As we begin this final week of classes before spring break, we hope that you and your students are coasting into this midway point of the semester smoothly. Brief programming note: as you might imagine, due to the break next week, you will not see a Digest in your e-mailbox on March 6. “Publication,” of course, will resume on Monday, March 13, which is when you will receive the next edition.
With this in mind, you will find highlights for the next two weeks’ Monday Morning Mentors here this week. To date, however, Magna has only provided the password for the current clip. Accordingly, while I will not distribute a full version of the Digest until after the break, for all who may want to view next week’s MMM, I will send along a brief message solely forwarding the corresponding password once it is provided to me.
This week’s online tutorial explores the question: “What Are 7 Ways to Assess Students in an Ungraded Classroom?” It will be available today through March 5, and all pertinent details are provided below. Then, next week’s video asks, “What Can Engagement in Games Teach Me About Engagement in My Courses?” You will subsequently have access to that clip from midnight on March 6 through midnight on March 12.
Next, please join us tomorrow at 3 p.m. – either virtually or in person – as we host our second Teamwork Tuesday of the semester. This one will focus on the Critical Thinking Institutional Learning Outcome, and it will be led by CASL co-chairs Ruth Haller, Jolie Stepaniak, Deb Zopf and Bob James. More details are available below.
Meanwhile, a common theme in the Digest this semester – and one that appears to be creeping into many corners of our lives – consists of dissecting the details emerging each week about exponentially unfolding advancements in AI, not the least of which is the large language model (LLM) known as ChatGPT. If you don’t know already, this interface is essentially a “chatbot on steroids” – one that, according to a recent edition of NPR’s 1a, has proven capable of passing both a final licensing exam required to become a medical doctor and the comprehensive exam administered toward the conclusion of the MBA program at the Wharton School of Business. With all of this in mind, Rosemary and I intend to share a series of programming on this topic as it evolves throughout the rest of this semester, into the fall semester and beyond. One such forum takes place this Thursday and is hosted by the company behind Hypothesis, a social/digital annotation application that several of us here at HFC are piloting this semester. Details on how to attend this free, virtual session are supplied below.
Likewise, while it is still a few months off, we have heard from attendees at the recent LAND conference that “The Grading Conference” is also worth your while to attend. It is virtual with a registration fee of only $50, and this year it takes place June 9 and 10. Bellow, you will find further details as well.
Finally, once more, applications for the Library Book Improvement Fund are still being accepted, and this form will remain available on the CTEI Moodle Hub through the March 6 deadline. Any interested parties should complete this document and submit it via e-mail to Ruth Ann Schmitt and/or Tessa Betts. Also, please remember that Michigan, College, University, Partnership (MiCUP) at Lawrence Technological University will be running immersive in-person sessions for instructors as well, examining how students are learning through authentic scientific experiments in the classroom. Though the first of these has already passed, two more are scheduled after spring break, and all of them will be held on HFC’s campus in room J-110. Scott Corp, project coordinator, has provided a flyer for these events, which is posted on the CTEI Moodle hub and here through this link.
Whether it involves catching up on grading or catching some rays in a tropical location, we sincerely hope that you enjoy a safe and peaceful spring break, and as always, we welcome your questions and suggestions. To that end, if you have any to share, please never hesitate to e-mail either or both of us.
Upcoming Events
| Event | Description | Time/Date | Link |
| Monday Morning Mentor | What Are 7 Ways to Assess Students in an Ungraded Classroom? | 2/27-3/5 Virtual On- Demand Video | View Here Password: ungraded738 |
| Monday Morning Mentor | What Can Engagement in Games Teach Me About Engagement in My Courses? | 3/6-3/12 Virtual On- Demand Video | View Here Password: TBA |
| Sponsored Event: Teamwork Tuesday* | Critical Thinking Institutional Learning Outcome | 2/28 3 to 4 p.m. Hyflex Event | Zoom Link |
| Partner Event: Hypothesis Webinar** | Leveraging Social Annotation in the Age of AI | 3/2 noon to 1 p.m. Virtual Event | Webinar Information and Registration |
| Partner Event: MCSS/ATD Roundtable Discussion Series** | Equity in Gateway Courses and Guided Self-Placement | Varying Days and Times – See Below for More Detail | Visit the MCSS Events Page for More Information and Registration Links |
| Partner Event: The Grading Conference** | Two-Day Event Focused on Best Practices in Higher Ed Grading | 6/9-10 Virtual Event | Conference Website |
| Partner Event: Inaugural HyFlex Collaborative Conference** | Collaborative One-Day Event Bringing Together Higher Ed and K12 Educators | 6/26 Virtual and In-Person Attendance Options | Conference Website |
| Partner Activity: ACUE’s Online Micro-credentialing** | Open-Enrollment Opportunities to Complete Online Pedagogical Training at Your Convenience | Ongoing | Find Information Here |
| Partner Activity: NISOD Online Professional Development Events** | Wide-Ranging Events on a Variety of Topics | Ongoing | Find Information Here |
| Article Discussion Group* | Participate in a Faculty-Led Discussion Group with Colleagues | Various and Ongoing | E-Mail Scott to Join a Group in Progress |
CTEI Happenings 