This Week for Faculty: The Student Perspective on Teaching and Learning

Meet our new Students as Pedagogical Partners Consultants

In Spring 2020, the CTL launched the Students as Pedagogical Partners Initiative. Since then we have partnered with undergraduate students from across Columbia to bring them into conversations about teaching and learning. 

Meet our Spring 2022 cohort below! Our student partners create on-demand resources and are available to consult with you! Please submit your teaching and learning questions to our “Ask a student!” form and the undergraduate student consultants will share their thoughts and experiences.

Emma Fromont, General Studies

Ambrose Zhu, General Studies

The Student Perspective: Dead Ideas in Teaching and Learning Podcast Episodes

Listen to the Dead Ideas in Teaching and Learning podcast episodes that feature Columbia undergraduate students.

Season 4, Episode 1: Speaking from the Heart: An Instructor and Her Student Reflect with Dr. Karen Phillips and Yarin Reindorp

Season 2, Episode 7: One Year Later: Learning in a Pandemic with Two Columbia Undergraduate Students

Season 1, Episode 4: Columbia Undergraduates on Dead Ideas in Learning

Columbia Students Appreciate Their Instructors

Since launching the Thank-a-Prof | Thank-a-TA initiative in Spring 2019, the CTL has sent thousands of thank you messages to instructors and TAs. Below we share a few messages received last semester. ❤️

“Thank you so much, Professor Qian, for your dedication to facilitating an enriching environment for us to learn and grow as your students as well as paying attention to our health and well-being. I have never had a professor tell us to prioritize health over classwork before.” – Student writing to professor Ying Qian. Course: Chinese Media Cultures; Fall 2021.

“Thank you for your endless understanding, guidance, and empathy. It is incessantly clear that you not only care about us as students, but care about crafting a class that everyone can take significance from—which is, as I see it, why we take the Core. Thank you for your fair grading, thorough feedback, and constant availability both through email and through office hours. In your class, I feel like I have improved as a writer, as a reader, and (for what it’s worth) as a cultured individual.” – Alejandra Diaz-Pizarro writing to professor Jeffrey Wayno. Course: Masterpieces of Western Literature and Philosophy; Fall 2021.

“You are such a compassionate and thoughtful person. Thank you for making our Integration of Science & Practice such a safe space. It allows us to engage in really productive discussions; I have learned so much from you and my fellow classmates. I look forward to our two-hour class each week, and return home afterwards feeling more hopeful and invigorated to work in the field of public health.” – Student writing to professor Helen De Pinho. Course: Integration of Science & Practice; Fall 2021. 

“Thank you so much for being such an incredible guide and advocate in Civil Procedure. Because of you, I aspire to be a TA for Civil Procedure so I can pass along the generosity and kindness you have shown us. Civil Procedure is a daunting, unwieldy subject and you have helped me distill it into distinct, tangible parts. You always make yourself available and are so accommodating. You never make me feel small for asking questions that are rudimentary. You are so generous in giving us feedback – the untold hours you spend helping us are recognized and appreciated. Your reliability, selflessness, and your inclusiveness have made me feel at home at Columbia Law School. This semester is grueling and I am so fortunate that I have you as my TA. It has made all the difference in making Civil Procedure and Columbia feel less intimidating. Thank you!” – Luke Cronin writing to TA Alexandra A Nickerson. Course: Civil Procedure; Fall 2021.

Upcoming Events

Provost Teaching and Learning Grants RFP Town Hall
February 28, 3:00-4:00pm; March 24, 11:00am-12:00pm

Anti-Racist Pedagogy in Action
March 2, 2:00-3:30pm; March 24, 11:00am-12:00pm

Services

Ask a Student!
Are you a Columbia instructor wondering what undergraduate students think about particular engagement, assessment, or inclusion strategies? The use of instructional technologies to support their learning? How students might respond to a project or assignment? Or any other input on a class you are teaching? Ask a student! Columbia instructors are invited to submit teaching and learning questions and CTL Undergraduate Student Consultants will share their thoughts and experiences.

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

Consultations
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.