Event Follow-Up: Students’ Experiences at UWGB via Neurodiverse Viewpoints

On Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, CATL collaborated with Assistant Vice Chancellor Stacie Christian to host a student panel on neurodiversity. Six student panelists shared their experiences as neurodiverse learners, including common barriers and misconceptions related to neurodiversity. One of the topics the panel discussed was how instructors can support them. A few common themes emerged from students’ responses so we’ve compiled them below, along with resources for ways you might implement these recommendations in your teaching.

Make Assignment Details Transparent

The student panelists shared that they find it extremely helpful when professors explain the purpose of an assignment and provide clear instructions. Their recommendation aligns with the transparency in learning and teaching (TILT) framework, a concept you may be familiar with if you’ve taken LITE 201. The TILT framework is an evidence-based approach to assignment design in which instructors demystify activities by explaining their purpose, detailing the task that students need to complete, and providing concrete grading criteria. Not sure where to start? Check out this checklist for designing transparent assignments from TILT Higher Ed. Or, for a deeper dive into the topic, consider taking a look at this webinar recording on transparent assignment design.

Explicitly Communicate Your Support

One of the “unwritten rules” of college is that students can go to their instructors when they have a question about the course or the need to connect with another institutional resource, such as tutoring or counseling. While this fact may be obvious to some students, it is not to everyone. Whether due to anxiety, trouble picking up on subtext, or unfamiliarity with the norms of higher education, some students may not ask their instructor for help unless they are given explicit permission to do so. Panelists suggested that instructors include a statement in their syllabus to remind students that they can come to the instructor if they have questions or concerns for help and/or referral to the best resource. It’s a small action but adding a statement like this can help reassure students that you care about their success and wellbeing. For more ideas on how to create a welcoming syllabus, check out this post on liquid syllabi and CATL’s liquid syllabus template. If you want to explore other ways of building trust with your students, consider creating a “getting to know you” survey, establishing class norms, or incorporating a name pronunciation activity.

Provide Alternative Formats for Information

Several student panelists emphasized the importance of providing alternate ways of communicating information whenever possible. This recommendation is not only related to “multiple means of representation” from universal design for learning (UDL) theory, but it also aligns with best practices for digital accessibility. Adding alternative means of representation doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, if you include audio or video files in your course, try to pick resources that also provide captions or a transcript. Or, if you use images, make sure you include a caption or alt text when the image is being used to convey information. If you’d like to learn more about accessibility, we encourage you to sign up for LITE 120, a self-paced training course that covers the basics of accessibility in Canvas, as well as SAS’s training course on creating accessible documents (i.e., with Word, PowerPoint, or PDF).

Related Events and Opportunities

Want to learn more about supporting diverse learners? CATL’s “Workshop Wednesday” series this semester has two upcoming sessions that may be of interest to you! First, on Wednesday, Mar. 6, we’ll take a look at how to make course materials more accessible. Then, on Wednesday, Apr. 3, we’ll explore universal design for learning (UDL) and some practical ways to apply UDL concepts in our teaching and learning. Both workshops will be from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. via Zoom. Registration for the March workshop on accessibility is already open. Stay tuned for details on registration for April’s workshop.

As always, CATL also welcomes you to connect with us if you’d like to learn more about any of these topics. Send us an email or request a consultation to get started!

Call for Teaching Enhancement Grant Proposals (Due Apr. 1, 2024)

The Instructional Development Council (IDC) is accepting applications for Teaching Enhancement Grants (TEGs) through support from the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) and the Office of the Provost. TEGs provide funding for professional development activities related to teaching or for projects that lead to the improvement of teaching skills or the development of innovative teaching strategies.

Faculty and instructional academic staff whose primary responsibility is teaching for the academic year in which the proposed project takes place are strongly encouraged to apply! Click the button below for full details.

Spring 2024 Application Info

Applications are due Monday, Apr. 1, 2024. If you have any questions about the application or TEGs, please email the Instructional Development Council at idc@uwgb.edu.

Call for Faculty College 2024 (Applications Due Dec. 18, 2023)

Group photo of Faculty College participants from 2023

Each year, faculty, instructors, and lecturers from across the Universities of Wisconsin gather for Faculty College, an institute and retreat led by the Office of Professional & Instructional Development (OPID). The 44th Annual Faculty College will be held at the Osthoff Resort at Elkhart Lake (close to three of our four locations in Sheboygan County) on May 28 – 31, 2024. The theme this year is Rethinking/Redesigning Student Assignments. Our keynote speaker and guest facilitator will be Dr. Ashley Finley, Vice President of Research and Senior Advisor to the President, American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U).

Learn More About Faculty College

Apply

If you are interested in being one of UW-Green Bay’s instructor representatives, please send an email to CATL@uwgb.edu with:

  • Your name and department
  • Your commitment/availability to travel from May 28 – 31, 2024
  • A brief one-paragraph explanation of why you wish to be a part of this team

Applications are due to CATL on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.

Questions?

Please contact CATL if you have any questions about the application process. Programmatic inquiries may be directed to Fay Akindes, Director of Systemwide Professional and Instructional Development, UW System, fakindes@uwsa.edu.

Call for 2024-25 Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars Program (Applications Due Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023)

The UWGB Provost Office and the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, on behalf of the UW System’s Office of Professional and Instructional Development (OPID), invite faculty and instructional academic staff to apply for the 2024-25 cohort of the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars (WTFS) Program.

This program is designed to provide time (one year) to systematically reflect with peers in a supportive and open-minded community and, ultimately, to move from “scholarly teaching” to the “scholarship of teaching.” Administered by OPID and directed by UW faculty, the WTFS Program is grounded in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).

Full program description and call

The deadline for applications has been extended through Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023. Interested applicants should submit items 1-5 below as separate attachments to one email message. That email should be sent to CATL (CATL@uwgb.edu) with the subject line “WTFS Application.” The reference letter can be submitted directly to the CATL email by your Department Chair or Dean, but it is also due by Nov. 26. The full list of required materials is below:

  1. Application checklist;
  2. A letter stating your interest in and qualifications for the WTFS Program (two-page maximum);
  3. A teaching & learning philosophy (three-page maximum);
  4. An abbreviated curriculum vitae (two-page maximum);
  5. This budget sheet estimating costs using UW System travel reimbursement rates;
  6. A reference letter from your Department Chair or Dean (can be directly emailed to CATL@uwgb.edu).

As always, let us know if you have any questions via email: CATL@uwgb.edu.

Call for Teaching Enhancement Grant Proposals (Due Nov. 28, 2023)

The Instructional Development Council (IDC) is accepting applications for Teaching Enhancement Grants (TEGs) through support from the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) and the Office of the Provost. TEGs provide funding for professional development activities related to teaching or for projects that lead to the improvement of teaching skills or the development of innovative teaching strategies.

Faculty and instructional academic staff whose primary responsibility is teaching for the academic year in which the proposed project takes place are strongly encouraged to apply! Click the button below for full details.

Fall 2023 Application Info

Applications are due Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. If you have any questions about the application or TEGs, please email the Instructional Development Council at idc@uwgb.edu.