News & Events

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

What are my options for setting up an exam in BrightSpace? How do I know what my students see in BrightSpace's gradebook? Planning ahead for the end of the semester, Associate Director of ILIT Adam Hawkins offers this workshop on assessments in BrightSpace. The brief presentation on LMS best practices for quizzes and grades will be followed by workshop time - so bring your laptop! Add this to your calendar here. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Tuesday, April 9.

Monday, April 8, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

What has the Honor Council heard about AI on our campus? What would members of the HC look for in a case concerning AI? (There has been one case thus far.) How might the HC help educate students about principles and concerns related to AI? Join us for a conversation with members of the Honor Council. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Friday, April 5.

Thursday, April 4, 2024

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Co-sponsored with the Order of the Gown, this panel will share some perspectives on the experience of student athletes in the classroom and help us to think about what faculty can do to make our classes supportive for all of our students. Add this event to your calendar here, and sign up for lunch via this form by noon on Wednesday, April 3.

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Do you wonder whether your students are actually reading what you put in Brightspace? Did you know that Brightspace keeps track of all their interactions? Did you know you can see how long students spend on each question of a test? Would you like to show your students the class average on an exam? What about the average class grade per question? Join Associate Director of ILIT Adam Hawkins for a casual demonstration of some Brightspace analytics - how to access them and what to do with them. Lunch provided! Spots limited! Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Monday, April 1.

Monday, March 25, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

McClurg 206

Do you make use of small group work in your classes? Would you like to? Having students engage with each other can give them a comfortable setting to try out their ideas. It can also take a substantial amount of class time. Let’s talk about the benefits and challenges of this pedagogical practice over lunch! (Sign in at McClurg’s front desk for the CfT to cover your meal.) Add this to your calendar via this link. 

Thursday, March 21, 2024

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching 

ADA Director Matt Brown will explain Universal Design and Learning can help students succeed in their courses and improve their ability to learn. By addressing and removing barriers up front, faculty can create a culture of access where all ability and learning types can thrive. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Wednesday, March 20.  

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Does any of this look familiar to you? Don’t give up! Brightspace Grades can still work for you! In this semester’s first Brightspace U workshop with Associate Director of ILIT Adam Hawkins, you are invited to come and ask your questions about the Brightspace Grades tool in a casual setting. Bring your laptop, your syllabi, and any and all questions about how you’d like to use Brightspace grades. Seats are limited! Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Monday, March 4.

Monday, March 4, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

Given our campus conversations around inclusive access and textbook affordability, you may be wondering about ways to lower the cost of your courses. Open Educational Resources (OER) are course materials that are openly licensed, adaptable, and renewable - and are usually either low cost or no cost for your students. Are you interested in using Open Educational Resources but not sure how to start? Deon Miles (Chemistry), Teri Terigele (Psychology) and John Willis (History) will talk about their experiences using Open Educational Resources, low-cost books, or no textbook at all! Lunch provided for the first 20 to sign up! RSVP here (by noon Friday, March 1) Co-sponsored with LITS and Sewanee’s OER Group. Add this to your calendar here.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Sewanee students are fortunate to have caring and dedicated teachers and mentors. An unfortunate consequence of this can be that there are many demands on the time and energy of faculty members and staff. This session, led by UWC therapists Fran Speer and Hannah Clark, will explore how to set appropriate boundaries and create meaningful self-care practices. Heads up: this means more than just bubble baths! Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Monday, Feb 26.

Friday, February 23, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching 

A tool for good or evil? Let’s test it out! We invite you to come play in our “sandbox” where you will have access to the paid-for versions of these AI writers to see how they respond to your prompts. If you have never tried out an AI writer, this is an easy opportunity to give one a try! Bring your laptop. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Thursday, Feb 22.

Friday, February 16, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

Does any of this look familiar to you? Don’t give up! Brightspace Grades can still work for you! In this semester’s first Brightspace U workshop with Associate Director of ILIT Adam Hawkins, you are invited to come and ask your questions about the Brightspace Grades tool in a casual setting. Bring your laptop, your syllabi, and any and all questions about how you’d like to use Brightspace grades. Seats are limited! Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Thursday, February 15.

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

We all have experience in working with student accommodations, but what do we know about the range of what students cope with? In this session, Molly and Brooke will focus on common neurodiverse diagnoses and discuss ways to support neurodiverse individuals inside and outside of the classroom. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Tuesday, Feb 6.

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

McClurg meeting room 206 

Conversation at our first Teachers’ Table of the semester will be focusing on the interplay between academics and athletics. Coaches have been invited to join us as we consider the successes and challenges for students committed to both endeavors as well as our common goal of helping students succeed. (Sign in at McClurg’s front desk for the CfT to cover your meal.) Add this to your calendar via this link.

Thursday, January 25, 2024

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching, duPont

As Anna Mills wrote in the Chronicle of Higher Education, access to AI writers presents “many unknowns but also simple steps we can take to move forward.” In this workshop, we’ll take time to think collectively and constructively about our writing assignments, with some prompts from Anna Mills’ article as well as this article: ChatGPT Has Changed Teaching by Beth McMurtrie and Beckie Supiano, also in the CHE. You are encouraged to read at least one article in advance, and we're hoping you'll go away with some concrete ideas for how to think about your writing assignments for this semester (and in the future). Add this event to your calendar here, and sign up for lunch via this form by noon on Wednesday, Jan 24.

Friday, January 12, 2023

9:30am-3:30pm

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the South Cumberland Plateau and the nonprofit organizations that work to assist local community members? Have you thought about conducting community-based research or embedding community-engaged learning into a course, but you need more information on community partners? The Office of Civic Engagement invites faculty to join some staff members on a tour of Plateau community partners. Sign up here.  Questions? Ask Amy Patterson.

Thursday, January 11, 2024

12:00pm-1:00pm

Center for Teaching

There are many ways in which one can sense disconnection rather than belonging. Your sense of belonging can be affected by the way your name is pronounced, spelled, or even disregarded. Is this something that “just happens” as a human error or is it deeper than that? In this session, we explore several questions around naming, belonging, and culture. Add this event to your calendar here, and sign up for lunch via this form by noon on Wednesday, Jan 10.

Thursday, December 7, 2023

12:00pm-1:00pm

Torian Room, duPont Library

Will Davis, director of the PodLab at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, teaches courses on podcasting in the Communications Department (for students seeking careers in media) and in the Honors College (for students seeking programming experience to augment their liberal arts degrees). Davis is a public radio veteran and a skillful producer of impressive podcasting episodes and series. This opportunity for faculty and staff is sponsored by the Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation, Library and Information Technology Services, and the Center for Teaching. 

Seats are limited. Please reach out to the Roberson Project to reserve a seat. A light lunch will be served. Please indicate if you wish to have lunch and any dietary needs you have. We apologize in advance for the limited number of seats available.

Monday, December 4, 2023

12:00pm-1:00pm

Center for Teaching

Teaching in the First-Year Program is a richly rewarding experience that allows instructors to try novel pedagogies, expand their own knowledge, and discover unexpected interdisciplinary connections. Most FYP faculty started by wondering how their own expertise might fit within the program and how to frame the idea of “place” but ultimately found avenues that they had never anticipated. In this session, Jessica Wohl (Art, Art History, & Visual Studies), Jennifer Matthews (Theater & Dance), and Rob Bachman (Chemistry) will share their challenges, successes and questions in developing their courses and participating in the program. Add this event to your calendar here, and sign up for lunch via this form by noon on Friday, Dec 1. 

Thursday, November 16, 2023

12:30pm-1:30pm

McClurg meeting room 206 BC

What have you observed with respect to ChatGPT in your classes this fall? What has been your experience in the new AI landscape? What guidance are you giving your students? Join us for a casual session over lunch time to share ideas and connect with colleagues. Add this to your calendar via this link.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

12:30pm-1:30pm

Center for Teaching

What are my options for setting up an exam in BrightSpace? How do I know what students see in BrightSpace’s gradebook? Planning ahead for the end of the semester, Associate Director of ILIT Adam Hawkins offers this workshop on assessments in BrightSpace. The brief presentation on LMS best practices for quizzes and grades will be followed by workshop time - so bring your laptop! Add this event to your calendar here, and sign up for lunch via this form by noon on Monday, Nov 13.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Center for Teaching

11:00am-12:00pm What is Neurodiversity? with Kayleigh Perlotto, Molly Ellson, and Brooke Moody from the University Wellness Center. Learn about the impacts, history, and ways to support neurodivergent students and colleagues.

1:00pm-2:00pm Universal Design and Learning with Diane Dekkker, Assistant Director of Student Accessibility Services. Universal design and learning help create learning environments where all types of learners can thrive. Diane will share ways to help design courses in a way that empowers all kinds of students.

Tuesday, November 7, 2022

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Co-sponsored with the Order of the Gown, this panel will share some perspectives on the experience of international students in the classroom at Sewanee and help us to think about what faculty can do to make our classes inclusive for all of our students. Add this event to your calendar here, and sign up for lunch via this form by noon on Monday, Nov 6.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

12:00 pm -1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

Last year, 1 in 3 CAPS clients reported experiencing suicidal thoughts at some point during the year. This program is designed to engage participants in conversation about mental health, suicide, and the importance of connection. This program will empower participants to offer effective, compassionate support to others experiencing suicidal thoughts. Participants will also be made aware of mental health and crisis resources on campus and beyond. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Tuesday, Oct 31.

Monday, October 30, 2023

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

Do you use an expensive textbook in your classes? How do you feel about your textbook choice and how it influences students’ college life and their academic success? To begin a discussion and provide some resources about these issues, Sewanee’s OER team invites you to a workshop offered by the Open Education Network. Participants will have an opportunity to write a short review of an open textbook for either a $100 stipend or $150 in professional development funds. Add this to your calendar here, and register here, where you can indicate your interest in reviewing a textbook for a stipend and request lunch. Note that a Zoom option is available for remote attendees. Email Pat Dover at prdover@sewanee.edu with any questions. 

Wednesday, October 25,2023

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

McClurg meeting room 206

What do we really mean by "rigor"? From a faculty point of view, academic “rigor” may mean high expectations for student engagement in critical thinking, whereas students may be thinking more along the lines of how much work is required and what support is available to succeed. What does “rigor” mean to you? How do you help students rise to meet a challenge while being supportive? Join us for a casual session over lunch time to share ideas and connect with colleagues. Add this to your calendar via this link.

Monday, October 23, 2023

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

In recent years, the idea of "ungrading" has attracted an increasing amount of interest and discussion. Although for some educators "ungrading" means dispensing with grades entirely, for others it denotes a wide variety of different approaches to assessment ("grading for growth", "contract grading", etc.) that seek to emphasize student learning and development. In this session, Stephanie Batkie (English & Creative Writing), Kristen Cecala (Biology), Kati Curts (Religion), Anne Duffee (Mathematics and Computer Science) and Sid Simpson (Politics) will share their experiences of using a variety of different alternative assessment practices, and the successes, challenges, and questions that they have encountered in doing so. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up for lunch here by noon on Friday, Oct 20.

Monday, October 9, 2023

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

Most Sewanee faculty are familiar with student requests for accommodations, but many have questions about how best to deal with these requests. In this session, our new Assistant Director of Student Accessibility Services Diane Dekker will talk about some of the most common accommodations that are requested at Sewanee and what faculty can do to support our students in these cases. This will be a mostly informal session with plenty of time for questions and discussion! Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Friday, Oct 6.

Thursday, October 5, 2023

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

McClurg meeting room 206BC

When students struggle academically, both faculty and staff can find themselves struggling to find ways to offer support. What are the most effective ways to help students stay afloat? What resources are available? Join a casual session over lunch time to share ideas and connect with colleagues while we talk about strategies for supporting our students. (Sign in at the front desk for the CfT to cover your meal.) Add this to your calendar via this link.

Wednesday, October 4, 203

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

What’s the difference between an availability date and a due date? Should I use quizzes or assignments to administer my take-home essay test? How do I create a question pool with randomized questions? Just in time for midterms, Associate Director of ILIT Adam Hawkins offers this workshop on assessments in BrightSpace. The brief presentation on LMS assessment best practices will be followed by hands-on work creating, modifying, and/or setting parameters for tests in BrightSpace. Bring your laptop and your midterms to start getting set up in BrightSpace! Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Tuesday, Oct 3.

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

The LSLdb is an initiative to collect and share information about monuments and memorials linked to slavery, the Civil War, and the Confederacy on college and university campuses. Woody Register, the Director of the Roberson Project, will demonstrate the LSLdb’s features and discuss how to incorporate this innovative digital humanities resource into your classes. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Monday, Oct 2.

Thursday, September 28, 2023

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Maria Falikman (Psychology) taught a course on neurophilosophy this past spring where students leveraged the power of machine learning to delve into questions of mind, cognition, and the potential for machine consciousness. Her presentation is intended to illustrate productive uses of AI chatbots that can be implemented for a wide variety of course content. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up for lunch here by noon on Wednesday, Sep 27.

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

Do you want your students to make real-life connections to the content they're learning? Interested in how to connect your courses to the broader community? Curious about how you might integrate civic engagement into a new or existing course? Join us for brief flash presentations followed by conversations with the Community-Engaged Learning Faculty Fellows (Kate Cammack, Katy Morgan, Sid Simpson, and Jennifer Matthews). Add this to your calendar here. Sign up for lunch here by noon on Tuesday, Sep 26.

Don Asher, guest of the Office of Integrated Advising and Career Readiness

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Don Asher, author of Graduate Admission Essays: Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice, has interviewed thousands of graduate students and admissions directors to determine the strategies that are most successful in getting students into graduate programs. For faculty, he will provide guidance in advising students about graduate school options (who should go to law school; why we need more MDs; should we encourage borderline applicants) and in writing effective letters to support their applications (how to tell the Sewanee story). Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Monday, Sep 25.

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

12:00 pm-1:00 pm

Center for Teaching

Leigh Collins, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Executive Director of the Wellness Center, will provide an overview of mental health trends on our campus and offer suggestions for how faculty might support students experiencing mental health struggles. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Tuesday, Sep 19.

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

McClurg 206 ABC

In a week where we will be hearing about student mental health (see below), we want to include some conversation about our own! What strategies have you used to maintain balance? Join a casual session over lunch time to share ideas and connect with colleagues while we talk about setting boundaries. (Sign in at the front desk for the CfT to cover your meal.) Add this to your calendar here.

Thursday, September 14, 2023

12:30 pm-1:30 pm

Center for Teaching

Adam Hawkins, the Associate Director of ILIT and Instructional Designer, will demonstrate these BrightSpace tools that enhance inclusivity. NameCoach allows students to record their names so faculty know both preference and pronunciation. Ally offers PDF OCR conversions that increase accessibility to course materials. Faculty will be invited to insert these tools into their Brightspace courses during the workshop. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Wednesday, Sep 13.

Andrea Del Balso, Director of the Office of Global Citizenship, is ready to assist faculty who are interested in designing and leading short-term study away/abroad programs for Sewanee students. This workshop will discuss program models for fall, spring, and summer; the proposal process; budget development; and the timeline. Time will be set aside during the workshop for faculty who are currently in the planning process to begin working on their proposals and budgets. Add this to your calendar here. Sign up here for lunch by noon on Monday, Sep 11.

Wednesday September 6, 2023   

12:00pm-1:00pm

McClurg 206 ABC

Do you allow laptops in your classroom or not? Could we, should we help students step away from the screens? While computers are necessary at times, what techniques can we use to encourage some balance?

Join a casual session over lunch time to share ideas and connect with colleagues while we talk about strategies. (Sign in at the front desk for the CfT to cover your meal.) Add this to your calendar here.

Thursday, August 31, 2023   
12:30pm-1:30pm   
Center for Teaching

As faculty, we hope to lay the groundwork for students to identify and pursue their interests and goals, whether they major in our field or not. As college progresses, many students find their interests and goals shift in unexpected ways. And while students often ask us about The Future (e.g., potential careers, first jobs) as graduation approaches, what if those conversations started sooner? How do you approach these conversations when they happen? Do you invite these big-picture reflections in the classroom? What stories, reassurances, or pieces of advice do you like to extend?

Come join the conversation led by the new Faculty Fellows for Purpose and Career Lauryl Tucker (English), Rae Manacsa (Politics), and Kate Cammack (Neuroscience/Psychology)!

Sign up here for lunch by noon on Wed Aug 30, and add this to your calendar here.