Category: Reflection

Course Design Case Studies: An Inside Look

| June 5, 2019
"After you teach your course online the first time, you are going to find things to fix and change. Don't shoot for perfect the first time, shoot for good, and ask for feedback from your students to improve it the next time" - quote from Breana Yaklin, blog author

These are two development cases we’ve recently encountered with faculty creating online courses, and we wanted to share different considerations for approaching an online course or program development. The infographic below breaks down themes we frequently encounter in our work helping faculty design courses, curriculum, and experiences.

Lessons Learned:

One thing we’ve noticed is that very few folks have taken D2L training,

Questioning the Compliance Narrative

| May 29, 2019
Could we begin to understand students as people who are interested in learning and growth for higher purposes beyond just compliance and grades?

I recently attended the 3rd annual Spring Conference on Student Learning and Success at MSU. The first year it ran, it was a joining of a couple of similar events across campus that previously had been taking place simultaneously. This year, there were more added to the party.

Infrastructure, Power and Opportunity: Reflections from the Biosphere 2

| March 5, 2019
Building a Biosphere takes continuous experimentation and evaluation. So, too, does building learning experiences and infrastructure. Quote by Jess Knott on her recent experience designing inclusive curriculum and student experiences at Biosphere 2

by Jess Knott

This week I have had the incredible opportunity to camp at the beautiful Biosphere 2 in Oracle, Arizona with a small group of interdisciplinary professionals engaged at the intersections of science, design, pedagogy and social justice. I am not locked in, and I have not met Pauly Shore,

Opportunities in Digital Learning: Considering emerging trends in Postsecondary Education

| December 13, 2018
Black ceiling with light bulbs that are lit up

My prior two blog posts in this series on the Future of Digital Learning considered definitions and questions raised in our community this year. The writing thus far touches on opportunities present in these ideas about education and emerging potential in the digital era. This post will identify several in brief teases.

Zaria Contejean – Science Gallery Mediator Profile

| December 6, 2018
The role of the mediator was to really be that open line of communication between the art and the people that come into the museum,” - Zaria Contejean

In many museums, docents share knowledge about artwork or special exhibits with museum visitors. These docents receive training or are particular experts on certain movements or styles. For Science Gallery International, the docent role is transformed in several ways. First, the role is staffed by young people—the same people who are in Science Gallery’s target audience of 15-25-year-olds.

Ideas on Digital Learning: Reflections on our colleagues’ thoughts from the Future of Digital Learning Event

| November 29, 2018
light blue corridor with white lines and black entrance at the end.

Earlier this semester, 134 faculty and staff from Michigan State University gathered at the Hub for six lightning talks from faculty representing the Colleges of Education, Music, Arts and Letters, Natural Science, and Communication Arts and Sciences.

Manna Chowdhury – Science Gallery Mediator Profile

| November 26, 2018
Quote from Manna Chowdhury: "Detroit is honestly one of the most diverse places that I've ever seen"

When Manna Chowdhury first became aware of the Detroit Science Gallery mediator position for the HUSTLE exhibit, it was because of a class she was enrolled in, while still in high school. After reading the mission statement and realizing that the mission of Science Gallery’s dedication to public engagement with science and art,

Digital Learning: What exactly do you mean?

| November 20, 2018
Black background with white dashes expanding from the lower left corner.

I’m Brendan Guenther, MSU’s first Chief Academic Digital Officer, and this is my first time writing for the Hub blog. Many of our colleagues in East Lansing know me as a technology leader for MSU IT. In this new role I will be working to realize MSU’s digital learning strategy.

Land Grant Ideals in Nigeria

| October 16, 2018
A quote from Bill Heinrich on his experience in Nigeria: "We had the unique privilege to be following in the footsteps--we were told repeatedly--of John Hannah, one of MSU's most expansionist presidents, who helped to found the University of Nigeria, Nsukka."

by Bill Heinrich

I’ve recently returned from a small training project with faculty and staff at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The team from MSU co-facilitated a series of design-driven conversations aimed at building the capacity of faculty and leaders in three areas at UNN. The redesigns focused on the UNN Information and Communications Technology portfolio (ICT),