CNAS Blog

College of Natural & Applied Sciences Weblog

CNAS NEWS – October 10, 2022

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Be kind.  Be positive.  Be strong.  Be safe.

Fall Break

Fall Break is October 13-14.  No classes on these two dates.  Offices are open.

Ozark Rivers Conference

Ozark Rivers Conference – October 14, 8:30AM to 4:30PM, Darr Agricultural Center – 2401 S. Kansas Expy. – General tickets to register are $75 and student tickets are $50, please note that tickets are only available online. An agenda has been attached.  Registration is due by 5 PM today.

Upcoming Seminars

Upcoming CNAS Seminars – Check out the CNAS Master Calendar for this week’s seminars – College of Natural and Applied Sciences – Missouri State University

3 Minute Thesis

 It is time to work with your graduate students to prepare them for the 3 minute thesis (3MT) competition.  Flyer is attached.

University Events

 Inclusive Teaching for Student Success

  • Check this out article – https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/1/4/pgac167/6706685?login=false
  • Some faculty incorporated PASS sessions in their course.  If you would like to do the same contact Michael Frizell in the BearClaw.
  • Select strategies from biology faculty:
    • All of the electronic lab handbook unit files, narrated PowerPoints, and YouTube videos that were created for hybrid delivery are still available to students (both in order to make up missed lab material and for additional studying purposes).
    • All of our assessments and written assignments are still turned in online.
    • The first line in my syllabus is “I care about your learning” and I talk about this in the first lecture. I try to humanize myself to them through briefly talking about my experience (first-generation, worked through undergrad & took loans, being a foreign student).
    • Lecture slides are posted 24 h prior. Reminders of due dates in the syllabus are posted online in a constantly updated ‘module progress’ area in Blackboard where they access the posted slides. This encourages students to keep checking in and stay engaged.
    • I actively encourage students to form study groups and learn through trying to teach other! This helps them to get to know each other and develop friendships that will help them throughout their student careers.
    • Classes are offered simultaneously in person and on Zoom. Lectures are recorded and posted to Blackboard
    • I have instituted retakes for exams this semester. To be allowed to retake the exam, they must correct all missed questions and explain the correct answer so this becomes a learning opportunity. Then, they can retake the exam.  I had 18 D/F on the first attempt and that dropped to 10 after the second chance. 9 of the remaining 10 D/F chose not to retake (You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink).  For those who chose to retake, it helped 8/9 of them get a passing grade on the exam. The other student went from a 20% to a 60%, which will still help their score significantly overall in the class.
  • Interesting article about how to incorporate research papers into your undergraduate classroom – How Lightweight, Scalable, and Relational Learning Experiences Can Help Overcome System-Level Challenges in Education – AAAS | IUSE (aaas-iuse.org)
  • If you have read an article that has made a difference in your classroom, please send it to me and I will share it with your colleagues.

The fall 2022 advisor forum schedule is posted on the AATC website

Next forum is Tuesday, October 18.

The call for 2022-23 Curriculum Innovation Grant Proposals is now open!  Curriculum Innovation awards provide funding of up to $4,000 per grant.  Additional information about the Curriculum Innovation awards and the application form download can be found at Curriculum Innovation Funding. These are due October 31.

Carrie’s Cafe

Carrie’s Café – Carrie’s Café is open until November 17 on Tuesday and Thursday each week (with a few days being closed – check the calendar)

Recent News from CNAS

Recent news from the college:

Calendar

October 13-14 Fall Break – No Classes
October 15 International Travel applications – due
October 24 CNAS 3-minute thesis competition for graduate students
October 29 Homecoming
October 30 Summer faculty fellowship applications due to the Graduate College
October 31 Deadline for students to apply to graduate and have their name included in the commencement program
November 1 Southwest Missouri Regional Water Conference – Students can attend for free! The conference is $125 for others.
November 4 MSU 3-minute thesis
November 9 CNAS Career Expo
December 16 Commencement Day
April 8, 2024 Next Solar Eclipse in Missouri – The path of totality through North America – the Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024 | eclipse2024.org

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