Greetings, Friends, 

It was great to see so many of you at the ITL Conference last month!  

Since we know that even faculty can get the midterm blues, we want to help you carry that good conference energy into the middle of your semester. We have online and in-person options that can match anyone’s schedule: 

See below for additional workshops, brown bag discussions, and seminars to engage your brain and connect you with colleagues. Whether you have 20 minutes for a podcast or a full afternoon to invest in your Canvas Course Design skills, we hope that we can give you a knowledge-and-energy boost to carry you through midterms! 

E Shelley Reid, Ph.D. 

Executive Director of Engaged Teaching 

Episode 5 features our guest, Dr. Laura Poms, Director of the Mason Core at George Mason University. Dr. Poms joins us to explore what Core courses can teach us about teaching. 

Look forward to October 16 when we publish Episode 6: "What Do We Do About Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the Classroom?" featuring our own STEM Education Specialist, Dr. Laina Lockett!

Are you teaching a Mason Core course? Would you like to learn strategies for teaching general education and non-majors? In this cluster of four workshops on October 22 and October 24, 2024, you will learn about the fundamentals of effective teaching, relevant assignments, effective content coverage and efficient grading. You can also earn a Level 1 Teaching Essentials Credential as part of the Stearns Center’s Continuing Professional Development program.

Group Photo from TEA 2024.

Students, faculty members, or administrators may nominate any faculty member for any 2025 Teaching Excellence Award (no self-nominations). Learn about these awards on our website. 

Nominations for full-time TEAs closed September 27; nominees will be contacted soon.

Learn how to write teaching statements and vitas and get feedback on any drafts that you already have. While the goal of this session is to prepare STEM faculty that have been nominated for one of the GMU teaching awards, the session is open to anyone looking to learn more.
Please reach out to Laina Lockett (llocket@gmu.edu) with any questions.

As AI tools become more accessible, instructors face new challenges in assignment design and teaching. We invite you to participate in a 15–minute needs assessment survey to help us develop resources for faculty. Your insights are invaluable! This study has IRB approval (IRB #2035233). Access the survey and express interest in focus groups before October 18.

AIEM-Teach Unit Credential: Interested in... curriculum (re-)design? Retention? DFW rates? Supporting all students? Intentionally supporting your faculty in professional development? Units can be defined broadly as any group of at least 4-5 people including individual courses, academic programs, and departments. We offer customizable workshops and the opportunity for your unit to earn a credential and recognition. 

AIEM-Teach Individual Credential: Are you coming up for promotion or need to document your teaching efforts? Are you looking to connect with other faculty interested in teaching from across campus? Consider joining our open call workshops and earning an inclusive teaching credential! 

Teaching a writing-intensive course, or want to reconsider how your unit integrates writing into its curriculum? The WAC Program helps academic units reimagine their approaches to teaching and assessing writing at the course and curriculum level. Email us to schedule a consultation.

This is an opportunity for new STEM faculty to get acquainted with each other and their Stearns Center liaison. Returning and adjunct STEM faculty are also welcome to join in on conversations about the first few weeks of teaching this semester. The event is hybrid and snacks will be provided for in-person attendees.

Consider joining our weekly brown bag sessions on teaching in Canvas! These virtual meetings are an opportunity to connect with colleagues across the institution. During these informal discussions, you can share experiences,  ask questions, and gain insight from your colleagues.

Navigating Politics in Academia Workshop: Academic institutions and local academic units can be quite political, and it is not unusual for early career faculty members to land amid conflicts they don't know how to navigate. You are invited to a discussion with experienced George Mason professors who will share their experiences and perspectives on how to manage this side of academic life. The online workshop is on Tuesday, October 8, 1:30-3:00pm.

Make time for your writing by participating in a Friday Faculty Writing Sprint. These writing sprints are opportunities to connect with colleagues and create accountability for your writing plans. NEW this semester! Starting October 4, writing sprints will be held in-person on the first Friday of each month.