Join the CTL and colleagues for online sessions on a range of topics: 

Navigating HOT Moments: Before, During, & After Class
January 22, 12:00-1:00pm
February 27, 12:00-1:00pm
March 26, 12:00-1:00pm
April 22, 12:00-1:00pm
Related resource: Navigating Heated, Offensive, and Tense (HOT) Moments in the Classroom

Ways to Be More Inclusive in Your Course
February 11, 12:00-1:00pm
March 10, 12:00-1:00pm
April 4, 12:00-1:00pm
Related resource: Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia

Exploring AI in Teaching and Learning: Conversations for Faculty
Communication and Disclosure: February 6, 2:00-3:00pm 
AI and Writing: March 5, 2:00-3:00pm 
AI and Reading: April 2, 2:00-3:00pm
Find more resources: Teaching and Learning in The Age of AI

Entering Mentoring Workshops
Addressing Equity and Inclusion. January 30, 12:00-1:00pm
Fostering Independence. February 13, 10:00-11:00am
Assessing Understanding. March 20, 4:00-5:00pm 
Find more resources: Advancing Mentorship Practices: Supporting Mentors of Graduate Students and Postdocs at Columbia

CourseWorks support

Are you new to teaching with CourseWorks? Get the help you need setting up your course sites through CourseWorks support offerings including:

Live support during Office Hours: CTL Learning Designers are available to assist you with CourseWorks, Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm, via Zoom, phone, or in-person. Visit the CTL’s Get Help page for more information.

On-demand resources: 

For technical support: The CourseWorks platform is powered and maintained by CUIT. If you or your students have technical or access issues, email CUIT directly at courseworks@columbia.edu.

The CTL is here to help!

Meet with CTL Learning Designers during in-person Office Hours!
January 21 through January 31, 9:00am-5:00pm
Stop by 212 Butler Library for in-person support to help you get your courses ready for Spring 2025! CTL Learning Designers can assist you with setting up your CourseWorks sites, making your CourseWorks sites more accessible, and helping you integrate other Columbia-supported instructional technologies.

Connect via Zoom or over the phone
Join us for office hours via Zoom (or phone) Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm to have your teaching with instructional technology questions answered.

Schedule a consultation
Schedule an in-person or virtual consultation to discuss any teaching and learning need by emailing ctlfaculty@columbia.edu or email the CTL Learning Designer assigned to your school or department.