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Sheridan Newsletter
March 2025
News from the Center
Teaching in a Polarized Political Climate
As students and faculty process current events, both on Brown’s campus and in the wider world, instructors might find it useful to refer to the Sheridan’s Center’s resources on Teaching During the U.S. Election (and Beyond) and Facilitating Controversial Discussions. As always, please feel free to contact us at sheridan_center@brown.edu to request an individual consultation.
New ‘Teaching in the Age of AI’ Resource
Explore our new faculty guide, Teaching in the Age of AI, that includes articles on adapting assignments to minimize AI use or to integrate AI effectively. The guide shares practical steps for modifying assignments and examples of AI-resilient and AI-integrated approaches.
Spring Programs
CIRTL: Writing Your Diversity or Inclusion Statement for the Academic Job Market
Monday, March 3, 2-3 pm
Zoom
This online event is designed to guide individuals on how to effectively write a diversity statement as part of an academic job application: a document outlining a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The event will focus on highlighting past experiences and future goals in creating an inclusive environment, particularly in academic settings. This event is part of CIRTL’s “The Joyful Journey: Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Professional Development Series.” Register here.
Reimagining Academic Motivation: Teaching and Learning in a Post-Pandemic World
Tuesday, March 4, 12-1:30 pm
SciLi 720 (lunch provided) and Zoom
Open to all
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted education, reshaping how students engage with learning and how educators approach teaching. As we navigate this evolving landscape, what insights can theories of motivation offer? How can they help us understand and respond to shifts in student engagement, persistence, and well-being?
This interactive session will introduce several theoretical perspectives on academic motivation and invite participants to critically consider their relevance in the post-pandemic college classroom. Through a facilitated discussion, we’ll explore whether and how these conceptions of motivation help explain changes in student learning and instructional dynamics following the disruption of COVID-19.
A panel facilitated by Problem-Solving Fellows will then engage attendees in identifying the biggest motivational challenges facing students and educators today. Following this, an open Q&A session with the speaker
will provide an opportunity for deeper conversation and reflection.
Please register for this event here. If you’re interested in an individual consultation with Dr. Usher, please email Christina Smith by Monday, March 3 at christina_smith2@brown.edu.
Student Learning Abroad: Strategies for Short-Term, Faculty-Led Programs
Thursday, March 6, 12-1 pm
Zoom
Thinking of leading a short-term global program in Winter or Summer? In this workshop, Eric Kaldor, Director of Assessment and Transformational Programs, will discuss ways to promote meaningful learning in short-term, faculty-led programs. The session will explore myths around immersion, strategies based on experiential learning theory, and how to design significant learning around rich experiences. During this workshop, participants will 1) identify different kinds of learning that are appropriate for their program, 2) explore strategies to enhance student learning abroad, and 3) create an action plan for the next steps developing their program. Faculty and graduate students interested in exploring what a short-term, faculty-led program might look like are welcome. Register here.
Join the 14-Day Graduate Writing Challenge!
March 10-24
Virtual/asynchronous with optional in-person gatherings
Are you a graduate student hoping to make progress on a writing project? Join the 14-Day Writing Challenge! Hosted by the Writing Center, the Spring challenge will run from March 10-24. Participation will be virtual with optional in-person gatherings. The challenge helps writers meet their writing goals by providing community support and accountability. Participants will be asked to share their writing goals with other participants, do their best to write for at least 30 minutes per day during the challenge, post their progress at the end of each daily writing session (participants pick their own writing session times), and cheer on other participants as they try to meet their writing goals. Space is limited; register here by March 3. For more information email graduate_writing@brown.edu.
Call for Applications
Apply to be an Equitable Learning Inquiry Fellow
The ELI Program offers faculty a special opportunity to examine what equitable learning means in foundational courses they teach; consider course-level data disaggregated by ethnicity, gender, first-generation, and other factors; develop and pilot an evidence-based change to their course; and assess the impact of their intervention. Faculty teaching foundational undergraduate courses in the 2025-26 academic year are eligible to participate. Applications for the ELI Program are open through March 24. For more information and to apply, visit the ELI Program website.
Spring Teaching and Learning Communities
Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash
Faculty Writing Group
10:00 am - 12 pm on Fridays
February 7 - May 2
Zoom
Open to all faculty and staff
Faculty of any rank and any staff are invited to participate in a Faculty Writing Group. Writing groups can be an invaluable source of motivation and accountability, and the Faculty Writing Group is a “guilt-free” group that prioritizes spending time in community and goal-setting together. Each group meeting begins with a brief goal-setting exercise and concludes with a short reflective conversation. Writing projects can be any works in progress, and historically have ranged widely from articles to conference presentations to letters of reference.
Register to receive the Zoom link for the sessions here (if you have difficulty registering, please contact sheridan_center@brown.edu). Questions about this group can be directed to Annie Gjelsvik (Public Health; Provost’s Faculty Teaching Fellow) at annie_gjelsvik@brown.edu.
STEM Ed Fridays
Select Fridays, 12 - 1 pm
SciLi 720 (lunch provided) and Zoom
Are you interested in discussing STEM education at Brown? STEM Ed Friday is a vibrant learning community where STEM instructors and staff members share ideas, experiences, and challenges related to STEM education.
Please register for an upcoming session (if you have difficulty registering, please contact sheridan_center@brown.edu):
Photo by Martin Springborg
Large Class Learning Community
The Large Class Learning Community is an interdisciplinary group of faculty members that meets monthly to discuss issues surrounding the teaching of high-enrollment classes. If you are interested in joining these conversations, please contact Provost's Faculty Teaching Fellow and Sociology Senior Lecturer Lisa Di Carlo (lisa_di_carlo@brown.edu) to be placed on the contact list. You'll also be added to the group's shared Google Drive, which contains notes from previous years' meetings.
Brown Learning Collaborative
The Brown Learning Collaborative provides opportunities for undergraduate fellows to collaborate with faculty and peer partners in key academic areas: Data Science, Problem Solving, and Writing.
Problem-Solving
Fellows
Improve Your Teaching with a Problem-Solving Fellow!
Are you a UTA, tutor, or professor who wants a student perspective on your teaching? Sign up for a Problem-Solving Fellow (PSF) Teaching Consultation! PSFs are undergraduate students trained to give feedback on any and all elements of teaching or assisting in teaching a course. If you are looking to increase the effectiveness of your assignments, lecturing, or general teaching strategies, consider reaching out! Each consultation is confidential, personalized, and led from a student-based perspective. Please fill out our interest form to get started. Questions? Please contact psf@brown.edu.
Share Your Feedback on S/NC
The Problem-Solving Fellows are currently working on a project focused on how students, faculty, and staff think about and advise around S/NC. If you are a faculty or staff member who has thoughts on S/NC, we want to hear from you! Please fill out this interest form to set up a meeting and interview.
Asynchronous Resources and Programs
Creating a Teaching Portfolio
This online, self-paced Canvas workshop from the Sheridan Center guides participants through the process of writing a teaching statement and creating a teaching portfolio. For more information and to register, visit the Teaching Portfolio program website.
Designing and Teaching for Online
This online self-paced Canvas tutorial guides Brown instructors through the design or redesign of an online or hybrid course. There are three pathways (Developing an Online Course, Structuring an Online Course in Canvas, and Teaching an Online Course) that allow instructors to work through the sections at their own pace based on their own needs and interests. The tutorial can be accessed anytime with this direct link (you must be logged into your Brown Canvas account): Designing and Teaching for Online.
Planning Resource: Sheridan Calendars
Interested in knowing when Sheridan Center programs typically run during the year? Please see the calendars below.