2023-2024 CeLTA Sponsored Learning Communities:
Interactive Activities for Language Learning with H5P
This group will focus on H5P for language learning. H5P is a cutting-edge application that allows teachers to create interactive and engaging activities for their students. The group will provide a free H5P.com premium account that is integrated directly with D2L. Our monthly meetings will help acquaint instructors with the most popular activity types that are available, brainstorm ways to use them in their curriculum, and discuss best practices for designing activities as well as taking advantage of the extensive data available through H5P.com’s drill down reports.
Facilitators: Adam Gacs (gacs@msu.edu) and Shannon Quinn (sdquinn@msu.edu)
Schedule: Meetings will be held approximately monthly in a hybrid format. The first session is scheduled for Friday, 9/1 from 1-3pm EST; the rest of the schedule is to be determined.
How to sign up: Complete this brief form.
CeLTA Gaming Group
This group is interested in supporting the use of games in the language classroom. We play games together and discuss how they might be used or modified for the language classroom. We are also working on building up a collection of games in various languages that instructors can borrow to use in their classes as well as a database with information and files that can be used to create games for the language classroom. We welcome anyone who has an interest in games and how they can be used in language teaching and learning.
Facilitators: Shannon Quinn (sdquinn@msu.edu) and Anne Violin-Wigent (violinwi@msu.edu)
Schedule: Meetings will be held approximately monthly, tentatively second Tuesdays of the month from 11:30am-1:00pm EST.
How to sign up: Send an email to sdquinn@msu.edu to express your interest or ask questions.
2022 – 2023 Learning Community
Accessibility for Teaching and Learning in Language Instruction
Facilitators: Caitlin Cornell and Adam Gacs
This year, we will explore accessibility and disability-inclusion when it comes to language teaching and learning in various learning environments (in person, synchronous online, asynchronous online, hybrid) for the purpose of improving accessibility for disabled students by supporting instructors and administrators as they work to make language learning accessible. We will focus on such topics as how to approach the creation of more accessible materials early in the course design process, how to check and continually improve existing teaching practices, and what to pay attention to when working with and adopting various tools. We will also explore perspectives from disabled students on disability-inclusion and how their perspectives relate to best practices for language teaching.
This learning community is sponsored by MSU’s Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development.
Schedule: Initially, Fall 2022 sessions will be held virtually via Zoom or Teams one Tuesday per month (9/20, 10/18, and 11/15) from 3:30-4:30 PM EST. A hybrid option is possible for certain future meetings in Wells Hall B-129 and/or B-125. The Spring 2023 schedule will be decided in January 2023.
If you would like to join this community, or even just add your name to our list for future events related to accessibility for language teaching and learning, please fill out this interest form. Email Caitlin Cornell (cornel28@msu.edu) with any questions.
2021 – 2022 Learning Community
Designing Physical Post-Pandemic Learning Spaces
The pandemic changed and heightened discussions around the intentional use and affordances of physical learning spaces. As we contemplate what a return to campus looks like, this learning community investigates the theory and praxis of designing and redesigning our built environment to fulfill our educational mission.
This faculty learning community is divided into two phases: during the fall semester, we will read texts, have group discussions, and listen to invited speakers and experts in the field, such as architects, researchers, administrators, designers, and leaders. We plan on rich, interdisciplinary discussions from a variety of perspectives. During the spring semester, we will actively redesign a CeLTA designated physical space based on the group’s shared knowledge and diverse perspectives.
Learning community facilitators: Felix Kronenberg and Caitlin Cornell
Spring 2022 schedule: virtual meetings Tuesday 2/15, 3/22, and 4/19 from 2:00-3:00pm.
Email Caitlin Cornell (cornel28@msu.edu) if you would like to join this community.
2020 – 2021 Learning Community
Alternative Modes for Early Literacy and Language Instruction (AMELLI)
The disruption caused by Covid-19 has significantly affected early literacy instruction throughout the country, in particular students from low-income, urban and rural communities. The lack of access to technological tools like high-speed internet and electronic devices has greatly disadvantaged students of this population. The goal of this learning community is to support ongoing efforts to bridge the digital divide with a focus on early literacy and language instruction while exploring alternative modes of delivery that are sustainable.
FALL 2020 – SPRING 2021 MEETING ONCE A MONTH
Learning Community Facilitators: Margo Glew (glewmarg@msu.edu) & Sandhya Shanker (shankers@msu.edu)
Register by clicking here.
2019 – 2020 Learning Community
Writing and Language Learning
The 2019-2020 LC will seek to engage participants in discussions regarding the topic of writing and language learning. In monthly meetings, educators from all levels will discuss current developments in research, teaching approaches and techniques, and have ample opportunity for personal development. Discussions will be tailored to the contexts and needs of the LC participants. The LC will be lively, exciting, and a combination of analytical, theoretical, and philosophical discussions. We hope you’ll join us! Faculty and academic staff who participate should, of course, consider their participation as part of their service work. The group will talk about a variety of topics related to writing and language instruction. The exact topics will be determined by the group members, but some discussion could be related to the following topics: Composition and revision, grading and feedback (including rubrics, tools for time saving), social writing (including technologies that can allow synchronous work), using writing to enhance/develop other skills and language for specific purposes.
2018 – 2019 Learning Community
The Intersection of Technology and Language Learning
The 2018-2019 LC engages participants in discussions regarding the intersection of technology and language learning. In monthly meetings, educators from all levels discuss current developments in research, teaching approaches and techniques, and have ample opportunity for personal development. Topics include gamification, digital scholarship lab resources, accessibility in technology, research issues in technology from an SLA perspective, and a technology potluck.
2017-18 FLC: Bringing Proficiency and Assessment Together (2017-18)
The 2017-2018 FLC engaged participants in discussions about proficiency standards, teaching, and assessment, especially in light of the data from the Language Flagship Proficiency Initiative. In monthly meetings, educators from all levels discussed research findings, teaching approaches and techniques, and their intersection.
Building Bridges: Language, Acquisition, and Teaching (Spring 2016)
This Learning Community engaged participants in discussions about language acquisition and how it informs classroom practice. In monthly meetings, educators from all levels discussed research findings, teaching approaches and techniques, and their intersection. Discussions were tailored to the contexts and needs of the participants. Meetings were broadcasted/recorded through Zoom in order to allow flexible participation.
Language Learning in Online Environments (2014-15, 2013-14)
This Learning Community focused on language learning in online environments with the goal of expanding and enhancing blended and online course offerings across the College’s language programs. In monthly meetings, faculty and academic staff discussed relevant topics on online learning, language learning, and their intersection. They also engaged in hands-on experience creating blended/online course models.