Does the first day really matter?

• Dr. Timmons and Dr. Erickson teach different sections of the same large-enrollment introductory course. Step into a student’s shoes to observe their course introductions and reflect upon your own teaching practices for the first day of class. 
• Resources
  • First Day of Class Checklist
  • Measuring the Promise: A Learning-Focused Syllabus Rubric
  • Inclusion By Design Survey
  • “How to Teach a Good First Day of Class”
  • “Addressing Achievement Gaps with Psychological Interventions”
  • “Simple Yet Powerful Ways to Learn Your Students’ Names”
  • “How (and Why!) To Write a Pre-Course Survey or Questionnaire”
  • “Active Learning Strategies”

Group work doesn’t have to be a nightmare.

• Kai, Meg, and Cassidy are starting their group project together, but there are problems from the beginning. Learn how transparent assignments and groupwork facilitation can prevent interpersonal issues and provide a more inclusive working environment for all students.

“I’m starting to wonder if I should even be here.”

• Hear stories from Gene, Tori, and Claire about their experiences with belonging and belonging uncertainty in their education. Consider how small changes and psychosocial interventions during lectures can allow students to feel they belong in your classroom, at UVA, and in your field of research--and learn why belonging matters in the first place.

In development

What just happened? And what am I supposed to do about it?

• Developed by an ensemble of current UVA students, this program introduces skills in conflict/resolution, dialogue facilitation, and open communication for a university classroom. How can faculty prevent and/or intervene when harmful language that has been used? How can instructors acknowledge current events in ways that allow students to focus on their learning and grow as critical thinkers? How can community be built so that difficult conversations can take place across identity without centering majoritized identities and worldviews?

Plenty of personalities, plenty of opinions, plenty of bias.

Meet Chris, a recently tenured faculty member who is chairing his first search committee. Chris has plenty to learn about facilitating equitable search processes that adjust to prevent bias--and he has plenty to unlearn, too. Follow along with this quirky search committee as they learn to align, intervene, and plan throughout their recruitment and hiring process.