In this episode of the Prof Talk Pod, Katie is back to tackle the topic of the course syllabus. Should it be a graphical, engaging roadmap or a traditional, standardized contract? Katie and I share what we think are the essential components of an effective syllabus and how to navigate adding university policies. I share my strategy of writing the syllabus directly to the student to build buy-in, while Katie and I emphasize the critical rule: the syllabus is a contract, so only include policies you are willing to enforce. We break down how to structure your syllabus around three key questions of what, how, and when students will learn and why you must include university-required boilerplate content verbatim. Finally, we agree that including an explicit AI disclosure policy is critical right now to clearly communicate student expectations and force you to think critically about AI use in your classroom.

In this solo episode of the Prof Talk Pod, host Becky Achen shares how Generative AI is shifting the way I design active learning in the classroom.

It’s no surprise that students have started leaning on ChatGPT to breeze through in-class activities. While the "quick answer" is tempting, our goal is to move them toward intentional, critical use of these tools.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• A structured process for in-class activities that prioritizes human brainstorming and root-cause identification before bringing in technology.

• How to guide students to use ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot to fill specific knowledge gaps, rather than outsourcing the entire solution.

• Using LLMs to poke holes in human ideas and refine them before a final pitch.

• Why you should demonstrate how you use AI so students see the process in action.

We don’t want our students to be "lazy AI users." To help get students ready for the workplace, scaffold AI use in your own courses, explain the "why" behind your constraints, and lead by example.

In this solo episode of the Prof Talk Pod, Becky discusses the importance of balancing student accountability with support, and offers actionable strategies to help students stay on track. From the hands-off approach to personalized check-ins, discover methods to foster a supportive learning environment while encouraging independence. Focused on retaining students and enhancing their success, Becky emphasizes the human aspect of teaching and shares tips for developing student skills in attendance, participation, and assignment completion.

Join us for part two of our discussion on attendance and engagement with Katie, focusing on practical strategies for managing excused absences and fostering student participation. We discuss university policies for attendance and share our personal methods for tracking attendance and ensuring meaningful student engagement. Whether it's using in-class activities, allowing drops, or navigating university policies, we cover actionable tips to help professors improve their classroom dynamics. Discover how to balance accountability with flexibility, and how to motivate students to attend and participate actively. If managing attendance has been a challenge for you, this episode offers valuable insights.

In the first episode of 2026, we discuss into one of the most challenging aspects of teaching: attendance. Listen in as we discuss how to balance accountability, the value of active learning, and the difference between attendance and engagement. We also explore institutional policies and share our own experiences and strategies for managing class attendance. Whether you're dealing with excused absences or trying to keep students engaged, the first episode in the 2-part topic offers valuable insights and shares some research on the importance of attendance.

Welcome to the Prof Talk Pod, brought to you by The Engaged Professor. In this episode, we focus on the positive moments from the past year in teaching. Join us as we discuss the joys of connecting with students, implementing video reflections, and utilizing generative AI for creating dynamic assessments and scenarios. Learn practical tips on how to reflect effectively, use AI in class content creation, and keep track of improvements for future courses.

In this episode of the Prof Talk Pod, Katie Metz joins again to explore how to adapt to constant changes in subject matter. Learn how to integrate current events into your curriculum, set parameters for updates, and maintain credibility with your students. Whether you teach a rapidly evolving discipline or a more stable one, this episode offers valuable insights to keep your teaching relevant and engaging.

Welcome to Episode 032 of the Prof Talk Pod! In this episode, we talk about simple active learning strategies you can use in the classroom. Katie Metz joins us again to share her experience with strategies in more technical subjects like accounting and federal tax. Learn practical strategies that increase student engagement and hear about importance of iterative, low-stakes assessments. This episode offers insights into making class discussions more effective, how to utilize think-pair-share techniques, and tips for assessing the success of active learning activities. Whether you're teaching in a large or small class, undergraduate or graduate level, this episode is filled with actionable advice to enhance your teaching methods.