blog posts

• Helping Students Understand Difficult Text

  Mar 6, 2013 8:00 am

  Helping Students Understand Difficult Text.  A frequent comment by instructors is about their students’ inability to read critically the assigned texts. Bean suggests that students need to become "deep readers," who focus on meaning, as opposed to "surface readers." In this article, he provides 11 causes for our students’ difficulty.

• Student Motivation to Learn

  Mar 6, 2013 8:00 am

  Student Motivation to Learn. Have you ever said, “My students just aren’t motivated”?   Here is a model that defines extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and provides research-based strategies to motivate students to learn. Click here to learn more. 

• Creating and Asking Effective Questions

  Feb 8, 2013 8:00 am

  Creating and Asking Effective Questions.  One of the most common strategies to engage students is through questions and answers.  There are many aspects to consider when using this strategy; such as, types of questions and levels, use of cold calls, and incorporating wait time.  To learn more about using questions effectively, click here.

• Active Learning Strategies that Provide Great Feedback

  Feb 8, 2013 8:00 am

  Active Learning Strategies that Provide Great Feedback. Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS) are generally simple, non-graded, anonymous, in-class activities designed to give you and your students useful feedback on the teaching-learning process as it is happening.  There are many CATS to select depending on what you want to assess and how much time you have. Consider implementing these activities throughout the semester. Click here to learn more about CATS.

• Teaching through Undergraduate Research

  Jan 29, 2013 8:00 am

  Teaching through Undergraduate Research. An important goal when teaching undergraduates is to show them what it is like to be a professional in your field of study. So consider implementing undergraduate research (UGR) opportunities into your course. In addition, teaching and learning can be significantly enhanced when we engage our students in collaborative research and scholarship. Click here for an introduction to UGR. And here are some ways in which to incorporate research opportunities in your course.

   

• Creating Rapport from the Beginning

  Jan 17, 2013 8:00 am

  Creating Rapport from the Beginning: The first several days of the semester are critical in setting the tone for the class and creating a positive rapport between you and your students.  In addition, creating rapport will help in establishing trust and community-building. Here are several helpful strategies to get you started.

• Critical Connections for Successful Teaching and Learning

  Jan 17, 2013 8:00 am

  Critical Connections for Successful Teaching and Learning. Kreizinger suggests keeping in mind three critical connections when preparing and delivering your lessons.  They are connections between 1) teacher and content, 2) teacher and students (and students and students), and 3) students and content.  Click here to learn more about these critical connections and how to implement them.

• Assigning Final Course Grades

  Dec 6, 2012 8:00 am

  Assigning Final Course Grades.  Assigning final course grades is one of the most important responsibilities of an instructor. This grade should accurately represent the level of a student’s achievement.  Click here to learn CTE’s suggestions for sound policies and practices when determining course grades.

   

• Effective Strategies for Studying

  Dec 6, 2012 8:00 am

  Effective Strategies for Studying.  As students prepare for their final exams, they may not know or remember effective strategies to use. Here is a list of suggested strategies to share with your students in helping them prepare more effectively and efficiently.

   

• Best Grading Practices to Support Student Learning

  Nov 1, 2012 8:00 am

  Best Grading Practices to Support Student Learning.  Grades provide valuable information about our students' achievement and they are also very powerful in influencing what and how our students study. In this helpful article, several types of exams are described, along with guidelines in how to select the appropriate one. To learn more about effective grading practices, register for the Nov. 8th workshop.