By Erin Kraal As a child of the ’80s, I’ve never outgrown the summer reading program. I remember earning prizes—such as personal pan pizzas—for tackling a stack of books over the summer. This summer, I’m diving into a big stack of pedagogy and faculty development books that have been piling up in my office. I’ll be sharing short reviews focused on their relevance to the KU community. Maybe one will make your future reading list, or offer something helpful right now. How many

On August 13, the CEL organized a faculty workshop focused on teaching with AI, gathering colleagues from all four KU colleges and Rohrbach Library. The session's goal was not to explore every new AI tool available or to discover a "magic solution" to encourage smarter, more responsible AI use; instead, we aimed to assist faculty in creating meaningful syllabus statements, designing thoughtful assignments, and considering student motivation in the context of AI. Recommended R

By Erin Kraal The middle of the semester is a critical time to gather feedback on what’s working and where students are struggling. At this point, students have settled into the course, but there is still time to make meaningful adjustments. 1. Mid-Course Survey Mid-course surveys are typically anonymous to encourage honest responses. A simple version could include: What aspect of the course is most helpful to you? What aspect of the course is least helpful to you? Do you hav

By Erin Kraal While mid-semester is a great time for big-picture reflection and course adjustments, meaningful learning also happens in the small moments during class. Quick, low-prep activities can reinforce key concepts, encourage engagement, and help students develop effective learning strategies. The following five-minute exercises require little to no preparation but can make a big impact by fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and deeper connections to the course