[11/19/2025] Unlocking Learning Potential with Concepts Maps
Unlocking Learning Potential with Concepts Maps
Concept maps are powerful visual learning tools that help students organize, connect, and deepen their understanding of complex topics and demonstrate their learning. This Faculty Focus article on concept maps highlights how creating concept maps fosters active learning in the classroom, improves students’ retention of content, and makes thinking visible to both students and instructors. Drawing from research and real-world examples, it offers practical guidance for integrating concept mapping into teaching and assessment to enhance student success.
[10/22/2025] Effect of Exam Wrappers on Student Achievement in Multiple, Large STEM Courses
Boosting Student Success with Exam Wrappers
Exam wrappers, short post-exam self-assessments, encourage students to reflect on their learning strategies and test performance. These tools promote metacognition, the ability to think about and regulate one’s thinking, and have been shown to improve academic outcomes and support long-term student success.
A study published in the Journal of College Science Teaching by Linda Hodges and colleagues provides empirical evidence that regular use of exam wrappers can enhance learning outcomes in large STEM courses, without significantly increasing instructors’ grading workload. You can read the full article here.
Looking for ideas to design your own exam wrapper? Check out examples from Mellon College of Science courses or schedule a consultation with the CTL.
[9/24/2025] Indiana University Faculty Who Focus on Student Engagement Using Top Hat See 11.5% Decrease in Student Withdrawal Rate
Read Indiana University Faculty Who Focus on Student Engagement Using Top Hat See 11.5% Decrease in Student Withdrawal Rate by Top Hat Staff (October 22, 2024)
Course withdrawals continue to affect student success and institutional outcomes. However, early findings from Top Hat’s ongoing research initiative with Indiana University offer encouraging evidence: engagement-focused teaching strategies—especially in introductory courses—can significantly improve retention. The study highlights practical approaches using Top Hat, a tool available at no cost to all IU instructors and students. Interested in implementing these strategies or learning more about Top Hat? Explore the following resources or schedule a consultation with the CTL:
[9/10/2025] Math Is Out, Cake Is In: Introducing Students to Rubrics
Forbes, S.A. (2025, August 27). Math is out, cake is in: Introducing students to rubrics. Faculty Focus.
Rubrics are valuable tools to help students learn. Often, however, students neither recognize the value of rubrics nor understand how to use them. This article shows us one way to introduce the rubric, helping students to see its value and to practice using rubrics in different ways to improve learning. Instructors already see the value of rubrics to guide and streamline grading and feedback; this article offers an example of how students might also use the rubric to guide and self-assess their learning.
[8/27/2025] Reaching (Not Just Teaching) Today’s Students: A Communication Cheatsheet
Miller, Laura N. (2025, July 30). Reaching (not just teaching) today’s students: A communication cheatsheet. Faculty Focus.
Communicating effectively with our students is a key aspect of cultivating positive relationships with them. Drawing on Expectancy Violations Theory and Family Communication Patterns Theory, this article explores how instructors can better understand student behavior, reflect on their own assumptions, and craft email messages and Canvas announcements that resonates with our students and fosters their learning.
[8/13/2025] Start with the Heart: Building Compassionate Connections From Day One
Rahmat, M. (2024, October 21). Start with the Heart: Building Compassionate Connections From Day One. Faculty Focus.
Studies have shown that students need to feel safe and welcome in the classroom to learn effectively. As you prepare for the fall semester, reflect on what it means to communicate with students with your heart. This article gives you advice on how to practice compassion in your classroom from day one. As the article points out, practice self-compassion and model the compassion that we are asking the students to practice for themselves.
[7/30/2025] Course Design as a Gateway to Student Well-being
Cohen, D. H. P. a. B., PhD. (2024, January 10). Course design as a gateway to student well-being. Faculty Focus.
Better learning happens when students are well. They can be supported to speak up more and assess how they are doing in class. As the start of the semester approaches, consider the four course design strategies described in this article that you could incorporate into your fall courses to support student well-being in class.
[5/28/2025] The professors are Using ChatGPT, and Some Students Aren’t Happy About It
Hill, K. (2025, May 14). The professors are Using ChatGPT, and some students aren’t happy about it. New York Times.
Instructors want to be sure that they are assessing the products of student learning in courses, rather than the products of Generative AI. Well, as it turns out, many students also want to be sure that they are learning from teachers in the classroom, rather than learning from Generative AI Should instructors use Generative AI to create creating course materials, to grade student work, and to help communicate with students? This article helps us think about what is an appropriate use of Generative AI when it comes to the work of teaching.
If you don’t have a NY Times account, sign up for free access with a NY Times Group Pass provided by the University Library.
[5/14/2025] From Work to Flow: How talking to AI Is Changing the Way We Work, Think, and Feel
Daly, N. P. (2025). From work to flow: How talking to AI is changing the way we work, think, and feel. Nick Potkalitsky's Substack.
Working with AI can make you more productive and surprisingly, happier about your work! A study found it boosts positive emotions even more than output. This article explains why, connecting it to feeling safe, connected, capable, and creative. It also discusses how we need to learn to work with AI to get these benefits and avoid over-relying on it.
[4/30/2025] Few LGBTQ+ Science and Engineering Instructors Come Out to Students, Despite Potential Benefits
Busch, C. A., Bhanderi, P. B., Cooper, K. M., & Brownell, S. E. (2024). Few LGBTQ+ Science and Engineering Instructors Come Out to Students, Despite Potential Benefits. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 23(2), ar17.
LGBTQ+ undergraduates in science and engineering have high attrition rates and perceive that having LGBTQ+ instructors would benefit them. This article reports on two national studies that uncovered how instructor disclosure impacts student perceptions of and rapport with the instructor, aspects which impact attrition.
[4/16/2025] Teaching Gen Z: Strategies for Today's Classroom Dynamics
Carnagey, Z. & Rogers, K. (2025). Teaching Gen Z: Strategies for today's classroom dynamics. The Connected Professor: A Fresh Look at Teaching and Learning with Technology at IU.
Looking for ways to better connect with your Gen Z students? This insightful read unpacks the key expectations of Gen Z learners through the lens of three critical needs: engagement, support, and community - all connected by transparency. Instructors will discover three practical strategies for more meaningful connections with today’s learners!
[4/2/2025] Tired of Awkward Silences? Upgrade Your Think-Pair-Share
Harvey, A. (2025, March 10). Tired of Awkward Silences? Upgrade your Think-Pair-Share. Faculty Focus.
This short article scaffolds the process of creating think-pair-share learning activities, but with a bonus: when implemented, the approach also scaffolds students’ learning. No more awkward silences!
[3/19/2025] Avoiding Burnout: Self-care Strategies for Faculty
Clare, B. & Freeman, C. (2016, July 20). Avoiding burnout: Self-care strategies for faculty. Faculty Focus.
Your wellness matters in the classroom as how you are feeling can affect your capacity to teach and care for your students. This spring break, check in on your own wellness. Check out this article (3-minute read) that gives five areas that you can focus on for recharging and getting ready to finish out the semester strong!
[3/5/2025] “How Are You doing Today?” A Survey for Starting Each Class
Dobney, D. (January 31, 2025). “How Are You doing Today?” A Survey for Starting Each Class. Faculty Focus.
Amid social uncertainty and anxiety surrounding upcoming midterm exams and other high stakes assessments, consider checking in with your students and strengthening your classroom communities. This article introduces a way to turn a common question faculty ask students at the start of the class “How are you doing today?” into a genuine conversation and care for your students’ wellbeing.
[2/19/2025] Future Prospects and Considerations for AR and VR in Higher Education Academic Technology
McGrath, O., Hoffman, C., & Dark, S. (2023). Future Prospects and Considerations for AR and VR in Higher Education Academic Technology. EDUCAUSE Review.
This article explores the potential of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in higher education. The article provides examples of current applications, such as virtual tours and simulations, and discusses the challenges that need to be addressed. It also outlines potential scenarios for the future adoption of AR and VR in higher education.
Looking for more ideas and inspiration? Register for the Extended Reality Initiative (XRI) Faculty Showcase to learn about how IU faculty are using these technologies in their teaching!
[2/5/2025] Teaching: Preventing Ghosting, Domination, and Other Group-Work Issues
Supiano, B. (2025, January 23). Teaching: Preventing ghosting, domination, and other group-work issues. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Beckie Supiano’s recent newsletter in the Chronicle features a student-facing guide on how to engage in effective and inclusive group work. The guide is free to download and was created by students for students under the guidance of national expert Tracie Addie. Designed for groups to work together on long-term class projects, it includes group activities and strategies to address common challenges such as domination, freeloading, ghosting, etc. Share and discuss this guide with your students and set them up for success on group projects!
[1/22/2025] Four Powerful Practices to Promote Student Success
Voegele, C. M. (2025, January 10). Four powerful practices to promote student success. Faculty Focus.
Instructors play a pivotal role in student success by providing support and encouragement through well-designed courses. In this article, you will explore four practices that, when implemented through collaborative learning communities, can significantly enhance student outcomes. These practices offer a humane and adaptable framework to help instructors create learning environments where every student has the opportunity to thrive.
[1/8/2025] Syllabus Review Guide
Ryan, K., Boucher, K., Logel, C., & Murphy, M. (2022). Syllabus Review Guide. College Transition Collaborative.
Have you been updating your syllabus for the spring semester? Are you looking for inspiration and guidance? Conducting a syllabus review can help! By ensuring that the messages, policies, and practices included in your syllabi communicate a growth mindset about student potential, and promote a sense of belonging, you have a powerful opportunity to support student achievement, foster well-being, and contribute to equity in education.
[11/20/2024] How Professors Handled Classes After the Election
Supiano, B. (2024, November 12). How Professors Handled Classes After the Election. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
In the wake of the elections, instructors took a variety of approaches to handling their classes, navigating and reflecting on the diverse emotions and political views of their students. Read this article to learn how instructors supported students and facilitated learning in respectful and productive ways.
[11/6/2024] Navigating the Post-Election Period With Your Students
Navigating the Post-Election Period With Your Students (2024, October 31). From the CRLT Blog. Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. University of Michigan.
Are you looking for guidance and support for teaching and supporting your learners in the post-election period? This blog post offers reflective prompts, strategies, and resources to help you navigate this unique teaching moment.
[10/23/2024] Acknowledging the Silent Stigma of Student Parents
Mowreader, A. (2024, September 19). Acknowledging the Silent Stigma of Student Parents. Inside Higher Ed.
Approximately 1,500 students aged 25 and older attend IU Indianapolis. Did you know that around 1 in 5 college students nationally have a dependent under the age of 18? Adult and student parents are often a hidden population. This article offers guidance for promoting belonging and success for these learners.
[10/9/2024] The Importance of Gathering and Incorporating Mid-Semester Student Feedback.
Pingree, A. (n.d.) The Importance of Gathering and Incorporating Mid-Semester Student Feedback. Into Practice. Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, Harvard.
Collecting mid-semester feedback takes time, but when done well, this formative feedback process can create a stronger sense of community and investment in the learning process. In this short piece, Allison Pingree describes benefits, challenges, and best practices for this keystone instructional practice.
[9/25/2024] Using Student Data to Bridge the AI Divide
Frazee, J. (2024, April 10). Using Student Data to Bridge the AI Divide. EDUCAUSE REVIEW.
James Frazee examines the unequal access to AI technologies among students. The article underscores the need for equitable AI tool distribution and responsible implementation in higher education.
[9/11/2024] Is This The End of Reading? Students Are Coming To College Less Able And Less Willing To Read. Professor Are Stymied
McMurtie, B. (2024, May 9). Is This the End of Reading? Students are coming to college less able and less willing to read. Professor are Stymied. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Students’ inability/unwillingness to complete assigned readings or do much if any work outside of class has flummoxed many instructors. Beth McMurtrie’s piece in the Chronicle offers a number of helpful perspectives on the challenges to engaging students in course work.
[8/28/2024] The Problem With Participation Grades (And How To Solve It)
Broadbent, A. (2024, May 21). The problem with participation grades (and how to solve it). Inside Higher Ed.
In this article, the author, who is both an instructor and a graduate student, addresses the issues of community, support, and purpose in mandatory graded class participation. She then offers actionable suggestions to create better discussions including helping students understand that participation is a skill that can be practiced, as opposed to an innate personality trait.
[8/14/2024] 6 Ideas To Perk Up Your First Day Of Class
Rudenga, K. (2024, August 5). 6 Ideas to perk up your first day of class. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Looking to make your first day of class unforgettable? Check out this article for six ideas to kick off the fall semester with inclusive and learning-centered activities on the first day, including a syllabus survey, knowing who your students are, and more. Make your first day a success and set the stage for a productive semester for you and your students!
[7/31/2024] Five Keys To Motivating Students
Weimer, M. (2024, July 1). Five keys to motivating students. Faculty Focus.
Have you ever wondered how you might apply motivation research to enhance your students’ experiences and their learning outcomes? This article by leading teaching expert Maryellen Weimer provides a summary of five research-based characteristics of student motivation. Teaching strategies for harnessing motivation are provided.
[7/17/2024] What Does It Really Mean To Care For Students?
Supiano, B. (2024, June 13). What does it really mean to care for students?. Chronicle of Higher Education’s weekly Teaching newsletter
In this thoughtful piece, Beckie Supiano shares some insights about “teaching as an expression of care.” Whether you teach in mathematics, nursing, biostatistics, or gender studies, you have probably wondered about what it means to show care for your learners while keeping your classes on schedule, managing your many responsibilities, and not burning out. This is an enjoyable summer read with some good food for thought.
[6/5/2024] An Investigation Into ChatGPT’s Application For A Scientific Writing Assignment
Rojas, A. J. (2024). An Investigation into ChatGPT’s Application for a Scientific Writing Assignment. Journal of Chemical Education.
Can you use AI to improve students’ scientific writing skills? In this article a Chemistry instructor reports on his process of developing AI-based scientific writing assignments and his students’ perceptions on the usefulness of AI in completing the assignment and the associated ethical concerns. Supplementary information includes assignment prompts, rubrics, and learning objectives.
If you’d like to explore more strategies to embed AI in your teaching practice, check out this book.
Bowen, J. A. and Watson, C. E. (2024). Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning. Johns Hopkins University Press
In this groundbreaking and practical guide, José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson present emerging and powerful research on the seismic changes AI is already creating in schools and the workplace, providing invaluable insights into what AI can accomplish in the classroom and beyond.
[5/22/2024] Instructors As Innovators: A Future-Focused Approach To New AI Learning Opportunities, With Prompt
Mollick, E. R., & Mollick, L. (2024). Instructors as Innovators: a Future-focused Approach to New AI Learning Opportunities, With Prompts. Social Science Research Network.
Looking for ways to incorporate generative AI in your classroom in ways that enhance rather than circumvent learning? Mollick and Mollick offer detailed tips on prompt creation and GenAI classroom implementation for instructors hoping to utilize these tools and ethical and meaningful ways.
[5/8/2024] 10 Ideas for Reflecting at the End of the School Year
Schulten, K. (2023, May 16). 10 Ideas for Reflecting at the End of the School Year. The New York Times.
As the academic year draws to a close, check out these powerful practices designed to help you reflect on the year that was, think about what you learned, note how you grew and changed — and consider what it all means for next year.
[4/24/2024] Class Adjourned: The Importance of Ending Well
King, Tierney (Host). (2024, Mar 20). Class Adjourned: The Importance of Ending Well [Audio podcast episode]. In Faculty Focus Live, Faculty Focus.
We think much about how to start a class well, but tend to think less about how to end it well, though it is just as important. As the semester comes to a close, think about how you’d like to end your class. Take a moment to listen to this podcast or read its transcript offering reflections and celebrations as alternatives to having exams or projects be the students’ final memories of the class.
[4/10/2024] Creating A Wise Feedback Framing Statement
Ryan, K., Boucher, K., Logel, C., & Murphy, M. (2022). Creating a wise feedback framing statement. College Transition Collaborative.
Searching for the right words when you’re providing feedback on students’ assignments, exams, etc.? Read this resource guide on how to frame feedback using growth mindset language while communicating critical growth areas to your students. Guide includes examples of feedback framing statements and common pitfalls to avoid when using feedback as a learning tool for your students.
[3/27/2024] It’s Time To Start Teaching Your Students How To Be A Student
Isaacs, E. (2024, March 19). It’s time to start teaching your students how to be a student. Chronicle of Higher Education.
As we near the end of another busy semester, students may need a gentle reminder on how to manage their time and prioritize their activities. Read this article for tips on how to introduce and reinforce behaviors of successful college students as a part of your routine teaching in the classroom. This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account.
[3/13/2024] Taking a fresh look at InScribe
Taking a fresh look at InScribe. The Connected Professor a Fresh Look at Teaching and Learning With Technology at IU. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
Are you searching for innovative ways to build a sense of community in your large classes? Dive into this article to learn about InScribe 2.0, the virtual Q&A community tool at IU. Find out how your fellow instructors are leveraging this tool’s flexibility to manage questions and promote collaborative learning among their students.
Reach out to the CTL to get started with InScribe!
[2/28/2024] AI Assignments: 10 Best Practices for Higher Ed Instructors
Speicher, S. (2023, Dec. 22). AI Assignments: 10 Best Practices for Higher Ed Instructors. ACUE.
In this article, Speicher provides ten tips for incorporating AI into classroom discussions and assignments. For each example, Speicher also offers an example along with a "Human-Centered Tip" to help instructors ensure students use AI as a tool rather than a replacement for critical thinking and engagement. The article addresses creating activities as well as ways to foster ethical uses of these tools.
[2/14/2024] Gathering Mid-Semester Feedback: Three Variations to Improve Instruction
Payette, P. R., & Brown, M. K. (2018). Gathering mid-semester feedback: Three variations to improve instruction. IDEA Paper# 67. IDEA Center, Inc.
As we approach the midpoint of the semester, knowing what our students find helpful and not helpful about the course can help us make meaningful changes to improve their learning experience and outcomes. In this article, CTL Director, Marie Brown, and her colleague Patricia Payette from the University of Louisville share a step-by-step procedure for gathering and using mid-semester feedback and the research behind it. They offer guidance on implementing variations for instructors who are short on resources and/or time.
[1/31/2024] What Really Matters for Instructors Implementing Equitable and Inclusive Teaching Approaches
Addy, T. M., Reeves, P. M., Dube, D., Mitchell, K. A., Reeves, P. M., & Mitchell, K. A. (2021). What really matters for instructors implementing equitable and inclusive teaching approaches. To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, 40(1).
What factors influence why and how instructors implement inclusive teaching practices in their courses? National expert on inclusive teaching, Dr. Tracie Addy, answers this question in this article, where she presents research on the extent to which factors such as knowledge of inclusive teaching, disciplinary background, engagement in professional development, institutional support, etc. predict instructor’s use of inclusive teaching practice.
Don’t miss the opportunity to meet Dr. Addy in person at her talk on Feb. 7, 1 p.m., at the IUPUI Campus Center Theater.
[1/17/2024] Indecision About AI In Classes Is So Last Week
Ward, D., Gibbs, A., Henkel, T., Loshbaugh, H.G., Siering, G., Williamson, J., Kaysar, M. (2023, Dec 1). Indecision about AI in classes Is so last week. Inside Higher Ed.
Wondering about how to address students’ use of AI in your course? Consider this article for advice about how to talk about A.I. with your students, establish course policies, and think about how to prevent unproductive uses of generative A.I. Come see your CTL for more!
[1/3/2024] How to Teach a Good First Day of Class
Lang, J. (2018, August 21). How to teach a good first day of class. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Director of the teaching center and professor of English at Assumption College, James Lang, shares four key principles – curiosity, community, learning, and expectations – to design a successful first day that can motivate students to learn and feel welcomed and valued and set them up for success in the course.
This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account.
[12/20/2023] Syllabus Review Guide
Ryan, K., Boucher, K., Logel, C., & Murphy, M. (2022). Syllabus Review Guide. College Transition Collaborative.
Have you been updating your syllabus for the spring semester? Are you looking for inspiration and guidance? Conducting a syllabus review can help! By ensuring that the messages, policies, and practices included in your syllabi communicate a growth mindset about student potential, and promote a sense of belonging, YOU have a powerful opportunity to support student achievement, foster well-being, and contribute to equity in education.
[12/6/2023] Can we improve grading by collaborating with students?
Whysel, B. (2022, Dec 7). Can we improve grading by collaborating with students? Faculty Focus.
Slogging through final grading? Consider trying something different for the spring semester - collaborative grading. In this article, the author experiments with collaborative grading, where students become active participants in the assessment process. They saw both fairer grades and also a boost in student motivation and self-reflection.
[11/22/2023] Reducing AI Anxiety Starts By Talking To Students
Hommel, D., & Cohen, B. (2023, October 11). Reducing AI anxiety starts by talking to students. Faculty Focus.
Recent surveys in higher ed. reveal students’ anxiety about the role of Generative AI in their learning, employability, and professional growth. In this article, two educators share several strategies to uncover and address their students’ concerns about AI and discuss productive ways of using AI in the classroom and beyond.
[11/8/2023] Reducing AI Anxiety Starts By Talking To Students
Hommel, D., & Cohen, B. (2023, October 11). Reducing AI anxiety starts by talking to students. Faculty Focus.
Recent surveys in higher ed. reveal students’ anxiety about the role of Generative AI in their learning, employability, and professional growth. In this article, two educators share several strategies to uncover and address their students’ concerns about AI and discuss productive ways of using AI in the classroom and beyond.
[10/25/2023] Classroom Walls Are Shifting: Professors are open to online instruction – but what form is best?
McMurtrie, B. (2023, October 18). Classroom Walls Are Shifting: Professors are open to online instruction – but what form is best? Chronicle of Higher Education.
Surveys reveal that a growing number of college students now want to take some of their courses fully or partially online. Faculty members aren’t far behind due to sweeping changes ushered in during the pandemic. But is higher education ready?
[10/11/2023] Virtual Reality Helps Students Experience Healthcare Scenarios
Wong, W. (2022, Nov 30). Virtual reality helps students experience healthcare scenarios. EdTech.
Universities are increasingly using VR, augmented reality, and other immersive technologies as part of their curriculum, with medical and nursing schools among the early adopters. Although the article provides examples of programs using VR headsets, computers, and software in the health professions, VR/AR are becoming more prevalent across the disciplines. Learn more about what you can do with this technology in your teaching at the VR Lab in University Library.
[9/27/2023] Recovering student engagement at mid-course time
Conway, A. (2022, November 2). Recovering student engagement at mid-course time. Faculty Focus.
Asking your students what’s working well and what could be improved through a structured mid-semester feedback process has many returns – students feel heard which can help with motivation and engagement and you can improve their learning experience and strengthen your own scholarly teaching practice. Read this article for mid-semester check-in strategies and low stakes learning activities that can help you and students stay connected and engaged.
[9/13/2023] A multicourse, multisemester investigation of the impact of cognitive reappraisal and mindfulness instruction on short-and long-term learning in the college classroom
Cavanagh, S. R., Lang, J. M., Birk, J. L., Fulwiler, C. E., & Urry, H. L. (2021). A multicourse, multisemester investigation of the impact of cognitive reappraisal and mindfulness instruction on short-and long-term learning in the college classroom. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 7(1), 14.
Studies have shown that students’ emotional well-being impacts their cognitive resources such as attention and working memory, the tools they need to succeed as learners in our classes. This research study explores the possibilities of using mindfulness and cognitive reappraisal strategy as tools to improve students’ emotional wellness in certain aspects and create positive effects on their long-term learning and retention.
[8/30/2023] Building relationships is key for first-year college students – here are 5 easy ways to meet new friends and mentors
Lambert, L., Artze-Vega, I., Miranda Tapia, O., & Felten, P. (2023, August 11). Building relationships is key for first-year college students – here are 5 easy ways to meet new friends and mentors. The Conversation.
The first week of classes is crucial for your students to connect with you, their peers, and the campus community at large. Felten and colleagues interviewed more than 250 students at 36 institutions and this article summarizes the five steps recommended by students and scholars to building connections in college that support academic success and personal well-being. Share this with your students in class today!
You can also include this free online book Connections Are Everything: A College Student’s Guide to Relationship-Rich Education in your syllabus/Canvas home page as a resource for your students.
[8/16/2023] Syllabus Review Guide
Ryan, K., Boucher, K., Logel, C., & Murphy, M. (2022). Syllabus Review Guide. College Transition Collaborative.
Have you been updating your syllabus for fall semester? Are you looking for inspiration and guidance? Conducting a syllabus review can help!
Ensure that your messages, policies, and practices included in your syllabi communicate a growth mindset about student potential, and promote a sense of belonging. YOU have a powerful opportunity to support student achievement, foster well-being, and contribute to equity in education.
[8/2/2023] 4 Steps to Help You Plan for ChatGPT in Your Classroom
Darby, F. (2023, June 27). 4 Steps to Help You Plan for ChatGPT in Your Classroom. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
As Flower Darby, an expert in technology-enabled teaching notes, “It’s hard to know how to proceed with teaching in an AI world.” But, learning how to utilize AI tools in your teaching can benefit your students. In this short advice piece, Darby offers some practical tips for navigating the complexities of AI integration into instruction.
[7/19/2023] Student Wellness Tip: Incorporate Mindfulness into a First Year Seminar
Mowreader, A. (2023, July 11). Student Wellness Tip: Incorporate Mindfulness into a First Year Seminar. Student Success Newsletter. Inside Higher Ed.
Koru Mindfulness is an evidence-based course designed for college students to learn mindfulness skills. Learn more about how IUPUI has added mindfulness training into first-year seminar courses to give students practical tips for managing stress and learning gratitude.
[7/5/2023] Assigning AI: Seven Ways of Using AI in Class
Mollick, E. (2023c, June 12). Assigning AI: Seven Ways of Using AI in Class. One Useful Thing.
Looking for ideas to be creative and intentional in using AI in your courses? Ever thought about using AI as coach or a teammate or even a student? This article outlines the pedagogical risks vs. benefits of using AI in various roles such as a tutor, coach, simulator, teammate, etc. You'll find examples of AI prompts which can help you start thinking of ways to wrap AI into assignments, projects, and more! Share this companion tutorial with your students on how they can use AI to help their learning!
[6/21/2023] They Need Us to Be Well
Cavanaugh, S.R. (2023, May 2). They Need Us to Be Well. Chronicle of Higher Education.
You may not realize it, but one of the best ways you can impact student mental health is by taking care of yourself. In this article, Cavanaugh emphasizes the connection between your own state of mind and how you teach. Students’ meaningful experiences often relate to their instructors’ enthusiasm. Here you’ll find various ideas for creating joy in your classroom.
[6/7/2023] I’m a Student. You Have No Idea How Much We‘re Using ChatGPT
Terry, O. K. (2023, May 26). I’m a Student. You Have No Idea How Much We‘re Using ChatGPT. Chronicle of Higher Education.
In this illuminating opinion piece, Columbia University undergraduate Owen Kichizo Terry reflects on the disconnect between how professors and administrators think students use generative AI on written work and how they actually use it. Terry notes, “We don’t fully lean into AI and teach how to best use it, and we don’t fully prohibit it to keep it from interfering with exercises in critical thinking. We’re at an awkward middle ground where nobody knows what to do, where very few people in power even understand that something is wrong.”
[5/24/2023] On-boarding your AI Intern
Mollick, E. (2023, May 20). On-boarding your AI Intern. One Useful Thing.
Wouldn't it be nice to have more help with your daily work tasks? Ethan Mollick has suggestions for how AI can be useful in everyday work-life. Learn more about different AI’s and how they can help you save time.
*For more about AI at IU, check out: Precautions about using ChatGPT at IU*
[5/10/2023] Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High-Stakes Topics
University of Michigan. (n.d.). Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or High-Stakes Topics. Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
Navigating ‘hot moments’ in the classroom can be a challenge. These guidelines can empower you to become an active facilitator when dealing with unexpected and/or planned controversial classroom discussions.
[4/26/2023] Grading Student Work
Vanderbilt University. (2023). Grading Student Work. Center for Teaching. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
Looking for some end-of-semester grading support? Check out this Teaching Guide from the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching. It includes tips for making your grading more efficient, ideas for providing meaningful feedback to students, and recommendations for maintaining grading consistency. Happy grading!
[4/12/2023] True grit: Passion and persistence make an innovative course design work
Casper, A. M., Eddy, S. L., & Freeman, S. (2019). True grit: Passion and persistence make an innovative course design work. PLoS biology, 17(7), e3000359.
Course structure, including the number of required pre-class, in class, and post-class activities, can have a significant impact on student learning and equity. Read this paper to learn how one instructor experimented with various course structures to improve equity in their course.
[3/29/2023] Addressing an identity threatening incident
Ryan, K., Boucher, K., Logel, C., & Murphy, M. (2023, March). Addressing an identity threatening incident. College Transition Collaborative.
As an instructor, have you ever had an incident in your class where someone said something that created a sense of discomfort for individuals of a particular social identity group? Worse, did you feel unprepared for addressing the incident? You are NOT alone. Learn more about identity threatening incidents and gain practical, research-based strategies for addressing them in a way that promotes social belonging and builds connection and trust with students.
[3/15/2023] Reflecting on Your Practice? It’s Important to Slow Down
Ferlazzo, L. (2023, February 28). Reflecting on Your Practice? It’s important to Slow Down. Education Week.
Happy spring break! This week provides the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect. This article emphasizes the importance of reflecting on teaching practices in order to enhance student learning and grow professionally. It also offers several suggestions for how you can be intentional in reflective practice through writing, video recordings, observing others, and asking for feedback.
[3/1/2023] ‘Procrastination-friendly’ academe needs more deadlines
Susan D'Agostino (2023, February 10) ‘Procrastination-friendly’ academe needs more deadlines. Inside Higher Ed.
Do you have large assignments with a single end-of-semester due date? This article reports on cognitive psychology research on student procrastination and the how small changes to assignment-submission protocols can minimize procrastination distress, support students with mental health issues and still-developing executive function skills, and help them stay focused on course content.
[2/15/2023] Stop telling students, ‘You belong!’
Walton, G. (2021, November 9). Stop telling students, ‘You belong!’. Education Week.
What can we do in our classrooms and campus spaces to foster students’ sense of belonging and help them thrive as whole individuals? Read this article to learn more about why it’s important to go beyond simply talking about belonging and the three strategies we can use to create welcoming and inclusive learning environments for our students.
[2/1/2023] How to productively address AI-Generated text in your classroom
Indiana University Bloomington. (2023, January 14). How to productively address AI-Generated text in your classroom.Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Retrieved January 25, 2023
With all the recent discussion around ChatGPT, a new AI text-generating tool that has caused quite a stir in higher education, the IUB Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning has put together this blog post that highlights what the tool does and provides suggestions and resources for faculty on how to approach this new technology in their courses.
[1/18/2023] Modeling and Practicing Self-Compassion and Mindfulness
Jarosinski, C. (2022, October 24). The power of role modeling self-compassion practices in your class. Faculty Focus.
Bryan, V., & Blackman, G. (2019). The ethics of self-care in higher education. Emerging Perspectives: Interdisciplinary Graduate Research in Education and Psychology, 3(2), 14-34.
Self-care can be a challenge in the day-to-day life of an educator. Mindful self-compassion is a construct that intersects with many factors connected to learning, including growth mindset, motivation, and persistence (in both students and faculty!) These articles explore the practice of self-compassion as a powerful way to create a culture of care while addressing systemic barriers to equity and inclusion.
[1/4/2023] Creating a Friendlier Syllabus
Carrasco, M. (2022, April 21). Creating a friendlier syllabus. Inside Higher Ed.
Your syllabus sets the tone for the semester. A new tool kit developed by the Student Experience Project, a group of university leaders, faculty, researchers, and national education organizations, is dedicated to helping faculty create more welcoming and inclusive syllabi focused on student success.
[12/21/2022] Improving the learning experience for all students
Herpst, S. (n.d.). Improving the learning experience for all students. The Connected Professor a Fresh Look at Teaching and Learning With Technology at IU.
Looking for a way to make your course content more accessible? Indiana University launched a new accessibility tool called Anthology Ally! Read this article to learn how Ally can be used to create accessible content for your students on Canvas and how an IU East faculty member has used it to make her course more accessible in a efficient and effective manner.
[12/7/2022] With online social annotation, students read together
McMurtrie, B. (2022, Nov 17). Teaching: How Students Can Help Create More Accessible Courses. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
In this Teaching newsletter we learn about the results of a fascinating pilot study in student-teacher collaboration to make courses more accessible. Faculty-student duos worked together to review ad policies to help students who can’t always afford documenting their need for accommodations. Read on to consider how we might build empathy when creating course syllabi and policies.
[11/9/2022] With online social annotation, students read together
D'Agostino, S. (2022, Oct 12). With online social annotation, students read together. Inside Higher Ed.
This article reports on a new study on online social annotation (SA), including collaborative reading, thinking, and marking up of an article, webpage, or other digital text. The study offers evidence that this strategy can help students better understand and construct knowledge around scholarly content, while at the same time building community. D’Agostino also includes comments on the benefits and challenges of SA from instructors who have incorporated it into their online or hybrid courses. The original study can be found on PubMed. Hypothes.is, the SA tool used in the study, is available to use at IU.
[10/26/2022] When ‘rigor’ targets disabled students
Pryal, K. R. G. (2022, October 6). When ‘rigor’ targets disabled students. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
It’s natural to worry that students are not taking their studies seriously, and to want to set policies that will require them to attend class, participate, and meet deadlines. However, Katie Rose Guest Pryal urges you to think twice about how these policies may be inadvertently targeting disabled students precisely when they need our help most. The author discusses several ways in which she has adjusted her own pedagogy to make her own class more universally accessible without sacrificing intellectual rigor.
This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account.
[10/12/2022] Why Students Hate Group Projects (and How to Change That)
Lang, J. M. (2022, June 17). Why Students Hate Group Projects (and How to Change That). The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Instructors are usually not met with excitement when they assign a group project. Students’ lack of enthusiasm can be due to past group projects. In this article James M. Lang shares his daughter’s frustrating experience with group members not communicating, contributing, or meeting deadlines. Lang encourages instructors to not abandon group projects, but to go beyond assigning them by providing explicit guidance and checking in with groups.
[9/28/2022] The Question of ‘Cold Calling’
Supiano, B. (2022, Sept. 12). The Question of ‘Cold Calling’. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
While many instructors use discussions or other types of active learning, only a few students may choose to voluntarily participate. This may lead instructors to use ‘cold calling’ to hold students accountable and ensure equitable participation. This article describes benefits, drawbacks, and recommendations for how to use cold calling effectively.
This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account.
[9/14/2022] 4 Misconceptions about Online Learning
Stamper, B. (May 24, 2022). 4 misconceptions about online learning. Educause.
This article exhorts us to shake off four misconceptions we may be hanging onto as we move back out of emergency online teaching and reconsider a more deliberate online approach. They include that group work is untenable online, that you must meet synchronously with students, that online learning is devoid of “Aha!” moments, and that we can’t include the same amount of content as in a face-to-face setting. Watch each misconception get debunked!
[8/31/2022] How Peer Review Could Improve Our Teaching
Greenhoot, A.F., Austin, A., Cornejo Weaver, G., & Finkelstein, N.D. (May 20, 2022) How Peer Review Could Improve Our Teaching. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Faculty peer review may not be something we look forward to, but perhaps it should be. This article encourages us to reimagine peer review as an opportunity to enhance the value of teaching as part of our academic portfolio. Not only that, with a modest investment of time and energy, we could resolve the inherent problems of over relying on course evaluations and student ratings. Peer review, as the authors emphasize, is a scholarly act, and no one-size-fits-all solution will work, but they provide several valuable considerations.
This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account success.
[8/17/2022] Creating a Friendlier Syllabus
Carrasco, M. (2022, April 21). Creating a friendlier syllabus. Inside Higher Ed.
Your syllabus sets the tone for the semester. A new tool kit developed by the Student Experience Project, a group of university leaders, faculty, researchers, and national education organizations, is dedicated to helping faculty create more welcoming and inclusive syllabi focused on student success.
[8/3/2022] A Tool to Advance Inclusive Teaching Efforts: The “Who’s in Class?” Form
Addy, T. M., Mitchell, K. A., & Dube, D. (2021). A tool to advance inclusive teaching efforts: The “Who’s in Class?” form. Journal of microbiology & biology education, 22(3), e00183-21.
Knowing who your students are can help you identify appropriate inclusive teaching practices that can create a welcoming learning environment where all students feel valued and supported. This article presents the “Who’s in Class” tool, its benefits and limitations, and feedback from instructors who’ve used it and the perspectives of their students.
[7/20/2022] Creating Emotional Engagement on Online Learning
Fanshawe, M., Burke, K., Tualaulelei, E., & Cameron, C. (August 31, 2020).Creating emotional engagement on online learning. Educause.
If you are wondering how to keep your online students engaged, this data-driven article has some important tips for you. Yes, keeping your course clear and well organized is a must. Make sure your students know how your assignments align with your course outcomes, so they don’t assume they’re inundated with busywork. But do not neglect their emotional engagement; this is a crucial component of online teaching effectiveness.
[7/6/2022] Students See COVID’s Impact on Professors
Ezarik, M. (June 17, 2022). Students see COVID’s impact on professors. Inside Higher Ed.
Following the return to primarily in-person teaching, students and instructors have reported feeling stressed and overwhelmed, which has impacted classroom dynamics and students’ learning. This infographic illustrates students’ perceptions of teaching and their instructors during the past year, including their experiences with classroom accommodations, technology, and organization.
[6/22/2022] From Barely There to Fully Present: Three Ways to Improve Your Instructor Presence
Monsivais, D. (June 10, 2022). From barely there to fully present: Three ways to improve your instructor presence. Faculty Focus.
In online courses, how instructors interact with students and guide their learning is essential for student success. This article provides instructors with a three-step approach to improve their presence in a course and enhance student learning.
[6/8/2022] Centering Racially Minoritized Student Voices in High-Impact Practices
Kinzie, J., Silberstein, S., McCormick, A. C., Gonyea, R. M., & Dugan, B. (2021). Centering racially minoritized student voices in High-Impact Practices. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 53(4), 6-14.
A strong body of literature demonstrates that High-impact practices (HIPs) are beneficial for all students, particularly historically excluded groups. However, do all students experience HIPs in the same ways? This article presents results that highlight differences in experiences of racially minoritized students in the context of time and effort, interactions with faculty and peers, engaging with diversity, and the most and least satisfying aspects of their experience. If you use or plan to use HIPs, consider how these findings can impact your course design strategies!
[5/25/2022] Semester Wrap-up
Supiano, B. (2022, May 13). Semester wrap-up. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Although you may be ready to put the semester behind you, you might find that following the suggestions in this article for documenting your teaching success, reflecting, and taking a break will make your life easier and happier in the fall semester.
[5/11/2022] Short and Sweet: The Educational Benefits of Microlectures and Active Learning
Zheng, H. (2022, February 17). Short and sweet: The educational benefits of microlectures and active learning. Educause.
Zheng provides a great summary of whys and hows of taking your lecture from one long (let’s face it, nearly-unwatchable) video into shorter microlectures punctuated by active learning experiences that can be completed online. Contact a CTL consultant to learn how Kaltura, Quick Checks, PlayPosit, and other IU-supported tools can help you set up the activities suggested in this article!
[4/27/2022] A Stunning Level of Student Disconnection: Professors are Reporting Record Numbers of Students Checked Out, Stressed Out, and Unsure of Their Future
McMurtrie, B. (2022, April 5). A ‘stunning’ level of student disconnection: Professors are reporting record numbers of students checked out, stressed out, and unsure of their future. Chronicle of Higher Education.
If you are experiencing a higher than usual number of students who seem disconnected in your courses, this article might provide you with some useful insights into what’s happening with students across the country and how faculty, who may be feeling stressed themselves, are responding. This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free.
[4/13/2022] 6 Tips for Teaching Online and In Person Simultaneously
Crook, A. & Crook, T. (2020, August 26). 6 tips for teaching online and in person simultaneously. Inside Higher Ed.
As more students join the classroom, many are still joining class meetings online. Balancing and harmonizing a classroom with in-person and online students can be challenging and overwhelming. This article provides six strategies and two different approaches to fostering an engaging learning environment for all the students.
[3/30/2022] Equity-Minded Communications Boost Effectiveness of Early Alerts
Kelly, R. (2022, March 22). Equity-Minded Communications Boost Effectiveness of Early Alerts. Campus Technology.
Following up on the reminder sent out last week to complete the Student Engagement Roster, this article provides recommendations for crafting early warning messages to elicit more positive student response.
[3/16/2022] Making Mental Health More Visible in Your Course
Eng, N. (2022, March 9). Making mental health more visible in your course. Faculty Focus.
As we push past the mid-semester fatigue and prepare for the final few weeks of courses after spring break, consider the five concrete strategies suggested in this article to prioritize mental health explicitly in the classroom. You may also get some ideas for self-care! Article includes examples of class activities, mid-semester feedback survey questions, and a sample check-in email.
[3/3/2022] How to Give Our Students the Grace We All Need
Else-Quest, N.; Sathy, V., & Hogan, K. A. (2022, January 18). How to give our students the grace we all need. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
As we return to increasing in-person interactions and class meetings, faculty, staff, and students are still coping with physical and mental health issues. Drawing on principles of positive education and trauma-informed pedagogy, this article discusses six ways that instructors can better support students without exhausting themselves in the effort.
This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account. You can also learn more about trauma-informed pedagogy at the E.C. Moore Symposium keynote address on March 4!
[2/16/2022] Academe Has a Lot to Learn About How Inclusive Teaching Affects Instructors
Pittman, C. & Tobin, T. (2022, February 7). Academe Has a Lot to Learn About How Inclusive Teaching Affects Instructors. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Many inclusive teaching strategies advocate for giving students a sense of ownership and assume that all instructors are perceived to have the same level of authority in classroom spaces. Two instructors share their different experiences and results from using inclusive teaching practices. They also offer practical recommendations for how to use inclusive teaching strategies in a way that acknowledges inequities faced by instructors.
[2/2/2022] Dealing with Student Distraction.
Lederman, D. (2020, November 17). Dealing with student distraction. Inside Higher Ed.
The use of phones, laptops, and other devices in the classroom and their challenges is an ongoing conversation in education. When it comes to technology in the classroom, an English professor shares strategies on cultivating attention to prevent distractions.
[1/19/2022] Reconsidering the Share of a Think–pair–share: Emerging Limitations, Alternatives, and Opportunities for Research
Cooper, K. M., Schinske, J. N., & Tanner, K. D. (2021). Reconsidering the share of a think–pair–share: Emerging limitations, alternatives, and opportunities for research. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(1), fe1.
Think-pair-share is a widely used evidence-based teaching strategy to promote student engagement with content and their peers. But is this activity truly inclusive and equitable for all students? Can it have unintended consequences for student learning experiences? Read this article to reflect on common assumptions about its benefits, potential issues with inclusion and equity, and how you can modify it to address these issues.
[1/5/2022] Through the Students' Eyes: Insights into What's Most Important
McFadden, L. B. (2021, June 11). Through the students’ eyes: Insights into what’s most important.
Faculty Focus.
As you’re finalizing your course prep for the spring semester, read this instructor’s reflections on her course evaluations and consider which strategies you could use to make your class meetings more meaningful, inclusive, and engaging for your students.
[12/22/2021] Rethinking the Course Syllabus: Considerations for Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Fuentes, M. A., Zelaya, D. G., & Madsen, J. W. (2020). Rethinking the course syllabus: Considerations for promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. Teaching of Psychology, 48(1), 69-79.
Writing your syllabus using an equity and inclusion-centered lens can invite students into a welcoming learning space from day one. This article provides a comprehensive and useful guide for developing a syllabus that assists with the integration of equity, diversity, and inclusion to communicate your philosophy, expectations, requirements, and other course information.
[12/8/2021] The Student-centered Syllabus
Supiano, B. (2021, November 22), The Student-centered syllabus. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Are you thinking about changing your syllabus or have you already changed your syllabus due to pandemic conditions? This article shares how and why instructors made changes to their course to be more flexible while maintaining the integrity of their course. Check out the learning-centered syllabus rubric and the equity-minded syllabus review guide to create a welcoming and inclusive syllabus. This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account.
[11/29/2021] Words Matter: Why I Embrace Anti-Ableist Language
O’Grady, C. (2021, September 21). Words matter: Why I embrace anti-ableist language. IUPUI University Writing Center Blog.
This article introduces ableism and provides resources and strategies to use anti-ableist language in our oral and written communications, which can help in creating welcoming, inclusive, and equitable spaces and conversations!
[11/10/2021] 4 Simple Ways to Help Your Most-Disconnected Students
Willett, M. (2021, October 19). 4 Simple ways to help your most-disconnected students. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Students who feel disconnected from their college or university are more likely to leave. Individual faculty members, administrators, and staff members can make a difference to students’ feelings of connection by engaging in a few key practices. This article can be accessed for free when on the IU Network or by signing up for a free Chronicle account.
[10/27/2021] The Appreciative Close: A Strategy for Creating a Classroom Community
Vecellio, S. (2021, October 8). The appreciative close: A strategy for creating a classroom community. Faculty Focus.
The classroom of students who view themselves as a mutually-supportive community engaged in a shared endeavor learns better than the classful of students who don't feel connected to one another in this way. Shawn Vecellio suggests a way to remind the class of the contributions that individual students have made to help one another’s learning, thereby creating a more inclusive and welcoming setting for students and for learning.
[10/13/2021] Benefits of Talking with Students about Mid-course Evaluations
Weimer, M. (2016, June 15). Benefits of talking with students about mid-course evaluations. Faculty Focus.
Are you planning to gather mid-semester feedback from your students, but wondering how to communicate its purpose and its benefits to you and them? Read this article for strategies on why and how to have productive conversations with students before and after gathering mid-semester feedback.
[9/29/2021] Hidden Identities Shape Student Perceptions of Active Learning Environments
Henning, J. A., Ballen, C. J., Molina, S. A., & Cotner, S. (2019, November). Hidden identities shape student perceptions of active learning environments. Frontiers in Education (Vol. 4, p. 129). Frontiers.
In addition to promoting deeper learning, active learning strategies can also promote inclusion and equity. However, the social aspects of active learning, such as group work, may negatively impact students with stigmatized identities. This article demonstrates that students with various identities, including those who are politically conservative, commute to campus, and identify as queer, report lower inclusion in group work. The authors also discuss implications for structuring group work.
[9/15/2021] Incoming Freshmen Are Mentally Exhausted
Carrasco, M. (2021, August 17). Incoming freshmen are mentally exhausted. Inside Higher Ed.
This year’s Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement, administered by the IU Bloomington Center for Postsecondary Research, found that while students are still mostly optimistic about their first year, over half of incoming freshmen reported a substantial increase in mental and emotional exhaustion. More information is available on the BCSSE website and provides more details on the toll of the pandemic on students.
[9/1/2021] 10 Course Policies to Rethink on Your Fall Syllabus
Johnson, M. (2021, August 11). 10 Course Policies to Rethink on Your Fall Syllabus. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The semester may have already started, but it’s not too late to take another look at your syllabus as we begin another semester during trying times. This article by Matthew Johnson brings up 10 elements of your syllabus that you may not have considered as you prepped for this fall, but that might make a huge difference for the health and well-being of your students. If you decide to make changes after the start of the semester, discuss them with your students and explain the rationale.
[8/18/2021] Research: How Our Class Background Affects The Way We Collaborate
Dittman, A., Stephens, N., & Townsend, S. (2021, July 20). Research: How our class background affects the way we collaborate. Harvard Business Review
This article highlights research that shows that interdependent teamwork that leverages the group’s collective expertise and skills, rather than the divide and conquer approach, enables team members from lower social-class background to perform to their fullest potential or sometimes, even outperform their typically more advantaged counterparts from higher social-class background. Consider these implications when designing collaborative learning activities for your students!
Additional reading – Learn more about how focus on independence over inter-dependence undermines the academic performance of first-generation college students.
[8/4/2021] Embrace and Celebrate Diverse Names in Science
Ciubotariu, I. I. (2021). Embrace and celebrate diverse names in science. Nature.
Making the effort to learn our students’ names and pronouncing them correctly is an important first step in acknowledging their identity and creating a welcoming classroom. An international graduate student shares her experiences and provides strategies to guide others on how to pronounce your name and how you can learn to pronounce others’ names correctly.
At Indiana University, NameCoach is a tool in all officially provisioned classes in Canvas that is designed to help instructors and students learn how to pronounce the names of the people in their classes. Learn more and record your name today!
[7/21/2021] Increasing Student Engagement During Synchronous Online Classes
Sebastien, N. (2021, July 7). Increasing student engagement during synchronous online classes. Faculty Focus.
If you’re teaching a synchronous online class this summer, consider these strategies to create meaningful and frequent ways for students to interact with you, the course content, and with one another.
[7/7/2021] Distracted Minds
Lang, James M. (2020-2021). Distracted minds, Series in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Gaining and keeping students’ attention can be challenging but getting students to focus on instructional activities is critical for their learning. This series of articles focuses on distraction in the college classroom and what to do about it but also touches on what faculty members can do to improve their own focus on work.
[6/23/2021] Faculty Members’ Biases and Prejudices
Oleson, K.C., (2021, May 20). Faculty members’ biases and prejudices. Tomorrow’s Professor, 1875.
This excerpt from Kathryn C. Oleson’s Promoting Inclusive Classroom Dynamics in Higher Education: A Research-Based Pedagogical Guide for Faculty examines some ways of addressing explicit and implicit biases in teaching and learning to create an egalitarian space where all students are treated in unbiased ways.
[6/9/2021] 2 Ways to Fairly Grade Class Participation
Lang, J. M. (2021, May 17). 2 Ways to Fairly Grade Class Participation. The Chronicle of Higher Education
Common approaches to awarding participation points rely on instructors’ (imperfect) memory of class sessions and is subject to unconscious bias. In this article, James Lang offers two alternative approaches for assigning participation points that rely on concrete artifacts created by students.
[5/26/2021] Strategies for Antiracist and Decolonized Teaching
Twyman-Ghoshal, A., & Lacorazza, D. C. (2021, March 29). Strategies for antiracist and decolonized teaching. Faculty Focus.
Although there have been many calls to action for integrating antiracist pedagogies in the classroom, there has been little progress in curricular revisions. In order to begin and sustain this process, instructors must continually educate themselves about antiracist pedagogy. This article describes five key areas of action for antiracist and decolonized teaching and includes a series of questions to guide instructors in their adoption of these practices.
[5/12/2021] Why 5-minute Targeted Lectures Might Be The Most Effective Way to Deliver Content
Bayraaktar, B. Tip: Microlectures, Why 5-minute targeted lectures might be the most effective way to deliver content.Tips for Teaching Professors.
Microlectures can be helpful learning tools. Read this blog post to learn why they can be helpful and for resources on how to create them. Don’t miss the link to a presentation on microlectures titled Pocket Guide to Creating Microlectures which, among other things, presents the components of an effective microlecture and tips for making sure students are watching your videos.
[4/28/2021] Advice for Humanizing Classrooms and Practicing Antiracist Pedagogy.
DeCuir, A. (2021, Mar 24). Advice for humanizing classrooms and practicing antiracist pedagogy, Inside Higher Ed.
Although often narrowly defined to teaching issues of race and inequality, antiracist pedagogy itself is grounded in the work of humanizing one another. Humanizing validates students’ right to show up as they are and to claim their lived experiences as meaningful, and it recognizes them as the deeply complex individuals they are. The author shares 10 habits to humanize the online classroom to embody antiracist pedagogy.
[4/14/2021] Antiracism and the Problems with “Achievement Gaps” in STEM Education
Gouvea, J. S. (2021). Antiracism and the Problems with “Achievement Gaps” in STEM Education.CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(1), fe2.
While achievement gaps are often discussed in conversations about promoting equity in classes, these conversations can inadvertently perpetuate racism. This article provides an overview of three recent articles on persistent inequities in STEM classrooms to provide context around how we talk about achievement and how we measure achievement in our courses.
[3/31/2021] Nonverbal Overload: A Theoretical Argument for the Causes of Zoom Fatigue
Bailenson, J. N. (2021). Nonverbal overload: A theoretical argument for the causes of Zoom fatigue. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 2(1).
The affordances of videoconferencing technology met and even exceeded higher education demands during the pandemic, but it can also be exhausting to be perpetually engaged online. This article presents emerging theories and research on why “Zoom fatigue” can have psychological consequences in our work and social lives and presents practical solutions to mitigate it.
[3/17/2021] How to Play in the College Classroom in a Pandemic, and Why You Should
Cavanaugh, S.R. (2021, February 9). How to Play in the College Classroom in a Pandemic, and Why You Should. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Link requires IU network ID.
Now, more than ever, we need to find pedagogically sound ways to help students let off steam and reengage in course content refreshed and renewed. Sarah Rose Cavanaugh walks us through seven ways we can bring play into the college classroom despite, and perhaps even because of, the pandemic.
[3/4/2021] 10 Ways to Tackle Linguistic Bias in our Classrooms.
Savini, C. (2021, January 27). 10 Ways to tackle linguistic bias in our classrooms. Inside Higher Education.
Prejudices about how our students speak and write is an iss of equity and inclusion. Catherine Savini gives us 10 strategies to recognize and combat linguistic bias in our classrooms.
[2/17/2021] Show Them You Care
Estefan, M. (2021, February 3). Show them you care. Inside Higher Education.
The extended isolation of the pandemic has disproportionally affected first-generation, low-income and racially minoritized students, but Michel Estefan has concrete, manageable suggestions that faculty can use to help students feel connected and empowered, even in online teaching environments.
[1/20/2021] Advising in the Time of COVID
Flaherty, C. (2020, December, 14). Advising in the time of COVID. Inside Higher Education.
We know that faculty advising, whether formal or informal, is important for student success. A recent report from the National Survey of Student Engagement, from the IUB Center for Postsecondary Research, discusses the impact of three crucial aspects of successful advising from the student perspective. For a deeper dive, see the NSSE website.
[1/6/2021] Rethinking the Course Syllabus: Considerations for Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Fuentes, M. A., Zelaya, D. G., & Madsen, J. W. (2020). Rethinking the course syllabus: Considerations for promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. Teaching of Psychology, 48(1), 69-79.
Writing your syllabus using an equity and inclusion-centered lens can invite students into a welcoming learning space from day one. This article provides a comprehensive and useful guide for developing a syllabus that assists with the integration of equity, diversity, and inclusion to communicate your philosophy, expectations, requirements, and other course information.
[12/16/2020] A Pandemic Crash Course: Learning to Teach Equitably in Synchronous Online Classes
Reinholz, D. L., Stone-Johnstone, A., White, I., Sianez Jr, L. M., & Shah, N. (2020). A pandemic crash course: Learning to teach equitably in synchronous online classes.CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(4), ar60.
A professional learning community used an observation protocol to provide data analytics to instructors during spring 2020, when their courses moved online mid-semester, and faculty were able to see how student participation patterns changed with the new format. The article describes concrete strategies instructors used to equitably increase student participation in their online classes.
[12/2/2020] What’s the Best, Most Effective Way to Take Notes?
Brown, C. (2015, May 21). What’s the best, most effective way to take notes? The Conversation. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
Note-taking is integral to the process of learning in a lecture course, but students don’t often know how best to take notes. Claire Brown’s article for The Conversation can help you explain to students how to take notes during class, and why it’s important.
[11/17/2020] The Need to Combat a False Growth Mind-Set.
Fohuti, O. (2020, October 21). The need to combat a false growth mind-set. Inside Higher Education.
Most of us think we know what it means to have a growth mind-set, but if our understanding is faulty or incomplete, we may actually be doing students more harm than good. This article explores the importance of understanding the subtleties of Carol Dweck’s concept to maximize its benefit.
[11/6/2020] Encouraging Student Engagement During Synchronous Meetings: Preventing Midterm Drop-Off
Clifford, S. (2020, November 4). Encouraging student engagement during synchronous meetings: preventing midterm drop-off. Faculty Focus
How can we combat the mid-semester fatigue and the added challenge of excessive Zoom screen time during the pandemic? This article shares six scenarios with strategies and ideas to encourage accountability and build in motivation so the momentum continues until the end.
[10/29/2020] Teaching: Getting Creative with Course Assessments
McMurtrie, B. (2020, August 27). Teaching: Getting creative with course assessments. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
High-stakes tests cause a lot of anxiety for students and faculty. The pandemic and the challenges of online proctoring have only made things more difficult. Here are some alternatives to the in-class examination.
[10/14/2020] Lessons from the 2020 Democratic and Republican Conventions – for Teaching Online
Zimmerman, J. (2020, August 31). Lessons from the 2020 Democratic and Republican conventions – for teaching online. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
Lessons about online teaching and learning can be gleaned from the speeches of the online Democratic and Republican conventions of 2020. Jonathan Zimmerman describes how the virtual conventions revealed what to do, and what not to do, in your online course.
[9/21/2020] Effective Teaching is Anti-racist Teaching
Wright, M. (2020, September 7). Effective teaching is anti-racist teaching. Tomorrow’s Professor, 1812. Can classrooms be sites for social transformation? This article poses this question and answers it affirmatively with five key starting points of anti-racist classrooms.
[9/9/2020] 6 Quick Ways to Be More Inclusive in a Virtual Classroom
Darby, F. (2020, July 23). 6 quick ways to be more inclusive in a virtual classroom. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Are you teaching partially or fully online this fall? Worried about questions of inclusion and equity? This article delineates some great ways to think about both accessibility and cultural inclusion that may not have occurred to you. You and your students will benefit greatly from these quick tips. (IU Network or IU Library Authentication Required)
[8/26/2020] The Secret Weapon of Good Online Teaching: Discussion Forums
Darby, F. (2020, August 24). The secret weapon of good online teaching: Discussion forums. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Discussion forums are an effective tool to engage students and assess their learning in online courses. This article provides six ways to lead meaningful class discussions in an asynchronous online forum.
[8/11/2020] Turns Out You Can Build Community in a Zoom Classroom
Toor, R. (2020, June 23). Turns out you can build community in a Zoom classroom. Chronicle of Higher Education [chronicle.com]. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
Fears about a spreading pandemic has pushed many instructors from their in-person classes to the online setting. The move online brings with it a legitimate concern that students will not feel as connected to instructor, to other students, and to content. Rachel Toor describes some approaches that may work for the Zoom online setting.
[8/3/2020] A Four-step Plan: The First Day of Class on Zoom
Wong, C. (2020, August 5). A four-step plan: The first day of class on Zoom. Faculty Focus.
Will you be meeting your students on Zoom on your first day of class? This article provides a four-step plan with examples that you can try to get you and your students started off to a positive and welcoming first day of class!
[7/14/2020] Active Learning in Hybrid and Physically Distanced Classrooms
Bruff, D. (2020, June 11). Active learning in hybrid and Physically Distanced Classrooms. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.
This article provides a few examples of possible strategies we could use to create a community and engage our students in the hybrid and physically distanced classroom.
[7/8/2020] Fostering Fun: Engaging Students with Asynchronous Online Learning.
Forbes, Lisa. (2020, June 17). Fostering fun: Engaging students with asynchronous online learning. Faculty Focus.
Engaging students in online and hybrid courses can pose additional challenges due to lack regular face-to-face interactions. This article provides six creative strategies to get students motivated, feel welcome, and be ready to participate in your course activities.
[6/26/2020] 'We Can’t Ignore This Issue’: How to Talk with Students about Racism
McMurtrie, B. (2020, June 18). 'We can’t ignore this issue’: How to talk with students about racism. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
You may be wondering if and how you should address the recent protests and racism in your course. While you may be tempted to ignore these issues, doing so sends the message that you are uninformed or you do not care, both of which can perpetuate inequity in your course. This article includes advice for how to initiate and guide these conversations from a variety of experts and a list of resources and articles on teaching about racism.
[6/10/2020] Syllabus Review Guide
Bensimon, E. M. (n.d.). Syllabus Review Guide. Retrieved from http://cue-equitytools.usc.edu/.
The recent protests have highlighted the institutional racism that people of color experience on a daily basis and the importance of educating ourselves in antiracist practices. As instructors, we have a responsibility to develop courses that are equitable and anti-racist, beginning with the syllabus. This syllabus review guide provides a framework for you to review your syllabi through a race-conscious lens to identify areas that can be leveraged to promote racial equity.
[5/27/2020] SAGE Musings: Working from Home
Ormand, C. (2020, April 2). SAGE Musings: Working from home. Tomorrow’s Professor, 1798.
Working from home has become the new normal in many higher ed. institutions. This article shares several helpful strategies to maximize our academic productivity without burning out and setting realistic expectations for others and ourselves.
[5/13/2020] Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning Online: Principles and Practices During a Global Health Crisis
Baez, J. C., Marquart, M. S., Garay, K., & Chung, R. Y. E. (2020). Trauma-informed teaching and learning online: Principles & practices during a global health crisis.
Students may be experiencing additional stress, anxiety, or mental health issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This one-page overview of trauma-informed teaching provides a list of practical strategies that you can incorporate into your courses to support students during the global health crisis.
[4/29/2020] Mindfulness in the (Online) Classroom
Bonner, A. (2020, April 20). Mindfulness in the (online) classroom. Faculty Focus
Online summer courses are starting in a few weeks! Some of us may be teaching a summer course online for the first time. This article shares some practical mindfulness techniques that can help you and your students deal successfully with stress and practice self-care and awareness.
[4/15/2020] ‘Don’t Worry about The Class’: How One Professor Responded to a Student with Covid-19 Symptoms
Supiano, B. (2020, April 9). ‘Don’t worry about the class’: How one professor responded to a student with Covid-19 symptoms. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
As the Covid-19 outbreak continues, more students are likely to be infected or impacted by the virus. This article describes how one professor responded to a student with Covid-19 symptoms with compassion and flexibility, and the response she got when she shared her message and the thinking behind it on Twitter.
[4/1/2020] Keep Calm and Keep Teaching.
Greene, J. (2020, March 17). Keep calm and keep teaching. Inside Higher Ed.
This article highlights many human and technology solutions to the challenges instructors and students are facing as we shift suddenly to remote instruction. Consider these strategies to make a smooth transition that is supportive and productive for all involved.
[3/19/2020] Going Online in a Hurry: What to Do and Where to Start
Miller, M.D. (2020, March 9). Going online in a hurry: What to do and where to start.The Chronicle of Higher Education.
This article provides solid advice for planning to not only continue teaching your course online but also, just as importantly, support your students’ learning during this period.
[3/4/2020] It's Working for Me, Is It Working for You?
Conrad, R. (2018, March 18). It’s working for me. Is it working for you?Tomorrow’s Professor, 1768.
Faculty and students are getting ready for spring break! Now would be a good time to check-in with our students about their learning experiences thus far in the semester. This article shares a few practical strategies for and the advantages of gathering mid-semester feedback from your students. You can also check out the CTL resources that assist with getting student feedback.
[2/19/2020] "Just to Get the Grade," Learning Ecologies and Invisible Student Resistance
Pugh, M. (2020). "Just to Get the Grade": Learning Ecologies and Invisible Student Resistance. Pedagogy, 20(1), 59-71.
An English professor shares a close examination of how instructors can ensure that they are not being intolerant of some students’ views and beliefs. The article focuses on one student’s experience writing about his religious beliefs in a class and how the instructor creates a learning environment within which the student can feel free to write and be read fairly. This essay shows how instructors can create ideological transparency in a class.
[2/5/2020] How to Make Smart Choices about Tech for Your Course
Miller, M.D. (2019, August 23). How to make smart choices about tech for your course. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
What types of things should you take into consideration when selecting technology tools that you want to use for your course? This article walks you through specific questions to consider when incorporating technology into your class. IU provides access to a long list of instructional technology resources available to you and your students. Check out the Technology Tool Finder for more information.
[1/23/2020] Managing Politically Charged Classroom Conversations Through Technology
Eskridge, S. (2020, January 14). Managing Politically Charged Classroom Conversations Through Technology. Inside Higher Ed.
Not sure about how to facilitate a discussion on a challenging or controversial topic? In this article, the author shares how she used anonymous polling to foster objectivity and engage all students in political discussions.
[1/8/2020] First Day of Class Activities that Create a Climate for Learning
Weimer, M. (2019, September 6) First day of class activities that create a climate for learning. Faculty Focus.
Creating a welcoming, engaging, and learning-focused first day of class can set you and your students up for a successful semester. This article shares novel activities that emphasize the importance of learning and the responsibilities student share for shaping the classroom environment.
[12/19/2019] How to Create a Syllabus: Advice Guide
Gannon, K. (2019). How to create a syllabus: Advice guide. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Creating a new syllabus or want to reexamine an old one? This comprehensive guide will show you how to design a syllabus so that it’s not only an effective map of your course’s nuts and bolts logistics but also an invitation to actively engage in the learning process.
[12/9/2019] How to Create a Syllabus: Advice Guide
Gannon, K. (2019). How to create a syllabus: Advice guide. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Creating a new syllabus or want to reexamine an old one? This comprehensive guide will show you how to design a syllabus so that it’s not only an effective map of your course’s nuts and bolts logistics but also an invitation to actively engage in the learning process.
[11/26/2019] Students Helping Students Provide Valuable Feedback on Course Evaluations
Signorini, A. (2018, November 15). Students helping students provide valuable feedback on course evaluations.Tomorrow’s Professor, 1700.
This post describes a research-supported strategy at the University of California Merced to engage students in the course evaluation process and receive constructive and actionable feedback to improve teaching methods and learning experiences. The post also refers to the learning outcome rubric and student videos that can be used in class.
[11/13/2019] Students Helping Students Provide Valuable Feedback on Course Evaluations
Signorini, A. (2018, November 15). Students helping students provide valuable feedback on course evaluations. Tomorrow’s Professor, 1700.
This post describes a research-supported strategy at the University of California Merced to engage students in the course evaluation process and receive constructive and actionable feedback to improve teaching methods and learning experiences. The post also refers to the learning outcome rubric and student videos that can be used in class.
[10/22/2019] Teaching as Brain Changing: Exploring Connections between Neuroscience and Innovative Teaching
Owens, M. T., & Tanner, K. D. (2017). Teaching as brain changing: Exploring connections between neuroscience and innovative teaching. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 16(2), fe2.
For the past few decades, educational neuroscience has uncovered possible neurobiological changes that undergird our students’ learning experiences. This article discusses examples of such changes our students’ brains may undergo when we use active learning strategies such as think-pair-share, creating concepts maps, or refer to culturally diverse and student-relevant examples.
[10/10/2019] Supporting Underprepared Students Students in the Online Classroom
Borrero, L. & Miller, A. J. (2019, September 25). Supporting underprepared students in the online classroom. Faculty Focus.
Engaging underprepared can be challenging, particularly in an online context when instructor-student interactions are not built into the course structure. In this article, the authors describe behaviors that underprepared students may exhibit in online courses as well as how instructors can support these students.
[10/1/2019] A Headache-free Late Work Policy
Schisler, L. (2019, September 23). A headache-free late work policy. Faculty Focus Daily. https://tinyurl.com/y2o9fmm7.
If you have struggled with creating a late work policy that seems fair to students and is manageable for you, the author of this article has been using a “make-up day” policy that you might want to consider trying.
[9/24/2019] Giving a Voice to Students’ Opposing Views: Creating Conditions for Respect and Inclusivity in Class Discussions
Brighouse, H. (2019, May 7). Giving a voice to students’ opposing views: creating conditions for respect and inclusivity in class discussions [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/y2zgdf23.
Do you deal with tricky, controversial topics in your course content? This article provides two effective and easy to implement strategies to create an inclusive learning environment and foster respect for various perspectives.
[9/13/2019] Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology, Special Issue on Physical Spaces
Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology, Special issue on physical spaces (2019) Volume 8.
This special issue on physical spaces includes eight case studies that investigate different ways of integrating technology in physical learning spaces and address the role that technology plays in student and faculty experiences in a classroom.
[9/10/2019] Format of Instructor Feedback on Student Writing Assignments Affects Feedback Quality and Student Performance
Johnson, W. F., Stellmack, M. A., & Barthel, A. L. (2019). Format of instructor feedback on student writing assignments affects feedback quality and student performance. Teaching of Psychology, 46(1), 16-21.
This study compares electronic and handwritten feedback formats and discusses the favorable outcomes of providing electronic feedback to students on writing assignments.
[9/5/2019] Office Hours Off Campus
Nixon, S. & Fishback, J. (2019, August 23). Office hours off campus. Faculty Focus.
Students may be hesitant to attend office hours for a number of reasons, including lacking the confidence to approach their instructors in an office setting. In this article, the authors discuss the benefits of holding office hours in another location such as a student center or library.
[8/27/2019] Video Use in Education Evolving Beyond the Classroom
Dian Schaffhauser, D. (2019, July 10), Video use in education evolving beyond the classroom. Campus Technology.
How do you use video in your teaching? Compare your experience (and what barriers you may encounter) with Kaltura’s survey. Recording lectures and getting them captioned, for example, can help reach international students as well as those who need accommodations. One of the most under-used tools is Kaltura analytics – come see us in the CTL to learn more.
[8/20/2019] How to Teach a Good First Day of Class
Lang, J. M. (2019, January 4) How to teach a good first day of class. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The first day of class is crucial both for your students and for you. This guide will help you make opening day as effective as possible.
[8/13/2019] Measuring the Promise. A Learning-focused Syllabus Rubric
Palmer, M. S., Bach, D. J., & Streifer, A. C. (2014). Measuring the promise: A learning‐focused syllabus rubric. To Improve the Academy, 33(1), 14-36.
This article presents a syllabus self-assessment rubric that promotes learning-centered teaching practices. See information about the rubric and examples of annotated syllabi.
[8/6/2019] Rethinking Deadline and Late Penalty Policies...Again
Thomas, B. (2019, August 5). Rethinking deadline and late penalty policies…again. Faculty Focus.
Course syllabus revisions often include changing grading and late submission policies based on faculty experiences in past semesters. In this article, an instructor shares her rationale and outcomes for the changes she made to her course policies to better reflect her teaching philosophy.
[7/30/2019] Are They Doing Their Own Work?
Masson, S.R. (2017, August 30). Are they doing their work?ChronicleVitae.
Ensuring that students are doing their own work is even more challenging in the online setting, where the instructor may never see or meet individual students. This article offers two practical approaches for online instructors.
[7/23/2019] Teaching from The Passenger Seat
Gooblar, D. (2017, September 6). Teaching from the passenger seat. ChronicleVitae.
Teaching assistants who teach discussion sections and recitations are encounter a number of challenges to improve the learning of students who experience lectures during the main class meeting. This short article addresses the major challenges and offers practical advice.
[7/16/2019] For These Young, Nontraditional College Students, Adulting Is A Requirement
Nadworny, E., Watson, T. J., Isensee, L., Phillips, C., & Pauly, M. (2019, June 25). For these young, nontraditional college students, adulting is a requirement. National Public Radio.
Do you know what today's "non-traditional" student looks like? This NPR article provides insight into five students' lives and how instructors can make students' experiences better by creating inclusive in-person and online environments.
[7/8/2019] School’s Out: Reflecting on the Term, Recharging over the Summer, and Readying for What’s Next
Landrum, R. (2019, June 20). School’s out: reflecting on the term, recharging over the summer, and readying for what’s next [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yyxbhauk.
How can faculty use their summer to revitalize their teaching, themselves, and look forward to an exciting fall semester? In this article, an experienced faculty member shares tips for academic and personal wellness through the process of reflection, recharging, and readying oneself after a busy academic year.
[7/2/2019] How to Make the Best of Bad Course Evaluations
Whitaker, M. (2019, June 02). How to make the best of bad course evaluations.The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Student course evaluations have many shortcomings but still are often used in hiring and promotion and tenure decisions. This article suggests ways for instructors to review course evaluations diagnostically to improve their teaching.
[6/21/2019] When Professors See Intelligence As Innate Grades Go Down
Phelan, M. (2019, Feb. 15). When professors see intelligence as innate, grades go down. American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Did you know that beliefs about learning can actually effect your students' success? This short article on the implications of different mindsets discusses why and how you can leverage a growth mindset to help your students learn.
[6/18/2019] Are You Being Rigorous or Just Intolerant?
Savini, C. (2016, May 4). Are You Being Rigorous or Just Intolerant?The Chronicle of Higher Education.
We want to make sure our students are ready for the real world, and that means requiring students to be on time, pay attention in class, and meet deadlines, right? This article suggests that we might want to consider the mental health side of student behavior, and take that into account as we decide how rigidly to enforce rules.
[6/11/2019] High-Impact Practices Work
Vaz, R. (2019, June 4). High-impact practices work. Inside Higher Ed.
The use of high-impact teaching practices has been found to be related to gains in learning and retention. Read this article to learn more about the benefits of high-impact practices, common reasons for resisting adopting high-impact practices, and strategies for successfully implementing high-impact practices into a curriculum.
[6/5/2019] Strategies to Mitigate Student Resistance to Active Learning
Tharayil, S., Borrego, M., Prince, M., Nguyen, K. A., Shekhar, P., Finelli, C. J., & Waters, C. (2018). Strategies to mitigate student resistance to active learning. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1), 7.
Active learning in STEM disciplines has shown to increase student retention and graduation rates, but sometimes student buy-in could be a challenge for implementing these techniques. This article shares research-based strategies to positively influence student responses to active learning in the classroom.
[5/28/2019] How to Hold a Better Class Discussion: Advice Guide
Howard, J. (2019, May 23). How to hold a better class discussion: Advice guide. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
This guide is for new faculty members or teaching veterans looking for advice on how to hold a better class discussion. You’ll learn how to structure your course and particular class sessions in ways that will get students actively participating—and will enhance their learning.
[5/21/2019] Inclusive Teaching
Dewsbury, B., & Brame, C. J. (2019). Inclusive teaching. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 18(2), fe2.
This essay describes an evidence-based teaching guide on inclusive teaching that faculty can reference in order to create more inclusive courses. The inclusive teaching guide includes strategies and summaries of articles on various aspects of inclusive teaching. The guide also provides an instructor checklist that summarizes the guide and practical steps for faculty to cultivate inclusivity.
[5/15/2019] Learning Theories and Theorists
Boettcher, J., & Conrad, R. (2019, April 18). Learning theories and theorists. Tomorrow’s Professor, 1711.
Learning theories based on constructivism and social (situated) learning provide guidance on how to teach based on how students learn. This article provides brief overviews of key learning theorists and theories and what they suggest about designing learning experiences.
[5/7/2019] Putting Student Evaluations into Perspective
Meyer, E. (2018, November 1). Putting student evaluations into perspective. HigherEdJobs.
The seasons of course evaluations in upon us! This article provides tips on perusing student responses with an open, yet objective lens and discusses strategies to implement feedback appropriately and intentionally.
[5/1/2019] Connecting The Disconnect Between Class Time And Course Readings
Arend, B. (2019, April 17). Connecting the disconnect between class time and course readings. Faculty Focus.
Getting students to complete assigned readings can be a challenge! This article provides quick and practical strategies by which instructors can highlight the significance of readings and how they connect to the course learning goals. Consider using these strategies as you plan your summer courses!
[4/23/2019] The Eight Hour Sleep Challenge During Final Exams Week
Scullin, M. K. (2019). The eight hour sleep challenge during final exams week. Teaching of Psychology, 46(1), 55-63.
Many students sacrifice sleep in order to complete their coursework and study, particularly during finals week. In an “8-hour sleep challenge”, students who successfully slept more than eight hours performed better on their final exam than students who had less sleep, even after controlling for previous grades in the course. This study demonstrates that students can have an adequate sleep schedule without sacrificing their course grades.
[4/18/2019] Grading Dilemma: Should We Round Up?
Von Bergen, M. (2019, April 10). Grading dilemma: Should we round up?Faculty Focus.
Because increasing retention and graduation rates have now become priorities, an instructor provides a perspective on how reflecting intentionally on individual students’ performance throughout the semester can make an impact on the final grade they are assigned for the course.
[4/9/2019] The Impact of Faculty Attitudes about Intelligence
Jaschik, S. (2019, Feb 18). The impact of faculty attitudes about intelligence, Inside Higher Ed.
A new study has found that college students have improved educational outcomes when they are in courses taught by instructors who hold a “growth mindset” about intelligence. Read on to see what this means for your students.
[4/2/2019] Going Digital by Knowing Digital
Lieberman, M (2019, Mar 13). Going digital by knowing digital, Inside Higher Ed.
Some colleges have decided that students need more than just experience with technology – they need digital literacy. The push for more digital learning at the university level can engender some pushback from faculty, however.
[3/25/2019] What Faculty Members Think (Undergraduate Teaching Faculty: The HERI Faculty Survey 2016-2017)
Flaherty, C. (2019, Mar 5). What faculty members think (Undergraduate teaching faculty: The HERI faculty survey 2016-2017), Inside Higher Ed.
A major survey of undergraduate faculty reports on professors experiences of discrimination in their work, inclusive teaching and classroom conflict, student and peer mentoring, pay and politics.
[3/19/2019] 8 Principles on Cognitive Load and Collaborative Learning
Malamed, C. (2019). 8 Principles on cognitive load and collaborative learning, The eLearning Coach. Retreived from: http://tinyurl.com/yxup6rg9
Collaborative learning is a common practice in both in-person and online courses – especially in flipped classes. This article discusses points to consider when developing collaborative learning activities to improve their effectiveness.
[3/4/2019] Unpacking Teachers' Invisible Knapsacks: Social Identity and Privilege in Higher Education
Barnett, P. E. (2013). Unpacking teachers' invisible knapsacks: social identity and privilege in higher education. Liberal Education, 99(3), n3. Retreived from: http://tinyurl.com/y58zhg6b
Students perceptions of their instructors impact the expectations they have for the class and how they interact with peers and the instructor. Instructors can increase awareness of the privileges they have in the classroom and how that affects student perceptions by unpacking their “invisible knapsacks.” In this article, the author expands upon Peggy McIntosh’s list of privileges for instructors to reflect on their privileges and suggests steps they can take to create a more inclusive classroom.
[2/27/2019] Teaching The Skill of Learning to Learn
Boser, U. (2019, February 19). Teaching the skill of learning to learn. Inside Higher Education. Retrieved from: http://tinyurl.com/yy5qwd4g.
Students perform better in class when instructors teach them how to learn effectively. Ulrich Boser argues that students benefit a great deal when they engage in learning practices that are active in nature. Instructors can help students learn in ways that go beyond combining the highlighter and textbook.
[2/20/2019] STEM Faculty Who Believe Ability Is Fixed Have Larger Racial Achievement Gaps and Inspire Less Student Motivation in Their Classes
Canning, E.A., Muenks, K., Green, D. J., and Murphy, M. C. (2019, February 15).
STEM faculty who believe ability is fixed have larger racial achievement gaps and inspire less student motivation in their classes. Science Advances. Retrieved from: http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/2/eaau4734/tab-pdf.
Growth mindset is the understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed. This study describes how faculty mindset towards students’ abilities can have important implications on their students’ classroom experiences and learning outcomes, particularly for underrepresented minority students.
[2/14/2019] Guest Post: Yes, Your Whole Class Can Work on the Same Research Paper
Warner, J. (2019, February 11). Guest Post: Yes, Your Whole Class Can Work on the Same Research Paper. Inside Higher Ed.
Are you tired of reading and grading the same assignments every semester? John Warner shares his experience (both the good and the bad) with having an entire class write a collaborative research paper.
[2/7/2019] First-generation Student Status Is Not Enough: How Acknowledging Students with Working-class Identities Can Help Us Better Serve Students
Goward, S. L. (2018). First-generation student status is not enough: how acknowledging students with working-class identities can help us better serve students. About Campus, 23(4), 19-26.
This article discussed the challenges faced by first-generation and low-income students and how this intersectionality is perceived in higher education. Various institutional strategies and programs that have been developed to increase the sense of belonging for these students are also discussed.
[1/30/2019] Despite Similar Perceptions and Attitudes, Postbaccalaureate Students Outperform in Introductory Biology and Chemistry Courses
Shortlidge, E. E., Rain-Griffith, L., Shelby, C., Shusterman, G. P., & Barbera, J. (2019). Despite similar perceptions and attitudes, postbaccalaureate students outperform in introductory biology and chemistry courses. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 18(1), ar3.
This article describes a study that reinforces the general advantages of active learning in STEM classrooms, but also that these strategies seem to have different outcomes among various student groups and it is important to understand the factors that may influence these inequitable outcomes.
[1/23/2019] What Is The Purpose of Final Exams, Anyway?
Gannon, K. (2018, November 26) What is the purpose of final exams, anyway?Chronicle of Higher Education.
This article gives alternate assessment options to the high-stakes final exams. Specifically, student-centered and creative solutions are offered that can motivate students to be consistently engaged, be less anxious of heavily weighted final exams, and demonstrate well-rounded learning outcomes.
[1/17/2019] Simple Strategies to Develop Rapport with Students and Build a Positive Classroom Climate
Parks, M. (2017, September) Simple strategies to develop rapport with students and build a positive classroom climate. The National Teaching and Learning Forum, 26(5), 4-6.
Building rapport with students can help create a positive classroom climate and motivate students to attend class and participate. In this article, the author describes strategies instructors can use to build rapport with their students, feedback from those strategies from her students and colleagues, and suggestions for how to adapt these strategies in different teaching contexts.
[1/11/2019] Do Your Students Care Whether You Care About Them?
Meyers, S. A. (2009). Do your students care whether you care about them? College Teaching, 57(4), 205-210.
Research and theory suggest that caring is an important dimension of effective college teaching. This article offers practical suggestions for developing rapport with students and considers criticisms and concerns about professors expressing care.
[1/3/2019] Why Should I Memorize This Stuff When I Have Google and a Calculator?
Svinicki, M. (2018, Sept. 13). Why should I memorize this stuff when I have google and a calculator? The National Teaching and Learning
Although many courses require students to memorize and be proficient in key vocabulary, students may not see the value in memorization when they can quickly do an internet search instead. This article provides instructors with a discussion of what they could say to students who asks why they must memorize key terms and provides strategies the students can use to learn those particular terms.
[12/14/2018] The First Day of Class: Using ‘Metateaching’ to Help Students Adjust and Engage
Hakala, C. (2018, December 10). The first day of class: Using ‘metateaching’ to help students adjust and engage. Faculty Focus. https://tinyurl.com/yd47sp2z
Along with a few well-known pieces of advice about how to prepare for the first day of class, the author of this article discusses why it’s important to help students understand your course and expectations.
[12/10/2018] Teaching The Students We Have, Not The Students We Wish We Had
Teaching the students we have, not the students we wish we had. The Chronicle of Higher Education.https://tinyurl.com/y9rpapk7.
With broader participation in college, more of our students are overburdened and under-supported. This requires educators to use pedagogical approaches that are responsive, inclusive, adaptive, challenging, and compassionate.
[12/5/2018] Q and A: Making Sense of Universal Design for Learning
Lieberman, M. (Nov. 28, 2018). Q&A: Making sense of universal design for learning. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/y7zlkrn7.
Universal design for learning (UDL) is an approach to course design and teaching and that focuses on ways to remove or mitigate barriers to student learning. In this Q&A article, Tobin and Behling, authors of a new book on UDL, discuss the motivations behind UDL, its implications for higher education, and their own experiences with faculty who have implemented UDL in their classes.
[11/27/2018] Have Your Cake and Eat It Too: Tips for Finding Diverse, High-Quality, Affordable Course Material
Gonin, M. (2018, October 24). Have your cake and eat it too: Tips for finding diverse, high-quality, affordable course material. Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning @ IUB Blog. Retrieved from http://go.iu.edu/28tC
Open Educational Resources (OERs) are educational materials that are public domain or open licensed to allow use and reproduction without fees. While there is a wealth of OERs, it can be difficult to locate exactly what you need. This blog from the Bloomington teaching center discusses options for finding and creating affordable course materials for your students
[11/21/2018] The Power of Transparency in your Teaching
Mulnix, A. (2018, November 12). The power of transparency in your teaching. Faculty Focus.
It is sometimes difficult to articulate higher-order thinking processes to our students. This article provides an example of how a biology instructor made their thinking visible to students and simultaneously engage in metacognition about their own teaching.
[11/12/2018] The Power of Transparency in your Teaching
Mulnix, A. (2018, November 12). The power of transparency in your teaching. Faculty Focus.
It is sometimes difficult to articulate higher-order thinking processes to our students. This article provides an example of how a biology instructor made their thinking visible to students and simultaneously engage in metacognition about their own teaching.
[11/2/2018] Strategies for Creating More Trans*-affirmative Classrooms
Nicolazzo, Z. (2018, October 12). Strategies for creating more trans*-affirmative classrooms. Inside Higher Ed.
Transgender students face a number of challenges while in college, including attending classes. In this article, the author encourages instructors to take an active role in creating a welcoming environment for transgender students and discusses several strategies instructors can use in their classroom to achieve this goal.
[10/31/2018] Jedi Training: Developing Habits of Perception in Our Disciplines
Parrish, G. (2018, Sept. 5). Jedi training: Developing habits of perception in our disciplines. Faculty Focus. https://tinyurl.com/ycunpwq7
As a practitioner in your discipline, you develop habits of mind over the years. Disciplinary ways of looking at and thinking about things are often implicit but faculty often wonder why it is so difficult to convey to their students. In this article, Parrish discusses class activities that can be used to make these habits of mind explicit and provide students with structured opportunities to practice the habits themselves.
[10/25/2018] Remembering to Learn: Five Factors for Improving Recall
Herold, D. (2018, October 11). Remembering to learn: five factors for improving recall. Faculty Focus. https://goo.gl/hSX2x4
In this article, IUPUI’s Dr. Debbie Herold shares research-based strategies for helping student engage in deep learning and recall content effectively and efficiently.
[10/24/2018] Remembering to Learn: Five Factors for Improving Recall
Herold, D. (2018, October 11). Remembering to learn: five factors for improving recall. Faculty Focus. https://goo.gl/hSX2x4
In this article, IUPUI’s Dr. Debbie Herold shares research-based strategies for helping student engage in deep learning and recall content effectively and efficiently.
[10/16/2018] Seven Bricks to Lay the Foundation for Productive Difficult Dialogues
Soisson, A. (2018, October 16). Seven bricks to lay the foundation for productive difficult dialogues. Faculty Focus. https://goo.gl/f3pBHa.
This article provides strategies for in-class dialogues that were planned but did not go particularly well; in-class hot moments that were not anticipated and that the faculty member did not feel equipped to handle; and difficult dialogues that happen during office hours or outside of class.
[10/9/2018] The Myths of the Digital Native and the Multitasker
Kirschner, P. A., & De Bruyckere, P. (2017). The myths of the digital native and the multitasker. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 135-142. http://bit.ly/2NcV5sk.
As instructors in the 21st century, it can be easy to make assumptions about our students’ technical skills and abilities. In this brief article, Kirschner and Bruyckere debunk the notion of digital natives and discuss the instructional problems these dangerous assumptions create.
[10/3/2018] Students Riding on Coattails during Group Work? Five Simple Ideas to Try.
Huang, L. (2018, September 20). Students riding on coattails during group work? Five simple ideas to try. Faculty Focus. https://goo.gl/2DjPY8.
As instructors in the 21st century, it can be easy to make assumptions about our students’ technical skills and abilities. In this brief article, Kirschner and Bruyckere debunk the notion of digital natives and discuss the instructional problems these dangerous assumptions create.
[9/25/2018] Will Trying New Teaching Techniques Tank My Evaluations?
Lederman, D. (2018, September 12). Will trying new teaching techniques tank my evaluations? Inside Digital Learning. https://bit.ly/2xK7huA.
Do you hesitate to experiment in the classroom, for fear your student evaluations will suffer as a result? A new study out of Western Michigan University set out to test that assumption, and the findings suggest that moderate changes can in fact improve evaluations.
[9/18/2018] Responding to Microaggressions in the Classroom: Taking ACTION
Souza, T. (2018, April 30). Responding to microaggressions in the classroom: Taking ACTION. Faculty Focus. https://goo.gl/27QhBr.
When students make comments that are micro-aggressive in the classroom, doing nothing is a damaging option. The ACTION framework can be a tool that is quickly retrieved by an instructor to organize thoughts and unpack the microaggression in a way that addresses the situation and cools down tension.
[9/12/2018] Take Advantage of Opportunities to Sustain Your Instructional Vitality
Weimer, M. (2018, July 26). Take advantage of opportunities to sustain your instructional vitality. Faculty Focus. https://goo.gl/nbYWbz.
Students now more than ever need instructors who are committed to their teaching, but it’s difficult for instructors to stay enthusiastic and fresh in their instructional approach. Here is an article that can be a multivitamin for your teaching self.
[9/4/2018] One Way to Show Students You Care – and Why You Might Want to Try It
Supiano, B. (2018, August 29). One way to show students you care – and why you might want to try it. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://goo.gl/jSnkzz.
During the course of a student’s college experience, they may encounter personal challenges, such as a death in their family, that impede their learning. This article discusses how instructors can encourage their students to reach out to them during such challenges and includes an example of language instructors can include in their syllabi.
[8/29/2018] Will My Students Actually Want to Do This Assignment
Gooblar, D. (2018, August 13). Will my students actually want to do this assignment? Chronicle of Higher Education.
Student motivation is one of many important issues to consider when creating a new assignment or an assignment’s design. This article provides advice about how to think about assignments from the perspective of students.
[8/21/2018] Finding the Instructional Value in Peer Review Discussion Boards
Hobbs, P. & Kropp, E. (2018, June 22). Finding the instructional value in peer review discussion boards. Faculty Focus.
It’s easy to assume that students understand how and why to give peer feedback, but that is not always the case. It can be especially awkward in online discussions. Instructor involvement, both modelling and coaching, can be the key to student engagement and learning in peer review activities.
[8/16/2018] How to Prepare for Class without Overpreparing
Lang, J. (2018, July, 30). How to prepare for class without over-preparing. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://goo.gl/JQj4Jt.
Ensuring complete content coverage, excellent student evaluations, and keeping students engaged without running out of material are some reasons that can drive faculty to over-prepare for classes. This article presents tried and tested strategies that you can use to make class prep enjoyable and optimal, given the competing demands on your academic positions.
[8/7/2018] Taking The Class Temperature: Cognitive and Affective Feedback
Moore, C. & Arnold, D. (2018, June 11). Taking the class temperature: Cognitive and affective feedback. Faculty Focus.
To better help your students learn, it’s important to have affective feedback from them in addition to assignment scores. There are several technology tools you can use both in the classroom and online to gather that feedback. Interested? Contact the CTL and make an appointment for a consultation.
[7/31/2018] Radical Empathy in Teaching
Jordan, J. V., & Schwartz, H. L. (2018). Radical empathy in teaching. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 153, 25-35.
This article demonstrates how student engagement, student learning, and student satisfaction are all improved by incorporating radical empathy in course or mentor relationships. In addition, they argue, faculty engagement and success are enriched and improved by the practices outlined.
[7/23/2018] What Professors Can Learn about Teaching from Their Students
Supiano, B. (2017, November, 19). What professors can learn about teaching from their students. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://goo.gl/rqbLGE.
This article reports on the work a biology professor did to ensure that his students were learning as best he could teach. It outlines the steps any instructor can take to initiate change and then follow through to get an evidence-based measure of how successful the experiment was.
[7/18/2018] “Weaning Off of Email”: Encouraging Students to Use Office Hours over Email to Contact Professors
Jackson, L. E., & Knupsky, A. (2015). “Weaning off of email”: Encouraging students to use office hours over email to contact professors. College Teaching, 63(4), 183-184.
Although office hours are a great resource for students, they are typically underutilized. Furthermore, students may e-mail their instructors with questions that can be more easily answered in an office hour setting, which increases faculty workload and frustration. This article provides several strategies to encourage students to use office hours and limit the use of e-mail for appropriate questions.
[7/9/2018] Using Assignment Choice to Promote Course Relevancy
LaGier, M.J., Using assignment choice to promote course relevancy. Faculty Focus, https://goo.gl/hcaEgQ
Giving students options in assignments to encourage them to connect course topics to their own interests is a good way to increase motivation and engagement. In this article, the author shares the way he has incorporated choice into his microbiology course.
[6/29/2018] Good Reads for Hot Days
Lieberman, M. (2018, June 27). Good reads for hot days. Inside Higher Ed.
Interested in what's happening in digital and online education? Add one the books from Mark Lieberman's summer reading list to yours! https://tinyurl.com/y9e72yyh
[6/20/2018] Cheating: Can We Be Doing More to Promote Academic Integrity?
Weimer, M. (2018, May 9). Cheating: Can we be doing more to promote academic integrity? Faculty Focus. Retrieved on June 8, 2018 from goo.gl/znaNMZ.
Preventing academic misconduct commonly includes trying to prevent cheating. Despite our best efforts, an alarming number of students still cheat. This article provides five other approaches that faculty can use to promote academic integrity in their courses.
[6/11/2018] Five Keys to Motivating Students
Weimer, M. (2018, June 6). Five keys to motivating students. Faculty Focus. Retrieved on June 8, 2018 from https://goo.gl/af85W7.
Student motivation is a key ingredient for their success in your course! Here are eight research-based teaching recommendations that you can try to fuel your students’ motivation.
[6/5/2018] Technology Can Address Accessibility -- to an Extent
Lieberman, M. (2018, May 2). Technology can address accessibility -- to an extent. Inside Digital Learning. (https://tinyurl.com/y8cbuoka)
We all need to do more to make sure our content is accessible to all of our students. Technology can provide some assistance, but it may only point out superficial problems and miss some of the deeper issues of accessibility.
[5/29/2018] How to Read a Student Evaluation and Making Sense of Student Written Comments
1. Perlmutter, D. D. (2011, October 30). How to read a student evaluation. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-to-Read-a-Student/129553.
Not sure what to do with your student evaluations? This article has advice both on how to use them to improve your teaching and what to keep in mind regarding their impact on how your teaching is evaluated.
2. Lewis, K. G. (2001). Making sense of student written comments. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 87, 25-32. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/tl.25.
If you’d like more detail on how to organize students’ written comments to identify patterns and trends, see this article by Karron Lewis.
[5/22/2018] Improving the Quality of Constructive Peer Feedback
Waggoner Denton, A. (2018). Improving the quality of constructive peer feedback. College Teaching, 66(1), 22-23. Retrieved on May 15, 2018 from goo.gl/dcZELe.
Peer feedback is a common instructional method used to provide students with feedback on assignments. This article provides strategies that can be implemented to improve the quality of peer feedback that students receive. The author also reported that using the revised peer feedback method required minimal time and effort and resulted in an increase in student learning.
[5/15/2018] Participation Points: Making Student Engagement Visible
Almagno, S. (2017, March 13). Participation points: Making student engagement visible. Faculty Focus. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/ydduezlm.
We assign “participation points” to encourage (or compel) student engagement because we know it leads to learning gains—but how to do we teach students that engagement is worthwhile and its own reward? Stephanie Almagno tries to answer the question, “How do we help our students shift from grade seekers to knowledge seekers?”
[5/8/2018] Using Your Instructor Bio to Humanize Course, Reduce Student Anxiety
Kropp, E. (2018, April 20). Using your instructor bio to humanize course, reduce student anxiety. Magna Publications. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/y82ebmwa
Becoming acquainted with new courses and new faculty members can be a stressful, anxiety producing experience for students. In this article, Dr. Evan Kropp discusses how faculty can leverage the "about me" section of their course site to make the course more approachable and reduce student anxiety which is of particular importance in fully online courses where students never meet their instructor face-to-face.
[5/2/2018] A Professor’s Report Card: End of Semester Self-Assessment as New Faculty
Williams, E.A. (2017, December 15). A professor’s report card: End of semester self-assessment as new faculty. HigherEdJobs: Career News. Retrieved on May 1, 2018 from https://goo.gl/DqhYSM.
As the semester ends and student evaluations of teaching are being compiled, this article suggests using self-reflection of one’s teaching practices as another strategy to improve teaching skills. Even though the article addresses new faculty, these self-assessment questions can be used by all faculty.
[4/24/2018] How Should I Study for the Exam?
Weimer, M. (2017, September 20). How should I study for the exam? Faculty Focus. Retrieved on April 16, 2018 from goo.gl/5tvRW8.
This article includes a link to a survey that can be implemented in any course to prompt self-reflection of study habits after an exam. The author also briefly discusses how, despite the fact that most students say they need to study, very few actually implement effective strategies that promote deep learning.
[4/10/2018] Easy Methods for Using Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality in Your Teaching
Orlando, J. (2018, April). Easy methods for using virtual, augmented, and mixed reality in your teaching. Magna Publications. Retrieved April 16, 2018 from https://tinyurl.com/ycsjslov.The terms “virtual,” “augmented,” and “mixed” reality have been thrown around a lot lately in education, leaving many instructors understandably perplexed over their different meanings. The good news is that there are many educational uses of these applications, and a world of free educational content available to instructors.
[4/9/2018] The Sound of Silence Can Be Deafening and the Questions You Ask Your Students Can Provoke It
Aldrich, H. (2018, February). The sound of silence can be deafening and the questions you ask your students can provoke it. The National Teaching & Learning Forum. 27(2), 10-11.Creating an inclusive and lively discussion can be a challenge. This article discusses how asking the right kinds of questions can spark an active and productive discussion in your classroom.
[4/3/2018] Are Small Classes Best? It’s Complicated
Supiano, B. (2018, March, 21). Are small classes best? It’s complicated. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://tinyurl.com/ycqaswup The idea that small classes are best is intuitive. With fewer students in the room, a professor should be able to devote more time to each one. But what is the connection between class size and quality, anyhow? And if small classes really are better, how do you define what counts as small? This article explores the connections (or lack thereof) between class size and student experience.[3/27/2018] Online Can Unite Students - or Divide Them
Lieberman, M. (2018, March 21). Online can unite students – or divide them Inside Digital Learning. Retrieved March 27, 2018 from https://tinyurl.com/yaezmb48
A well-designed online course can level the playing field and create a welcoming community for its learners. This article discusses how and when instructors can intentionally create opportunities for true engagement with students and among students.
[3/19/2018] How Much Do You Want Your Final to Count?
Lang, J.M. (2018, March 13). 'How much do you want your final to count?' The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved March 19, 2018 from https://goo.gl/SZQPXT.
There are several ways to give students more control of their learning. Read this article to find out how an economics instructor at Tulane University let her students in a large class make meaningful choices about their course grades!
[3/13/2018] Race and Gender Bias in Online Courses
Jaschik, S. (2018, March 7). Race and gender bias in online courses. Inside Higher Ed. https://goo.gl/xP8gMM.
How equitable are online courses? This article discusses a study which found instructors of MOOCs responded to comments of white males more frequently than other students. While typical online courses have more student-instructor interactions than MOOCs, this article highlights how as instructors our implicit biases influence our students' experience.
[3/6/2018] The Case for Inclusive Teaching
Gannon, K. (2018, February 27). The case for inclusive teaching. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved March 5, 2018 from https://goo.gl/wWkqNU.
There are many reasons why teaching should be more inclusive. Perhaps the most important is that student outcomes are better when students are actively involved in their learning—and particularly among underserved student populations. Kevin Gannon makes a case for why we should teach inclusively.
[2/23/2018] What Research Tells Us about Online Discussion
Orlando, J. (2017). What research tells us about online discussion. Magna Publications. Retrieved February 19 from https://goo.gl/JvvQmd.
Creating fruitful online discussions requires more than simply posing a question in Canvas. This article offers suggestions for maximizing the benefits of online discussions.
[2/21/2018] 2018 Key Issues in Teaching and Learning
Educause Learning Initiative (2018, February). 2018 Key issues in teaching and learning. ELI News. https://tinyurl.com/gqfcwoq
Every year, ELI surveys the higher education community to determine key issues and opportunities in post-secondary teaching and learning. Read this article to see and explore the 15 key issues identified for 2018.
[2/11/2018] Are You Being Rigorous or Just Intolerant? How to Promote Mental Health in the College Classroom
Savini, C. (2016, May 4). Are you being rigorous or just Intolerant? How to promote mental health in the college classroom. Chronicle of Higher Ed. Retrieved February 12, 2018 from https://goo.gl/YNRDpc
An increasing number of college students experience mental health issues. However, few of them receive treatment due to fear of being stigmatized. This article discusses how instructors may fail to recognize students with mental health issues and provides instructional strategies to promote equitable classroom environments for these individuals.
[2/6/2018] 10 Key Points About Active Learning
Davidson, C.N. (2018, January 25). 10 key points about active learning. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved February 5, 2018 from https://goo.gl/wKi3sA.
Using active learning in the classroom can pose challenges for instructors and students. This article provides tips for creating effective active learning environments that can thrive with student buy-in and involvement.
[1/26/2018] If You Build It, They May Not Come
McKenzie, L. (2018, January 29). If you build it, they may not come. Inside Digital Learning. https://tinyurl.com/y7lq5uo6
A new report highlights increased satisfaction by faculty at liberal arts colleges with online and hybrid courses, but that does not necessarily translate into higher enrollment by students. This article provides some thoughtful discussion into strategic factors that liberal arts programs should consider if increased enrollment is a goal.
[1/22/2018] Creating Active Learning Classrooms Is Not Enough: Lessons From Two Case Studies
Morrone, A.; Flaming, A.; Birdwell, T.; Russell, J., Roman, T., & Jesse, M. (2017, December 4). Creating active learning classrooms is not enough: Lessons from two case studies. Educause Review.
Recent studies have shown that classroom environments have a significant impact on teaching practices and student learning. This article cites two cases, including one from our own campus, as to how active learning classrooms not only benefit student learning, but also impact the institutional teaching culture.
[1/16/2018] Feedback: Ensuring That it Leads to Enhanced Learning
Boud, D. (2015). Feedback: ensuring that it leads to enhanced learning. The Clinical Teacher, 12(1), 3-7.
Do you find that students don’t use your feedback to improve subsequent performance? Learn about the conditions and levels of effective feedback and ways to provide feedback to support ongoing student learning.
[1/12/2018] What Meaningful Writing Means for Students
Eodice, M., Geller, A.E. & Lerner, N. (2017) What meaningful writing means for students. Peer Review, 19(1), 25.
This article presents findings from the Meaningful Writing Project, which asked students: What was your most meaningful writing project, and why was it meaningful to you? Discover what motivates students to write, and how you can create meaningful learning experiences for your students this semester!
[1/2/2018] Creative Approaches to the Syllabus
Jones, J.B. (2011, August 26). Creative approaches to the syllabus. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 2, 2018 from https://goo.gl/Gkg8si
Grandy, T. (2015, December 8). Give your syllabus an extreme redesign for the new year. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved January 2, 2018 from https://goo.gl/R6k62N
Bart, M. (2015, July 29). A learner-centered syllabus helps set the tone for learning. Faculty Focus. Retrieved January 2, 2018 from https://goo.gl/otXaZC
Are you drafting a new syllabus or considering redesigning an existing one? These three articles provide a variety of suggestions and examples to ensure your syllabus becomes an integral and important aspect of your students’ learning.
[12/20/2017] Our Most Popular Teaching and Learning Articles
Bart, M. (2017, December 15). Top 17 of 2017: Our most popular teaching and learning articles. Faculty Focus. Retrieved on December 20, 2017 from http://go.iu.edu/1PEc .
Faculty Focus publishes articles on effective teaching strategies for the college classroom. See which of the 200 articles they published in 2017 rose to the top 17.
[12/18/2017] Three Ideas for Implementing Learner Reflection
Huang, L. (November 6, 2017). Three ideas for implementing learner reflection. Faculty Focus. Retrieved November 20, 2017 from https://goo.gl/1jPn8P
As you are preparing for your spring courses, consider the tips in this article to design assignments that can encourage students to critically reflect on the content and their learning experiences.
[11/29/2017] On Banning Things in Classrooms
Warner, J. (2017, November 26). On banning things in classrooms. Just Visiting, blog. Retrived from: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/banning-things-classroomshttps://goo.gl/zwqpY2
This post examines the evidence that is frequently cited in support of banning electronics in classrooms. Warner asks readers to consider the underlying reasons students resort to online shopping and other off-task behaviors, and thenegative impact of authoritarian classrooms.
[11/28/2017] Why Faculty Members Still Aren’t Sure What to Make of Education Technology
McMurtri, B. (2017, November 9). Why faculty members still aren’t sure what to make of education technology. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://goo.gl/KT2K8a
The rapid progression of educational technology is a difficult challenge for today's faculty. It's often difficult to understand the definitions and use of the technologies... and the evidence of its effectiveness often doesn't exist yet. How do we choose technologies that really benefit students when the technology outpaces the research?
[11/14/2017] Males Under-Estimate Academic Performance of Their Female Peers in Undergraduate Biology Classrooms
Grunspan, D. Z., Eddy, S. L., Brownell, S. E., Wiggins, B. L., Crowe, A. J., & Goodreau, S. M. (2016). Males under-estimate academic performance of their female peers in undergraduate biology classrooms. PloS one, 11(2), e0148405.
This article reveals how a social network analysis study on college-level biology students captures a surprising but consistent pattern of male students underestimating their female peers' mastery in biology.
[11/7/2017] Faculty buy-in builds, bit by bit: Survey of faculty attitudes on technology
Lederman, D. & MacKenzie, L. (2017, October 30). Faculty buy-in builds, bit by bit: Survey of faculty attitudes on technology. Inside Higher Ed. https://goo.gl/4EA7PM.
Inside Higher Ed's 2017 Survey of Faculty Attitudes on Technology reveals that as more professors teach online, their confidence in the effectiveness of digital learning grows, though a majority question impact on vulnerable students and administrators' motives.
[10/31/2017] Assessments that Support Student Learning
Abaci, S., Quick, J., & Morrone, A. (2017, October 9). Student engagement with e-texts: What the data tells us. Educause Review. https://goo.gl/qPSjb4.
This case study of Indiana University's e-text initiative reports on students' actual use of and engagement with digital textbooks. Research found that higher engagement with e-texts (reading and highlighting) correlated with higher course grades.
[10/24/2017] Assessments that Support Student Learning
Weiman,C. & Gilbert, S. (2015, April). Assessments that support student lerning. Tomorrow's Professor, 1595. https://goo.gl/5nyAEE.
This review article provides several strategies that can help instructors design assessments that can not only be used to evaluate student learning, but also encourage students to monitor their own performance and improve learning.
[10/17/2017] How the Provost Can Help Students Succeed
Canada, M. (2017, October 8). How the provost can help students succeed. The Chronicle of Higher Education, Retrieved October 15, 2017. from: http://tinyurl.com/ydgoyy7h
How can faculty and administrators in higher education create the organizational conditions within which learning-centered teaching efforts can thrive? Mark Canada, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at IU-Kokomo, offers some guidelines.
[10/9/2017] A Welcoming Classroom
Lang, J. M. (2017, September 27). A welcoming classroom. From The Chronicle of Higher Education http://tinyurl.com/ybkej9qc
This article reminds us that we often make a classroom more usable and welcoming for everybody when we do what we can to accommodate students with special needs. How do you make your course truly inclusive?
[10/4/2017] Saved by a Hybrid
Lieberman, M. (2017, September 20). Saved by a hybrid. Inside Digital Learning.
Has recent weather, as well as other natural disasters, made you think about what you would do with your course(s) if campus had to close? This article discusses how hybrid classes may be at an advantage, as students are already accustomed to having some class content delivered online.
[9/27/2017] How to Be Political
Gooblar, D. (2017, September 21). How to Be Political. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved September 21, 2017 from https://goo.gl/Zkakg2.
This article provides strategies for instructors to be transparent, yet inclusive of their students’ and their own political beliefs in order to be an equal participant in politically charged discussions
[9/20/2017] Reading to learn or learning to read? Engaging college students in course readings.
Kerr, M. M., & Frese, K. M. (2017). Reading to learn or learning to read? Engaging college students in course readings. College Teaching, 65 (1), 28-31.
Are your students reading what you're assigning? This article offers suggestions for improving the quantity and quality of student reading for class. Click here to find this article through the IUPUI library.
[9/15/2017] Provided Meaningful Feedback on Students’ Academic Performance
Desrochers, C.G. & Zell, D. (2017). Provided meaningful feedback on students' academic performance. In D. Pollock (Ed.), IDEA Notes on Instruction.
One of Chickering & Gamson’s (1987) Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education, providing prompt feedback can become a struggle the deeper you get in the semester. This article provides suggestions for time-saving strategies to streamline providing feedback on both paper and online assignments.
[9/8/2017] Constraints on academics’ potential for developing as a teacher
Akerlind, G. S. (2007). Constraints on academics’ potential for developing as a teacher. Studies in Higher Education,32(1), 21-37. https://goo.gl/5M7Enz
How do you see yourself developing as an instructor? What activities do you pursue to develop your teaching skills? Have you considered the role of student feedback in your teaching? Read this article to reflect on your growth as an instructor, no matter where you are in the academic ladder.
[8/30/2017] What makes an online instructional video compelling?
[8/23/2017] How Much Time Should I Spend on Teaching?
[8/17/2017] When Will We Talk About the Syllabus?
Are you ready to rethink how you conduct the first day of class? Read this article to see how considering the messages you want to send can help you prioritize what you have yourself and your students do on that first day.
[8/9/2017] College Completion Report 2017
The 2017 report from the Indiana Commission of Higher Education provides an update on the progress made towards the state's commitment to improving college completion rates. Data for many of Indiana's post-secondary institutions is included; you can review IUPUI's statistics in the institution report. How do you think we're doing?
[8/3/2017] The overconfident professor: I know I taught you better than that
Kearney, E.M. & Sheffer, S. (2015). The overconfident professor: I know I taught you better than that. The Teaching Professor, Magna Publications. https://goo.gl/8TgcRJ.
The above article discusses strategies for faculty to monitor their teaching and assessment practices regularly to avoid becoming too familiar and overconfident with it.
[7/26/2017] The impact of findability on student motivation, self-efficacy, and perceptions of online course quality.
Simunich, B., Robins, D. B., & Kelly, V. (2015). The impact of findability on student motivation, self-efficacy, and perceptions of online course quality. American Journal of Distance Education, 29(3), 174-185.
As discussed in the above article, it’s important that students be able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily in learning management systems for online and face-to-face courses. The clearer your organization is, the fewer “where is this” questions you’ll need to answer. Schedule a CTL consultation for a fresh set of eyes to review your Canvas site and help you find places where organization and instructions could be clarified.
[7/21/2017] Dear New Instructor: It's Not All On You
Goodblar, D. (2017, June 28). Dear new instructor: It’s not all on you. https://goo.gl/bBgfuH
[7/14/2017] Effective Online Teaching
O’Malley, Sharon. (2017, July 12). Effective online teaching. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com.
If you’re planning to teach online, the CTL is here to help! Schedule a consultation or visit our website to review our resources on online learning activities and instructional technology.
[7/5/2017] What if Students Revolt?
Seidel, S. B., & Tanner, K. D. (2013). “What if students revolt?”—considering student resistance: origins, options, and opportunities for investigation. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 12(4), 586-595. https://goo.gl/bEJjyP
[6/29/2017] Reducing the Gender Achievement Gap in College Science
Miyake, A., Kost-Smith, L. E., Finkelstein, N. D., Pollock, S. J., Cohen, G. L., & Ito, T. A. (2010). Reducing the gender achievement gap in college science: A classroom study of values affirmation. Science, 330(6008), 1234-1237. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/330/6008/1234.full
[6/21/2017] Students' Rising Expectations Pose Challenge to Online Programs
Blumenstyk, G. (2017, June 20). Students’ rising expectations pose challenge to online programs. Chronicle of Higher Education. http://tinyurl.com/ycwzkhws
[6/14/2017] Structure Matters: Twenty-one Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Engagement and Cultivate Classroom Equity
Tanner, K. D. (2013). Structure matters: twenty-one teaching strategies to promote student engagement and cultivate classroom equity. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 12(3), 322-331. http://www.lifescied.org/content/12/3/322.full
[6/7/2017] Stop Talking, Start Walking
Rockquemore, K. A. (2017, June 5). Stop talking, start walking. Tomorrow’s Professor, 1574. https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/1574
[5/31/2017] Developing Media-savvy Students
Siena, S. (2017, March 21). Developing media-savvy students. Inside Higher Ed. https://tinyurl.com/ydy4qhr7
[5/23/2017] Don’t Be Alone During Office Hours
Freishtat, R. (2017, January 10). Don’t be alone during office hours. Tomorrow’s Professor, 1570. https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/1570
[5/17/2017] Taking Time to Refresh, Recharge and Recommit
Weimer, M. (2017, May 17). Taking time to refresh, recharge, and recommit. Faculty Focus. http://tinyurl.com/lczkqux
[5/11/2017] 5 Posts Looking Ahead to Summer
Williams, G. (2017, May 3). 5 posts looking ahead to summer. The Chronicle of Higher Education http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/5-posts-looking-ahead-to-summer/64003
[5/5/2017] 5 Posts Looking Ahead to Summer
Williams, G. (2017, May 3). 5 posts looking ahead to summer. The Chronicle of Higher Education http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/5-posts-looking-ahead-to-summer/64003
[4/28/2017] Grading Advice for the End-of-Semester Crunch
Weimer, M. (2009, December 15). Grading advice for the end-of-semester crunch. Faculty Focus. http://tinyurl.com/l6m5noq
[4/21/2017] Getting Our Students Wrong
Goodblar, D. (2017, April 19). Getting our students wrong. The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://tinyurl.com/mqez5xa
[4/12/2017] Learning More About Active Learning
Gooblar, D. (2016, June 29). Learning more about active learning. Chronicle of Higher Education. https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1457-learning-more-about-active-learning
Read this article for a discussion of evidence suggesting that in order to use active learning strategies effectively, you need to know how to use them well.
[4/5/2017] Scientific Posters: A Plea from a Conference Attendee
Persky, A. M. (2016). Scientific posters: A plea from a conference attendee. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 80(10), Article 162, 1-3.
http://www.ajpe.org/doi/full/10.5688/ajpe8010162
[3/29/2017] Sometimes You Soar
Nesteruk, J. (2017, March 28). Sometimes you soar. Inside Higher Ed. http://tinyurl.com/my3stry
[3/15/2017] Participation Points: Making Student Engagement Visible
Almagno, S. (2017, March 13). Participation points: Making student engagement visible. Faculty Focus. http://hubs.ly/H06FQTs0
[3/1/2017] How To Deal With Difficult Students
Reis, R. (2017, February 13). How to deal with difficult students. Tomorrow’s Professor. https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/1542
This posting has eight helpful suggestions about how to handle challenging students. It is from chapter 6, How to Run Your Class, of this book: Spalding, D. (2014). Teach your students. Change the world. Wiley Periodicals: San Francisco, CA.
[2/28/2017] How To Deal With Difficult Students
Reis, R. (2017, February 13). How to deal with difficult students. Tomorrow’s Professor. https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/1542
This posting has eight helpful suggestions about how to handle challenging students. It is from chapter 6, How to Run Your Class, of this book: Spalding, D. (2014). Teach your students. Change the world. Wiley Periodicals: San Francisco, CA.
[2/16/2017] Being Black, Being Male on Campus
Tate, E. (2017, February 9). ‘Being black, being male on campus’. Inside Higher Ed., https://tinyurl.com/zqarmuz
This article contains an interview with Derrick R. Brooms, author of Being Black Being Male on Campus.
[2/9/2017] Evidence-Based Study Strategy
Weimer, M. (2017, January 18). Interleaving: An evidence-based study strategy. Faculty Focus. http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/interleaving-evidence-based-study-strategy/
[2/9/2017] Three Common Demands from Students in Large Classes
Reis, R. (2017, February 6) Three common demands from students in large classes and what to do about them. Tomorrow’s Professor, 106(2). https://tomprof.stanford.edu/mail/1540
[1/18/2017] Reflective Writing and the Revision Process
Giles, S. L. (2010). Reflective writing and the revision process: What were you thinking? In Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky (Eds.) Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Vol. 1 (pp. 191-204). Anderson, SC: Parlor Press, http://tinyurl.com/gnfmpzx
[1/12/2017] The Benefits of Good Teaching Extend Beyond Course Achievement
Loes, C. N., & Pascarella, E. T. (2015). The benefits of good teaching extend beyond course achievement. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 15(2), 1-13. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1059427.pdf
[1/3/2017] How can we minimize grade challenges?
Goodblar, D. (2017, January 4). How can we minimize grade challenges? The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1656-how-can-we-minimize-grade-challenges
[12/19/2016] Our Top 11 Teaching and Learning Articles of 2016
Faculty Focus http://tinyurl.com/j9qadn3
[12/15/2016] Revision is Essential in Teaching, Too
Goodblar, D. (2016, Dec. 14). Revision is essential in teaching, too. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/fnKjc4
[12/9/2016] Thinking about end of course assessment and evaluation?
Either the blog or book chapter listed below is a good starting point for thinking about end of course assessment and evaluation. Together, the two pieces nourish some positive thinking about what to do next time about assessment and evaluation.
Book Chapter
Bain, K. (2004). How do they evaluate their students and themselves? Chapter 7 in What the Best College Teachers Do. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Available as an online resource at IUPUI and IUPU Columbus through University Library: http://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/13877676
Available as a book at many IU campuses: http://iucat.iu.edu/catalog/13877676
Blog Post
Center for Teaching and Learning, Macomb Community College (2013, June 4). How the best teachers evaluate their students and themselves, matters [Web Log Post]. Retrieved from http://ctl.emacomb.com/blog/2013/06/04/how-the-best-teachers-evaluate-their-students-and-themselves-matters/
[11/30/2016] A New Twist on End-of-Semester Evaluations
Faculty Focus http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/philosophy-of-teaching/a-new-twist-on-end-of-semester-evaluations/[11/21/2016] Thanksgiving: Binge or Break?
Rockquemore, K. (November 22, 2010). Thanksgiving: Binge or break? Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/surviving/fall11.
[11/19/2016] Meet the Professor Who's Trying to Help You Steer Clear of Clickbait
Dreid, N. (November 17, 2016). Meet the professor who’s trying to help you steer clear of clickbait. The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://tinyurl.com/hjz6rfl
[11/9/2016] Returning to the Classroom After the Election
Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, University of Michigan (November 9, 2016). Returning to the classroom after the election. http://crlt.umich.edu/node/93815.
[11/3/2016] SoTL Evidence on Promotion and Tenure Vitas
Marcketti, S. B., & Freeman, S. (2016). SoTL evidence on promotion and tenure vitas at a research university. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 16(5), 19-31. http://josotl.indiana.edu/article/view/21152/28638
[10/26/2016] Teaching Intervention Increases Underserved College Student Success
Winkelmes, M., et al. (2016). A teaching intervention that increases underserved college student success. Peer Review, 18(1/2). https://www.aacu.org/peerreview/2016/winter-spring/Winkelmes
[10/22/2016] Teaching Intervention Increases Underserved College Student Success
Winkelmes, M., et al. (2016). A teaching intervention that increases underserved college student success. Peer Review, 18(1/2). https://www.aacu.org/peerreview/2016/winter-spring/Winkelmes
[10/18/2016] Teaching More by Grading Less
Schinske, J., & Tanner, K. (2014). Teaching more by grading less (or differently). CBE Life Sciences Education, 13(2), 159-166. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4041495/
[10/5/2016] Teaching More by Grading Less
Schinske, J., & Tanner, K. (2014). Teaching more by grading less (or differently). CBE Life Sciences Education, 13(2), 159-166. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4041495/
[9/30/2016] The Mentoring Buck Stops Here
The mentoring buck stops here. (2016, September 22). The Chronicle of Higher Education.
https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1552-the-mentoring-buck-stops-here
[9/27/2016] Diversity in Academe
Diversity in Academe: Disability on Campus (September 18, 2016). The Chronicle of Higher Education. www.chronicle.com/specialreport/Diversity-in-Academe-/55
[9/15/2016] Facilitating Change in Undergraduate STEM Instructional Practices
Henderson, C., Beach, A., & Finkelstein, N. (2011). Facilitating change in undergraduate STEM instructional practices: An analytic review of the literature. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 48(8), 952-984. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tea.20439/full
[9/13/2016] What college teachers should know about memory
College Teaching, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/87567555.2011.580636 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2011.580636[9/8/2016] Teaching and Learning in a Tense Election Season
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/node/92763[8/26/2016] It's Time To Ditch Our Deadlines
Boucher, E. (2016, August 22) It’s time to ditch our deadlines, The Chonicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/It-s-Time-to-Ditch-Our/237530.[8/12/2016] Test-enhanced Learning
Brame, C. J., & Biel, R. (2015). Test-enhanced learning: The potential for testing to promote greater learning in undergraduate science courses. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 14(2), 1-12. http://www.lifescied.org/content/14/2/es4.long
[8/5/2016] Test-enhanced Learning
Brame, C. J., & Biel, R. (2015). Test-enhanced learning: The potential for testing to promote greater learning in undergraduate science courses. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 14(2), 1-12. http://www.lifescied.org/content/14/2/es4.long
[7/29/2016] Classroom Interpersonal Microaggressions
Suárez-Orozco, C., Casanova, S., Martin, M., Katsiaficas, D., Cuellar, V., Smith, N. A., & Dias, S. I. (2015). Toxic rain in class: Classroom interpersonal microaggressions. Educational Researcher, 44(3), 151-160. 10.3102/0013189X15580314. http://edr.sagepub.com/content/44/3/151.full
[7/22/2016] Assessment of Student Engagement in Higher Education
Mandernach, B. J. (2015). Assessment of student engagement in higher education: A synthesis of literature and assessment tools. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 12(2), 1-14. Available to download here: http://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/367/167
[6/29/2016] Making Learning Meaningful
Kuh, G. D. (2016), Making learning meaningful: Engaging students in ways that matter to them. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2016 (45), 49-56. doi:10.1002/tl.20174. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1002/tl.20174
[6/22/2016] Making Learning Meaningful
Kuh, G. D. (2016), Making learning meaningful: Engaging students in ways that matter to them. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2016 (45), 49-56. doi:10.1002/tl.20174. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1002/tl.20174
[6/17/2016] How to Read a Student Evaluation
Perlmutter, D. D. (October 30, 2011). How to read a student evaluation. The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com/article/How-to-Read-a-Student/129553?cid=rclink
[6/10/2016] Teaching Across Difference
Silin, J. (2016). Teaching across difference. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 48(2), 32-33., DOI: 10.1080/00091383.2016.1163202. Click here to view article.
[6/3/2016] How Do People Learn?
Reis, R. (2016, June 2). How do people learn? Tomorrow’s teaching and learning. Message posted to Tomorrow’s Professor listserv [Msg 1495], archived at https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/1495
[5/27/2016] Using SoTL to Enhance Your Academic Position
Smith, R.A., & Schwartz, B. M. (Eds.), (2015). Using SoTL to enhance your academic position. Retreived from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology web site: http://teachpsych.org/ebooks/usingsotl.
[5/20/2016] Just Listen
Lowman, J. & Aldrich, H. (2016, February). Just Listen. National Teaching & Learning Forum, 25(2), 1-3.
[5/6/2016] A better way to evaluate undergraduate teaching
Weiman, C. (2015). A better way to evaluate undergraduate teaching. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 47(1). 6-15
[4/29/2016] A better way to evaluate undergraduate teaching
Weiman, C. (2015). A better way to evaluate undergraduate teaching. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 47(1). 6-15
[4/15/2016] Cyber Peer-Led Team Learning (cPLTL)
Feder, E., Khan, I., Mazur, G., Vernon, T., Janke, T., Newbrough, J., Shuck, L., Zhu, L., & Varma-Nelson,P. (2016). Accessing collaborative online learning with mobile technology in Cyber Peer-Led Team Learning, EDUCAUSE Review Online, 51(2).
Mauser, K., Sours, J., Banks, J. V., Newbrough, R., Janke, T., Shuck, L., Zhu, L., Ammerman, G., & Varma-Nelson, P. (2011). Cyber Peer-led Team Learning (cPLTL): Development and implementation, EDUCAUSE Review Online, 34.
Smith, J., Wilson, S.B., Banks, J., Zhu, L., & Varma-Nelson, P. (2014). Replicating Peer-led Team Learning in cyberspace: Research, opportunities, and challenges. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51(6), 714-740.
McDaniel, J., Metcalf, S., Sours, J., Janke, T., Newbrough, J. R., Shuck, L., & Varma-Nelson, P. V. (2013). Supporting student collaboration in cyberspace: A cPLTL study of web conferencing platforms, EDUCAUSE Review Online.
Varma-Nelson, P., & Banks, J. V. (2013). PLTL: Tracking the trajectory from face-to-face to on-line environments. In T. Holme, M. Cooper, and P. Varma-Nelson (Eds.), Trajectories of chemistry education innovation and reform (pp. 95-110). Washington, DC: American Chemical Society.
[4/8/2016] Cyber Peer-Led Team Learning (cPLTL)
Feder, E., Khan, I., Mazur, G., Vernon, T., Janke, T., Newbrough, J., Shuck, L., Zhu, L., & Varma-Nelson,P. (2016). Accessing collaborative online learning with mobile technology in Cyber Peer-Led Team Learning, EDUCAUSE Review Online, 51(2).
Mauser, K., Sours, J., Banks, J. V., Newbrough, R., Janke, T., Shuck, L., Zhu, L., Ammerman, G., & Varma-Nelson, P. (2011). Cyber Peer-led Team Learning (cPLTL): Development and implementation, EDUCAUSE Review Online, 34.
Smith, J., Wilson, S.B., Banks, J., Zhu, L., & Varma-Nelson, P. (2014). Replicating Peer-led Team Learning in cyberspace: Research, opportunities, and challenges. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51(6), 714-740.
McDaniel, J., Metcalf, S., Sours, J., Janke, T., Newbrough, J. R., Shuck, L., & Varma-Nelson, P. V. (2013). Supporting student collaboration in cyberspace: A cPLTL study of web conferencing platforms, EDUCAUSE Review Online.
Varma-Nelson, P., & Banks, J. V. (2013). PLTL: Tracking the trajectory from face-to-face to on-line environments. In T. Holme, M. Cooper, and P. Varma-Nelson (Eds.), Trajectories of chemistry education innovation and reform (pp. 95-110). Washington, DC: American Chemical Society.
[4/1/2016] Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do
Steele, Claude M. (2011). Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. Howard Gardner, author of Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences says: "A remarkable story that begins with personal experience and sparkes ground-breaking research on stereotype threat, leadership of influential institutions, and most important- interventions that make a genuine difference in society."
[3/25/2016] Small changes in teaching: The last 5 minutes of class
Lang, J. (March 7, 2016). Small changes in teaching: The last 5 minutes of class. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Small-Changes-in-Teaching-The/235583
[3/18/2016] Small changes in teaching: The last 5 minutes of class
Lang, J. (March 7, 2016). Small changes in teaching: The last 5 minutes of class. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Small-Changes-in-Teaching-The/235583