Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning

Tag: SoTL

Interest Session for Stearns Center Education Journal

Register Here | Facilitator: Laina Lockett

If you are interested in publishing about your teaching practices please come to this interest session. We will answer questions you may have as well as discuss potential timelines and the submission & review process. This journal will aim to identify and recognize quality in teaching and foster research into and sharing of evidence-based pedagogies that occur in Mason classrooms. If you’d like to contribute an article, please attend the session. If you are interested, but can’t make this session, please still complete the registration form so we can follow up with additional information.

*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Faculty Learning Community #2: Alternative Grading

Register here. | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

A Learning Community (LC) is a collaborative space where instructors, staff, and graduate students can come together to explore specific themes or issues related to teaching and learning. Regular meetings provide opportunities for reflective practice, where participants share and provide peer feedback. In these Alternative Grading Learning Communities, we will explore how different grading approaches can transform the way we evaluate and respond to student work. Participants who complete all of the pre- and post-meeting reflections/surveys will receive a $50 gift card.

  • LEARNING COMMUNITY #1: Tuesdays @ 7:00-8:15pm on Sept. 9, Sept 30, Oct 21, Nov 18, Dec 9
  • LEARNING COMMUNITY #2: Wednesdays @ 1:00-2:15pm on Sept 10, Oct 1, Oct 22, Nov 12, and Dec 3

*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Faculty Learning Community #1: Alternative Grading

Register here. | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

A Learning Community (LC) is a collaborative space where instructors, staff, and graduate students can come together to explore specific themes or issues related to teaching and learning. Regular meetings provide opportunities for reflective practice, where participants share and provide peer feedback. In these Alternative Grading Learning Communities, we will explore how different grading approaches can transform the way we evaluate and respond to student work. Participants who complete all of the pre- and post-meeting reflections/surveys will receive a $50 gift card.

  • LEARNING COMMUNITY #1: Tuesdays @ 7:00-8:15pm on Sept. 9, Sept 30, Oct 21, Nov 18, Dec 9
  • LEARNING COMMUNITY #2: Wednesdays @ 1:00-2:15pm on Sept 10, Oct 1, Oct 22, Nov 12, and Dec 3

*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.

Info Session: AI in Teaching & Learning Project

Register here. | Facilitator: Breana Bayraktar

Discover the Next Phase of the AI in Teaching and Learning Project

Over the past two years, the AI in Teaching and Learning project has brought together faculty, staff, and students from across the state to explore how AI is reshaping higher education. Our first phase focused on research into faculty and student experiences with AI, and our second phase developed evidence-based educational resources—covering student onboarding, assignment design, assessment, accessibility, OER, and more—to help instructors integrate AI ethically and effectively.

For the next phase (AY 2025–2026) we are recruiting faculty, staff, and students to join existing project teams or propose new ones. Project leads will guide you through planning, research design, IRB processes, and building cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations.

Join us for this informational session to learn how you can get involved, share your ideas, and help shape the future of AI in higher education.

Teaching Insight Week: Exploring Classroom Inquiry

Register here.

You tried a new pedagogical approach or curricular innovation and it seemed to work! If you had studied the impact of that teaching change on your students’ learning, you would have been engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, which invites you to examine your classroom practices systematically, improve your teaching based on your findings, and then share your findings with others.

Teaching Insight Week (Sept 29-Oct 6) is a semi-synchronous mini-course with both live meetings and asynchronous activities. You will have several group and one-on-one opportunities to learn about classroom-based inquiry and how to plan and carry out research on teaching and learning. In between the live meetings on Monday, Sept 29 and Monday, Oct 6, you’ll have a short video to watch and activity to complete each day. Please register before September 29.

*Adding to your calendar will not register you for the event; please register using the link above.