Greetings, Friends, 

Welcome to September! We’re kicking off all our biggest events this month, so we hope you’ll take three minutes with our revamped newsletter to see what we have that supports your own teaching and your connection to other George Mason University faculty. What we have may surprise you! 

Some key deadlines are coming right up: 

New this fall we also have a Teaching with AI Book Club, our Keystone Concepts Podcast, group- or unit-based teaching credentials, and our first Teaching Insights Week. We hope to see you on Zoom or in person this month, or to support your teaching with any of our online resources. In the meantime, enjoy cooler commutes and the beginning of fall colors!

E Shelley Reid, Ph.D. 

Executive Director of Engaged Teaching 

We invite all instructors to register for the 2024 Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference! This year’s conference offers a hybrid format - virtual sessions on Thursday, September 19 and in-person sessions on Friday, September 20. Come hear presentations about timely topics and peruse our On Demand resources before the conference. Register in Sched to see the complete program and receive updates about the conference. 

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. 

Keystone Concepts in Teaching and Learning is our new podcast focused on discussing and sharing impactful teaching strategies that support all students and faculty. Subscribe now as we feature conversations with experienced educators who discuss actionable, impactful, and evidence-based teaching strategies that may be applied across disciplines and instructional modalities.

Connect with other faculty through our Teaching Squares! We match you with four people for two meetings with one purpose: share cool strategies for educating Mason students! See information on our website. To indicate your interest for Fall 2024, please complete our two-minute form by Monday, September 9, 2024. 

Interested in exploring your teaching and impacts on student learning? Classroom-based inquiry is one way to examine your teaching practices and share findings with others. Join us for Teaching Insight Week (Sept. 23-27) to explore how to plan and carry out research on teaching and learning. Complete our two-minute form by Friday, September 20, 2024.

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, or register for one of our upcoming workshops to get started.

Teaching a fully-online course in Fall 2024? Planning to incorporate online (LMS) components into your teaching? Please download this PDF with information about George Mason resources to support your online teaching this Fall. The Digital Learning Team also is here to help! 

Are you interested in discussing how to think, teach, and learn with AI? If so, join the Stearns Center book club. We will be discussing all three topics as covered in the book by Jose Bowen and C. Edward Watson. The ebook is available through the GMU library. Meetings times vary and Zoom registration is required. 

Faculty Success Workshop Series: Having a Productive Academic Year. Do you find yourself at the end of the semester wondering where the time went? You are invited to an interactive workshop to help you align your time with your goals. The workshop is September 10, 1:30-3:00pm; Zoom registration is required. 

Many courses have moved to Canvas this Fall, with more courses to follow in Spring 2025. Blackboard will be retired as LMS after Spring 2025. View the transition timeline, list of resources, and frequently asked questions at the Canvas LMS Transition website.

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.

Nominate yourself or another emerging leader to become a Campus Champion in teaching to support all students. This program supports professional development and helps build your skills and network of leaders in this space. Visit our website for more information.

New or recently hired faculty are invited to join FY5 to increase their own capacities while building a network of colleagues across the university. Faculty will be invited to identify, participate in, and reflect on five hours of work to improve their inclusion and equity-focused teaching strategies. Visit our website for more information.

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! 

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. Please visit the Faculty Writing page to view the Friday Writing Sprint times.