This is the first Hub Cap of the summer - we will resume our weekly schedule in August!

We are sending you information and news about all things teaching and learning. These notes will share timely teaching tips, recent pedagogical scholarship, teaching events on and off campus, and Hub blog posts. Use this form to unsubscribe.

You made it! You're reading this after the winter semester has officially wrapped up. We hope you get to take a breath or a break now that you've arrived, but we know that for most instructors, the work continues over the summer. We won't be in your inbox as frequently, but we are still working for you all summer! Here's a quick round up of some of what will be available for you over the quieter months on campus: 

Natalie Sampson, Associate Professor of Public Health, was one of three recipients awarded by the Michigan Association of State Universities. The Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year award recognizes the outstanding contributions and dedication exhibited by the faculty from Michigan’s 15 public universities to the education of undergraduate students. 

Congratulations, Natalie!

Participate in our 10-minute Survey and receive a chance to win $200 in Professional Development Funds!

Over the past year, Helet Botha, asst professor in COB, has been a Hub faculty affiliate and has been developing a research project around the attention we pay one another in classrooms. You may have already read about this project in her blog post "The tyranny of the everything bagel: Teachers’ Responsibility for Student Digital Distraction During Class Time." We are delighted to announce that she is currently in the data collection phase of this project, and you are most heartily invited to participate in her survey. It should take you about ten minutes to complete, and is focused on your role as an instructor. Participation is voluntary and anonymous. At the end of the survey you will be directed to a separate form where you may enter your email address in a drawing for $200 of professional development funds. Please complete the survey by May 14th, 2025!

If you’re looking for a fun and effective way to get your students communicating, collaborating, and sharing ideas, give Padlet a try! As the new alternative to Flipgrid, Padlet is a simple, visual, and interactive digital bulletin board that supports real-time collaboration and video-based responses. Students can easily post content, reply to peers/instructors with emojis, and engage in meaningful ways that go beyond traditional discussion boards. 

Even better, the Padlet pairs well with Canvas LMS! Try using it during the first week of class to help students introduce themselves and start building a sense of community. Once they’re comfortable, you can transition into Canvas’s Discussion Boards for more structured coursework. This approach leverages Padlet’s interactive and community-building capabilities as well as the structured academic environment of Canvas LMS. 

You may be curious how it works in a higher ed setting in other ways? We’ve got you covered—check out our previous Hub blog post with practical tips and real examples of Padlet. If you have any questions or feedback regarding Padlet, please feel free to reach out to Chen Wang at cwanga@umich.edu. 

If you missed the panel on GenAI media tools, catch up with this blog post. Jen Proctor, Adam Sekuler, and Sarah Nesbit help us think beyond text generators and consider the implications of image, voice, and video generators for our students and for our teaching.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn is partnering with the NCFDD to host a private 14-Day Writing Challenge, running from Monday, May 12 - Sunday, May 25. This is an open and free 14-day challenge exclusive to our faculty providing accountability and support in building consistent and sustainable progress on your research and scholarly projects. Your friends and colleagues will be there, so please don't miss out. 

Why join the 14-Day Writing Challenge?

The challenge gives you an opportunity to reconnect with your writing projects every weekday and build a consistent habit-making progress feels more achievable with just 30 minutes of daily writing. This framework will help you stay focused and make significant headway on your manuscript, research paper, thesis, or any scholarly work.

How does it work?

Writing isn’t just about putting words on paper—it’s about advancing your scholarly work in any form, from brainstorming new ideas to polishing a near-final draft. Past participants wrote an average of 350 minutes over the two weeks, and 98% found the challenge helpful in making progress on their work.

Sign up for the free 14-Day Writing Challenge today!

P.S. - the Lilly Conference in Traverse City extended their deadline until May 31! You could use this challenge to put together a proposal to present on your scholarship-in-progress! The Hubsters (and especially Jessica) are happy to help you get further with your proposal! 

Questions or comments about this Hub Cap? Reach out to Jessica Riviere, rivierej@umich.edu

While the HubCap is designed with our faculty as the primary audience, others (campus leaders, directors, student services staff) may also find valuable insights within. Feel free to forward this newsletter on if you know someone who could benefit from this information.

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