Welcome Message/Chair’s greeting:
I’ve spent the past year on sabbatical and greet the fall semester with equal parts excitement and fear about implementing new materials in my classroom. I’m excited about the August IMPACT Live! focus on small changes that make a positive impact on student success. Each week, we’ll share a question that focuses on concrete, practical changes faculty can implement as they prepare for the fall semester. Some of the topics include syllabus changes, student engagement, active learning, and assessments changes. Not only do each of these topics incorporate some innovative idea, but they also lead to improving equity in the classroom. We hope you will join this forum to create some stimulating discussions and practical ideas that will help improve student success.
Lisa Feinman (Project ACCCESS Coordinator)
Hello! My name is Lisa Feinman and I am the current Project ACCCESS Coordinator. August is the time when, despite planning to be proactive, I am working on fine tuning my syllabi. Our pillar this month is Student Success, but since it is just prior to the start of the semester, we are focusing on small changes faculty can make to create a big impact on students. I recently attended a workshop on Inclusive Active Teaching, and part of it was how to create a more welcoming and inclusive syllabus. I plan to make some small changes in how I word things and see what that does for my students. Trying something new can be daunting, but I am making those steps to try to do what I can for my students.
Jennifer Ackerman (ITL ANet Chair)
Welcome to August as we start a new school year in the summer heat! As a life-long learner, I’m happy to chair AMATYC’s Innovative Teaching and Learning Academic Network (ITL ANet). I learned about this amazing group of people when I attended my first Ignite event at the AMATYC conference in San Diego: 20 speakers, each with 20 slides that automatically advance every 15 seconds - you have to stay on your toes to keep up! A friend convinced me to give it a try and I’ve been participating ever since! It’s such a fun way to share an idea and meet new people! The work of the ITL ANet fits in perfectly with August’s theme with its focus on small changes that can create a big impact on student success. In my journey as an educator, I’ve learned to do what I expect from my students: to be brave, and even uncomfortable, with trying something new, and to be willing to fail on the path to achieving success.
Team Members:
Jennifer Ackerman, Lisa Feinman, Vicki Todd, Kelly Spoon, Celeste Petersen, Ana Jimenez
Conference Keys:
SM - Strategies and Mindset for Student Success
EQ - Equity and Inclusivity
PD - Professional Development and Department/Division Interests
TL - Technology and E-Learning