Teaching & Learning Buzz - Georgia Tech

In this special episode, Carol and Rebecca are joined by two campus experts in online teaching and learning, Dr. David Joyner, Associate Director of Student Experience for the Online Master of Science in Computer Science program, College of Computing, and Dr. Vincent Spezzo, Program Manager of Teaching and Learning Online, Center for Teaching and Learning. As we move to remote teaching for the rest of the Spring semester, David and Vincent share tips and strategies for making the most of the semester in this new environment. We talk about how to prioritize your course content, keep your teaching strategy and technology use easy, connect with your students, maintain inclusivity, and many other tips from our experts.

In episode 3 of the Teaching and Learning Buzz podcast, Carol and Rebecca sit down with Dr. Susan Blum, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame, and keynote speaker at the January 2020 Georgia Tech Retreat on Exploring Effective Teaching (GTREET). In this wide ranging conversations, we talk about how Susan's research moved from culture in China to student plagiarism and motivation, ways that traditional structures and practices in higher education can constrain learning, and the impact of innovative grading strategies can be use to improve the learning environment. Check out the episode on Soundcloud!

In Episode 2 of the Georgia Tech Center for Teaching and Learning podcast, Carol and Rebecca chat with Dr. Steve McLaughlin, Professor, Dean*, and Southern Company Chair of the College of Engineering and co-writer of the Inside Higher Ed Opinion message of “A Friend at the Front of the Room”, to discuss his commitment to Georgia Tech students' mental health and how it is affected by their class environments. They also explore how faculty can become more involved in the facilitation of student mental health by creating a welcoming, but still rigorous, academic environment in their classrooms and offices. Check out the episode! 

Since this recording, Dr. McLaughlin is now Provost at Georgia Tech.

Carol and Rebecca share student perceptions of how grading practices at Tech impact their learning and academic wellbeing and then delve into three different types of grading strategies - traditional, norm-based, and mastery-based. Dr. Al Ferri, Associate Chair of Undergraduate Education and Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, joins us to look at the research he's done on grading practices, his evolving perspective on his own grading, and the ways he works with faculty now to (re)consider their practices for better student learning and engagement.