‘Twas the week before winter quarter, and all through the Center

Not a creature was stirring, not even the printer

The snacks were all stocked by the workers with care

In hopes that the faculty soon would be there . . .

Welcome back! I hope your break was filled with rest, joy, and community. 

As we dive into the Winter quarter, the Learning and Teaching Commons is buzzing with exciting events and programs designed to support our faculty and enhance our educational practices. Mark your calendars for the Winter Faculty Social on February 10, a perfect opportunity to connect with colleagues and share insights.

Don't forget, Summer Institute proposals are due by February 14. Every summer, I face the challenge of balancing my attendance at Summer Institutes with the behind-the-scenes work required to manage them. Each institute offers valuable learning opportunities, and this past summer, I deepened my understanding of core Evergreen practices like seminar, narrative evaluations, and community-based learning. I also refreshed my approach to grammar through anti-racist lenses and collaborated with the GSU to involve students in the Learning and Teaching Commons. Looking ahead to Summer Institutes 2025, I'm excited to see the blend of reinforcing Evergreen practices and addressing new trends like generative AI. I deeply appreciate the thoughtful contributions from faculty and staff. The Commons Advisory Council will carefully select proposals to create a balanced program, with faculty providing feedback through a survey. I can't wait to see the innovative ideas that will emerge this year!

In addition, Julia Zay, our Commons Faculty Scholar, is developing a Faculty Experience Survey to better understand and support our work and well-being. Michael Wallis, our Student Learning Consultant, is available for course material reviews and consultations, offering valuable feedback from a student perspective to improve our teaching strategies. Lastly, our team will be facilitating Community Reflection and Feedback on Teaching (CRAFT) sessions, providing confidential and anonymous feedback about students perceive your course or program. Be sure to schedule now for weeks 4-6! I encourage everyone to take advantage of these opportunities to grow and connect within our community.

Jaime O'Connor, Washington Center Assistant Director
Washington Center for Improving Undergraduate Education

The Learning and Teaching Commons newsletter is delivered to your inbox on the first Friday of the month during the quarter. Click here to read past newsletters

Michael Wallis is the Student Learning Consultant for The Washington Center. His collaborative services are available to faculty who wish to improve the equity and student learning focus of their curricula.

Join Julia Zay, LTC Faculty Scholar, and other colleagues for conversations about teaching 30 minutes prior to each faculty meeting. Bring your challenges, questions, favorite resources, or celebrations to share.

This month’s tech tip is a reprise from this summer, to let newer faculty know about some important resources Evergreen provides via our membership of the Online Learning Consortium. With this membership, we have access to a treasure trove of resources produced and maintained by their excellent network of experts. I attended the OLC’s Innovate conference last April, and I was really impressed with the commitment to creative and engaged  learning demonstrated by the OLC team of staff and volunteers. Here are a few of the OLC’s resources worth spending a little time perusing:

Learn more →

Michael Wallis is the Student Learning Consultant for The Washington Center. His collaborative services are available to faculty who wish to improve the equity and student learning focus of their curricula.

January is a troublesome time for self-compassion. The almost dissociative positivity of “New Year’s Resolutions” frequently resolve into self-actualized negativity via unsustainable lifestyle changes that fail to meet goals created with truly unkind and unrealistic expectations in mind. 

This year, my new year’s resolution is to eliminate the “uns”. What would it look like if I held a little bit of self-compassion in my heart before I went and tried to rearrange my whole biz?

Read more →

Now is the time to start on your proposal for Summer Institutes 2025! Deadline for proposals is Friday, February 14.

Need help pulling your ideas together? Have questions? Looking for collaborators? Join us for a virtual proposal development workshop on Monday, January 27 from 3:30-5 p.m. [Zoom link]

Can't make it to the workshop? Check out this 13 minute video for an overview of the proposal format, evaluation criteria, and review process.

We are thrilled to announce the Call for Proposals for the upcoming Assessment, Teaching, and Learning Conference (ATL), happening from April 29 to May 1. This year's theme, Centering Students, Centering Learning, promises to inspire and engage.

Who Should Submit?

Faculty

Teaching and learning professionals

Educational leaders

Key Tracks:

Pedagogy (Student-Centered Innovation): Innovative teaching strategies for diverse learners.

Assessment (Assessment as a Tool for Learning): Equitable assessment practices that enhance learning.

Pathways (Learning for the Real World): Integrating real-world experiences into the classroom.

Partnerships (Student Partnerships and Student Voice): Empowering students as active participants in their learning journey.

Submission Deadline: January 31, 2025

For more details and to submit your proposal, visit the Whova Submission Portal. For general conference information, check out the SBCTC webpage.

Wajeehah Aayeshah from University of Melbourne will be presenting a virtual Washington Center Collaborative Workshop based on the research project that brought her to our campus last year as a visiting scholar. Please join us for Kindness in Higher Education: Let's Heal Together on Friday, February 21 from 3-4:30 pm PT. [REGISTER]

Attendance Forms: Due by Friday, January 10. Compliance is crucial to avoid financial aid issues for students.

Fall Quarter Evaluations: If not yet submitted, please do so immediately to prevent delays in financial aid, graduation, and career progress.

Syllabus and Community Agreement: Submit by Friday, January 17.

Spring 2025 Textbook Orders: Due by Monday, February 3. This is a state law requirement.

SURF Faculty Applications: Due by January 25 at 5:00pm.

Read more →

The Learning and Teaching Commons is pleased to announce a new resource to support faculty with narrative evaluations. This practical guide includes example narrative evaluations from your colleagues that you can annotate using Hypothesis. We invite you to check out the new module:

A guide to Narrative Evaluation at Evergreen. 

Let us know what you think.  Send your feedback to learningandteaching@evergreen.edu.

If your class is doing something cool this academic year, especially this Fall please email Shandra Witke: your name, the class title, what your class will be doing, and a general idea of the date(s) you will be doing it. 

we are hoping to connect with Faculty to schedule some updated shots. We need photos of:

-Updated classroom and group discussions

-Classroom demonstrations

-Class activities outside the classroom – both on and off-campus

-In the forest

-At the beach

-Off-campus field trips (downtown Olympia, local nature, Study Abroad)

-Class visits to the library or other places on campus 

-Art and design classes like woodshop or ceramics

-Classes in the computer labs or 3D printing lab

-Students making cool stuff or showing off their projects

-Students working and collaborating in the science labs or with science equipment

-Anything fun, engaging, unique, Evergreen

Email Shandra Witke→

Hours of Operation for Winter quarter: 

1 to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday, Appointment Only

1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Drop-In

Holidays & Campus Closures are observed.

The Basic Needs Center, CAB 135, is located on the first floor of the CAB building. Separate entrance from the Greenery.

Learn more →

There are many opportunities for faculty to share their achievements, and we want to encourage you to contribute to the wealth of knowledge in our Evergreen community. Learn more about how to share your work with our community.