Sept. 4, 4:00-5:00pm, Walker Active Learning Classroom

Mindfulness Practices
Presenter(s): Mary Lahman, Professor of Communication Studies; Elton Skendaj, Gladdys E. Muir Associate Professor of Peace Studies; and Whitney Bandemer, Vice President for Human Resources & Strategic Initiatives

ABOUT:
Mindful practices correlate with improved attention, memory, and concentration. They may even result in an increased sense of calm, compassion, and empathy. Many of us have experienced how students and colleagues benefit from breathings exercise, gratitude practices, and daily intentions. This year we hope to be intentional about supporting each other in mindful practices.
Curious?! Join us for discussions about creating a think tank to support the integration and retention of faculty, staff and students as we seek mindful presence in the Manchester community.

OBJECTIVES:
1. Begin a dialogue about contemplative practices in higher education.
2. Review evidence and best practices related to cultivating deep personal and social awareness.
3. Experience mindful exercise and support each other's intentional goals. 

RESOURCES: 
1. Mindfulness exercises (e.g. following your breath, stretching) help reduce stress before class and before exams. Explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55sHAkS3hLY
2. Values worksheets help us make connections between what we value (e.g., family, work, and citizenship) and how those values show up at work (e.g. using examples in class that relate to students' family and work lives, and citizenship). Values and Committed Action Worksheets PDF 
3. Intentions to support each other include the following:
a) Walking and not talking about work: Take a Mindfulness walk with others.
b) Helping each other say a positive no: Setting Boundaries section of How to Have a Good Day PDF (also on Reserve in Funderburg Library.
c) Identifying boundaries for answering emails: See PDF Setting Boundaries PDF file above
d) Turning off email notifications on phone: Go to Settings --> Mail --> Notifications --> Disable "Allow Notifications"
e) Finding time and space to be together: Social gatherings like Black Box
Link: App resources for Mindfulness
Link: Oxford Mindfulness Centre

Oct. 3, 4:00-5:00pm, Walker Active Learning Classroom

Encouraging Academic and Professional Identity Through Exploration of "Possible Selves"
Presenter(s): Kathy Davis, Associate Professor of Chemistry; Kristen Short, Associate Professor of Biology

ABOUT:
Many students do not persist in STEM majors and careers because they fail to experience a sense of belonging or build scientific identity early in their undergraduate studies. One potentially effective intervention mode may be to provide students with opportunities to visualize their "possible serves" through encounters with scientists whom they aspire to emulate, but with whom they also currently identify. We present the design and outcomes of a comprehensive program for STEM majors intended to encourage consideration of a wider array of possible selves through authentic scientific work, tiered mentoring, and direct interactions with science professionals. Through role-playing and interactive discussion, we invite participants to consider how they might design similar opportunities for students to develop scientific identity in their own institutional contexts.

RESOURCES: 

Nov 7, 4:00-5:00 PM, Walker Active Learning Classroom

Learn about the benefits of online assignment submission and how to use features within Canvas to give clear, useful feedback on assignments that students can access throughout the course. Justin Lunsford, Instructional Designer at the North Manchester campus, will lead the session.

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

• Use the Canvas Speed Grader to give assignment feedback via voice-to-text comments, video feedback, and document annotation;
• Create a rubric for an online assignment and give feedback and a grade using the rubric;
• Set a “publish grades” policy for assignments to show/hide grades in Canvas;
• Explain to students how they can view feedback in Canvas.