September 3, 2021

Associate Dean Simon Tavener provided an article by Beth McMurtrie for this week’s teaching tip. McMurtrie’s article titled “Teaching: Rethinking Undergraduate Education at Research Universities” (08112021 Chronicle of Higher Ed; see the attached file for details) describes the refresh of the 1998 Boyer Commission (Boyer 2040 Commission) by the CSU-based Association for Undergraduate Education at Research Universities (UERU, previously the Reinvention Collaborative).  The article dovetails nicely with UERU three-part town hall series hosted by the UERU this month. The author is a CHE senior writer with a focus on the role of technology in teaching. Major advances in technology (smart phones, social media, etc.) and in cognitive psychology, as well as increased awareness of diversity within the student body and the importance of equity and inclusivity drove creation of the commission version 2.0.  The Boyer 2040 Commission recommendations are due to be released in 2022.  These recommendations reframe excellence and equity in teaching and learning as synergistic rather than opposing.  They state that we must be careful to provide high-impact practices in a manner inclusive of minoritized, low income and first-generation students.  The commission report will emphasize the importance of collaboration between advisors and educators.  Challenges identified by the commission have not changed from version 1.0; the competition between teaching and research for university funds and success in tenure and promotion decisions.  The weed-out culture remains the core impediment to addressing these challenges.

Before you head off to the long Labor Day weekend, I leave you will a teaching hack provided by Dr. Jennifer Neuwald (Biology) to address the effect of wearing a mask on voice clarity, particularly in Echo360 recordings.  Dr. Neuwald determined that clipping her lapel microphone to the bottom of her mask improves recording clarity significantly but has no real effect on her mask.  I plan to give it a shot.

Have a great weekend and go rams!

Paul

Resources

https://www.natsci.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/teaching-rethinking-undergraduate-education-at-research-universities.pdf