Community Seminars in Teaching and Learning with UAF eCampus

Daryl Farmer (ENGL) leads a discussion on his methods for giving good feedback in writing workshops. The guide he shares is a great reminder for instructors looking to deepen their feedback and also a valuable tool for teaching students peer feedback skills.

Discussion is such a natural tool of engagement in our face-to-face classrooms, but it often feels flat or obligatory online. How can we create engaging online discussions with our students? What tools and practices are available? Join Debbie Mekiana (ANS) and UAF eCampus designers for discussion.

The Faculty Learning Community (FLC) on Best Practices for Dual Enrollment Online Course formed at the beginning of 2020 to discuss how faculty can respond to the increasing numbers of high-school students taking UAF classes through programs such as Alaska Advantage and the North Star Middle College. This Community Seminar features some recommendations for helping…

In this seminar, Professor Rob Prince discusses his efforts to create uniquely engaging online courses using props, humor, and discussions. From puppets to a spacesuit and his DeLorean, Rob uses every possible tool at his disposal to energize his students and set his teaching style apart from the rest. 

Watch Jen Peterson (PSY), Trent Sutton (CFOS/URSA), and Abel Bult-Ito (BIOL) to learn how they are facilitating research opportunities for remote students. Dr. Peterson discusses her CITE project, creating research assistantships for distance learners; Dr Bult-Ito shares about his BIOL-140 online research methods course; and Dr. Sutton explains how URSA is supporting student research across…

As many of us have transitioned to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, many are wondering how to engage students in this new context. Watch Wendy Martelle and Sabine Siekmann (LING) for tips on keeping your Zoom sessions and online courses engaging for you and your students.

A panel of UAF students discusses their experiences as online learners. Students discuss their techniques for managing an online courseload, what gets them engaged in their online courses, and what they wish more teachers knew when teaching online.

Learn about distance delivery designed for students in rural or low-bandwidth contexts. Claudia Ihl, biology professor with the UAF Northwest Campus, will share insights and perspectives.  Download Claudia’s tips for teaching in low-bandwidth online contexts.

Examine the psychological impacts of attention-grabbing media and how this correlates to students’ maintaining attention and motivation in their college courses. How can we as faculty design our courses to recognize and integrate the online contexts that students navigate daily?Faith Fleagle, eCampus Exam Services Manager, and Victoria Director of Student Support Services, will share insights…

Community Seminars in Teaching and Learning are led by faculty who’ve had success with a particular aspect of or approach to teaching and learning — i.e. contract-based grading, online accessibility, hybrid teaching, etc. Faculty facilitators discuss their experiences and share related resources and research with participants. Faculty are encouraged to find co-facilitators, who can share…

Learn about successful, evidence-based practices for supporting students’ mental health across the curriculum at UAF. This Community Seminar was hosted by Mat Wooller, Director of Alaska Stable Isotope Facility and founder of UAF’s The Well, Jen Peterson, Assistant Professor of Psychology, and Mareca Guthrie, Curator of Fine Arts & Associate Professor of Art. Watch the…

Amanda White, Program Director of Applied Management, and Madara Mason, Associate Director of Teaching and Learning at UAF eCampus, hosted a Community Seminar on “Incorporating Career Development into Courses.” They share about how to infuse small activities or ideas to help our students explore, develop and implement their career goals inside and outside of the classroom….

Gordon Williams, Professor of Mathematics, hosted a Community Seminar on “Discovery-Based Group Learning,” highlighting the techniques he has used in his UAF courses to keep students engaged in group projects. Dr. Williams shares about facilitating effective group work in face-to-face and distance-based courses. Review Gordon’s slides: Discovery-based Group Learning (PDF). Community Seminars in Teaching and…

Sarah Stanley, Director of University Writing, and Deborah Rinio, Instructor in Library Sciences, hosted a June 2020 seminar on “Contract-Based Grading.” In addition to sharing applications of this collaborative approach to grading in their own courses, Deborah and Sarah shared resources and hosted a dialogue with UAF faculty. Watch the Zoom recording below and review…