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Teaching in a Mask
Jan. 12, 2022—Since the university has reinstituted universal masking for the spring semester, some of us will be teaching in the classroom in a mask for the first time or the first time in a while. This presents some auditory and other challenges, but there are strategies you can use to mitigate these challenges. Here are a...
Junior Faculty Spotlight: Adeana McNicholl
Jan. 10, 2022—The CFT highlights the work of our Junior Faculty Teaching Fellows. In this post, Adeana McNicholl, Religious Studies, talks about some of the lessons she has gained from the Fellowship. I am an Assistant Professor of Buddhist Traditions in the Religious Studies department. My research focuses on Buddhism in ancient South Asia and Buddhism in...
Come Work at the Center for Teaching
Dec. 21, 2021—Each year the Center for Teaching (CFT) hires a number of graduate students as part of its efforts to mentor and train graduate students, including those serving as teaching assistants or instructors of record here at Vanderbilt as well as those interested in developing teaching skills for future faculty careers. The CFT has several positions...
Newly Updated Teaching Guide: Personal Devices in the Classroom
Dec. 16, 2021—The CFT first published a guide on considering how to work with wireless devices in the classroom in 2010. Given the rapidly changing digital landscape since then, this guide has been updated to consider how personal electronic devices (especially laptops) can impact learning in the classroom, and how faculty members may design policies and positions regarding their usage. ...
New Additions to the Course Design Resources Site
Dec. 14, 2021—Branching scenarios are much like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” story. In a branching scenario, learners are taken through a scenario where they must make decisions based on the events that are presented. In the newest addition to the CDR (Online Course Development Resources) site, Carrie Sennet and Diana Vasquez (Vanderbilt School of Nursing) teach us how...
Junior Faculty Spotlight: Michelle Marcus
Dec. 9, 2021—Each year, the CFT Newsletter highlights the work of our Junior Faculty Teaching Fellows. This month, Michelle Marcus, Economics, talks about some of the lessons she has gained from the Fellowship. The Junior Faculty Teaching Fellows program has been an invaluable opportunity to reflect on my own teaching practices and to enhance my teaching efficiency and skills. Through teaching seminars,...
Teach Coding? Learn About a tool for integrating enhanced Jupyter Notebooks into Your Teaching
Dec. 6, 2021—As part of a Course Improvement Grant project, associate professor of biomedical engineering Will Grissom been using Pathbird, a tool that runs enhanced Jupyter notebooks (in Python, Julia, or R). It allows students to navigate to their site with no additional setup, and the instructor can interleave autograders, multiple choice questions, and short answer questions with...