Expanding the NEST

• 

  Using the Resource

• 

  Micro-Credential

• 

  Recognition

• 

  Events

Expanding the NEST is an initiative designed and supported by the CETL team for all Kennesaw State University Educators. NEST stands for Nurturing Environments through Scholarly Teaching. Environments include, but are not limited to, physical classrooms, online spaces, office suites, and events.

More information on engagement indicators can be found on the NSSE website. 

The resource document offered here was created by CETL to support faculty as they cultivate student success at KSU. We developed this resource to connect with data from KSU Student Responses to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). With this data, CETL identified practices to support in the three highlighted areas extracted from our NSSE report: Student-Faculty Interaction, Effective Teaching Practices, and Supportive Environments.

CETL acknowledges this is not an all-inclusive list. The suggested practices are intended as a menu, and we do not expect faculty to implement all 25 practices. On the other hand, many of us already use some of these practices. This document may serve to validate beneficial practices around cultivating student success that you are already using, while also offering new suggestions. You can further explore inclusive teaching through conversations with colleagues, consultations with CETL, or relevant teaching and learning scholarship.

You are welcome to print this resource out, but it is most beneficial in the electronic format to access the links embedded throughout. 

The 'Introduction to Expanding the NEST' souvenir provides educational development for Kennesaw State University educators and staff who regularly work with students regarding the Expanding the NEST initiative.  The learning materials identify a menu of easy-to-use practices that increase student success, focusing on three areas: student-faculty interaction, effective teaching practices, and supportive environments.

Please review carefully the earning criteria on the KSU Badgr website.

Get Started Here

---

 

The 'Implementing NEST Practices for Student Success' micro-credential confirms faculty and staff who teach have examined in depth “Expanding the NEST” practices that cultivate student success. The core principles of student success depend on the quality and meaningfulness of student-faculty interaction, effective teaching practices, and supportive environments.

Please review carefully the earning criteria on the KSU Badgr website. 

Click the button below to complete the Expanding the Nest questionnaire. Please include the practices you engaged in for the Spring 2025 semester. More information on eligibility and helpful checklists can be found below.

NOTE: Optional fields (e.g. ARD, FPA fields), which appear for full-time faculty, are not required. 

Access the "Expanding the NEST" Questionnaire

CETL recognizes and celebrates faculty and staff at KSU who have made significant efforts to engage in evidence-based practices known to promote student success.  

Each semester, we will recognize three categories of KSU educators and non-teaching staff who have demonstrated strong commitments to cultivating student success: Champions, Innovators, and Advocates. We will celebrate this recognition at our annual Celebration of Teaching Day event (occurs at the end of every fall semester). 

To be eligible for each category, KSU educators and staff must identify the number of Expanding the NEST practices they have engaged in during the semester.

• Eligibility
  Faculty/Educators*
  Non-Teaching Staff
• Champion
  25 NEST Practices
  8 NEST Practices
• Innovator
  15 NEST Practices
  5 NEST Practices
• Advocates
  6 NEST Practices
  3 NEST Practices

*At least one practice engaged by KSU educators must include an institutional initiative.  These initiatives are reflected in practices #7, 8, 16, 17, and 18.

If you would like to be recognized as NEST Champion, Innovator, or Advocate, the submission period for recognition for the spring semester is open March 21, 2025 - April 29, 2025.  

We encourage you to review the Expanding the NEST resources and make a plan for engaging in the menu of practices.

In addition to providing one-on-one consulting services in any of this work, CETL is offering workshops and events throughout the semester focused on different practices found within the menu of options to cultivate student success.

• 

  January 15 - Pedagogical Partners: Co-Creating Course Guidelines and More with Students

  Are you interested in fostering a more inclusive learning environment and cultivating positive interactions with your students? This interactive workshop explores strategies for fostering a co-creative classroom environment, enhancing student engagement, and promoting shared ownership of the learning process. Join us to discuss practical approaches for integrating student voices in your courses that align with Expanding the NEST practice #3.

  Register in OwlTrain
• 

  January 23 - Assessing Prior Knowledge

  Assessing students' prior knowledge is essential for effective teaching. Understanding what students already know—and don’t know—enables faculty to address misconceptions, fill knowledge gaps, and build on existing understanding. In this workshop, we’ll explore strategies for assessing prior knowledge and using it to achieve teaching and learning goals. Participants will also develop a plan to prioritize this practice in their classes, building skills to align instruction with students' strengths and needs, while embracing variation in their levels of understanding

   

  Register in OwlTrain
• 

  February 5 - Learning to Learn: The Ultimate Learning Objective

  Learners come to us with prior knowledge gained from other classes and their own lives; however, "not all prior knowledge provides an equally solid foundation for new learning" (Lovett et al, 2023). This Expanding the NEST workshop will provide an evidence-based deep-dive into assessing prior knowledge to cultivate student success. You will leave this workshop with practical strategies for assessing students' prior knowledge, as well as a deeper understanding of how prior knowledge can help or hinder learning. 

  Register in OwlTrain
• 

  March 3 - Expanding the NEST: Utilizing Course Design and Resources for Student Success

  Student success is an institutional and University System of Georgia priority. The literature on student success is very robust and it has identified several strategies that work to increase student learning, retention, and success. In this session, we will explore resources provided at KSU supporting student success and off course design strategies to incorporate these practices.

  Register in OwlTrain
• 

  March 19 - Ungrading Workshop

  Do you worry about what a student's reaction will be to a grade *rather* than what they learned from doing the assignment/assessment? Have you found that conversations about grades get in the way of real and constructive conversations about your students' work and learning? Have you seen anxiety about grades hamper your students learning? Have you been curious about "ungrading" or "contract/specs grading" or "alternative assessment"? If you answered any of these questions even slightly affirmatively, this workshop is for you. Please join us for an interactive workshop where we will explore a variety of assessment alternatives, audition strategies for developing and using these in your classroom, and learn a bit about the research about grades.

  Register in OwlTrain
• 

  April 3 - Research Assignment Remix: TILTing with the KSU Libraries

  Research assignments are a trademark of higher education and a crucial aspect of teaching. As you prepare your course materials for the upcoming fall semester, it is a great time to review or consider developing your research assignments for maximum student success. This workshop will provide participants with best practices on how to design an effective research assignment that incorporates library and special collections holdings and support services. The workshop will be co-hosted by KSU CETL, University Libraries, Special Collections, and the Bentley Rare Book Museum.  Participants will learn how to: 
  -Apply TILT practices to their research assignment design, including scaffolded information retrieval processes 
  -Incorporate current information source terminology into their assignments 
  -Explore and familiarize themselves with current KSU Library and Special Collections holdings 
  -Develop assignment requirements that incorporate KSU Library and Special Collections holdings and support services to ensure greater student success 
   

  Register in OwlTrain