Starting Strong August Webinar Series: Moves for the New Semester

Webinar info and registration

Webinar descriptions and details can be found below.

Active Learning Without Chaos

Monday, August 17, 3:00 PM

Presented by Rebecca Ricciardo, Assistant Professor of Teaching Chemistry & Biochemistry, The Ohio State University

The semester is approaching, and you likely already have working plans to incorporate active learning techniques into your teaching. Bring one active learning plan that you would like to develop further and join us for a discussion on strategies & implementation, paired with workshop time to refine your plan. Hear from your peers who have implemented active learning in varied capacities and learning environments to discover what went well, what could be improved, and what they might not do again. We will also collect tips, strategies, and resources to distribute afterwards. There will be time to share your own working plan with peers for immediate peer feedback, along with guided self-reflection to help you refine it and leave with something close to classroom-ready before the start of classes. This will be an active virtual experience, and participants may engage at a level that matches their personal comfort. You will be invited to share contact information with peers, as appropriate, to help foster your ONCSE network moving forward.

Rebecca began teaching large enrollment general chemistry courses in 2009 and has continued teaching in some capacity with the department of chemistry & biochemistry as OSU since then. Rebecca has been involved in the design and implementation of CHEMs 1206 and 1208, a foundation course at OSU. She also teaches the traditional general chemistry courses CHEM1210 and CHEM1220. She works to create, design, or adapt active learning activities and practices in the large-enrollment classroom spaces. Rebecca has invested a great deal of energy learning about and implementing active learning strategies in the classroom. Within the space there are times to collect informal and semi-formal data to assess and inform practices. Student engagement and learning gains are the guiding facets and any technology, strategies, etc. are intentionally chosen to support that for each student. 

The Syllabus as a Tool for Equity: Transforming Student Belonging and Growth from Day One

Tuesday, August 18, 3:00 PM

Presented by Mary Russell, Professor of Biological Sciences, Kent State University

The syllabus is often treated as a logistical document, a list of policies and due dates. But research tells a different story. The words, tone, and structure of a syllabus send powerful messages to students about whether they belong, whether they are capable of succeeding, and whether their instructor believes in them. This session invites participants to reimagine the syllabus as one of the most impactful tools an instructor has for promoting equity, belonging, and a growth mindset before the course even begins.

Drawing on the Syllabus Review Guide from the Equity Accelerator's Classroom Practices Library, developed in partnership with the Student Experience Project, this webinar offers a practical, evidence-based framework for auditing and revising course syllabi. Participants will explore the key dimensions of an equity-centered syllabus, including how belonging messages and growth-mindset language can shape students' earliest experiences in a course, and how course policies can either reinforce or reduce barriers for historically underserved students.

This is a hands-on working session. Participants are asked to come prepared with one of their own syllabi, as dedicated time will be provided to apply revision strategies directly to their course documents. By the end of this session, participants will be able to identify deficit-framing and punitive language in syllabi, apply concrete revision strategies rooted in social-psychological research, and leave with a syllabus already in progress. Whether you are building a new course or revisiting an existing one, this webinar offers accessible, field-tested approaches to help every student feel seen, supported, and set up for success.

Dr. Mary A. Russell is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Kent State University at Trumbull who believes that great teaching begins with genuine care for students and a passion for learning. After a career in microbiology and biomedical research, she now focuses much of her scholarship on creating inclusive, engaging learning experiences that help all students succeed. Her work in student belonging, active learning, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning reflects her belief that authenticity and high expectations go hand in hand. She is especially passionate about helping students see themselves as scientists and capable learners while inspiring fellow faculty to teach with both purpose and heart.

Why Should You Consider SoTL Research? An Introduction to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Wednesday, August 19, 3:00 PM

Presented by Adam Chekour, Associate Professor of Mathematics, University of Cincinnati, and Mary Russell, Professor of Biological Sciences, Kent State University

This introductory session provides an overview of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and its role in improving educational effectiveness. Participants will explore the foundational principles of SoTL, including inquiry into teaching practice, reflection, and the use of evidence to guide instructional decisions. Using a real-world example, the session will illustrate how SoTL projects are designed and how they can be used to systematically investigate and enhance classroom practice.

In addition to learning about SoTL, participants are encouraged to bring ideas, questions, or challenges from their own teaching contexts that could be developed into SoTL projects. Time will be provided for participants to reflect on and begin shaping their own research ideas, with opportunities for discussion and feedback.

This webinar is designed as a standalone introductory experience for faculty who are curious about SoTL and want to explore whether it may be a good fit for their teaching practice. It also serves as an entry point to a broader academic year SoTL webinar series that will support participants who wish to continue developing their ideas. The series will address key stages of conducting a SoTL project, from refining research questions and selecting appropriate methodologies to collecting data, analyzing results, and disseminating findings. Participation in the introductory session does not require attendance for the full series.

Join us to discover how SoTL can transform teaching practices, support your own scholarly inquiry, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement in education.

Dr. Adam Chekour's expertise spans mathematics education, instructional technology, and online education. His work focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based teaching practices that enhance student learning, engagement, mathematical reasoning, and problem-solving. He leads a Faculty Learning Community that supports faculty in conducting SoTL research, contributes to the evaluation and adoption of instructional technologies, and has presented and published on teaching, learning, and online education at regional, national, and international levels. His work is dedicated to advancing innovative, research-informed educational practices that improve teaching effectiveness and student success.

AI in STEM Classrooms: Setting Expectations Early

Thursday, August 20, 3:00 PM

Presented by Kathy Koenig, Professor of Physics, University of Cincinnati

Many students are already using artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT to support studying, complete assignments, and seek academic assistance. Rather than responding to AI-related issues after they arise, STEM instructors can use the opening weeks of the semester to proactively establish clear expectations and help students develop responsible, productive habits for using these tools.

In this session, we will examine what students are currently doing with AI, share approaches for crafting syllabus policies and communicating appropriate versus inappropriate uses of AI tools, and discuss how AI can be leveraged as a learning partner rather than simply an answer generator.

Additional topics will include fostering AI literacy, addressing ethical considerations, and maintaining academic integrity while preparing students to navigate an AI-enabled world. Participants will also have opportunities to discuss these ideas with colleagues, share experiences and resources, and consider strategies that fit their own courses and institutional contexts.

The session is designed to provide faculty with concrete, immediately usable ideas for setting expectations early in the semester while also supporting longer-term thinking about how AI fits into STEM education.

Dr. Kathy Koenig's research focuses on physics education. Over the past two decades, she has investigated ways to improve student learning through interactive video tutorials, laboratory instruction that promotes scientific reasoning, and, more recently, the effective integration of generative AI into introductory college STEM courses. She has led multiple NSF-funded projects on introductory physics instruction and faculty professional development and regularly collaborates with instructors to implement evidence-based teaching practices.