Adjunct Spotlight: Dina Pully | |
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Dina Pully
Adjunct Faculty
School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
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After decades of teaching high school in both public and private schools, I am enjoying teaching part time here at Reynolds. Because of the much smaller overall number of students, I feel like I am able to give the level of instruction and support that students need and deserve to grow in their academic understanding of mathematics. It is my goal that my students know they have the power and the tools they need to succeed. There are so many resources available to students, and it is my job to help them find what works best for them.
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Professor Pulley is widely recognized by her students as a dedicated, student-centered instructor who prioritizes their success. Her commitment to engaging instruction and unwavering support has fostered an environment where students not only learn but truly thrive. Her passion for teaching and mentorship makes a meaningful impact in the classroom and far beyond.
Thank you, Professor Pulley, for your dedication and the lasting difference you make in the lives of your students!
Kendra W. Brinkley, Ph.D.
Dean of The School of STEM
Reynolds Community College
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Nominate an Adjunct
If you know of an adjunct faculty member whose dedication to teaching and learning deserves recognition, consider nominating them for our monthly 'Adjunct Spotlight'! It's a great way to celebrate the hard work and commitment of our adjunct faculty. Send your nominations our way, and let's shine a light on their success!
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CETL Panel Series: March & April Sessions | |
DesignPLUS Update in Canvas: What to Know | |
Reynolds has recently transitioned to the new Cidi Labs DesignPLUS Sidebar, replacing the legacy toolbar with an improved, more intuitive interface. This update enhances the content creation experience in Canvas, making it easier to design and edit course content while also providing built-in accessibility tools to help ensure content is more inclusive and user-friendly. It also prepares our college as Cidi Labs will end support for the legacy toolbar by the end of the calendar year, 2025. Most faculty and staff will not be affected. If you edit course content exclusively using the Canvas Rich Content Editor, no action is needed. | |
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However, if you have used the DesignPLUS legacy toolbar to design and stylize course content in the past and plan to keep using DesignPLUS, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the new Sidebar. Additionally, and moving forward, if instructors copy course content from a spring 2025 course or earlier and use the DesignPLUS Sidebar, you’ll need to upgrade that legacy content. More information about how to upgrade your legacy content can be found on our resource site below, including a FAQ page to answer all your questions and this instructional video.
If you’re interested in learning how to edit and style Canvas content with the DesignPLUS Sidebar to create professional-looking course materials, we encourage you to attend an upcoming Faculty Learning Opportunity (FLO), schedule a 1:1 consultation, or explore our resources.
Explore the new Sidebar in an upcoming FLO:
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"DesignPLUS Your Courses with Reynolds Canvas Templates"
- March 18 & 20, April 3 & 28
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"Canvas Accessibility Tools with DesignPLUS"
- March 31 and April 22
Visit the CETL FLO Calendar for upcoming schedule and to register or request a 1:1 consultation on the CETL website.
Learn more and access resources on CETL’s Cidi Labs DesignPLUS Resource Site.
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Faculty Reading Corner: Dr. Ethan Mollick | |
Recent DREAM 2025 Plenary Speaker
Dr. Ethan Mollick is the Ralph J. Roberts Distinguished Faculty Scholar and associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies the effects of artificial intelligence on work, entrepreneurship, and education. His academic research has been published in leading journals, and his work on AI is widely applied, leading him to be named one of TIME magazine’s Most Influential People in Artificial Intelligence. His book Co-Intelligence is a New York Times bestseller.
In addition to his research and teaching, Dr. Mollick is the co-director of the Generative AI Labs at Wharton, which build prototypes and conduct research to discover how AI can help humans thrive while mitigating risks. Dr. Mollick received his Ph.D. and MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.
Recent book: Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, 2024.
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In Case You Missed It: 2025 Faculty Forum Call for Proposals | |
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The call for proposals for the 2025 Faculty Forum are out! The Reynolds Faculty Forum is held annually to give adjunct and full-time faculty a chance to share original research and innovative pedagogical practices with each other in a relaxed and informal setting. Faculty presentations can be related to all areas of teaching and learning as well as discipline-specific research projects.
This year, the Faculty Forum will be held on Wednesday, May 7, from 12:00 to 4:30 p.m.
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Teaching Tactics: "Letting Students Know They Are Not Invisible" | |
Turning poor students into good students is one of the most important victories for any teacher, but it sure doesn't happen by chance. | |
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Joe Hoyle
Associate Professor of Accounting
University of Richmond
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I recently gave my first test of the semester. My primary course (Intermediate Accounting II) is extremely complex so every test is a challenge for my students. I have 71 students this semester so that was a lot of grading.
My goal for this first test is usually that 50-60 percent of my students make an A or a B. On this test, 70 percent made an A or a B so I was pleased. The group had worked hard and seemed to have made excellent progress.
However, 15 percent of the students made a D and another 5 percent made a low C. That’s a lot of poor work. I always tell my students, “I will always take half of the credit if you do well, but I assume I deserve half of the blame if you do poorly.”
So, I wrote emails to each of the students who did poorly just to give them some advice and make sure they knew that I cared and that they were not invisible. Each of the emails was somewhat different but below is one example of what I sent out.
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Canvas Release & Deploy Notes | |
New Quizzes: Student Analysis Report Include Multiple Attempts
In New Quizzes, the Student Analysis report includes all quiz attempts. This update improves the Student Analysis Report in New Quizzes by including all student attempts, rather than just the most recent one. This ensures feature parity with Classic Quizzes, providing instructors with a more complete view of student performance across multiple attempts. By capturing all attempts in the generated CSV file, educators can better analyze progress, identify learning trends, and make informed instructional decisions.
Canvas Deploy Notes (2025-02-26)
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Discussions: Default View Settings
When creating or editing a discussion, instructors can configure the default view settings, including thread collapse/expansion and sorting options for students, with the ability to lock these preferences if needed.
This feature allows instructors to structure discussions in a way that aligns with their teaching approach, guiding student engagement and interaction.
Canvas Release Notes (2025-03-15)
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Import Content: Import Content Page Enhancements
The Import Content page is updated to the latest version of InstUI, Instructure's internal design language. The import button text is updated to 'Add Import to Queue' and when an instructor's timezone differs from the course timezone, both the local and course timezones are displayed.
Canvas Release Notes (2025-03-15)
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TILT & Growth Mindset Support | | |
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CETL would like to remind faculty to reach out to Jennifer Hitchcock with any questions about applying TILT or growth mindset strategies in your courses.
For more information on TILT and growth mindset strategies, please check out the following CETL curated resources:
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CETL Faculty Learning Opportunity (FLO) Recordings | |
Missed a FLO? We probably recorded it.
CETL understands that many faculty juggle teaching with other commitments and may not always have the flexibility to attend our Faculty Learning Opportunities (FLOs) during regular working hours. That's why we make every effort to record as many FLOs as possible, allowing you to access valuable professional development on your own time. Be sure to check out our library of recorded sessions to stay engaged and enhance your teaching skills when it fits your schedule!
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LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor Webinars | |
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Date/Time
Description
This comprehensive training webinar is intended for instructors who plan to use LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor with online exams. The session provides a detailed demonstration of both applications, including enhancements that make Respondus Monitor even more effective and easy to use.
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