Category Archives: Creativity

Exploring Teaching and Leaning Technology at CIT 2024

Artificial Intelligence, Assessment, Classroom Technology, Creativity, Educational Technologies, Innovative Technology, Instructional Design, Learning Outcomes, Online Learning, Research, Student Experience, Uncategorized, Virtual Reality, VR

By Luis Colon
Instructional Designer
luis.colon@stonybrook.edu

Last month, members of CELT traveled to Buffalo, New York to attend the SUNY Conference on Instructional Technology (CIT) hosted by the University at Buffalo to participate in the event as well as present some of the work that we have been doing. The CIT conference started in 1992 and since has provided faculty and instructional support professionals a space to share their experiences, delve into common issues, work towards finding solutions, and explore the many innovative avenues that allow instructors to enhance the learning environment through the use of technology. 

The theme of this year’s conference was: Creating Inclusive Innovation in Higher Education, and showcased engaging sessions from faculty and instructional support professionals focusing on topics such as course design, assessment strategies, artificial intelligence (AI), immersive technologies, and more. In addition to these sessions, there were also exhibits from sponsors including D2L, Lumen Learning, and Respondus, as well as other exhibitors showcasing products and other technologies that could be used in the classroom to enhance the learning experience as well as increase engagement.

The University at Buffalo sign and some trees.
The University at Buffalo was a great location for this year’s CIT 2024 conference.

During the conference, we presented at two different sessions. Our first session, Critical Conversation on Generative AI, focused on our response to the boom of AI tools to support teaching and learning in college classes at Stony Brook University. The session opened with the CELT AI Timeline, illustrating how CELT started with collaborations with the academic integrity office. CELT proactively communicated to the SBU faculty about the best practices on generative AI in their classrooms and provided ongoing support and training sessions. We stay abreast on the latest AI tools and explore the benefits, challenges, and potential use cases with interested faculty members at Stony Brook University. During the past one-and-a-half-year period, CELT hosted 22 AI events with 1,110 Attendees. The AI panel discussion series covers topics like academic integrity, AI best practices, AI ethics, student perspectives, creative AI in art education, AI, and research. Monthly AI talk sessions allow faculty to ask questions and share their experience. Generative AI in Higher Education workshop series focuses on AI tools training, AI guidelines, assessment redesign, and ethical and practical AI usage for teaching and learning. 

Ultimately, as AI tools continued to develop and become more capable it became clear that we would need to expand our offerings to meet the needs and demands of interested stakeholders which we have done over the past year.

During the second half of the session, we opened up the floor to respond to questions for the audience to join the discussion and share their thoughts. The audience shared both valuable insights and ideas regarding AI usage as well as valid concerns regarding the capabilities and rapid growth of the technology. We shared resources at the end of the session and were able to speak to some of the audience members who had additional questions or were interested in continuing the conversation.

Our second session, Exploring VR Applications in College Classes – An SBU Showcase, focused on the applications of virtual reality (VR) of faculty members at Stony Brook University.  They explored the capabilities of these types of tools and how they can fit into their course goals and enhance their overall instruction. We began by discussing how the effective utilization of VR can positively impact teaching and learning and discussed specific tools that provide diverse experiences in VR that can be incorporated into any course. This included 360° photo and video, WebXR tools such as FrameVR, and immersive VR tools used in simulation-based learning. We then discussed our collaborations with faculty and staff members at the university and how they are currently using or planning to utilize VR in their courses. This included the work of Mark Lang from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (SoMAS), Dr. Guleed Ali from the Department of Geosciences, Dr. Carol Carter from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Dr. Gary Marr from the Department of Philosophy in collaboration with Paul St. Dennis from the Department of Information Technology (DoIT). Then Dr. Guleed Ali presented via Zoom on VR virtual field trips as an inclusive pedagogy strategy  in his Geoscience class. 

The second part of our session was a hands-on immersive showcase, audience members could try on some of the VR applications we discussed. We set up three stations with Meta Quest headsets where audience members could see firsthand the diverse use cases of VR technology in the higher ed learning environment and familiarize themselves with working in VR. This also allowed us the opportunity to speak with audience members about their experiences with VR in the classroom, how they may be using VR in innovative and exciting new ways, and how they would like to be using VR in the classroom in the future. 

Members of CELT at the CIT 2024 conference.
CIT2024 was a great opportunity to gather insights and explore technology in teaching and learning!

The experience of attending and presenting sessions at CIT in Buffalo this year was an exciting and informative experience for our team. It was great to network and collaborate with other colleagues in teaching and learning more about the future of technology in our discipline. Our team returned with many great ideas and approaches that we are excited to implement in our own work.

2024 CELT Teaching and Learning Symposium – Focusing on Innovative Pedagogy

Artificial Intelligence, Assessment, Classroom Technology, Creativity, Educational Technologies, Equity and Inclusion, Innovative Technology, Instructional Design, Learning Outcomes, Online Learning, Student Experience, Uncategorized, Virtual Reality, VR,

By Luis Colon
Instructional Designer
luis.colon@stonybrook.edu

On April 12th, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching held their annual Teaching and Learning Symposium. Over the years, the event has allowed educators, researchers, administrators, and more to come together to discuss various aspects of teaching and learning as well as celebrate teaching and learning practices and initiatives at Stony Brook University. The central theme of the day was Innovative Pedagogy which was at the center of conversations and various learning experiences held throughout the day. The theme illustrates the importance of finding new and exciting ways to engage with and include students in the academic environment as well as empowering students to pursue lifelong learning. Close to 100 faculty members, graduate students, staff, and administrators attended the day-long event held in Ballroom A of the Student Activities Center.

The event opened with words from Dr. Carl Lejuez, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, and then led into the keynote event of the day. Dr. Marsha Lovett presented an interactive workshop on innovative teaching and how practice and feedback can be an impactful practice in the classroom. Dr. Lovett is the Vice Provost for Teaching & Learning Innovation at Carnegie Mellon University as well as a Teaching Professor of Psychology and former director of the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation. Her passion for combining teaching and research is illustrated in the book How Learning Works, which has been translated into multiple languages and is now in its second edition with the new subtitle: How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. 

Attendees at the 2024 CELT Symposium during the keynote workshop.
Dr. Marsha Lovett delivered an informative and engaging keynote workshop.

The workshop focused on the importance of incorporating opportunities for students to engage in “deliberate practice” where they are challenged appropriately and focus on clear and specific goals. These opportunities allow for observed performance where students would be able to receive targeted feedback that they would be able to use to improve their skills and apply in further practice. To provide targeted feedback, Dr. Lovett recommended incorporating rubrics into assignments as a grading tool where criteria for success is outlined and to remind students to utilize the rubric before, during, and after working on the assignment. 

To address the concern of allowing students to practice often without having a huge amount of grading, Dr. Lovett suggested incorporating opportunities for students to engage in active learning. She touched on many different examples of active learning strategies from shorter tasks to whole-class activities which provide students the opportunity to not only practice applying important skills but also allows students to receive feedback through the explanations of concepts and discussions that spark from active learning in the classroom.

Dr. Lovett closed with a discussion on how to provide effective SPACE (Specific, Prioritized, Actionable, Constructive, Expedient) feedback in a manner that is not only easy but also efficient and applicable to courses of all types and sizes. Her suggestions included framing your feedback in relation to your overall learning goals, highlighting priorities in the work, providing class-wide feedback on common pitfalls and errors, and developing a “key” or collection of frequently used comments to use during grading.

Following the keynote session were breakout sessions where Stony Brook University faculty and staff delivered sessions focusing on four different tracks highlighting major topics in teaching and learning today including Course Design, Student Engagement, Virtual Experiences, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). There were three breakout sessions where attendants had the opportunity to either stick to one particular track or attend sessions on different topics of interest. Faculty presenters from across both campuses discussed practical approaches and strategies to implement in classes and recounted their own observations with these innovative teaching practices.

Attendees at the CELT Learning Symposium 2024.
Faculty and staff participated in learning sessions and activities throughout the all-day event.

The 2024 Teaching and Learning Symposium was an exciting event that provided an open forum for faculty, TAs, and staff to engage in discourse related to teaching and learning with their colleagues. From using generative AI as a “junk generator” and having students critique its outputs to effective practices to foster inclusivity in the classroom environment, this event addressed many facets of teaching and learning to help students feel welcomed, engaged, and appropriately challenged in their coursework and overall experience at Stony Brook University. 

If you would like to learn more about how to make your courses effective, engaging, relevant, and inclusive, you can purchase a copy of How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching by Dr. Marsha Lovett at this Amazon link. Linked below is the Google Collaborative Note-Taking Document from the day’s events to catch up with session materials and notes from the various sessions offered.

Using Creative Thinking Blocks in Teaching

Classroom Technology, Creativity, Student Experience, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

By Rachita Ramya
Instructor, Creative Writing and Literature
rachita.ramya@stonybrook.edu

As a creative writing and literature teacher, I find myself in a unique position, having grown up in India and now teaching undergraduate students at Stony Brook University. My first language, Hindi, gifts me with a strong Indian accent when I speak English, and I fear that my words may be misunderstood by my students. At times, I worry that some students may wonder why an Indian woman is teaching Creative Writing & Literature in English. To address these concerns, I’ve designed a more inclusive syllabus that features stories and essays from writers of different countries, races, and backgrounds. My course, “Everyone has a story, let’s find yours,” helps students explore their voice through writing and tell their important stories. In class, we read stories from all over the world, including translated texts. Over time, I’ve realized that good stories don’t need to be written in a specific language to be considered good. The best stories transcend language and vocabulary limitations.

Students building with MuBaBaO blocks in class.
Students used MuBaBaO blocks to build and brainstorm their ideas for their stories.

In our class discussions about Arundhati Roy’s essay, “What is the morally appropriate language to think & write?” my students have diverse opinions. They often relate to the idea that we’re not always understood by even people who speak the same language as us. Surprisingly, about a quarter of the class is multilingual. They’re amazed when I share that the language of storytelling is not as crucial as evoking universal emotions and interest.

To overcome language barriers in storytelling, I introduced wooden blocks from MuBaBaO into our creative journey. Originating from Poland, these wooden blocks, also known as creative thinking blocks, were brought to us by the distinguished storyteller Michal Malinowski, who uses them in his own classroom while teaching undergraduate students at the University of Krakow. Prior to that, Michal employed these blocks with war refugees from Ukraine, who found it easier to articulate their experiences using building blocks rather than struggling with broken words and sentences. In Michal’s own words, ‘the blocks serve as a vehicle for storytelling, an instrument to make sense out of the chaos and create something out of nothing.’

When used in my class, the blocks sparked my students’ imagination. They built intricate structures like spaceships, bicycles, basketball courts, carriages, and houses. Each creation had a unique story behind it, reflecting the individuality of its creator. Even reserved students opened up and shared their creations. This exercise went beyond storytelling; it became a form of problem-solving and an exercise in critical thinking and communication. It reminded me that stories have historically been a way to address complex challenges. What’s remarkable is the impact these blocks have beyond the classroom. They create a means for interaction and collaborative artwork within the community. 

Students final products using MuBaBaO blocks.
MuBaBaO blocks helped students think creatively and solve problems during the writing process.

Exploratory studies with similar blocks showed that they can help learners understand course concepts, experience group dynamics, and build communication skills (Allen et al., 2009, Auvinen et al., 2013, Rick et al., 2005, Roos et al., 2004, Roos et al., 2018, Peabody et al., 2018). This visual approach to storytelling engages participants in dynamic and multi-layered exercises, fostering creative thinking, spatial intelligence, and effective communication. It adds depth by requiring participants to narrate a story related to their creation, including considering solutions to real-world challenges. These blocks can act as a universal language, uniting people from diverse backgrounds through the shared language of imagination and expression. They can also be applied in various fields to enhance organizational and leadership skills. Together, we can embark on a journey of discovery and growth, learning to appreciate the depth and power of storytelling beyond spoken words, and embracing the beauty of diverse voices in literature.

References:

  1. Allen, S. J. and Hartman, N. S. (2009), “Sources of learning in student leadership development programming”, Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 6-16. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.20119
  2. Auvinen, T., Aaltio, I. and Blomqvist, K. (2013), “Constructing leadership by storytelling- the meaning of trust and narrative”, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, Vol. 34, No. 6, pp. 496-514. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-10-2011-0102
  3. Rick, J., & Lamberty, K. K. (2005). Medium-based design: Extending a medium to create an exploratory learning environment. Interactive Learning Environments, 13(3), 179–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820500401883
  4. Roos, J., & Victor, B. (2018). How It All Began: The Origins Of LEGO® Serious Play®. International Journal of Management and Applied Research, 326–343. https://doi.org/10.18646/2056.54.18-025
  5. Roos, J., Victor, B., & Statler, M. (2004). Playing seriously with strategy. Long Range Planning, 37(6), 549–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2004.09.005
  6. Peabody, M. A., & Turesky, E. F. (2018). Shared leadership lessons: Adapting LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® in higher education. International Journal of Management and Applied Research, 5(4), 210-223.

 

Teaching as Performance

Creativity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning Outcomes, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

By Devon Coutts
Ph.D. Candidate, Philosophy
Devon.coutts@stonybrook.edu

It can be especially difficult for university faculty members to develop effective teaching skills. While we all invest a great deal of time and energy in learning our respective disciplines, many, if not most, of us are not given any kind of guidance for how to pass on learning to our students. Perhaps surprisingly, such guidance need not come from traditional educational theory; there is a lot we can learn about teaching from the performing arts.

Actors on a stage.
What can educators learn from actors who portray a role, a scene, or a concept to an audience?

That was certainly the case for me when I taught a class for the first time. I approached preparing my classes the way I would have approached preparing for a performance. I wrote out detailed scripts for myself and rehearsed giving lectures. I included “stage notes” for myself to indicate slide transitions, points of emphasis, the questions I planned on asking the students, and the questions that I anticipated students would ask me as we went along. While this method of preparation helped me to feel more confident going into the classroom, it was rare that a class ever played out exactly the way that I had envisioned it. This is because I assumed that my students would be a model audience, when in fact, I should have been thinking about them as my fellow actors. In my experience, the most effective and engaging classes were the ones in which students took an active role in guiding the lesson: where they asked questions, responded to one another, and made new connections within and beyond our course readings.   

Comparisons between teaching and the performing arts have been around since at least the 1960’s. In his 1968 article, “Qualitative intelligence and the act of teaching,” Elliot W. Eisner writes, “Teachers, like actors, attempt to communicate to groups of people in an audience-like situation . . . both the actor and the teacher employ qualities to enhance communication [and] must be able to control their actions in such a way as to capture the attention and interest of those to whom their message is directed.” In other words, for both teachers and actors, the mode of delivery is as important as the content being expressed. Although the goals of acting and teaching differ greatly, both employ similar means toward achieving them. 

For instance, one professor, Aaron Langille, who teaches in mathematics and computer science at Laurentian University, shared six strategies that he uses in his classroom teaching:

  • Voice dynamics: Practice projecting techniques, and varying tone and intonation to convey enthusiasm.
  • Eye contact: Rather than reading from notes or slides, this helps you to connect with your students.
  • Audience involvement: Build in ways of inviting students to share their ideas or generate their own examples in every class.
  • Pop culture: Try to bring in relevant examples, either by asking students directly or by giving them ways to bring what’s important or interesting to them to class discussions. For example, Langille creates meme threads for students to post memes relevant to the course material.
  • Humor: Remember to tread with caution when it comes to humor: keep things light, try to avoid excessive sarcasm,  and always be willing to laugh at yourself.
  • Improvisation: Try the “yes, and . . .” strategy, remember to go with the flow, stay flexible and open to surprises or new avenues of thinking that may pop up. 

 Langille reported that by working on his vocal dynamics and improvisation in particular, he was able to communicate his course material more effectively and with genuine enthusiasm. Bringing these certain performance elements into his teaching thus also helped him show care and concern for his students as learners, which in turn invited them to become “actors” guiding their own learning.

Some professors take the “teaching as performance” idea even further. As Noha Fikry writes in this first person article published on the website for the Society for Cultural Anthropology. Fikry quotes her former professor from the American University of Cairo, AbdelAziz EzzelArab (“Zizo”), who says: “Teaching is all about performance . . . it takes passion and performance skills.” For her mentor, Zizo, teaching “requires an active engagement with every muscle of your body, along with full and undivided attention through which a teacher plays with and builds on student engagements to inform class content and discussions.” The actual content of the lessons, for Zizo, take on secondary importance, but his dedication to his students seems to ensure that learning does not suffer as a result. Reflecting on her own experience of being Zizo’s student, Fikry writes, “Zizo’s intense passion, overwhelming presence, and wholesome engagement in class . . . captivated my entire being to remain fully focused.”  

It might not be possible for all of us to embody our teaching as fully as Zizo, but we can all benefit from incorporating certain performance techniques in the classroom. Even something as simple as making eye contact, rather than reading from notes, and trying out variations in tone and pace while giving a lecture can make a huge difference to how students respond to the material, the instructor, and to one another. What is more, bringing in techniques of improvisation helps to make space for students to become like actors themselves, and to take an active role in guiding their own learning.   

References

De La Vega, V. (2019). Teaching as performance. Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology. The University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://ctlt.ubc.ca/2019/10/30/teaching-as-performance/

Eisner, E. W. (1963). Qualitative intelligence and the act of teaching. Elementary school journal, 63(6), 299-307.

Fikry, N. (2022). Teaching as performance: On scripts, preparing for classes, and teaching with passion. Society for Cultural Anthropology. Retrieved from https://culanth.org/fieldsights/teaching-as-performance-on-scripts-preparing-for-classes-and-teaching-with-passion

 

  

 

Are You Creative?

Artificial Intelligence, Creativity, Instructional Design, STEM

By Carol Hernandez, Ed.D.
Senior Instructional Designer
carol.hernandez@stonybrook.edu

A coffee cup in a analog clock display
Is creativity a skill you want to increase in your teaching practice?

Perhaps we all in some way, strive to be creative and to use creativity in our teaching and learning practices. But have you stopped to think about how creativity is defined and measured? How is it  taught?

Creativity is a critical skill as identified by the 21st Century Skills Framework, which focuses on a comprehensive list of abilities, skills, and attitudes that young people around the world will need to be successful in their personal, professional, and civic lives. This is becoming increasingly important as each day we are witnessing artificial intelligence and other technologies showing up to help us do our work.  While at the same time, there is no end to the number of wicked problems we are faced with in every aspect of our lives, which may feel increasingly complex.

Complexity on its own, is not inherently good or bad. But it does present us with an opportunity to be creative in our teaching practice. In the 30s and 40s, Ellis Paul Torrance was a teacher in Georgia who noticed that some of his students had off-beat ideas, but were not necessarily fitting into the traditional classroom structure. He believed that creativity and standard intelligence tests were not measuring the same thing. He wanted to explore and measure creativity on its own, which led him to create the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. He is now considered the Father of Creativity Research. And you can learn more about his ideas here. As defined by Torrance, creativity is (1966, p. 6):

  • A process of becoming sensitive to problems, deficiencies, gaps in knowledge, missing elements, disharmonies, and so on;
  • identifying the difficulty;
  • searching for solutions, making guesses, or formulating hypotheses about the deficiencies;
  • testing and retesting these hypotheses and possible modifying and retesting them;
  • and finally communicating the results.

Using this definition, how could you adjust your teaching practice to help your students be more creative? If you’d like to test your own creativity, there are a number of free tests online. Here is one offered by AULIVE, an online resource for creativity and innovation.

References

Alabbasi, A. M. A., Paek, S. H., Kim, D., & Cramond, B. (2022). What do educators need to know about the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking: A comprehensive review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. 

Torrance, E. P. (1966). Torrance tests of creative thinking—norms technical manual research edition—verbal tests, forms A and B—figural tests, forms A and B. Princeton: Personnel Pres. Inc.