Author: sotterb

Early in my teaching, I started noticing the same thing happening in almost every class.
I’d finish working through an example, turn to my students, and ask, “Does that make sense?”
Most of the time, I’d get a room full of nods. Great, I thought. We’re ready to move on.
Then I’d give them a similar problem to work on by themselves.
Almost immediately, someone would raise a hand.
“Where do I start?”
“I don’t know what to do next.”
I remember thinking, We just worked through a problem like this together. What changed?

Explore three thought-provoking episodes focused on what helps students feel engaged, connected, and supported in your classroom. This month’s playlist features practical active learning strategies, considerations for teacher-student trust in an era of GenAI, and course design approaches to help students connect more deeply and effectively with their learning experiences.

Tune in this month to hear about practical teaching strategies from two current Clemson graduate students! These Quick Talks share insights on designing meaningful group work and establishing effective habits for reading and discussions. We also feature a graduate-student-produced Spotify episode exploring the balancing act of teaching while learning as graduate students navigate their dual roles as instructors and students.

Welcome to this month’s Playlist featuring 4 Quick Talks from your Clemson colleagues! These short sessions were recorded live at OTEI’s Teaching Excellence Conference on January 6, 2026.

This Playlist highlights two timely topics: Building Trust, Care, and Engagement at Scale and Critical Reading and Writing in the Age of AI.

Welcome to this month’s Playlist of OTEI produced Sparkshops — bite-sized, high-impact sessions designed to spark ideas and energize your teaching! Explore three timely topics on Curiosity & Questions, Cultivating Mindsets, and Teaching in Increasing Class Sizes.

Welcome to a space for deep thinking about Generative AI (GenAI) and its role in learning. This month we begin with a dive into how we can help students think critically about AI tools, then we shift to a fresh metaphor for guiding conversations around AI and assessment – moving from compliance-focused stoplights to dynamic menu boards that encourage thoughtful engagement.

Teaching is never about content — it’s also about connection. Join us this month to explore how other educators reflect on their roles and consider communication and connection efforts. Both episodes aired in 2025 and offers a thoughtful perspective on navigating complexity in and around the classroom, and the second episode highlights a speaker from the Southeast US.

This month is all about launching the semester with purpose and energy. We start with the syllabus then dive into engaging Day 1 activities and end with practical strategies for large lectures.

Rewind and explore fan-favorite episodes from our 11 playlists. Dive into a treasure trove of insights, inspiration, ideations, and innovations. This month, we are featuring episodes topics on creating safe classrooms (from #8 Student Identities) , navigating stress (from #6 Faculty Wellbeing), effective group work (from #3 Group Work), and ungrading (from #2 Grading Techniques). Each episode is packed with valuable insights and practical tips.

Check out some of the greatest hits from the 2025 Teaching Excellence Conference. Start off by listening to our keynote speakers Hogan and Sathy propose strategies and methods to engage students effectively and inclusively. Next up are perspectives about effective learning strategies from current and former Clemson students. And last but definitely not least, 2 of our very own Clemson faculty talk about the uses for GenAI with Dr. Farhang Forghanparast talking about course material development and Dr. Anne Grant strategizing transformative research.