Digitally-Enabled, Evidence-Based Teaching Practice: Fostering a Sense of Belonging

  • Making Math Help Accessible Through Smart Scheduling

    Learning difficult material can be challenging enough without the added physical separation from instructor support. April Crenshaw uses a digital scheduling system to remove common barriers to help-seeking, reducing the challenge of connecting students to support.

  • Creating an AI Tutor to Support Precalculus Students When They Need It

    Recognizing that her precalculus students work full-time, have caregiving responsibilities, or face transportation barriers that prevent them from accessing an on-campus Math Center or an instructor’s student support hours, April Crenshaw has designed an AI tutor. This AI tutor provides 24/7 access to academic support, allowing students to get help when and where they need…

  • Study Skills Videos Support Student Development of Learning Strategies

    This study skills video series is designed to support students enrolled in developmental and introductory mathematics courses or corequisite courses. The videos serve students early in their math sequence and focus on building learning strategies, confidence, and persistence rather than introducing new mathematical content.

  • Student-designed AI Chatbot Lab Teaches Both Math Content and AI Literacy

    This activity is implemented as a low-stakes lab designed to support conceptual understanding of challenging integration techniques while simultaneously teaching responsible, effective use of generative AI as a learning tool.

  • Structured Online Discussions in Calculus

    Students engage in a structured online discussion process designed to deepen understanding and foster community.

  • Welcoming Students and Setting Them up for Success

    Jennifer Byall encourages students to get off to a strong start through early communication and suggestions prior to the first day of classes.

  • Testing Probabilistic Intuition Using Thousands of Trials in a Digital Environment

    Students are directly engaged through hands-on coding and experimentation in R, rather than passively receiving information. They create simulations, run trials, visualize outcomes, and dynamically explore probabilistic concepts, thus becoming deeply embedded in their own learning process.

  • Learning About Students Through an Introductory Online Survey

    In recent years, Latulippe has begun using a brief online introductory survey to get to know a little bit more about students in her courses. She uses Microsoft Forms, but there are many other digital survey tools available including Qualtrics, Google Forms, Survey Monkey, or a quiz built into your LMS or online homework system.

  • Confirming Our Worth as Human Beings via an Online Discussion Board

    Precalculus students listen to and discuss a talk which communicates to students that they have an inherent dignity apart from their grades. This message is foundational to creating a sense of belonging both in the classroom and in STEM fields.

  • Leveraging Student Interests and Experiences Through Gamified Digital Assessment

    Michele Hampton, a professor of economics, uses Kahoot! to recap lectures and award students extra credit points if they make it into the top three of the class. Content can be tailored to student interests, and easily adjusted in real-time. Professor Hampton also incorporates celebratory music videos into her Kahoot! quizzes, adding an element of engagement and…