TEACHING TIPS: GROWTH MINDSET

Faculty can view ability through either a growth mindset or a fixed mindset. A growth mindset sees students' abilities as flexible, improving with effort and resources - in other words, that ability can literally be grown (Yeager et al 2019). A fixed mindset assumes intelligence is static, believing some students are simply 'good' or 'bad' at certain subjects. Success in college courses can encourage students towards a growth mindset; conversely, having a growth mindset, or observing fellow students with a growth mindset being successful, seems to encourage improved student outcomes (Kim et al 2022). "Look to your left, look to your right" is an outdated mode of student interaction.

What can you do to encourage your students to have a growth mindset? A few ideas to start are:

• Begin with your syllabus and your first day. Does your language on your syllabus and your first day encourage the idea that everyone can be successful in your class, with work, resources, and seeking assistance when necessary?
• De-stigmatize seeking help. Too often students think they shouldn't need office hours, tutoring, or other support services or that using these services suggests that they're not capable. Encourage students to use the resources available to them that help with the skills to be successful.
• Consider the language that you use with students in your interactions with them. There's a big difference between saying "Some folks just don't get specific subjects" and "the discomfort you're feeling is learning something new, this is a normal part of the process" and that difference influences learning.

Know your support resources: The UTLC is available to meet with instructors to develop a plan for your specific course and situation. Don't hesitate to seek support when needed.

Midterm Grades: February 14 - 21, 2025

This is a reminder that midterm grades are required in all undergraduate courses; grades can be submitted in UNCGenie starting Friday, February 14 and are due Friday, February 21st.

Providing students with information on why midterm grades matter is an important part of the process. New Student Transitions & First Year Experience created a Midterms Matter resource that may help in shaping your conversation with students.

In addition, contextualizing mid-term grades for your students is very helpful:

• Remind students that this grade is just a snapshot of their current performance in the class.  If they're doing well, but let up on what they're doing, then their grade may decline.  If their grade is not where they would like it to be, they should contact you about what they can do to improve, along with seeking out campus resources such as the Communications Lab (formerly the Writing and Speaking Centers) and the Math Help Center.
• Remind students that a grade is not a value judgement or a judgement on them as a person; it is a measurement of their current performance in the class versus the standards in assignments and the syllabus. Anyone can do well in the class if they put forth the effort and seek out assistance as needed. Encouragement is part of developing growth mindsets in students, which are essential for learning.

Thank you for providing this essential feedback to our students!

UTLC LITERARY CIRCLES

Click UTLC Spring Literary Circles for book selections and registration information.

Check out these upcoming opportunities from the UTLC and other partners on campus. Additional training opportunities are available at workshops.uncg.edu.

COURSE ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLISTS AND SUPPORT

Updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that all campus digital content (public facing websites, digital course materials, digital campus resources – including campus trainings) meet the WCAG 2.1 (level A and level AA) standards for accessibility by spring 2026. 

UNCG has several campus resources that you can utilize now to make the transition easier, with more tools and resources on the way.

• Accessibility Checklists outlining the minimum expectations for meeting the new standards.
  • Document Accessibility Checklist
  • Multimedia Accessibility Checklist
  • Presentation Accessibility Checklist
• UDOIT Cloud is a Canvas scanning tool that will scan your course and provide you with quick solutions that ensure your course is compliance. 
• Accessibility.uncg.edu is a comprehensive accessibility website that offers tools, resources, and quick guides to creating accessible digital content for campus.

FACULTY ENGAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT

Faculty Tea & Conversation with Integrative Community Studies (ICS)

Save the date for March 4th or March 19th to enjoy some tea and cookies while learning more about the Integrative Community Studies (ICS) program. ICS, also known as Beyond Academics, could be a possibility for your research, teaching, and service agendas. For more information and to RSVP, view the ICS Faculty Tea & Conversation flyer.

Ongoing Opportunities

• Vector Solutions Learning Opportunities | Online, research-based workshops cover a range of essential topics, including search committee practices and accessibility strategies.

• Indigenous Safe Space Project on Canvas | This student-led initiative helps to prepare the campus community with basic skills for supporting our Indigenous and Native students.

• Level Up: Mental Health Education & Training | Help foster a culture of care by engaging in trainings for suicide prevention, Mental Health First Aid, Spartan well-being, and more.
• UNCG Libraries Webinars | Research and Application Webinar Series (Spring 2024 recordings) | Zotero Webinar Series (recordings)
• New to Teaching | Access this Canvas site to learn about how students learn, preparing for class, grading, office hours, engagement, active learning, and more.
• Safe and Trans Zone Training on Canvas | Enroll in this self-paced online course to complete Safe Zone 1.0, 2.0, and Trans Zone if you cannot attend an in-person workshop.
• Web Accessibility 101 | This asynchronous, self-paced course focuses on the fundamentals of making online content accessible.

Upcoming Events, Training, and Workshops

FEBRUARY

17

2:30 - 3:30 PM

Workshop: Teaching Effectiveness: Models and Rubrics

This Workshop will focus on current evaluation of teaching effectiveness models and rubrics that may serve as a template or starting place for units-level processes as part of the UNCG Teaching Effectiveness Policy. RSVP at the link above!

In the Faculty Center

FEBRUARY

25

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Coffeehouse with the Provost's Office

Join us and the Office of the Provost for a faculty coffeehouse to gather informally with colleagues while enjoying an assortment of catered hot beverages and breakfast snacks. We will also be giving away UTLC swag so we hope to see you there!

In Mossman Atrium

MARCH

17

1:00 - 2:30 PM

Workshop: Teaching Effectiveness: Peer Review

This Workshop will focus on current models and rubrics for peer review that may serve as a template or starting place for units-level processes as part of the UNCG Teaching Effectiveness Policy . The models presented were created by decades-long, multi-institutional studies on the evaluation of teaching and learning. RSVP at the link above!

In the Faculty Center

TEACHING EVALUATION PILOT

UNCG is administering a pilot of a new teaching evaluation system. The pilot and the current system (Class Climate) will run in parallel for two years; when the Class Climate contract expires, administration will make a decision about which or neither system to keep.

Anthology uses research validated common questions, along with offering units the chance to add custom questions.  It’s mobile friendly, which may increase response rates. You can see more information here: Evaluation of Teaching Pilot Project.pptx

If you are interested in participating in the Summer or Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 Cohorts, please click the button below to fill out the interest form. 

Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.

1100 West Market St., Suite 100F None | Greensboro, NC 27412 US

This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.