Updates from the CAE

The CAE is always here to discuss your IDEA evaluations with you. Please email cae@fairfield.edu to set up an individual consult.

Fairfield University is part of New York University’s Faculty Resource Network. We encourage faculty to investigate the Faculty Resource Network’s Scholar-in-Residence program. The program runs from May 30 – June 23, 2023 with an application deadline of February 24th. FRN’s Scholar-in-Residence (SIR) program allows faculty to come to New York University to engage in research, develop curricula, and/or produce manuscripts for publication. This program takes place in-person at NYU’s Washington Square campus in New York City. The SIR program allows scholars to explore new dimensions in their disciplines, engage in intellectual exchange and investigate resources not available to them at their home institutions, broaden their own pedagogical expertise, enrich existing courses or create new ones, and expand professional contacts. Participation in the program not only enhances the faculty member’s knowledge and skills but also significantly contributes to the intellectual environment of their home institutions as they share what they learn with their colleagues and students. Find more information here: https://frn.hosting.nyu.edu/programs/visiting-scholar-programs/scholar-in-residence/.

We hope to see you at our Back-To-School Workshops this week. Registration links for Tuesday through Friday are below.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023
  • 9:30 - 10:45: Where Do I Start? Moving from Idea to Grant Proposal Submission
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318953
    • How can you move from an idea to a funded project? This workshop, hosted by ORG, will walk you through the steps and connect you with helpful resources to begin converting your research or creative idea into a winning grant application. Participants will learn the basics of preparing and submitting a grant application, and will leave the workshop with a roadmap for moving forward.
  • 11:00 - 12:15: Thinking Through Assignment Design
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318958/
    • This workshop will demonstrate how faculty can use library course guides to create scaffolded research assignments. These assignments are highly customizable and can emphasize specific portions of the research process while providing easy access to the library and quality/vetted external resources at the point in the project where students need them. Examples of small and large assessments will be shared, and several other educational technology tools in addition to library course guides will be demonstrated.
  • 1:00 - 2:15: Designing an Ungraded Assignment
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318960
    • Over the course of the fall semester, a number of faculty participated in an Ungrading Learning Community, centered around the very hot topic of how we might move beyond the constraints and assumptions around traditional grading. This workshop will kick off a new round of ungrading exploration as we support each other by putting the process into practice. We’ll review and discuss various approaches to rethinking grading, and lay out plans for implementing ungrading practices into our upcoming courses. Throughout the spring the group will continue to meet/communicate regularly to support each other in our efforts.
  • 2:30 - 3:45: Designing Digital Scholarship Assignments
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318965
    • Adding digital components to traditional course assignments can provide students with transferable skills and new perspectives on the potential of their own scholarship while introducing new classroom dynamics in which faculty and students learn and create together. However, digital assignments can be difficult to scaffold and evaluate in the course of a semester. This session will present ideas of digital tools that can be used to help explore increasingly complex digital assignment design as well as the benefits of pursuing digital assignments.
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
  • 9:00 - 10:15: Tech Tools Overview Sampler
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318962
    • Over the past few years, Fairfield University has been introducing faculty to a number of easy-to-use, mobile-friendly presentation and collaboration technologies that provide students with new ways to engage in their learning. In this session, CAE staff will showcase some of these new tools and highlight specific practices and strategies for easily employing them to reinforce existing face-to-face teaching activities. From flipping your classroom to assigning new types of multimedia publication assignments, this workshop is sure to provide new ideas and approaches to reaching your students.
  • 10:30 - 11:45: Leveraging Videos for Student Engagement
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318967
    • Interested in incorporating videos into your class, but not sure where to begin? In this workshop, we'll share ways you and your students can leverage Kaltura, a video streaming tool, to engage in learning. Learn how to record and embed your own videos, find feature films to complement your lessons, or create video assessments for your students to pre-record their presentations or debates. Finally, we'll share how to track the detailed media analytics to understand how your students are engaging with your videos.
  • 2:15 - 3:30: Blackboard Basics
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318969
    • If you’re new to Blackboard - or if you’ve simply forgotten some of the basics - join Academic Computing/ITS and the CAE for this introductory session on getting started with Blackboard. We will cover everything from navigating the base navigation to uploading files, creating announcements, and accessing the class photo roster. 
  • 3:45 - 5:00: Level Up Your Blackboard Course
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318973
    • Ready to up your Blackboard game? This session moves beyond Blackboard basics to explore a few ways to assess and engage with your students using Blackboard. We will discuss assigning groups, creating and grading assignments, building a test or survey to check in with students, building interacting self-assessments using Kaltura video quizzes, using Blackboard rubrics on graded activities, and more! 
Thursday, January 12, 2023
  • 9:30 - 10:45: Engaging Classes with the Visual & Performing Arts
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6321468
    • Looking for new ways to develop your students’ verbal, observational, or writing skills this semester? A visit to an exhibition at the Fairfield University Art Museum or to a performance at the Quick Center might be just the “ticket”! Michelle DiMarzo (Curator of Education & Academic Engagement, FUAM) and Lori Jones (Director of Programming & Audience Development, QCA) will discuss curricular engagement strategies with their offerings in Spring 2023 and beyond.
  • 11:00 - 12:15: Accessibility, Accommodations & UDL
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318975
    • Making our courses accessible to all learners includes more than providing accommodations; accessibility can be built into our syllabus design and teaching methods. Join us for a workshop to explore how you can proactively design your courses to accommodate learners across a variety of learning profiles.
  • 2:00 - 3:30: QPR Gatekeeper Training
    • Registration Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318978
    • QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer. With these the 3 simple steps, anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. QPR educates the general public about the known warning signs of a suicide crisis. People trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Wendy Mendes, Director of Student Well-Being, Bellarmine Campus, will lead us in this important work.
Friday, January 13, 2023
  • 10:00 - 3:00: Writing Retreat
    • Signup Link: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6318980
    • Join the CAE and a community of colleagues for a day-long writing retreat on Friday, January 13th, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Plan, begin, revise, or complete writing projects (e.g., manuscripts, books, syllabi, reports, portfolios/dossiers). Share and report on your writing goals, consult with peers or CAE staff about any stage of your writing process, or use the time for some solo writing. When registering please let us know if you would prefer in person or via Zoom.
  • 10:30 - 12:00 and 1:00 - 2:30: Syllabus Drop-in
    • Zoom Link: https://Fairfield.zoom.us/j/91272686696
    • Sign into the Zoom link for a one-on-one consultation with a CAE Director about any aspect of your syllabus (learning outcomes, assessment strategies, active learning activities, tech tools, etc.).


For more information, contact Cener for Academic Excellence / / cae@fairfield.edu