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In this episode, we dive into the power of gamification in education, exploring how it can transform student engagement and motivation. We start by examining the role of failure as a motivating tool within gamified learning, proposing that challenges and setbacks can be reconfigured as stepping stones toward success. We also talk about strategies, such as playful openers, game-infused instruction, and storified assessments, to spark interest and sustain engagement among students, especially reluctant learners. Lastly, we'll delve into the importance of leveraging pop culture to create memorable learning experiences, from incorporating familiar characters (like Harry Potter) into case studies to embedding entire courses with engaging, fictional scenarios. So, how can you start gamifying your courses? Game on! Recommended Resources: How Can I Use Simple Gamification Strategies to Engage My Students?How Can I Spark and Sustain Engagement in Reluctant Learners?How Can I Bring Pop to My Classroom with Pop Culture?This episode is sponsored by The Teaching Professor, a source of inspiration for more than 10,000 educators at universities and colleges worldwide. 

In this episode, we dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI tools in education. Dr. Jayne Lammers emphasizes the importance of collaborative exploration, urging teachers and colleagues to embark on a collective learning journey together. We also discuss specific AI tools such as Claude, Bing, Bard, TeachAI, Magic School, and more, and how educators can use these tools for brainstorming sessions, language translation, and lesson planning.  “We are all learning how to use these tools together. And I think that will go a long way to not keeping it as something we need to hide or feel like we’re cheating with but using it as a tool to make the things we don’t like to do or that are hard to do, easier. And this gives us the energy and space to be more creative and to do the things that humans are best at.” Mentioned resources: ChatGPTClaude.aiBingGoogle BardMagic SchoolTeach AIMagic Studio (Canva)Khan Academy Commonsense EducationOur Generative AI in Education Experiments: Lessons Learned | Edmentum Other recommended resources: How You Can Use AI to Maximize Time ManagementHow Can I Use Generative AI to Assess Student Understanding?Educators Reflect on Teaching and Learning in the Era of Generative AIHow Can I Use AI to Draft Course Materials?How Can I Use AI as a Student Writing and Editing Coach?How Can I Use AI to Create Multimedia Teaching Materials?

Last summer, I attended our Teaching Professor Annual Conference, one of my favorite conferences that we host. If you haven’t been to it, I highly recommend attending it this year in New Orleans. You can check it out at www.TeachingProfessorConference.com. When I attended last year, I went to a session by Jonathan Howle about empowering trans-spectrum students. He said something that I’ll never forget. He said, “Your space and your class may be the only safe space that a student has. Your class being a safe space, could save lives.” So today, we’re going to talk about strategies that instructors can use to create safe spaces where transgender students feel as if they belong without fear or stress, and ultimately, help students grow personally and academically. Both instructors in this episode will share their own stories and explain how making small, inclusive adjustments will help students feel more comfortable, perform better academically, and grow personally. Recommended Resources: Simple Strategies to Create an Inclusive Classroom for Gender Variant StudentsHow Can I Move from Supporting to Empowering Trans-spectrum Students?

Join Staci Gilpin and Courtney Plotts in their research on how social media impacts the educational journey and engagement of undergraduate students. They explore the transformative power of social media in bridging a genuine human connection, and discuss strategies to integrate social media into the educational journey, sharing insights on cultivating communities, empowering students, and enhancing the overall learning experience. Discover how social media is reshaping education, fostering lifelong connections, and preparing students for the interconnected world of tomorrow. "Humaneness can transcend technology, it really can, and that's what it comes down to. And at the end of the day, we can't be everything for every student, but we can give them access to what they need in those psychological and social spaces for a relationship, for connection, for those other important pieces of learning, right? Because learning is not done alone. It's done in a community." Recommended Resources: Research article by Staci Gilpin and Courtney Plotts: From Likes to Learning: Enhancing Classroom Culture through Social Media EngagementOther related articles: Using Social Media to Retain and Connect with Students in the Shift to Online EducationAdventures with Snapchat in an Online CourseBitmojis, Gifts, and Snaps in the Classroom? Oh My!This episode is sponsored by The Teaching Professor, a source of inspiration for more than 10,000 educators at universities and colleges worldwide. 

As we wind down in the month of December, I’m always in awe at how fast it goes by. I thought it would be a good reminder to slow down this month, to really practice our mindfulness muscles. It’s the season of giving, so let’s give ourselves a break and remind ourselves of what we can do to really live in the moment.  Today, we will have Seena and Stuart Haines dive into mindfulness and offer strategies on how we can build our mindfulness muscles. Picture this: you're zipping through life on autopilot, not noticing the tension building in your body until you flop onto the couch at night. Sound familiar? Well, you're not alone! This episode dives headfirst into what mindfulness really means. It's a superpower that helps us pay attention to the here and now—our thoughts, feelings, and the world around us—without putting a "good" or "bad" label on it. Our brains can do amazing things, but sometimes they need a little nudge to calm down. Mindfulness isn't about shutting off our thoughts (because hello, ideas and creativity!), but it's about taming the internal chaos that can overcome us.  Recommended Resources: Virtual Workshop: Mind Full to Mindful: Strategies to Enhance Teaching and LearningWellbeing Elixir Community with resources: https://www.wellbeingelixir.org/ Online Course: Wellbeing Elixir CourseBook: Real Happiness: A 28-day program to realize the power of meditation

Join Michael Strawser as he explains how he maintains motivation in his teaching amidst the challenges of complacency and burnout. Strawser explores the power of professional development communities and the impact of public teaching on invigorating classroom dynamics. He uncovers the value of reaching out to former students, seeking recognition, remembering your why, and embracing rejection as part of the growth journey. Additionally, he explains how building relationships and advocating for students' needs are integral to sustaining motivation, and explores ways to support students in their journey toward discovering their passions and professional development.

As educators, you understand the need to captivate your students’ attention. So today we’re going to explore specific technology tools that can help reinvigorate your teaching methods – if you’re having fun with the content and technology, so are your students. However, it's not enough to simply adopt technology; it must be thoughtfully chosen to align with specific pedagogical needs. We hope you can take a few technology tools that fit into your course to help you better assess and better engage your students. From self-reflection to interactive instructions to Loom and a digital foldable, let's explore the intersection of technology and pedagogy.  Recommend Resources 20-Minute Mentor: What Are 5 Ways H5P Tools Can Help Students Retain Course Content?20-Minute Mentor: How Can I Use Technology Platforms to Engage Students in Active Learning?20-Minute Mentor: What Are 5 Easy-To-Use Technologies That Have A Big Impact on Learning in the Online Classroom?This episode is sponsored by The Teaching Professor, a resource for more than 10,000 educators at universities and colleges worldwide. Choose from a monthly or yearly subscription. 

Communication in the classroom matters. Whether it’s verbal communication or non-verbal, how and what you say - or don’t say - in the classroom directly impacts your teaching and your students’ learning. For instance, something as simple as the placement of a pause can completely alter your intended message. If you say, “Let’s eat Grandpa,” or “Let’s eat, Grandpa," those have two totally different meanings. Now, this is a more humorous example, but communication mishaps aren’t always funny. So today, we’re going to provide you with techniques to help strengthen your communication in the classroom and with your students. We’ll explore what students consider as communication “misfires” in the classroom, different forms of communication that can help facilitate student learning, and then we’ll dive into communication techniques for the online classroom, because we’ve definitely learned these past few years that online communication is not easy. Get ready to communicate because your words matter! Recommended Resources: 20-Minute Mentor: What is the Role of Communication in Teaching Excellence?20-Minute Mentor: How Can I Avoid Communication "Misfires" with Students?20-Minute Mentor: What are the Communication Musts in an Online Class?

According to research, less than half of students complete assigned readings. So, how do you get your students to complete the reading so they are better prepared to complete assignments, to participate in discussions, and are just more engaged with the content? Today, we’ll talk about how changing the term “reading assignment” to a “task” can give students more agency and break down the wall of resisting reading. We’ll talk about different strategies to encourage active reading and to help strengthen student reading techniques. And lastly, we’ll cover reading assignments that help students discover how much more they learn when they actually do the reading.  Recommended Resources: 20-Mintue Mentor: How Do I Get Students to Complete Reading Assignments?20-Minute Mentor: What Interventions Help Students Master Deep Reading and Engage with Assignments?20-Minute Mentor: How Do I Get Students to Read Their Assignments Before Class?

Today we’re going to dive into some of the challenges that faculty are currently facing and explore strategies to re-engage faculty in their roles. We’re tackling the issue of faculty disengagement. We’ll be discussing strategies to overcome disengagement stemming from workload, stress, technology, and self-worth. In this series of programs, Russell Carpenter and Kevin Dvorak will offer practical insights that can empower both educators and administrators to foster a more supportive academic environment. From celebrating faculty success to addressing self-worth, we’re here to equip you with the knowledge and tools to help overcome faculty disengagement. Recommended Resources: 20-Minute Mentor: What are Proven Strategies to Overcome Faculty Disengagement Due to Professional Self-Worth 20-Minute Mentor: What are Proven Strategies to Overcome Faculty Disengagement Due to Technology 20-Minute Mentor: What are Proven Strategies to Overcome Faculty Disengagement Due to Workload COMING SOON: What are Proven Strategies to Overcome Faculty Disengagement Due to Stress? This episode is sponsored by the Teaching Professor Online Conference. Learn teaching practices you need to help your students succeed in the comfort of your own space! 

Get a notepad or your laptop ready for this episode, because you’ll want to write down some of these AI tools we’re about to dive into. From using AI to design course materials, to supporting students with AI writing and editing, to creating multimedia teaching materials, this episode has something for you! You’ll discover how AI can help with translation, image creation, slideshows, and audio or video support. Get ready to unlock the potential of AI in education and take your teaching and learning to the next level with Jeremy Caplan’s three AI-featured programs. Recommended resources: 20-Minute Mentor: How Can I Use AI to Draft Course Materials?20-Minute Mentor: How Can I Use AI as a Student Writing and Editing Coach?20-Minute Mentor: How Can I Use AI to Create Multimedia Teaching Materials?On-demand Seminar: From Fear to Fluency: Educators Discuss Integrating ChatGPT to Foster Online Student LearningOn-demand Seminar: Facing the Future: Educators Discuss Teaching in the Era of ChatGPT

Today, we’re going to dive into the world of critical thinking – a skill that’s often misunderstood and rarely mastered. We’ll explore how this skill can transform students into astute thinkers who question the world with curiosity and creativity. By the end of this episode, you’ll have the tools to craft lessons that invigorate curiosity, evaluate learning, and inspire the minds of your students. Recommended resources: Magna Online Seminar:Teaching Critical Thinking to Students: How to Design Courses That Include Applicable Learning Experiences, Outcomes, and AssessmentsMagna Online Seminar: Creating Critical Thinkers in the Information AgeMagna Online Seminar: Foster Creative and Critical Thinking Through Intrinsic MotivationOther resources: How We Can Help Our Students Become Better Critical Thinkers, and Why It MattersInfusing Critical Thinking into Your CourseHow Can I Assess Critical Thinking with Student-Created Work?How Can I Design Critical Thinking into My Course?What Activities and Assignments Promote Critical Thinking?