Annual Events
CONNECT Conference
The FDC offers a conference where EMU can come together to converse about teaching and share what we do to promote student learning. The 2023 CONNECT Conference kicked off on Thursday, February 9 with a keynote address by Dr. Alison Cook-Sather. Friday, February 10 featured sessions from EMU faculty, lecturers, staff, and students on a wide range of teaching and learning topics.
New Beginnings Conference
To better prepare for the fall semester, we partnered with the Office of Campus and Community Writing to host the New Beginnings Conference. Our goal was to encourage participants to "Try One Thing" in their teaching as classes begin. We joined together to engage with colleagues, learn new things, and get the fall 2023 semester off to a great start.
The 2023 conference was held on Thursday, August 24, 2023. Please check back for updates on the 2024 conference as they become available.
The 2023 conference was held on Thursday, August 24, 2023. Please check back for updates on the 2024 conference as they become available.
New Hire Orientation
Through this program, we intended to give our new EMU faculty a warm and sincere welcome to the university by providing them with the necessary tools to build their career as a scholar, to support their students in the classroom, and to become an engaged citizen in our community.
To learn more about the sessions that were offered at the New Faculty Orientation, please view our morning and afternoon programs.
To learn more about the sessions that were offered at the New Faculty Orientation, please view our morning and afternoon programs.
Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity Showcase
We invited all tenured, tenure-track, emeritus, and lecturers to display posters, journal articles, books, artwork, and videos or compact discs (CD) of performing art, etc., that highlight scholarly activities that were disseminated/completed during the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 calendar years. The 2023 Faculty Showcase took place on Thursday, March 23. Check back for details about the 2024 Showcase when they become available.
Thank-An-Eagle Program
We love recognizing the outstanding people of the EMU community! The Faculty Development Center hosts a university-wide event called Thank-An-Eagle, where EMU students have a chance to thank an instructor, staff member, coach, GA or mentor who has helped them during their time here at EMU.
The 2023 Thank-An-Eagle event was held on Monday, April 17th, at 3:30 PM. Check back for details regarding the 2024 event as they become available.
Flipping the Script Conference
Join us for our first annual Flipping the Script Conference, hosted by the Faculty Development Center, which will “Flip the Script” to empower the learners to become the teachers, and the teachers to become the learners. It offers all of us an opportunity for all of us to straddle both worlds, and to grow through that opportunity. The conference itself will take place on Friday, December 1st, 2023.
Upcoming Workshops
Internal Research Awards Workshops
During the fall 2023 semester, Alexis Braun Marks, University Archivist, and Natalie Dove, Associate Professor and Interim Department Head of Psychology, will host three sessions for those interested in applying for an internal research award. The purpose of these workshops is to both inform attendees on the application process itself and provide feedback on any materials provided.
Research Writers' Collaborative
The Writers’ Collaborative is an annual opportunity for EMU faculty to support each other while achieving realistic writing goals (i.e. developing a conference paper, drafting an article, revising a book chapter, etc.). Giving and getting helpful feedback is also included in this program. This program will meet throughout the fall 2023 semester on Wednesdays from 1-3 PM. Sessions will take place virtually on Zoom.
Incorporating Indigenous Sources and Topics into Your Courses
Please join us for this session, hosted by Eric Hemenway, Director of Repatriation, Archives and Records for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, that will give help educators weave in native history into the classroom, with examples of primary sources, topics and historical events that have significant, native participation. The focus will be on the Anishnaabek of Michigan.
International Virtual Global Learning Workshop
Using a hyflex format, we are inviting 20 EMU faculty for an in-person one-day workshop, as well as virtual faculty participants from international virtual global learning networks. This international workshop will a) introduce new strategies and tools for virtual global learning, and b) give EMU faculty access to networks of international faculty they could collaborate with to integrate global exchanges and learning in their courses.
A Campus for diverse minds: Supporting Neurodiverse Students
Join us for this seminar, facilitated by Dr. Sally Burton-Hoyle, that focuses on inclusive resources to meet a wide range of needs in relation to neurodiversity in the university setting. Takes place October 18 @ 9:30-11 AM in 109B Halle or through Zoom.
ChatGPT Sessions
WAC and the FDC are offering an opportunity this semester through convening a small group of us to have conversations about generative AI, particularly in relation to teaching and assigning writing. This would be a think tank of sorts -- and opportunity for those of us interested in the topic to come together, read and discuss some things, etc. The first of these discussions will take place on Tuesday, September 19th.
Soup with Substance: Allyship
Join our new coordinator of the LGBT Resource Center, Emma Wuetrich, for discussion over a light soup lunch. This will be a roundtable to dialogue about our queer students and what allyship looks like in and outside the classroom. This event will take place on Wednesday, October 25th from 12:30-1:30 PM in 109B Halle or on Zoom.
Previous Events
Preparing Meaningful Syllabi Workshop Expand dropdownJeffrey Bernstein (Professor of Political Science and Director of the Faculty Development Center) and Hannah Bollin (Doctoral Fellow for Educational Studies) collaborated to bring together a syllabus workshop to kick off the fall 2023 semester. During this event, we offered participants new ideas and language for your syllabi, both to ensure the requirements are met and to inspire, encourage, and better support our students.
Textbook Affordability Workshop Expand dropdownThis three-part Textbook Affordability workshop series, hosted by the Faculty Development Center and facilitated by Kate Pittsley-Sousa, Julia Nims, and Sara Memmott, hopes to encourage, assist, and develop skills in EMU instructors related to the adoption of free or more affordable course materials.
Supporting Student Mental Health Workshop Expand dropdownFaculty are not trained therapists, and we should not act as if we are. But there are things we can do, and should do, to support our students in their time of need. The FDC and CAPS staff came together in this session to talk about student mental health issues, and about what faculty can do to support students. We discussed data, investigated scenarios, and shared ways we can address this challenging, but vitally important, part of our job.
ChatGPT: New Semester, New Challenges Expand dropdownAnn Blakeslee and Beth Sabo from the Writing Across the Curriculum program and the University Writing Center and Jeff Bernstein from the Faculty Development Center hosted two ChatGPT sessions during the summer of 2023. These sessions took place before the fall 2023 semester begins and offered instructors resources to take with them into the start of the year, including syllabus statements, classroom policies, and assignments.
Setting the Tone: Creating a Culture of Mattering and Belonging in Your Class Expand dropdownThis session brought together campus leaders in inclusive education to share practical guidance on how you can create a positive classroom environment, helping students to feel as if they belong in your class, and that their success matters to you. What can you do - on a syllabus, on the first day, in the first few weeks - to create this sense among your students? How do you use the beginning of the semester to set the right tone?
Inclusive Mentorship Workshop Expand dropdownThis program, facilitated by Dr. Dyann Logwood (Assistant Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies) and Dr. Sadaf Ali (Professor of Digital Media and Journalism), intended to explore the intersections of race, class, and gender in order to better help BIPOC students navigate their unique challenges and build a sense of community among students and faculty outside of conventional spaces.
Summer Book Discussion: Small Teaching Expand dropdownJeffrey Bernstein and Ann Blakeslee held a three-part discussion series surrounding the book Small Teaching, 2nd ed., by James M. Lang. In this book, Lang delves into strategies of small change that can be used to enhance student learning experiences. Readers learned how to help students excel at retrieving knowledge from memory and make meaningful connections to course content, and how to build community and motivation in your classroom.
Fulbright Workshop Series
Through this informational workshop series, participants heard several experts talk about the various types of Fulbright grants and how to navigate the application process through EMU, as well as personal success stories of recent EMU faculty Fulbright grantees.
LGBTQ+ Programming
Eastern Michigan University provides multiple resources to LGBTQIA+ students and community members. While these are extremely helpful, we also believe that faculty need to grow their knowledge on LGBTQ+ issues to make their classroom inclusive to all.We held three different workshops including LGBTQ+ 101, Infusing LGBTQ+ Issues and Content Across the Curriculum, and Faculty-Student Interactions.
More Good Chat about ChatGPT
ChatGPT continues to attract a great deal of attention in the world of higher education. Ann Blakeslee and Jeff Bernstein in this conversation, discussed how we can use ChatGPT in our classes and how it can lead us to revisit principles of good practice in creating assignments for our students. Ann and Jeff helped frame the issues, and heard from all of YOU on how we can all adapt pedagogically to this new development.
Pet Therapy with Kevin and John Palladino
In March 2023, John invited the EMU community the opportunity to interact with his dog "Kevin," a Toy Fox Terrier. He was also available to discuss the certification process for therapy dogs.
Teaching Non-Traditional Students
We had a three-part workshop series on caregiving, apologies, and work/life/school balance. These three sessions provided opportunities for faculty and students to share their experiences with the overarching theme of recognizing similarities that both faculty and students faced, and continue to face. Now that we’re moving back on campus, it’s important that we don’t forget these additional challenges we continue to face, although no longer overtly shared in the classroom.
Discussing Controversial Issues in the Classroom
In this workshop series, we intended to assist participants in how to approach controversial issues with respect and understanding. This series served to both introduce participants to the challenges of addressing these issues and offer a toolkit on how to approach these discussions.
Learn more about the Discussing Controversial Issues in the Classroom workshops.
ChatGPT: The Hype and the Reality
Ann Blakeslee from the Writing Across the Curriculum program and the Writing Center and Jeff Bernstein from the Faculty Development Center hosted an informal discussion on Monday, January 30, 2023, about what ChatGPT is, what it does, and how it can, might, and should affect our teaching practices–and our thinking about teaching.
Internal Research Awards Workshops
The Faculty Development Center supported EMU faculty in their applications for Faculty Research Fellowships (FRF) and Sabbaticals by hosting workshops focusing on helping you write a strong proposal.
Faculty-led Travel Programs
These workshops focused on planning the travel program and the logistics, including health and safety while you are traveling.
Teaching and the Hiring Process
This workshop explored various means of assessing the teaching potential of a job candidate, including guest lecturing in classes, teaching mock classes, pedagogical colloquia, and others. No method is perfect, but we explored the benefits and drawbacks of each, and helped participants to determine which approaches will work based upon what they wish to learn about their candidates.
Learn More about the Teaching and the Hiring Process Workshop
Planning Your Scholarly Agenda for the Winter Semester
This workshop found effective ways to set and achieve our writing goals, even given the other pressures we all face. We thank you all for attending this presentation and for a good discussion of our best techniques for getting our writing done.
Learn More about Planning Your Scholarly Agenda for the Winter Semester Workshop.
Secondary Teaching Preparation Program
This workshop series served to inform participants about ways to both engage and integrate the anchor principles and core teaching practices into their classroom activities and lessons. Faculty, lecturers, and administration were invited to join one or more sessions.
Learn More about the Secondary Teaching Preparation Program.
The Impact of Racial Microaggressions Workshops
In this two-part workshop series, participants examined the microaggressions that many BIPOC instructors and students experience in the classroom and beyond. This series was designed for faculty to effectively recognize and respond to microaggressions in the classroom and other interaction contexts in higher education settings.
Learn more about The Impact of Racial Microaggressions Workshop series.
Watch a recording of Part 1: The Impact of Racial Microaggressions on BIPOC Students.
Watch a recording of Part 2: The Impact of Racial Microaggressions on BIPOC Instructors.
Summer Research Award (SRA) Writing Workshop
This series of workshops informed attendees on the application process and strategies for writing a proposal. This session gave you an opportunity to hear about how awards are judged, common pitfalls to avoid, and ways to make your application as appealing as possible to the audience that will be evaluating it. We hope that you enjoyed this workshop.
Learn More about the Summer Research Award (SRA) Writing Workshop.
Syllabus Trading Zone
Jeffrey Bernstein (Professor of Political Science and Director of the Faculty Development Center) and Ann Blakeslee (Professor of English and Director of Campus and Community Writing) hosted a conversation about effective syllabi and provided an opportunity for attendees to share language from their syllabus that they like and to borrow language from others as well.
Working with Struggling Students
This workshop addressed issues such as how to recognize mental health crises in students, what resources are available toward which we can steer students, how to deal with situations when student share things that concern us (i.e., suicidal ideation, severe anxiety), and other similar issues
Learn more about the Working with Struggling Students workshop.
View the Working with Struggling Students workshop recording.
How to Make the Most of the First Day of Class
In this workshop, FDC Director (and political science professor) Jeffrey Bernstein invited participants for some lunchtime conversation about how to make the most effective use of the First Day of Class. Participants were asked to bring good ideas to share with the group, or come to learn from what others are doing.
Learn more about the How to Make the Most of the First Day of Class workshop.
Returning to Teaching: Lessons Learned while Navigating the New Normal
Many faculty and lecturers will be returning to the classroom in the fall, in an ever-changing atmosphere. How do we plan, be flexible, and handle challenges like absences (COVID or non-COVID related), late assignments, student anxiety, etc.? This session featured a faculty panel to discuss what has worked effectively (and, importantly, what has not!). This session asked participants to come prepared to learn from the experiences of others, and to offer their own experiences (or conjectures) as we support each other in preparing to step into the classroom for the fall semester.
Meaningful Conversations: Facilitating Empathic Listening and Mindful Expression
In this workshop participants learned specific and practical communication tools based on core principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC). We are excited to have provided EMU faculty with the tools to communicate effectively and empathetically.DAAD Workshop
This workshop informed faculty about the many funding programs available to North American scientists and academics interested in conducting research in Germany or initiating collaborative projects with German colleagues. Generous grants for research and projects were available, as well as funded internship opportunities for students in STEM fields.
Addressing Misinformation, Bias, and News Literacy
Through this four-part virtual series facilitated by the News Literacy Project and the University Library, faculty were provided with approaches to help students understand bias and identify misleading, inaccurate, and false information. An emphasis was placed on integrating news literacy concepts in the classroom and building a knowledge of today's information landscape. The first three sessions were facilitated by John Silva, Senior Director of Professional Learning at The News Literacy Project.
Developing Inclusive Excellence in STEM
The FDC in partnership with the Faculty Senate Committee for Action on Intersectionality, AntiRacism and Equity (CAIARE) hosted a workshop highlighting Inclusive Excellence in STEM at EMU. The goal of this event was to provide a venue to share and discuss ideas for tackling equity and inclusion in STEM Departments at EMU. Five STEM Departments shared strategies and initiatives on which they are currently working. These presentations were followed by an open discussion.
Effectively Teaching Honors Classes
This discussion featuring Honors instructors and students, focused on what makes for a successful honors course, and how you can make whatever you are doing (or planning to do) even more successful.
Focus Groups and Listening Sessions: Adapting a Popular Research Technique to Gather Feedback on Programs and Courses
This event was designed to enhance participants' understanding and implementation of focus groups in the academic setting. Thank you to Dr. Gregory Plagens (Political Science) for facilitating this workshop. How to Apply for a Fulbright Grant
A Fulbright can be life-changing for those who receive one, and we hope to encourage you to apply, and to maximize your chances of winning this award if you do apply.
How to Use R for Statistics
The Faculty Development Center, in partnership with ORDA, was pleased to host a 2-part workshop series on using R for statistical analysis. These workshops are ideal for those who are interested in or curious about learning to use R. Thank you to Dr. Khairul Islam for facilitating!
Internal Research Awards Workshops
A series of Internal Research Award Writing Workshops will be offered again in the Fall. We hope you will join us then. Thank you to Dr. Natalie Dove and Professor Alexis Braun Marks for facilitating!
Introduction to LGBTQ+ Identities & Inclusive Language
Thank you to the LGBT Resource Center and the Spectrum Center for coordinating and facilitating this workshop.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
We were pleased to offer a 4-part workshop series on Universal Design for Learning. Sessions covered the basics of UDL, UDL in a physical classroom setting, UDL in a virtual classroom setting, and the big picture of UDL in higher education.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 101
Thank you to our facilitators, Dr. Sally Burton-Hoyle and Professor Andrew Maniotes, and thank you to all who participated in this informative session.
Effectively Teaching Honors Classes
Thank you to those that attended one of the Effectively Teaching Honors Classes sessions! An additional thank you to our facilitators Dr. John Staunton, Dr. Audrey Farrugia, and Dr. Jeff Bernstein, as well as our student panelists.
Flipping Classrooms
Thank you to all who attended the discussion on Flipping Classrooms and thank you to our facilitators Dr. Anne Casper, Dr. Harriet Lindsay, and Dr. Mark Ragg.
You can access the session recording here.
If you have any follow-up questions questions please reach out to [email protected].
Student Wellness in the Classroom
Thank you to all who attended our events on Student Wellness in the Classroom. A special thank you to our facilitators Dr. LaMarcus Howard, Julia Heck, and Sean Woolf.