This week, promoting student agency and curiosity and encouraging students to be vulnerable.

Tech, Agency, Voice (On Not Teaching)
Rather than establishing a hierarchy with students at the bottom and dispensing information, Chris Friend urges instructors to encourage students to discover and create. For instance, in his introductory writing and rhetoric courses, Friend poses questions about writing and technology and asks students to research the answers, giving them the opportunity to explore independently and ignite their own curiosity. (Hybrid Pedagogy)

Resiliency in Science: We Need to Stop Punishing Vulnerability
“Vulnerability is not a weakness in science,” Jonathan Thon writes. He urges science instructors to undergo empathy training to learn how to help students persevere in the face of obstacles and be mentors to the students they teach. (University Affairs)

A Third of Your Freshmen Disappear. How Can You Keep Them?
When the retention rate decreased at Southern University of Utah, the university overhauled its first-year experience program. Changes included redesigning the first-year seminar and identifying struggling students earlier; as a result, Southern Utah saw a notable rise in retention. This approach reflects a nationwide trend to use multiple solutions to promote student success. (The Chronicle of Higher Education – Paywall)

From Status Quo to Status Go: Scaling Innovation in Higher Ed
Innovation needs to take place on an institutional level in order for it to succeed, Vincent Del Casino, Jr., opines. For example, after the recession, the University of Arizona worked to embrace change by putting entire programs online, incentivizing faculty to redevelop their courses in a virtual environment. (The Evolllution)

Gamification in Education
According to Pooja Adarkar, the principles involved in gamification are applicable to many fields and can motivate and engage students. Some methods for using gamification in education include using a points system, so students must complete certain assignments to advance to a new “level,” and awarding badges for completed assignments. (The Faculty Center Blog—Pace University)

Partner News

Sam Houston State University: SHSU ACUE Fellows complete the Course on Effective Teaching Practices, endorsed by ACE (American Council on Education) (Sam Houston State University)

University of Southern Mississippi: ACUE Institute Program Popular Resource with Southern Miss Faculty (Southern Miss Now)