Today's talk is The power of vulnerability by Brene Brown. Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.

• Demonstrate how institutions, units, and groups have been reflective about their use of OER and how they are exploring the contours of equity and inclusion in relation to OER;
• Share strategies to modify, remix, and curate additional resources to diversify and extend the cultural relevance of OER materials;
• Describe concrete strategies for reducing and eliminating barriers to engaging with OER for faculty, students, and/or staff;
• Showcase faculty and student work with open education in Maryland, and highlight resources created and adapted by Maryland faculty and staff; and
• Examine the relationship between OER, pedagogical innovation, and student success.

Today's talk is Inside the mind of a master procrastinator by Tim Urban. Tim Urban knows that procrastination doesn't make sense, but he's never been able to shake his habit of waiting until the last minute to get things done. In this hilarious and insightful talk, Urban takes us on a journey through YouTube binges, Wikipedia rabbit holes and bouts of staring out the window -- and encourages us to think harder about what we're really procrastinating on, before we run out of time.

• The Washington Post, Cheating-detection companies made millions during the pandemic. Now students are fighting back. We understand that student privacy is incredibly important when using tools like Respondus Monitor, though we hope students and faculty consider the environment we all operate under with remote teaching and learning. 
• Inside Higher Ed, Dealing with student distraction. Students are always around distractions and instead we can shift the conversation to focus on engagement. Based on a recent PIVOT survey, UMBC students would agree that the need for breaks during extended synchronous sessions can help with their engagement. 
• The Guardian, Up to 50% of university students unhappy with online learning, (Australian) regulator finds. While some of the student concerns addressed in the article are not new, we talked about some of the universal challenges and how faculty and staff need to be flexible during uncertain times. 

• Academic Continuity | Keep On Teaching | Student Technology Resources
• Check our extensive FAQ collection 
• What’s new in Ultra? | Known Issues 
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff

Today's talk is Why we get mad - and why it’s healthy by Ryan Martin. Anger researcher Ryan Martin draws from a career studying what makes people mad to explain some of the cognitive processes behind anger -- and why a healthy dose of it can actually be useful. "Your anger exists in you ... because it offered your ancestors, both human and nonhuman, an evolutionary advantage," he says. "[It's] a powerful and healthy force in your life."

Today's talk is 5 ways to create stronger connections by Robert Reffkin. In a tech-obsessed culture, it can be difficult to build genuine relationships with people, especially in the workplace. Robert Reffkin shares his tips and tricks for establishing authentic connections on the job.