Fall 2024 Theme: Cultivating Creativity in your Course Design and Students’ Learning Experiences
For this series we will listen to three episodes from the podcast Teaching in Higher Ed
with host Bonni Stachowiak. The Teaching in Higher Ed podcast focuses on the art and science of being more effective at teaching and learning in higher education. It covers a broad range of topics including student engagement, instructional design, faculty development, and productivity.
Before each workshop, you’ll be asked to listen to the episode in advance. During the workshop, we’ll review and discuss the key topics, and you’ll have the opportunity to actively apply the concepts and strategies to your own teaching plans.
Please join us for one, two, or all three in this new Teaching Academy series!
WHEN: Tuesdays, 1X/Month, 12-1 PM ET
- October 22nd
- November 19th
- December 17th
WHERE: Scott-Bates Commons Salon A with Pizza! or Zoom (bring your lunch!)
October
Episode # 506: “How to Use High Structure Course Design to Heighten Learning”
In this episode of Teaching in Higher Ed, Justin Shaffer discusses the importance of high-structure course design, especially in STEM fields. He explains how well-organized courses—those with clear expectations, pre-class preparation, and active learning—help reduce student confusion and improve learning outcomes. Shaffer also shares his personal experience using these methods, emphasizing the benefits of structured learning for diverse student groups. He highlights strategies such as pre-class assessments and case studies to maintain creativity and engagement within a structured framework.
November
Episode #535: “Interactive Experiences: Shaping the Future of Teaching”
In this episode of Teaching in Higher Ed, Bonni Stachowiak speaks with Andrew Cross and Alyshahn Kara-Virani, co-founders of GooseChase, about designing interactive, experiential learning environments. They reflect on the role of play and storytelling in enhancing learning experiences, contrasting traditional lecture-based teaching with more engaging methods. Cross and Kara-Virani share personal anecdotes highlighting how creating meaningful, playful, and emotionally resonant experiences can significantly improve memory retention and learning outcomes, both inside and outside formal education settings. They discuss the application of the “five E’s” (examination, exploration, explanation, extension, and externalization) to craft meaningful learning experiences. The conversation encourages a playful, adaptive approach to design and emphasizes the importance of curiosity, feedback, and iteration to improve experiences continuously.
December
Episode # 279: Design Thinking in Teaching and Research
In this episode of Teaching in Higher Ed, Bonni Stachowiak interviews Nicola Ulibarri, an assistant professor at UC Irvine, about her journey into design thinking and its impact on research and teaching. Nicola first encountered design thinking during her PhD at Stanford, which sparked her interest in applying it to research productivity. Collaborating with others, she co-founded Creativity in Research, a project aimed at enhancing creativity for researchers through workshops. This initiative led to the development of a book, which emphasizes how design thinking can boost innovation, reduce stress, and foster greater emotional control in research. Nicola and Bonni discuss the role of creativity, imagination, and design thinking in both research and teaching, with a focus on understanding students’ needs and designing solutions that enhance teaching effectiveness.