Center for Teaching Excellence

Director

Jennifer Jefferson is the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence. She comes to this role after being a Visiting Assistant Professor in University Studies at St. Edward's University. Previously, she taught at The University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University. Her educational background is in American Studies and Cultural Studies in Education.

She is committed to providing programming and support that is responsive to the St. Edward's community, and she collaborates across campus to address the complex needs of faculty at a liberal arts university. Some of her areas of interest include inclusive course development, reflective practice, and peer learning communities.
 

Administrative Coordinator

Juanita Servín

Advisory Board

Alex Barron, Associate Professor of University Studies

Kerrie Taylor, Assistant Professor of Counseling

Stephen King, Professor of Communication

Kate Lopez, Assistant Professor of Accounting

Mity Myhr, Professor of History

Paul Walter, Associate Professor of Mathematics
 

The Center for Teaching Excellence offers a variety of programs to improve teaching at the university, including:

• Consultations
• Books & Coffee Reading and Discussion Group
• Faculty Learning Communities
• New Faculty Support
• Innovation Fellowships and Institute
• Teaching Symposium
• Workshops, seminars, and discussion groups
• Resources, including a library of print books and numerous digital teaching guides and articles
• Programs for departments and schools are also available upon request.

Faculty Resources for 2021 to 2022

To help faculty prepare for teaching in this new environment, the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Office of Information Technology will continue to offer guidance and host workshops to help faculty develop and teach courses, whether they are face-to-face, hybrid or online, as well as prepare for the possible contingency of going remote again.

To help keep track of events and information, we offer the following resources:

• Google Drive archive of recordings and slides for all CTE and Instructional Technology co-hosted events, as well as additional curated resources.
• Shared Google Calendar with all events related to teaching support, which you can add to your own calendar. Please subscribe to the Teaching Support Events calendar and RSVP to upcoming events. Note: You must subscribe with your St. Edward’s Gmail account.
• Teaching Forum Closed Workplace Group for faculty to promote conversation and sharing so we can help each other prepare.

​As additional reminders, each event will be posted to the university calendar and to Workplace a few days in advance of the workshop. We hope this approach is helpful to you as we try to manage our summer course design processes and teaching.

Podcasts and Coffee
Pick a series that fits into your schedule:
Last Wednesday of the month at 1:00 pm (virtual)
Jan. 26
Feb. 23 
Mar. 30
Apr. 27

Last Thursday of the month at 3:30 pm (masked and outside; if raining, we will move to Zoom) 
Feb. 24
Mar. 31
Apr. 28 

RSVP
Zoom
 
Each month, we will listen to an episode or two of a podcast and come together to discuss the episode(s), much like we do with Books and Coffee. We can build some of the playlist together, too (if there is interest). The goal of this gathering is to engage with scholarship on teaching and learning and talk with colleagues from across campus. Join us!

Application Form

The Center for Teaching Excellence is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 2022 Champion Awards for Mission-Informed Teaching. These awards recognize St. Edward's faculty whose teaching directly supports the St. Edward's University Mission.

Up to three awards, in the amount of $100, will be given this year. A committee composed of faculty from across campus will select the award recipients; the Director will be a non-voting facilitator of the process. 

Eligibility
Faculty and instructional staff of all disciplines and ranks are encouraged to apply. Past recipients are eligible to apply three years after their previous win.

Submission
Please fill out this Google form. Please keep your submission to 500 words or less and include specific Mission-Informed examples. 

Deadline 
Applications ae due Monday, April 1, 2022. 

Please note that the Award is open to self-nominations and nominations of colleagues--you can indicate your nominee on the form.

Please contact Jennifer Jefferson jennej@stedwards.edu if you have any questions.

Innovation Institute Fellowship
Due March 21, 2022
Application Form

The Office of Academic Affairs, the Center for Teaching Excellence, and the Office of Instructional Technology at St. Edward's University invite proposals for 2022-2023 Innovation Fellowship to advance the vision of the proposed Strategic Plan 2027: 

St. Edward's University, a Holy Cross, Catholic institution, will improve lives and transform communities by providing an education focused on excellence and distinguished quality that prepares students to create a more humane, just, and sustainable world. 

These fellowships will support full-time, contracted faculty members who need time, resources, and community to design or revise classes to be taught in Fall 2022, Spring 2023, or Summer 2023. Fellows will receive a $1,200 stipend, participate in the Summer 2022 Innovation Institute, which will be held May 16-27, 2022, and join a community of faculty fellows focused on pedagogical innovation.  

You may apply for this opportunity, even if you have already applied for and received a Presidential Excellence Award for the summer of 2022. 

We encourage applications that indicate one's interest in course design processes and that highlight a desire to create enriching experiences for students. Particular areas of focus for this iteration of Innovation Fellows are within the following areas connected to academic excellence and distinction: 

• Experiential and/or Austin-based pedagogy: Revising courses to incorporate new approaches, activities, and/or Austin-based content that can provide students with a richer academic experience. 
   
• Inclusive and Anti-racist Teaching: Redesigning courses with an eye toward equitable inclusive, and anti-racist practices, such as including Open Educational Resources (OER); adopting Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles; or working toward inclusive and anti-racist content and assessment practices. 
   
• Online Course Design or Revision: Revising courses previously offered online for remote teaching or in-person into well-designed online courses to create flexible options to help students complete their degrees in a timely manner. 

Applications are due Monday, March 21, 2022

Applicants are asked to complete an online form with required responses totaling less than 1,000 words to limit the amount of time required to complete it. The application form is located here: 2022-2023 Innovation Fellowship. Part of the application process is to communicate your intent to apply to your chairs and deans; please do so in advance of submitting the application. To prepare your application, review the Application Process & Form Preview 2022-2023. Decisions will be made by early April.  

If you have any questions about the Innovation Fellowship or would like to discuss possible projects, please contact: 

• Jennifer Jefferson, Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, jennej@stedwards.edu

• Rebecca Frost Davis, Associate Vice President of Digital Learning, rebeccad@stedwards.edu 

The Center for Teaching Excellence invites you to apply for the Delayne Hudspeth Award for Innovative Instruction. The award, open to all who teach, including full-time (tenure-track and non-tenure-track), part-time, adjunct, and staff who teach, is determined by a panel representing schools across campus and carries a $500 stipend. The application is a Google Form and is due March 11, 2022.

Questions? If you have any questions about the award or would like to discuss your application, please contact Jennifer Jefferson jennej@stedwards.edu. Jennifer facilitates the award process, but is not a voting member.

Walking and Talking: Chatting with Colleagues and Enjoying the Outdoors
Friday, Feb. 18, 2022
Noon to 1 p.m.
Meet at the base of the Red Doors of Main
Sign Up

Missing colleagues? Want to get out a little more? Join colleagues for a walk on campus where we will reconnect with one another and enjoy our beautiful campus. If there is inclement weather, we will meet the following Friday--at some point, we'll make it work. 

Connecting with Colleagues: Academic Integrity & Technology
Sponsored by the Academic Integrity Committee, Instructional Technology and the Center for Teaching Excellence
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022
3:30-4:45 p.m. in Zoom

Sign Up

Zoom

Since the pivot online in 2020 and the repeated need for remote instruction, students are engaged in technology-mediated learning to a greater degree than ever before. What is the impact of technology on academic integrity? Faculty will share their experiences and reflections on teaching with online exams in Canvas, remote proctoring with Honorlock, Turnitin for plagiarism detection, and strategies for ensuring academic integrity in online assignments. This faculty panel will take a critical look at our technologies and how they have changed teaching and learning. Panelists will include:

• W. Carsten Andresen, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice
• Megan DeWhatley, Lecturer and Lab Coordinator, Biological Sciences
• Jamie Hinojosa, Assistant Professor, Writing and Rhetoric and Director of General Education Writing Program
• Katherine J. Lopez, Associate Professor, Accounting and MS-Accounting Analytics Program Director.
• Meg Ringel, Assistant Professor, Mathematics
• Matthew Steffensen Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

Catching up with Student Disability Services: A Question and Answer Session with Candice Vasquez
Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022
3:30-4:30 p.m. 

Click here to sign up 

Join us as Candice Vasquez, director of Student Disability Services and ADA coordinator, discusses frequently asked questions about student disability services and accommodations, such as animals in the classroom (service, ESA, pets), testing center process changes, and support for disability-related absences/extensions. This hour-long session is designed to have substantial time for questions, so please join us as we work toward serving all of our students.

Inclusive & Intentional Classroom Engagement Strategies
Facilitated by te CTE and OIT
Thursday, Jan. 13 at 12:30 - 1:30 pm

Zoom

RSVP

Join us to discuss inclusive and intentional classroom engagement strategies that we can deploy at different points over the course of the semester with the goal of sustaining both ourselves and our students. We will share discussion approaches, student learning assessments, and group activities. We'll help you build your own checklist for creating a more intentional and inclusive classroom. 

Syllabus Swap
Sponsored by the Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning Group
Wednesday, Jan. 5
In person: 10 am, Holy Cross Hall 105

Zoom

RSVP

Join Colleagues from across campus on January 5th for a syllabus swap and discussion. This session, facilitated by members of the Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning group, is designed to introduce colleagues to integrative social justice syllabus best practices and to provide time for working on syllabuses in a supportive environment. Our hope is that everyone who attends will feel confident in making one change in their syllabus to work toward anti-racist teaching and learning practices. 

Let's Chat: Seeing Colleagues (and Taking Advantage of Central Texas Fall)
The CTE would like to invite colleagues to join us at informal check-ins this month. There will be tables set up outside of Holy Cross Hall (in between the building and the seal), and we will visit with colleagues from across campus. There might even be some treats to take with you. :)

Thursday, Nov. 4 at 2:00 pm
Monday, Nov. 8 at 11:00 am
Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 3:30 pm

Call for Self-Nominations for the 2022 Teaching Symposium Planning Committee
The Center for Teaching Excellence invites members of the teaching faculty to serve on the Planning Committee for the annual St. Edward's teaching symposium to be held. The committee is responsible for designing a call for proposals, reviewing proposals, and determining the final conference program. Faculty leadership and the peer review process are both important ro ensure a high-quality and responsive conference; your participation is greatly appreciated. Sign-up here

Deadline to self-nominate: Monday, November 8th

Who is eligible to join the committee?
The CTE invites self-nominations from all faculty, tenure-track, full- and part-time non-tenure-track (including adjunct faculty), and staff who teach in all fields.

What do committee members do?
Committee members finalize the call for proposals; review 6-8 short, submitted proposals; decide the final program; and attend the Symposium. In total, members will be asked to attend two-three meetings-- developing the call for papers and to discuss criteria, discussing their reviewed proposals, and planning for the symposium. They are also expected to attend some portion of the conference and then offer feedback on the programming-either through a survey or a focus-group meeting.

How to nominate yourself: Please sign up here

Have questions? Please feel free to write to Jennifer Jefferson (jennej@stedwards.edu) for clarification.

Living Out Our Mission: Increasing our Knowledge and Building a More Inclusive Hilltop:
A Faculty DEI Series
We all want to create inclusive and welcoming spaces for our students, colleagues, and community members. However, we might need support to be equipped to create and sustain these spaces. Join us for this series that will help faculty members refine a conceptual framework, reflect on their identities, and increase their ability to act.

Developing a Critical Framework and Vocabulary
Thursday, October 21st at 3:30 pm

Reflecting on Your Identities and Actions
Wednesday, November 10th at 3:30 pm

Exploring Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Friday, November 19th at 12:30 pm

Please attend the sessions that will support you and your work the most. We welcome your Participation in as many sessions as you can join; you do not need to attend all sessions in order to participate.

All sessions will be held at the following Zoom link, and we ask that you RSVP to help us tailor the sessions to the community's needs:

RSVP

Zoom

Read. Try. Chat. : The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters
First Friday of the Month at noon (virtual)
Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3

RSVP: CTE will provide the text; please commit to attend at least 3/4 sessions
Here is the link for these virtual event:Zoom

We're bringing this reading and action group back for the fall semester. Join us for a monthly session where we discuss both this text and how we are applying the strategies offered. As we navigate our way back to a variety of gatherings, we might want to take the opportunity to think more intentionally in how we come together, including in the classroom.

Books and Coffee--> Podcasts and Coffee
2 sessions: First Wednesday of the month at 1:00 pm (virtual)
Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1

First Thursday of the month at 3:30 pm (masked and outside; if raining, we will move to Zoom)
Oct. 7, Nov.4, Dec. 2

Please let us know if you will be able to join us:RSVP
Here is the link for thus virtual event: Zoom

Mixing it up this semester--welcome to podcasts and coffee! Each month, we will listen to an episode or two of a podcast and come together to discuss the episode(s), much like we do with Books and Coffee. We can build some of the playlist together, too (if there is interest). The goal of this gathering is to engage with scholarship on teaching and learning and talk with colleagues from across campus. Join us!

Mid-Semester Informal Chats
Monday, Oct. 11 from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Thursday, Oct. 14 from 9:00 am - 10:00 am

The CTE would also like to invite colleagues to join us at informal check-ins next week. There will be tables set up outside of Holy Cross Hall (in between the building and the seal), and we will take time to see colleagues from across campus and say hi to one another. There might even be some treats to take with you. :)

Flexible Options for Instructional Continuity
Wednesday, September 1, at 3:30

Please let us know if you will be able to join us: RSVP
Here is the link for these virtual event: Zoom link 

Have you been notified that a student can't attend your class in person for an extended period of time?Wondering how to help them keep up with class in a way that aligns with your course goals and recognizes our, and their, current context?

This session will review strategies to ensure continuity of instruction, including:

• how to integrate asynchronous activities that align with in-class activities
• options for recording your class
• advice for how students can join class remotely

We envision this session as providing you with some strategies for thinking through your approaches, as well as offering plenty of time for questions and discussion.

Poll Everywhere Faculty Training
Wednesday, August 25, 1-2:30 pm

In this session, Poll Everywhere staff will provide an introduction to using Poll Everywhere, which is an interactive online polling tool that can be used with PowerPoint or Google Slides and can also integrate with Canvas. Topics covered will include creating and managing polling activities, embedding polls in presentations, reporting and grading with Canvas, and asynchronous polls or surveys. There will also be time for questions.
Tracks:

• Blended (Hybrid) and Online Teaching (Begin with Backwards Design)

Please let us know if you will be able to join us: RSVP
Here is the link for these virtual events: Zoom 

Teaching Symposium 2021
Reigniting Your Passion: Finding Joy in Reconnection
Thursday, August 19, 9 am-4:00 pm

Each year, the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Symposium Planning Committee organize an on-campus conference on teaching and learning at St. Edward’s.The conference is planned by St. Edward’s faculty, presentations are proposed and led by St. Edward’s faculty, and it is widely attended by both adjunct and tenure-track faculty as well as administrators and staff.

Getting Started with Canvas
Wednesday, August 11, 2-3:15 pm
Wednesday, August 18, 1:00-2:30 pm

Learn how to get started setting up your Canvas page for your class.
Please let us know if you will be able to join us: Canvas
Here is the link for these virtual events: Zoom 

Rethinking Policies and Syllabi
Tuesday, August 10, 11 am-12:15 pm

The syllabus is a key part of our classes that we often take for granted. In this session, we’ll discuss key goals with our syllabi and share a range of options to help us rethink this foundational document.
Tracks:

• Blended (Hybrid) and Online Teaching (Begin with Backwards Design)
• Inclusive and Anti-Racist Pedagogies (Begin with Inclusive and Anti-Racist Teaching)
• Course Revision (Begin with Critical Reflective Practice)

Please let us know if you will be able to join us: RSVP
Here is the link for thus virtual event: Zoom 

Inclusive Classroom Engagement Strategies
As we have navigated a pandemic, racist violence, a contentious political season, and increasing mental health challenges, we have made a concerted effort to build a sense of belonging for our students. Join us for this session as we dig into research on engagement strategies that are inclusive and affirmative, including approaches to building groups, facilitating discussion, exploring case studies, and problem solving.
Tracks:

• Blended (Hybrid) and Online Teaching (Begin with Backwards Design)
• Inclusive and Anti-Racist Pedagogies (Begin with Inclusive and Anti-Racist Teaching)
• Course Revision (Begin with Critical Reflective Practice)

Exams and Quizzes options and alternatives

Due to social distancing and online courses, many courses will not be able to follow the “before times” practice of proctoring exams and quizzes for all students together in the classroom. This session will review options for giving exams and quizzes online in Canvas, proctoring with Honorlock, and alternative forms of formative and summative assessment, like online discussions, social annotation, open book tests, projects, and presentations. Candice Vasquez will join us to discuss challenges of providing accommodations in this context.
Tracks:

• Blended (Hybrid) and Online Teaching (Begin with Backwards Design)
• Inclusive and Anti-Racist Pedagogies (Begin with Inclusive and Anti-Racist Teaching)
• Course Revision (Begin with Critical Reflective Practice)

Previous CTE Program Schedules:

2020-2021

Teaching Awards

Given annually, teaching excellence awards at St. Edward's University honor faculty for their exceptional talents and dedication to promoting learning in meaningful, engaging and innovative ways. The selection process is rigorous, evaluating candidates' course offerings, curricular designs, instructional methods, classroom performances, and interactions with students.

Four awards are given annually:

• The Sister Donna Jurick Distinguished Career Award is given to one faculty member who has taught at St. Edward's for at least 15 years.
• The Distinguished Teaching Award is given to two contract faculty.
• The Outstanding Teaching Award for Adjunct Faculty is given to one adjunct faculty member.
• The Delayne Hudspeth Award for Innovative Instruction honors a faculty member who has designed an innovative course project or teaching method.

2020-2021 Teaching Winners

Innovation Fellows

Innovation fellowships support faculty who need time, resources and expertise to include pedagogical experimentation in their courses by providing a stipend, participation in the Innovation Institute, and a community of faculty fellows focused on pedagogical innovation.

Learn about our Innovation Fellows and their projects. 

Read about past fellows.

Delayne Hudspeth, retired professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Instructional Technology at the University of Texas, was a mentor to several St. Edward's faculty members and scores of other master's and doctoral students. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, Dr. Hudspeth's contributions to innovation in higher education are honored by this award. 

The CTE would like to invite you to apply for the Delayne Hudspeth Award for Innovative Instruction. The award, open to all who teach, including full-time (tenure-track and non-tenure-track), part-time, adjunct, and staff who teach, is determined by a panel representing schools across campus and carries a $500 stipend. The application is a Google Form and is due March 11, 2022. Please see below for more details.

Delayne Hudspeth Award for Innovative Instruction 
Deadline: March 11, 2022
Application Form

Who can apply: This award recognizes St. Edward’s instructors who create innovative learning environments and projects. All teaching faculty members -- including full-time (tenure-track and non-tenure-track), part-time, adjunct, and staff who teach -- are encouraged to apply. Previous Award winners will be considered for the Hudspeth Award five years after their previous win.

What projects are eligible: Self-nominations should highlight a specific project, an assignment or exercise, a teaching method, a new use of technology, or the redesign of an entire class.

Instructors may apply for the award based on an innovation implemented in any of the three years previous to the application deadline. For this year's award, projects implemented in any of the following semesters will be eligible:

• Academic year 2018-2019, including Fall 2018, Spring 2019, and Summer 2019
• Academic year 2019-2020, including Fall 2019, Spring 2020, and Summer 2020
• Academic year 2020-2021, including Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021
• Fall 2021

What should the application highlight: Since this award celebrates innovation, preference will be given to projects that demonstrate the greatest levels of innovation and that clearly present the value of that innovation for student learning. Note that the committee does not equate innovation with adoption of new technologies. While some winning projects have featured new uses of technology, many have not.  Please review the Google form before you start crafting your application, as it will help guide you in showcasing your project.

When do you need to submit the application: Please fill out the Google Form by end of the day on Monday, March 11, 2022.

How will a winner be determined: The winner and finalist for the award will be decided upon by the members of Hudspeth Awards Committee. The committee is comprised of representatives from across the university's schools. Applications are blind-reviewed, scored according to the selection criteria, and then discussed until the committee achieves consensus. 

Questions? If you have any questions about the award or would like to discuss your application, please contact Jennifer Jefferson jennej@stedwards.edu. Jennifer facilitates the award process, but is not a voting member.