blog posts

• An Inclusive Learning Environment

  Oct 17, 2012 8:00 am4 views

  An Inclusive Learning Environment.  Our student population has become more diverse; e.g., we have seen an increased international population, students from different backgrounds and achievement and with special needs.What are some teaching strategies and issues we should consider to provide a learning environment where all of our students can experience success?  Click here to see suggestions and strategies.  Also, CTE has two workshops that may be of interest to you on this topic:  October 22 and October 30.

• Learning through Student Teams

  Oct 17, 2012 8:00 am2 views

  Learning through Student Teams. One of the benefits of team assignments is the opportunity for students to teach other (peer learning). If carefully planned and monitored, team work results in improved skills in problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. Click here to learn how to implement team work in your courses. You may also attend the CTE team workshop on October 31^st.

• Best Grading Practices to Support Student Learning

  Nov 1, 2012 8:00 am2 views

  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.
  

• Transforming Learning by Flipping the Classroom

  Nov 1, 2012 8:00 am2 views

  Transforming Learning by Flipping the Classroom. Have you thought about "flipping" the traditional way of teaching so that students are first introduced to the content outside of class and then spend class time for discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and identifying areas of difficulty? This is not a new idea; however, it is one that has generated much attention, especially in the STEM disciplines. In this article from the Chronicle of Higher Education, Dan Berrett describes how lectures can be "flipped."  Also, learn more by coming to the CTE workshop on Nov. 14.

   

   

• Assigning Final Course Grades

  Dec 6, 2012 8:00 am2 views

  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 am4 views

  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.

   

• Creating Rapport from the Beginning

  Jan 17, 2013 8:00 am4 views

  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 am3 views

  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.

• Teaching through Undergraduate Research

  Jan 29, 2013 8:00 am1 views

  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 and Asking Effective Questions

  Feb 8, 2013 8:00 am5 views

  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 am2 views

  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.

• Helping Students Understand Difficult Text

  Mar 6, 2013 8:00 am6 views

  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 am4 views

  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. 

• Troublesome Behaviors in the Classroom

  Mar 19, 2013 8:00 am2 views

  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. 

• Teaching Philosophy Statements

  Mar 20, 2013 8:00 am2 views

  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.

• Best Practices for Designing and Grading Exams

  Apr 12, 2013 8:00 am59 views

  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 am2 views

  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)

• Constructing Fair and Appropriate Final Exams

  Apr 25, 2013 8:00 am1 views

  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 am2 views

  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. 

• The Promising Syllabus

  Aug 7, 2013 8:00 am91 views

  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 am2 views

  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.

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

  Aug 28, 2013 8:00 am2 views

  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 am1 views

  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.
  

• Tips on Leading an Effective Discussion

  Sep 11, 2013 8:00 am5 views

  Tips on Leading an Effective Discussion.When students participate by asking and answering questions, it can improve their learning and promote critical thinking skills. Here are several strategies to increase the quantity and quality of their participation.

• Effective Discussion Boards

  Sep 11, 2013 8:00 am1 views

  Effective Discussion Boards. Meaningful online discussions that promote learning and build community usually do not happen spontaneously. They require planning, good use of questioning techniques, and incentives for student participation. Click here for types of questions to ask.

• Promoting Deep Learning through Clickers

  Sep 25, 2013 8:00 am4 views

  Promoting Deep Learning through Clickers. Maximize discussions and promote deep learning in your classes by carefully crafting your clicker questions. These questions can identify common student misconceptions, challenge students to select the one best answer, and provide an opportunity for peer assessment. Click here to learn about these different types of clicker questions.  

• Getting Timely Feedback

  Sep 25, 2013 8:00 am1 views

  Getting Timely Feedback. Getting feedback from your students in the weeks between late September and mid-October provides valuable information on how your course is going. One strategy to get pertinent information about you and your students is through the Informal Early Feedback (IEF). Visit our website for directions and sample forms.  

• Understanding Student Writing – Where is the Main Idea?

  Oct 10, 2013 8:00 am3 views

  Understanding Student Writing – Where is the Main Idea? Imagine that you’re grading a stack of student papers and, somewhere mid-stack, find yourself stopped, stuck, as you try to figure out a student’s idea. You’re pretty sure the student has one, maybe even a good one, but the writing is muddled and you don’t know how to begin. Recognizing the “expert (instructor)-novice (student) distinction” can provide some insights on how to help your students. Click here to learn more.

• Too Many Papers to Grade? Two Solutions

  Oct 10, 2013 8:00 am3 views

  Too Many Papers to Grade? Two Solutions. Many of us have writing assignments as part of the course grade. Writing well takes practice and many drafts, which we strongly encourage or even require.  We know that more drafts from our students means more grading for us. An article from Faculty Focus offers two solutions to reduce the amount of grading while encouraging our students to put their best efforts in their drafts.

• Helping Students Discover the Value of a Good Set of Notes

  Oct 24, 2013 8:00 am5 views

  Helping Students Discover the Value of a Good Set of Notes. Students benefit from taking and having a good set of notes, even though many of them don’t see the value, don’t take good notes, and like it best when they can copy word-for-word what the teacher says or has on the PowerPoint slides. This article by Weimer offers a range of activities teachers can use to help students discover what a good set of notes enables them to do.

• Research-Based Strategies to Promote Academic Integrity

  Oct 24, 2013 8:00 am10 views

  Research-Based Strategies to Promote Academic Integrity. Our campus, like many others, has a definition of academic integrity and outlines what academic integrity infractions are. But is this enough to prevent cheating? Michele DiPietro writes that it is important to understand the motivation for student cheating and implement strategies that promote academic integrity. Click here for the article.

• Constructing Fair and Appropriate Final Exams

  Dec 5, 2013 8:00 am1 views

  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.

• The Final Class Sessions: Providing Closure

  Dec 5, 2013 8:00 am6 views

  The Final Class Sessions: Providing Closure. The end of the semester can be stressful for instructors as well as students. If you have a few minutes in this last session, take the opportunity for all to reflect about where the students started and how much they have learned. Here are some tips from the University of Minnesota. Click here to read the strategies.

• Rapport Matters in the Classroom

  Jan 22, 2014 8:00 am1 views

  Rapport Matters in the Classroom. Many studies have found respect and consideration for students to be imperative in effective teaching. Students were more likely to understand the content of a lecture if the lecturer interacted with them in a way that encouraged involvement, commitment, and interest (Ramsden, 2003). This IDEA paper describes several strategies for you to implement and the underlying research for using these strategies. Click here to read this article.

• Use of Laptops in the Classroom: Research and Best Practices

  Jan 23, 2014 8:00 am102 views

  Use of Laptops: Research and Best Practices. Laptops and mobile devices are appearing in greater numbers in the classroom. Many faculty see this trend as an opportunity for more innovative teaching and increased student engagement. However, other faculty worry about potential distractions that can appear. Here are the results of a research study by the U. of Michigan teaching center on student perceptions of how laptops affect attentiveness, engagement, and learning, and ways faculty can effectively use laptops. 

• The Most Effective Teachers Vary Their Styles

  Feb 5, 2014 8:00 am3 views

  The most effective teachers vary their styles depending on the nature of the subject matter, the phase of the course, and other factors. By so doing, they encourage and inspire students to do their best at all times throughout the semester. It is helpful to think of teaching styles according to the three Ds: Directing, Discussing, and Delegating.  To learn more, click here. 

• Basic Differences Between First-Generation and Non-First-Generation Students

  Feb 5, 2014 8:00 am3 views

  Basic Differences Between First-Generation and Non-First-Generation Students. Our student population is becoming more diverse. One of the differences that we see is a growing population of first-generation college students.  These students in their first year must grapple with a variety of tough questions about themselves, their reasons for attending college, and the challenges of their new environment. Here is an article that describes some of their experiences. 

• Collaboration or Plagiarism? Explaining Collaborative-Based Assignments Clearly

  Feb 20, 2014 8:00 am2 views

  Collaboration or Plagiarism? Explaining Collaborative-Based Assignments Clearly. Although there are many positive aspects of group work, there are negatives as well. One particular problem occurs when students are confused about faculty expectations involving the work product of teams. How much of the group project, if any, is individual-based vs. a group collaboration?  Here are some strategies to set expectations and clear guidelines.

   

• How to Create Memorable Lectures

  Feb 20, 2014 8:00 am42 views

  How to Create Memorable Lectures. In general, students capture only 20–40 percent of a lecture’s main ideas in their notes and retain only 10% after three weeks if they do not review their notes.  All instructors hope that their lectures will be the memorable, but these numbers present a clear challenge.  Stanford’s teaching center provides some considerations on how students attend to, make sense of, and absorb new information. Click here to read the article.
  

• Unlearning: A Critical Element in the Learning Process

  Mar 6, 2014 8:00 am57 views

  Unlearning: A Critical Element in the Learning Process. Virginia Lee states that prior knowledge is arguably the single most important factor in learning. Unless we as instructors engage prior knowledge—the good, the bad, and the ugly, we risk sabotaging the new learning we work so hard to put in place and fighting the misunderstanding students continue to hold. Click here to read her article.

• Ways to Assess Students’ Prior Knowledge

  Mar 6, 2014 8:00 am16 views

  Ways to Assess Students’ Prior Knowledge. In order to gauge how much students have learned, it is not enough to assess their knowledge and skills at the end of the course or program. We also need to find out what they know coming in, that is, their prior knowledge, so that we can identify more specifically the knowledge and skills they have gained during the course or program and also to identify those misconceptions that can interfere with their new learning. Here are several techniques suggested by the teaching center at Carnegie Mellon.

• Four Student Misconceptions about Learning

  Mar 31, 2014 8:00 am4 views

   Four Student Misconceptions about Learning. "Efficient and effective learning starts with a proper mindset," Stephen Chew  writes in "Helping Students to Get the Most Out of Studying." Chew continues, pointing out what most of us know firsthand, students harbor some fairly serious misconceptions that undermine their efforts to learn such as “learning is fast” and “I’m really good at multi-tasking.”  Click here to read the article.  

• Research on Student Note-taking: Implications for Faculty and Graduate Student Instructors

  Mar 31, 2014 8:00 am32 views

  Research on Student Note-taking: Implications for Faculty and Graduate Student Instructors. Research on note-taking indicates that taking notes in class and reviewing those notes (either in class or afterward) have a positive impact on student learning.  Unfortunately, students’ notes are often inaccurate or incomplete.  What can faculty do to encourage and enable more successful note-taking.  Here is the article from the U. of Michigan teaching center. 

• Strategies When Writing Objective and Subjective Exams

  Apr 10, 2014 8:00 am18 views

  Strategies When Writing Objective and Subjective Exams.  When deciding the structure of your exams, here are two articles to assist you when creating objective (e.g., multiple-choice or true/false tests) and subjective (e.g., essay and short-answer) exams.  

  • Improving Multiple-Choice Tests
  • Improving Essay Tests

   

• Preparing the Final Exam

  Apr 10, 2014 8:00 am4 views

  Preparing the Final Exam. As the semester is coming close to an end, now is a good time for instructors to start thinking about the final exams. A common complaint is that the finals do not always test the kinds of knowledge that was asked for in the homework or quizzes or presented in exams. Whether this perception is accurate or not, it’s still an excellent starting point in preparing your exam.  Here are some helpful strategies offered by the teaching center at Berkeley University. 

• The Final Class Sessions: Providing Closure

  May 2, 2014 8:00 am0 views

  The Final Class Sessions: Providing Closure. The end of the semester can be stressful for instructors as well as students. If you have a few minutes in this last session, take the opportunity for all to reflect about where the students started and how much they have learned. Here are some tips from the University of Minnesota. Click here to read the strategies.

• What Do You Do on the Last Day of Class?

  May 2, 2014 8:00 am0 views

  What Do You Do on the Last Day of Class?  Much of the literature on the last day of class notes three primary uses of this last class session: final examination preparation, completing course evaluations, and reflecting on the course. Given the importance of this last day it is worth just a bit of effort to think through the best use of your final minutes of the course.  Here are some thoughts from UNC-Chapel Hill. 

• A Learning Secret: Don’t Take Notes with a Laptop

  Jun 12, 2014 8:00 am79 views

  A Learning Secret: Don’t Take Notes with a Laptop. This latest research by Mueller & Oppenheimer, reported in Scientific American, states that students who used longhand to take notes remembered more and had a deeper understanding of the materials.  Reasons for better understanding and learning were because students were engaged in listening, digesting, and summarizing as they took notes.  See the article here.

• What Faculty Can Do to Support Student Notetaking Skills

  Jun 12, 2014 8:00 am4 views

  What Faculty Can Do to Support Student Notetaking Skills. It is problematic when students take incomplete and/or inadequate notes, especially when the content is on essential, often complex material.  There are a number of strategies that the instructor can do during the lecture to enhance students’ notetaking.  Here are some of them from the U. of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching.  

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

  Aug 28, 2014 8:00 am3 views

  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.