Author: Helen

(she, her, hers) Trail-loving ultrarunner determined to teach my preschooler how to blow her nose when not providing consultation and support to the University community to successfully integrate technology into teaching, learning, and research.
Posted on

ALERT! Microsoft Office License Changes Require “Sign-In” at First Use in W&L Classrooms

Classroom computers in W&L spaces now have Office 365 installed to provide the most up-to-date feature set and to enable advanced Box functionality such as co-authoring)

Users who launch any Office product (i.e. Microsoft Word,  Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, etc.) on a classroom computer will be prompted to authenticate for their initial use. 

When launching an Office application the first time, users will encounter this challenge, and should SELECT “SIGN-IN” and proceed. Your Washington & Lee University email and password are the correct credentials to use. A Microsoft Office sign-in screen titled "Sign in to set up Office". The screen displays three icons representing benefits: using your regular email address, getting free cloud storage, and using your account to install Office on other devices. Below, there's text stating "Sign in with your work, school, or personal Microsoft account" followed by two buttons: "Sign in" (highlighted in blue) and "Create account". A red arrow points to the "Sign in" button. At the bottom are links for "I have a product key" and "What is a Microsoft account?".

After authentication in a classroom, subsequent use of Office apps should not require authentication beyond your standard login to the PC.

If you should encounter difficulties after the initial use and authentication, please contact the ITS Helpdesk at help@wlu.edu, call 540.458.4357 (HELP), or stop by the Main Level of Leyburn Library.

Posted on

Developing Feedback-Literate Students is Key for Career Readiness

colorful speech bubbles overlapping one anotherFeedback literacy is the ability to effectively seek, give, receive, process and use feedback and it’s a critical skill for students to develop to be successful in both the classroom and in their future careers.

The five key dimensions of feedback literacy include:

  • Giving Feedback: Teaching students to provide clear, respectful, and actionable feedback to others.
  • Seeking Feedback: Encouraging students to proactively seek constructive insights to improve their performance.
  • Receiving Feedback: Helping students learn to actively listen and understand feedback without immediate judgment.
  • Processing Feedback: Guiding students to reflect on feedback and decide its applicability.
  • Using Feedback: Encouraging the application of feedback to make informed improvements.

As educators, we are in the perfect position to guide students in understanding and practicing the many facets of feedback they will encounter professionally.

Cameron Conaway, adjunct professor in the Professional Communication master’s program at the University of San Francisco and a team leader in the People, Policy & Purpose organization at Cisco, outlines a 5-step approach for developing feedback literacy in the classroom:

  1. Discuss feedback and co-create a definition with students. Share why feedback has been important in your own career and have students work together to define effective feedback.
  2. Introduce the concept of feedback literacy. Explain the 5 components – giving, seeking, receiving, processing, and using feedback. Discuss each with real examples.
  3. Plan progressive feedback practice. Start with encouraging positive feedback, then provide assignments where students practice giving and receiving feedback in pairs. Seek feedback from students as well.
  4. Mix synchronous and asynchronous feedback opportunities. Provide both in-class feedback exercises and asynchronous opportunities for students to provide feedback on each other’s work.
  5. Ensure students get feedback on their feedback literacy skills. Reinforce when students demonstrate effective feedback skills and create opportunities for peers to provide feedback to each other on their feedback.

By intentionally incorporating feedback literacy development into our teaching, we can help students build the skills and comfort with feedback that will serve them well in their careers. As a bonus, seeking and using feedback from students can make us better educators as well.

To learn more about developing feedback literacy in your students, including specific exercises and discussion guides, be sure to read the full article at 

Posted on

Last Chance to Learn: LinkedIn Learning Access Ends on August 31

Due to significant price increases and low usage rates on campus, Washington and Lee’s subscription to LinkedIn Learning will end on August 31, 2024. After this date, access to course content and user learning history will no longer be available.

If you’d like to finish any incomplete courses or access any other content on LinkedIn Learning, you have until August 31 to do so.

To download your learning history, log into LinkedIn Learning though myapps.wlu.edu and navigate to the “My Learning” tab at the top of your account. Click on “Learning History,” then use the “More” button beside each course to download your certificates.

Questions? Contact the ITS Information Desk at help@wlu.edu or extension 4357 (HELP).

Posted on

Need Help to Craft an AI Policy for your Syllabus?

Keep Calm and Read The Syllabus

Dr. Chris Heard, Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Seaver College at Pepperdine University, created a terrific tool to help instructors construct a statement about the use of generative AI for their syllabus.

This web-based decision tree tool, built using Twine, provides a customizable and interactive way for educators to draft statements that reflect their specific attitudes and policies regarding the use of generative AI in their courses. This resource ensures that faculty can clearly communicate their expectations and policies on AI usage to students, by working from a place of trust,  fostering transparency, and encouraging dialogue in the classroom.

Inspired by Heard’s work, this decision tree tool was recreated and tailored to W&L’s institutional needs. The Provost’s Office strongly recommends including an AI policy statement in every syllabus.

screenshot of the Generative AI Syllabus Statement Tool homepage

Access the Generative AI Syllabus Statement Tool! 

Should you have any questions or issues about using the tool, please stop by the Harte Center (LL1 in Leyburn Library). 

Posted on

🔥 🔥🔥 Sizzling Summer Workshop Alert! Free Your Summer with AI (and Dr. JT Torres) 🔥 🔥🔥

JT Torres directs the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning. He supports teachers and students in all contexts, both in and out of the classroom. His approach to educational development focuses on meaningful relationships with students, teachers, and content. He helps educators cultivate critical connections with students, building on shared interest to achieve important outcomes.

Snacks will be provided. Space is limited, so sign up now! 

Posted on

Help Needed for JOUR 153!

"Volunteers needed" against colorful speech bubbles on a white brick wall

This spring’s Photojournalism course seeks members of the W&L and Lexington communities to be part of student photo-essays.

Students will talk with and photograph a few different aspects of a community member’s life. Community members determine what aspects they’d like to share and their availability, which may include up to a few hours spread across the term. Students will present photo-essays in a gallery setting at the end of the term. 

If interested, please contact Jared Macary, Professor of Strategic Communication, at jmacary@wlu.edu or 540-458-8240.

Posted on

Sign Up for the Spring Term Showcase!

 

White flowers on pink background. At the top, "A campus-wide recognition of the amazing work done during this intense and unique 4-week term" Spring Term Showcase 2024. Friday May 24, 1-2:30 pm, Main Level and Lower Level 1, Leyburn Library.

The Spring Term Showcase (formerly Spring Term Festival) will take place on Friday, May 24 from 1:00 to 2:30 PM (the last day of Spring Term) in Leyburn Library. 

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to share their work/learning/growth with the W&L community.

Please note these changes:

  1. You can choose your desired location among pre-designated areas on the Main Level and Lower Level 1/Harte Center for poster easels and laptop, projector and projector screens. There are also several classrooms, as well as some open spaces and areas with tables. The location you choose will be yours for the duration of the 90 minutes. To choose your spot, please visit go.wlu.edu/springtermshowcase.
  2. Deadline to have posters printed by the University Library is 6:00 PM EST on Sunday, May 19***. Posters must be sized at 30×42 inches and submitted as a .PDF with the student’s first and last name as the file name (e.g. georgia-washington.pdf). There is no charge for printing. Upload poster files via this link.
    If you would like to schedule a 15-minute session for your class about poster creation best practices, please email library@wlu.edu. 

***Please understand that the Library will be short-staffed the week of May 20, which is why the deadline for poster printing is May 19. We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation.  If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to youngmanp@wlu.edu. 

Questions? Contact Helen MacDermott at 540.458.4561.

Posted on

Did you miss Derek Bruff’s take on how AI can improve assignment design?

At the top, it reads

“I like to say that tools like ChatGPT speak, but don’t think.”

Derek Bruff, Ph.D.
Strategic Advisor, UPCEA, and Visiting Associate Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, University of Mississippi

Bruff’s insights shed light on the nuanced relationship between AI tools and educational objectives. By sharing personal anecdotes and professional observations, Bruff underscores the importance of critical thinking and authentic assignments that prepare students for real-world challenges. He highlights AI’s limits and its potential to complement rather than replace human intellect, encouraging educators to rethink traditional assessment methods.

Don’t be sad if you missed it! We have Top Hat’s resources below: