Dear graduate teaching community,
In this issue of the GE Teaching News, you'll find a graduate teacher spotlight, key resources, a list of events and workshops, and this issue's TEP Tips, brought to you this week by the dedicated GEs of UO’s Department of Geography.
Wishing you and your students success this term!
The TEP Team
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| Graduate Teacher Spotlight
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Michaela Flaherty
Ph.D. student in the School of Journalism and Communication
What do you study? I'm pursuing a Ph.D. in communication and media studies and a certificate in new media and culture. Specifically, my research examines themed entertainment and fandom culture—why and how we love the leisure media we do!
What is one thing that helps you teach effectively? As an anxious teacher, wait time is a great tool for me. I tend to be impatient during participation-heavy activities because I'm so nervous they're a flop, so then I start rambling to fill the void of silence! But students sometimes need time to think, and it's our job as instructors to give them that space.
What kinds of support have you received around teaching? I've received lots of support from TEP, from syllabus design workshops to in-class observations. I've also sought advice from mentors outside UO, such as my colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth and my K-12 teacher friends and family back home in Connecticut!
Would you like to be featured—or nominate someone else—for the Graduate Teacher Spotlight? Email tep@uoregon.edu.
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Artificial Intelligence Resource Guide
The widespread use of genAI tools raises important considerations for higher ed. This guide offers policy FAQs, a course self-screening tool, teaching ideas, and more.
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| Upcoming Events and Workshops
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GE Teaching Support Q&A Session
Monday, Feb. 2, from 2-2:30 p.m. on Zoom
Come to this 30-minute Zoom session to learn how the Teaching Engagement Program can support your teaching with timely resources, workshops, and programming. You’ll get a brief introduction to TEP, highlights of our winter offerings, and a chance to ask questions of our team of educational developers.
Pizza and Pedagogy
Thursday, Feb. 12, from 12-1:30 p.m. in EMU Swindells Room 230
Students cite grade anxiety as a key reason they consult AI, so now seems like an opportune moment to examine your grading strategies. Join physics professor Andrea Goering for an informal session where she will share her approach to alternative grading.
Developing Your Online Course
Thursday, Feb. 19, from 2-3 p.m. in PLC 184
Join us to explore the University of Oregon’s five Canvas Course Site Essentials for Online Classes. In this workshop, you will learn why each component is essential to the success of an online course, see examples from your colleagues at UO, and brainstorm ideas for your course.
Preparing Your Large Class for the Spring Term
Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 10-11 a.m. in EMU Lease Crutcher Lewis Room 23
As the short turn-around between winter and spring courses nears, let’s gather to discuss your large-course attendance policies, grading scheme, and what you might do on day one to start the new term.
International GE Coffee Hour — Connect & Recharge
Thursday, Feb. 26, from 10-11:30 a.m. in EMU Mills International Center Room 102
Drop in for coffee, tea, and snacks. This informal gathering is a space to connect with fellow international GEs, share how your teaching term is going, and support one another. No agenda—just community, connection, and conversation.
Preparing to Teach Online
Thursday, Feb. 26, from 2-3 p.m. in PLC 184
Join us to explore what it means to teach an online course at the University of Oregon. Building learning relationships in online and hybrid classes can be challenging, but meaningful interactions help students become critical thinkers in our classes and beyond.
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Join the journal club this winter as we read 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David Yeager. We’ll learn to use the lens of developmental psychology to motivate students to do their own work rather than offloading it to AI.
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Taking Care of Yourself While Grading
Grading can be emotionally challenging. How do we lighten our load? Graduate students in the UO Geography Department offered us ideas they rely on. Feel free to experiment and reach out to share your own ideas!
Try body doubling (working quietly with a colleague and checking in periodically), playing soothing background music, taking frequent breaks, and scheduling grading as a diversion from other types of tasks. Grading can be a great way to make use of office hours when students are not present.
Is grading a significant portion of your GE position? Feel free to check out our Assessment Hub. If you need a practical list of tips and tricks, check out our 20 Tips for Efficient Grading resource.
Got a tip to share? Email tep@uoregon.edu with your questions or suggested topics.
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We welcome your input to keep this newsletter informative and meaningful, so please send your ideas, resources, and suggestions our way. You can reach us at tep@uoregon.edu.
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