Please Note: Effective August 30, 2011, the main office for the Center for Teaching and Faculty Development is located in Administration Building 452.

Enhancing Classroom Participation
The benefits of student participation are widely recognized but getting students to participate can be a challenge. Here you'll find resources we have developed for our SF State faculty as well as information and resources for strategies and techniques you can use to increase participation in your class. Come to a workshop or sign up for a consultation for assistance with specific questions you may have. For some general guidelines and information on encouraging and facilitating participation in your classroom, you may want to visit some of the following links. Town Halls and Post-It Notes...
learning, resources, student engagement, student learning, student participation, teaching
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Helping Students to Learn
Have you ever tried discussing and demonstrating learning styles to your students? For many students, discovering how they best learn can be the foundation upon which they discover and develop a panoply of study strategies that can help them change the way they study and prepare for class. Knowing that “the term learning style refers to an individuals’ characteristic and preferred ways of gathering, interpreting, organizing and thinking about information” (B. Davis, Tools for Teaching. Jossey-Bass 1993, p. 185) can be an empowering moment for all students. Different people may have...
learning styles, student engagement, teaching strategy
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It's in the Cards
As a graduate teaching assistant in a large state school, I regularly taught two full introductory French or Italian courses every semester. Due to the size of the program, from one semester to the next, I rarely had more than a few students that had studied with me previously. Consequently, I struggled to learn all the new names and engage my students from the very first day, which is paramount in languages. I tried different techniques with varying degrees of success but still I often forgot names or called students the wrong name. Not only was this awkward, but I also found myself not...
class administration, communication, note card technique, student engagement
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Seven Tips for a Positive Online Learning Experience
(reprinted from Faculty Focus, December 28, 2009) By Errol Craig Sull Here are a few tips to ensure your students have a positive online learning experience. Personal introductions. By using the personal introductions of students, an instructor can get to know his/her students better, thus allowing interaction with individual students in a more personal manner. When students see that the instructor is reaching out to them on a personal basis, it helps establish a rapport and put the student at ease. Constant presence in the classroom. When students see that the instructor is very active and...
learning, online, online course, online teaching, student engagement, student learning, teaching, teaching tips
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Six Tips for Effective Writing Groups
By Kathryn Linder By offering students a supportive group for writing assignments and research projects, students can form strong learning communities and feel less isolated when they see others around them struggling to generate ideas, craft thesis statements, or write creative transitions. Allowing students to develop friendships around writing is one way to help them to see writing—often viewed as a chore to procrastinate until the last minute—in a more positive light. Based on my experience of using writing groups over several years, here are six tips to help create effective writing...
course design, learning, small groups, student engagement, student writing, teaching, teaching tips
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Top 10 Tips for Your First Day of Class
Some professors choose to just distribute the course syllabus, manage the class administration and then dismiss the class early on the first day of class … but this is a missed opportunity for student engagement! Make use of the first day to set the tone of your class, get to know your students, communicate your expectations, and explain the importance of the course. Here are some suggestions for what you can do on the very first day of class: Visit Beforehand or Come to Class Early: Try to scope out the space you’ll be in, imagining how best it can be utilized. Try out the technology...
first day of class, learning, student engagement, teaching, teaching strategy, top ten list
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Explore the The Center for Teaching and Faculty Development Web Site...

Site Features and Highlights

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New on the CTFD Website

Recent additions and revisions to the CTFD website, including new teaching and professional development tutorials, tips and faculty resources.

Faculty Development ... "To Go!"

Quick tips and suggestions on a wide variety of teaching issues, from how to get the most out of the first day of class to effective student engagement techniques ... for the busy faculty member, delivered to your screen!

Faculty Development Opportunities

A list of great development opportunities available on and off campus. This list is regularly updated as new opportunities arise.

In-Depth Pedagogy

A robust collection of modules and tutorials on a variety of important teaching topics, designed for deeper support of pedagogical issues.

Upcoming On-Campus Opportunities

There are currently no upcoming on-campus development opportunities. Please check back later.

Upcoming Off-Campus Opportunities

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