innovation expo 2021

Lake Superior College  Background  A Mindful Path Towards Becoming ‘Our Community's College’ at Lake Superior College is a program focused on bringing equity to the campus, using mindfulness as a tool to create a community of people who are present for each other, welcoming to all, and are aware of barriers and opportunities within our college and community.... Continue Reading →

Minneapolis College Background Minneapolis College has created a year-long cohort training focused on Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP). The training supports cohorts of faculty working together to shift their teaching practices so they more fully embody the tenets and practices of CRP. In addition to being grounded in CRP, the training also incorporates pedagogies of poverty... Continue Reading →

Central Lakes College Background  The Students Takeover OER initiative trains students to assist faculty with OER authoring, resource discovery, and course redesign with an accessibility focus. Many faculty in have difficulty finding time to undertake OER work. Trained student OER specialists will work diligently under faculty tutelage, helping to author OER materials that can be... Continue Reading →

Saint Paul College  Background  Co-Curricular assessment has become increasingly important as colleges evaluate how they provide a holistic educational experience to students. Saint Paul College is establishing best practices to help better student affairs staff better examine how they teach students, what they are teaching, and assess the extent of what students are learning outside... Continue Reading →

Century College Background  Minnesota has a proud tradition of welcoming immigrants and refugees, many of whom do not speak English fluently. At Century College the translating and interpreting (TRIN) faculty are helping prepare their colleagues to provide better guidance to students who will provide services in the future to culturally and linguistically diverse populations. The... Continue Reading →

Saint Paul College  Background  Fundamentals of Writing I is a required course for many students at St. Paul College, including students entering the trades who take it as a sole writing course. For students who struggle with writing, the course can be a particularly challenging. To assist all students, Fundamentals of Writing I is gamified as a means to... Continue Reading →

Central Lakes College Background  Mental health therapy is traditionally provided through in-office visits, creating barriers for access such as social stigma attached to in-person visits, long wait lists to schedule appointments, and lack of facilities in rural areas. Central Lakes College is rolling out its Learn to Live© program, providing student online access to free... Continue Reading →

Minnesota State University, Mankato Background Previously the I’m First project, Maverick’s First is the first program of its kind at MSU Mankato that means to engage the 43% of students who are first generation college students. An interdisciplinary team of faculty and staff are organized around the effort, delivering a series of events, communications, and... Continue Reading →

Inver Hills Community College Background  Inver Hills Community College faculty, in partnership with faculty from California State University, the University of Hawaii, and Grossmont College, collaboratively authored an open textbook to support student learning in the field of biological anthropology. This textbook is a first-of-its-kind creation for the discipline. A lab and activities book to... Continue Reading →

Saint Paul College Background  St. Paul College is developing open source supplementary materials for use in an introductory Environmental Science course, and share with all Minnesota State faculty through Opendora. This project is developing three types of resources for faculty use: online learning activities, study guides, and a test bank. Presenter: Joanna Cregan, Saint Paul... Continue Reading →

Metropolitan State University  Background  Encouraging employees and students to “think like entrepreneurs” with the capacity to embrace change, display resilience, think creatively, and self-motivate. These skills are critical to inspiring performance and future success in this competitive marketplace. In an effort to make everyone more competitive in their careers paths, this project combines experiential e-learning modules, community engagement, and... Continue Reading →

Minnesota State University Moorhead Background MSUM’s Center for Geospatial Studies, in partnership with the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR), is creating an interactive digital map highlighting artistic, literary, and creative experiences inspired by the natural, historical, and cultural landscapes contained in the 43,000+ acres of the TNWR. This project brings together students from the humanities... Continue Reading →