Category Teaching Tips

Sharpening Critical Thought with ChatGPT

A diagram of concentric circles that place educators at the center of teaching design, preparation and practice
In this teaching tip, we explore the possibility of using ChatGPT to develop rich question pools with correct and incorrect responses and having students examine each response in a low-stakes manner. The teaching practice is borrowed from a published article from the Journal of Chemical Education.

Supporting Students with Mental Health Challenges

An illustration of people cultivating a stylized brain as if it were a plant.
Campuses across the nation are seeing a rise in the frequency and intensity of mental health challenges among college students. This trend is apparent at UAF and many staff and faculty members are left wondering how to best support students experiencing mental health challenges. This teaching tip will describe how the UAF Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) can be utilized as a resource for helping students in need of mental health support.

Leveraging campus partnerships to reinforce help-seeking behaviors

Lauren Divine, right, a tutor with UAF's Student Support Services, works with Sante Lee-Sonkoh during a session in the SSS study lounge in the Gruening Building.
Faculty are a key conduit in a student’s academic path—connecting them to vital resources in the virtual and physical campus environment. Educators have an opportunity to model help-seeking behaviors that aid students from all backgrounds but significantly benefit students from traditionally underrepresented and under-resourced backgrounds.

Ungrading STEM

I recently ran into a friend at a Halloween bonfire party who is an accomplished faculty member in the sciences. As we huddled near the fire for warmth, we discussed the idea of “ungrading” and the specific challenges of this…