OFE Newsletter: October 25, 2021

In this Issue:

• Voice Care for Instructors
• Think-Pair-Share: The Basics!
• How To Create An Inclusive Classroom (Faculty Conversation Series)
• Outstanding Extension and Outstanding Engagement Awards
• Writing Wednesdays: Virtual Faculty Writing Retreats (Nov. 3)
• Upcoming Events for Faculty

Voice Care for Instructors

The pandemic has affected all of us in ways both seen and not seen. As we approach the home stretch of the fall semester, some who use their voices in teaching or other activities may be feeling as though their voices are not working as well as they usually do. Some may feel their voices are worn, tired, scratchy, or even sore. Wearing a mask not only makes it more difficult for others to hear us, it also affects the manner in which we use our voices, the way we hear ourselves when we speak, and the typical equilibrium we maintain between voice use, vocal rest, and hydration.

Additionally, personal stress and excess tension in the neck, jaw, and shoulders are significant inhibitors of balanced vocal function over time. That Zoom fatigue you experience after spending hours hunched over talking to a screen? It’s real, and it affects your voice. Those tiny bits of frustration you might feel because the typical ways you vocally express your thoughts and ideas are covered, muffled, and sometimes less effective – that’s real too. Today on Faculty Forum, vocal faculty from the NC State Department of Music share some simple steps you can take to counter these negative effects, keep your voice feeling good, and enable something closer to your typical full range of vocal expression, even through a mask.

Think-Pair-Share: The Basics!

Think-Pair-Share is a collaborative learning strategy that promotes critical thinking and peer learning. Check out the following infographic (courtesy of The Scholarly Teacher) if you want to add active learning to your lecture-based course without taking much class time. Visit The Scholarly Teacher’s Teaching Tips blog for more helpful infographics.

How To Create An Inclusive Classroom (Faculty Conversation Series)

The Office for Faculty Excellence’s Fall Faculty Conversation Series concludes on Nov. 10 (11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) with How To Create An Inclusive Classroom: Facilitator Dr. Maria Gallardo-Williams, OFE SoTL Faculty Fellow, will share some practical considerations to help you become a more inclusive educator, and tips to redesign your courses to be inclusive and accessible for all students.

NC State Outstanding Extension and Outstanding Engagement Awards

The Office of Outreach and Engagement is pleased to announce the annual call for nominations for the Outstanding Extension Awards and Outstanding Engagement Awards. These awards are to encourage and recognize members of the faculty and EHRA staff who are nominated and selected by their respective colleagues, schools or units on campus for their outstanding contributions to extension and engagement.

The award recipients will become nominees for induction into the Academy of Outstanding Faculty in Extension and Engagement (AOFEE) and also be considered to receive an Alumni Extension Award which includes a monetary honorarium.

• Awardees will be recognized at the University Outreach and Engagement Awards Ceremony and Reception on April 14, 2022 in Hunt Library.
• The full awards process and timeline can be found here: 2021 Awards Process
• Submit nomination letters via this form.

The deadline for nominations is January 21, 2022.

Send questions or comments about the process or the nomination form to Kirsten Chang at klchang@ncsu.edu.

Writing Wednesdays: Virtual Faculty Writing Retreats (Nov. 3)

Do you have a writing task that you’ve been putting off? The Office of Faculty Development offers virtual writing retreats, Writing Wednesdays, designed to support you in getting it done! The OFD team has designed synchronous 2.5-hour mini-retreats using the Pomodoro method, held on the first Wednesday of every month via Zoom. Our next session will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 3.

During these sessions, faculty participants will:

• Work toward a specific writing task in a structured and supportive environment;
• Be able to access resources from campus experts such as the Libraries, and the IRB office; and
• Discover tips for preparing for the retreat and getting your writing done.

Special bonus for Writing Wednesdays: we have pre-recorded child edutainment provided by Arts NC State for your Wolfpack pups ages 3 to 12 years.

Register today and plan to dedicate uninterrupted time to writing your article, grant proposal, book chapter, or dossier materials.

Upcoming Events for Faculty

Wednesday, Oct. 27

• An Overview of Panopto, 1:00-2:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 28

• Gamify Your Course with Moodle and our Gamification Module!, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 1

• Mindful Mondays, 9:00-9:30 a.m.