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CSME Exchange

The CSME Exchange provides an informal opportunity to discuss current issues in undergraduate education. Exchange discussions explore best practices, current challenges, and cross-departmental coordination and collaboration. Faculty, staff, post-docs and graduate students from all departments are welcome to participate.

While CSME coordinates the Exchange, the topics and content are driven by participants. Exchanges may follow a variety of formats, such as formal presentations, workshops, book/journal discussions, and informal roundtable discussions. Although Exchanges are generally led by UofU faculty/instructors, guest speakers from outside institutions are welcome.

To submit a topic for a future Exchange, or to volunteer to lead an Exchange, contact outreach@csme.utah.edu. If you would like to receive notification of future Exchanges, join our email list. You can opt-out at anytime.

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What's Happening Next?

Stay tuned for announcements regarding our next CSME Exchange seminars!

Please email Caitlin.Gensler@utah.edu if you'd like to be added to our newsletter to be notified about future events.

Previous Exchange Topics & Speakers

  • Topic:
    Cyber Pedagogy; Online & Asynchronous Courses

    Date: Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024

    Location: Crocker Science Center (CSC) - Room 206

    Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm

    • Description; 
      • We will explore topics around online course supports, cyber pedagogy, and have time to share and collaborate on current practices in asynchronous learning environments.
    • Speaker; Jessica De Moulder
      • Course; Cyber Pedagogy 
      • Effectively teaching online requires thinking differently about meeting educational objectives, altering content organization and presentation, and fostering a positive learning community by optimizing engagement with and between students and instructors. Jessica's course explores how to become comfortable and skillful with the online learning environment and with what it takes to teach an online course effectively.
    • Discussion Lead; Rebecca Noonan-Heale
      • If you are interest in running a discussion topic or discussion group during the collaborative portion of this event, please email Caitlin.Gensler@utah.edu prior to the event date.  
        • Course Structure; Simplicity vs Comprehensive
          • Instructor(s): Returning & New
        • Expectations; Degree of Student Responsibility
        • Role of Proctors; Testing, Other Assignments
        • Types & Target Student Populations

    Thursday, October 3rd: Academic Recovery Project

     

    Guest Speakers:

    Lindsay Coco, Ph.D, Special Assistant to the Vice Provost for Student Success

    Jim Agutter, Associate Professor, College of Architecture + Planning

     

    Description: The Academic Recovery Project aims to systematically explore and test interventions for gateway courses with high failure rates. Specifically, it supports students who have previously earned a D,E, or W (D-grade, E-grade, withdraw) and are looking to retake the course. Students who have previously earned a DEW in the offered course are invited to retake the course in a discreet section. Those who enroll are offered a partial course scholarship and additional academic support such as student success coaching, peer tutoring, and supplemental instruction.

    To learn more about the Academic Recovery Project, CLICK HERE.

     

    Download Presentation Materials:

    Presentation: Academic Recovery Project

    UIA Academic Recovery Project Brief

  • September 22, 2023

    Guest Speaker: Jim Agutter, Associate Professor

    Topic: Large Language Models (LLM) Usage in Faculty and Student Success (Jim Agutter LLM Presentation)

    Jim discussed transformative LLM initiatives related to student success and academic innovation at the University of Utah currently being explored.  Discussion centered around pilot projects such as AI chatbot tutor embedded in Canvas, AI-enabled real-time and summary course feedback, and AI student success analytics.  This discussion also examined some challenges, privacy, and potential uses.

     

    October 27, 2023
    Guest Speaker: José F. Gutiérrez, Assistant Professor
    Topic: Math Education in Indian Boarding Schools, 1879-1932;
    José will discuss the ongoing work of the Mathematical Reservations Research Group. He will present major findings related to how mathematics was used to assimilate youth to Anglo-American standards and prepare them to embrace private property as part of a larger plan to dispossess Native peoples of their land and eradicate their identities, languages, and knowledge. This historical research is important because the current scholarship on the history of school mathematics omits the experiences of Native Americans, and it prepares researchers and educators to see how mathematics is used today for political purposes.
    • April 24, 2023: Teaching our Teaching Assistants with Associate Dean Pearl Sandick
    • February 28, 2023: Prof. Jim Agutter, chair of the Teaching Excellence Working Group and the Center for Teaching Excellence, discussed the development of a new course assessment framework and instrument.
    •  November 15, 2022: Gina Frey, Professor of Chemistry, spoke about social belonging and its effects on student performance and persistence in general chemistry and introductory physics. Studies are showing that social belonging affects student learning and retention. She presented her findings and then, as a group, discussed possible strategies for creating an inclusive and engaging environment to support the success of all students.
    • 12/10/21 – Remote Learning: Sharing our Experiences – Gina Frey and Greg Owens (Chemistry)
    • 4/5/18: Charles Atwood (University of Utah – Chemistry) – One Last Visit to the Effects of Homework Mediated Metacognition
    • 2/14/18: David Derezotes (University of Utah – Social Work) – Transforming difficult conversations in science and math classrooms into opportunities for learning how to build inclusive communities
    • 1/11/2018: Special Exchange – Pedagogical strategies to increase students’ engagement and motivation
    • 12/7/2017: Rachel Hayes-Harb, Janis Louie, and Tino Nyawelo (University of Utah) – Working together to enhance mentorship and undergraduate research in the College of Science
    • 11/9/2017: Mike Martineau and Scott Mikos (University of Utah OBIA) – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Utilizing Student Data
    • 10/5/2017: Chandra Turpen (University of Maryland) – Building and Sustaining Learning Assistant Programs
    • 9/14/2017: Leslie Sieburth (University of Utah – Biology) – Biology Curriculum Reform: it takes a village
    • 4/13/2017: Pearl Sandick (University of Utah – Physics & Astronomy) – Supporting women in STEM
    • 3/9/2017: Nalini Nadkarni and Caitlin Weber (University of Utah – Biology) – Engaging the Unengaged: Interdisciplinary Approaches that Bridge Science and Society
    • 2/9/2017: Ann Darling (University of Utah – Undergraduate Studies) – Changes to General Education Courses
    • 1/12/2017: Lauren Barth-Cohen (University of Utah – Education) – Possible models for a STEM education research graduate program
    • 12/8/2016: Jennifer Heemstra (University of Utah – Chemistry) – Can we promote student success by embracing short-term failure?
    • 11/10/2016: David Goldenberg (University of Utah – Biology) – An Integrated Science Core Curriculum? Possibilities and Challenges 
    • 10/20/2016: Charles Atwood (University of Utah – Chemistry) – Improving the Bottom Quartile’s Performance: The Key to Higher Success Rates
    • 9/15/2016: Diane Pataki, Jordan Gerton, Holly Godsey (University of Utah) – Department-Driven Course and Curriculum Improvement RFP
    • 8/11/2016: Karen Krapcho (University of Utah – OSP) Evaluation of “Student Voice” in a Freshman Hybrid/Flipped Classroom
    • 6/16/2016: Pamela Hardin (University of Utah – CTLE) – Why Active Learning? Practices and Problems
    • 5/12/2016: Emina Alibegovic (University of Utah – Mathematics) – Changing the culture in Math 1010
    • 4/14/2016: David Temme (University of Utah – Biology) – How do we help students learn how to think? Perhaps by helping them expand their “common sense toolbox”!
    • 3/10/2016: Jennifer Heemstra (University of Utah – Chemistry) – Increasing access to research opportunities through course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs)
    • 2/11/2016: Charles Atwood (University of Utah – Chemistry) – How we have used Item Response Theory and classroom management to improve student success rates in large general chemistry classes
    • 1/14/2016: Jordan Gerton (University of Utah – Physics & Astronomy) – Structural and pedagogical approaches to support student learning in PHYS 2210 
    • 11/5/2015: Lucy Fortson (University of Minnesota) – Education in and with the Zooniverse Citizen Science Platform