Research Guides: Fearless Teaching in the UMD Libraries: FTI Archives

Archived Workshops

Fearless Teaching Institute Workshops

AI Beyond ChatGPT
There are many AI tools beyond ChatGPT! This presentation will cover AI tools used for research, chatbots, and image & video.
AI Research Tools & Prompts
There are many uses of AI tools, including for research! This presentation will cover how to use some of the most common AI tools for research.
Assessment Tools
Want to participate in assessment but not sure how to put your intentions into practice? This tools focused workshop will cover the several free online assessment tools that are perfect for one shot sessions.
Backwards Design
Using "backward design" (an educational design approach that starts with learning goals and works backward) to create a lesson plan that works either in person or online.
Communicating the Value of Our Teaching
Tips on better communicating the impact of your teaching. Learn about crafting a teaching statement, communicating value to stakeholders, and more!
Engaging Short Term Audiences
Time flies when you only see students for an hour or two. Library instructors have the difficult task of capturing student attention during a short amount of time, without having the established student-teacher relationship of a semester-length course. This workshop will review hacks, tips, and strategies for effective student engagement during a one-shot session.
Formative Assessment
Formative Assessment is short, low-stakes assessment to check student learning in the classroom. Learn different types of formative assessment, plus easy tools to use!
Getting Started with Online Learning
Concerned about moving your in-person teaching to an online environment? Experienced in online teaching but looking for a refresher? This is the workshop for you! Lealin and Rachel will lead you through the step-by-step of converting an in-person lesson plan to an online learning environment. We will be doing some interactive work, so bring your fearless teaching spirit with you!
Group Work 101
Evidence based approaches to developing and leading group activities in one-shot instruction sessions that encourage participation and lead to long-term learning.
Interactive Tools
Mini-workshop on interactive tools that you may not have encountered before. We'll feature freely available resources that can be easily integrated into your online teaching - but will also be useful for in-person sessions! These may include interactive polling, slide decks, mind-mapping, etc.

Introduction to Government Information
An introduction on searching for and using government information.
Introduction to IACUC: Animal User Alternatives
Isabella Baxter, Agriculture Librarian, discusses animal use alternatives searches for the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Animal use alternatives are specific literature searches that researchers using animals in studies/classes/fieldwork that involve painful/distressful procedures are required to do to document that they've tried to minimize the number of animals, tried to find alternative methods, etc. when they submit protocols for approval to the IACUC.

Introduction to Patents and Trademarks
An introduction to searching for patents and trademarks.
Introduction to Open Science
This workshop gives a description of open science, why it matters, and how to openly publish your research.
Introduction to Open Educational Resources (OER) 2024
Are you interested in talking to your faculty about Open Educational Resources (OER), but unsure where to begin? This workshop will give an overview of what OER is (and isn't) and strategies for how to discuss OER with faculty.
OER, Part 2: How to Talk to Instructors About OER (Without Increasing Your Workload!)
The first Fearless Teaching OER workshop gave an overview of what OERs are and why instructors use them. In this follow-up session, we'll look at why and how librarians can support disciplinary faculty with finding and using OERs in their courses -- without creating a ton of extra work for ourselves!
Open Educational Resources
Have you heard of OER, but aren’t quite sure what it means? Have you been looking for a way to incorporate open educational resources into your own teaching? Learn how to find, evaluate, and adapt open educational resources for your teaching, and share your own teaching materials with educators at UMD and beyond.
Peer Teaching Observations
Interesting in peer teaching observations but not sure where to start? In a rut with your teaching and eager to try something new? This workshop will tackle in the in's and out's of peer observation in a supportive and affirmative environment. Come with questions and a willingness to learn. No teaching experience required!
Reflecting on Your Teaching & Developing a Thesis Statement
Teaching is a personal act and your teaching philosophy will change over time. This presentation will share ideas for how to reflect on your teaching and how to craft or update your teaching philosophy.
UMD Discover and Library Instruction
Want to learn about how to use UMD Discover in your library instruction? This workshop will give you some ideas of how to integrate features from UMD Discover into your library instruction.

Yes, We Canvas! Series of Mini-Workshops on Creating Content in the LMS Course

The Yes, We Canvas! workshop series was conducted in April 2020. These 30 minute workshops scaffold concepts from creating basic content in Canvas through creating a module - through sharing content with faculty.

(2) Integrating Tools in Canvas
Panopto? UDOIT? Voice Thread? Come learn about the tools that are integrated with Canvas and how you can use them!
(3) Sharing Modules Using Canvas Commons
You've got the module, you've got the tools integrated... how do you share it with your faculty and students?
(4) Design Tools
Spruce up your Canvas spaces with Design Tools. Learn how to add themes, banner images, and navigation menus
(5) Using Canvas Catalog
Learn how to search for and enroll in online classes through UMD's Canvas Catalog

Reference Series

Here at the Fearless Teaching Institute, we know that reference is a form of teaching! In the 2021 academic year, the Fearless Teaching Institute hosted a semester-long series on reference services. The reference series included tips, techniques, and resources that are useful for anyone who interfaces regularly in public services.

Foundations Workshop: Reference Interview
This Foundations workshop will cover the first and most important tool in a librarian's toolkit: the Reference Interview. A Reference Interview is a collaborative effort in which a library staff member seeks to better understand, refine, and fulfill a patron's information need.
Foundations Workshop: Databases and Search Engines
Now that you have the basics of the Reference Interview, dive deeper into general topics databases and search strategies.
Foundations Workshop: WorldCat
Explore the wonders of the UMD Libraries OPAC including WorldCat search strategies and the basics of call numbers, knowledge organization, and the LoC classification system.

AI Chat Series

During the summer of 2023, the Fearless Teaching Institute tackled one of the most pressing topics in Higher Education: AI. Check out our slides from our workshop series covering the basics of AI to incorporating AI literacy into your teaching practice.

AI Chat 1: Nothin' but the Facts
This introductory session will give an overview of different AI tools, like ChatGPT.
AI Chat 2: Learning Lab
This session was done in conversation with a New York Timespodcast discussing how students use and view AI. Link to the podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/podcasts/the-daily/ai-chat-gpt-schools.html
AI Chat 3: ChatGPT Teaching Lab
This session will walk through UMD's AI Module for ELMS and explain a lesson plan regarding ghost citations generated by AI.

Semester AI Chats

Every semester, the Fearless Teaching Institute hosts AI Chats to discuss updates with AI and experiences with AI in librarianship. Check out our slides with discussion questions for our semester AI Chats.