blog posts

• 101 Things to Do in the First Three Weeks of Class

  Aug 28, 2013 8:00 am

  101 Things to Do in the First Three Weeks of Class. Want a successful start to the semester? How about setting expectations, learning students’ prior knowledge, motivating and engaging your students? Here are several strategies to implement right away. 

• Learning Student Names

  Aug 28, 2013 8:00 am

  Learning Student Names. Alexander Austin in his book What Matters in College found that when instructors know their students’ names, it has a powerful effect on improving student engagement. And students can also learn their peers’ names. Here is a list of strategies to help you know and remember your students.
  

• The Promising Syllabus

  Aug 7, 2013 8:00 am

  The Promising Syllabus. In the few weeks before school starts, everyone across campus is creating or reviewing their syllabus for the upcoming semester. Ken Bain, author of the award-winning book “What the Best College Teachers Do,” says that using a different approach in composing the promising syllabus “can stimulate deeper and more enthusiastic student learning.” Click here to learn more about this innovative syllabus approach.

• Creating a Syllabus: The Basics

  Aug 7, 2013 8:00 am

  Creating a Syllabus: The Basics. The syllabus is a document that shares with the students what they will be doing and learning, what the goals are, how they are assessed, and an insight into your teaching philosophy. Syllabi differ across individuals, courses, and disciplines; however, there are certain components that all syllabi should contain. Click here for a tutorial on creating a syllabus from the U. of Minnesota teaching center.

• Constructing Fair and Appropriate Final Exams

  Apr 25, 2013 8:00 am

  Constructing Fair and Appropriate Final Exams. A common student complaint is that final exams do not always test the kinds of knowledge asked for in homework or quizzes or presented in lectures. The worst final exams can seem unfocused, determined to test everything, or random things. The best final exams are learning moments and are aligned with learning goals presented in your syllabus.  Here are some ways from the Berkeley teaching center to review the final exam you created.

• Helping Student Study for Final Exams

  Apr 25, 2013 8:00 am

  Helping Students Study for Final Exams. Students often return to inefficient and ineffective study habits as they feel the time crush to prepare for their final exams. GAMES, a mnemonic device developed by Marilla Svinicki, is a useful approach for students to use as they prepare for final exams. The five strategies are based on theories of learning.  Click here to learn more about these strategies to share with your students. 

• Best Practices for Designing and Grading Exams

  Apr 12, 2013 8:00 am

  Best Practices for Designing and Grading Exams. There are many forms of exams: from multiple-choice and true/false to short answers and essays. In choosing which form to use, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each and how to structure the exam.  Here is a valuable overview (U. of Michigan, CRLT) of the science of developing valid and reliable exams. 

• Assessing Oral Presentations

  Apr 12, 2013 8:00 am

  Assessing Oral Presentations. Toward the end of the semester, many courses require individual and group oral presentations to assess student learning.  Here is a helpful site with suggestions on preparing students to speak effectively and examples of rubrics to evaluate the presentations. Click here to learn more (Carleton College –SERC)

• Teaching Philosophy Statements

  Mar 20, 2013 8:00 am

  Teaching Philosophy Statements. Teaching philosophy statements are frequently requested for job applications, grants, and promotion and tenure packets. When written well, this statement can promote deep reflection about your teaching. This article by Maryellen Weimer describes how to avoid the most common mistakes. To begin writing or improving your statement, consider attending this teaching statement workshop on April 1, 2013.

• Troublesome Behaviors in the Classroom

  Mar 19, 2013 8:00 am

  Troublesome Behaviors in the Classroom.  It happens.  A student does something that you perceive interferes with the teaching and learning in your course. It can be such things as talking in class, arriving late, or missing deadlines. This article by Mary Deane Sorcinelli provides several strategies to address these issues.