Ever walked out of class with that elated feeling where you just know you taught a good class? Perhaps a student or two even said something to you afterward or paid you the supreme accolade with the text “U dun good.” But did you? And while your students might have felt euphoric afterward, did they learn anything? And, more importantly, can you prove it?
By way of background, most of us know the Nosich (2001) strategy of how to introduce a “fundamental and powerful concept” (Learning to Think Things Through, Upper Saddle River, NY: Pearson, 40). S-E-E-I (sometimes called the SEE-ing I)...
Students may lack a sense of the larger world, a serious problem in an age of globalization. I adapted an assignment to bring them into contact with other cultures. The original assignment asked them to write about a topic relevant to the class.
Now, I have them visit a collection of English-language media from around the world (http://www.wku.edu/ teaching/media/reading.html) and research their topic in international media. I specify that they must have 3 continents represented in their paper and that the articles selected should represent the culture of the country and must NOT be about the...
Research has long established a correlation between the organized presentation of course material and student learning. Moreover, when an instructor is prepared and organized, confidence levels increase; anxiety decreases; and teaching enjoyment is enhanced. Here are some thoughts to consider:
Do you feel confident about what you are teaching?
Do you take enough time to feel well prepared for class?
Do you clearly explain the goals and requirements (for the course, the class, the assignment)?
Do you provide clear answers or explanations in response to student queries?
Do you feel confident...
Make textbook decisions as early as possible and before any established campus deadline for textbook adoptions.
Request an electronic version and/or additional desk copy of your textbooks. Use publishers who offer electronic copies.
Caption all videos used for instruction and provide transcripts for audio-only materials.
Provide students with alternative methods to receive lecture materials, including posting lecture notes online, providing transcripts, etc.
Be open to communicating with students about their learning styles and using multiple instructional methods to address their needs....
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...
The purpose of this tip is to help instructors determine what students are able to recall for the main points of a lesson. The preparation and follow-up for a Focused Listing activity is minimal, but can inform the instructor on what the students recall from the lesson.
The instructor begins this activity by setting a limit for either number of points to make (5 to 10) or limit the amount of time (3 to 5 minutes) to list the points.
Next the instructor writes down the main points of the lesson in allotted time.
The instructor will need to follow the requirement and determine if any...
Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning
The assessment of student learning begins with educational values. Assessment is not an end in itself but a vehicle for educational improvement. Its effective practice, then, begins with and enacts a vision of the kinds of learning we most value for students and strive to help them achieve. Educational values should drive not only what we choose to assess but also how we do so. Where questions about educational mission and values are skipped over, assessment threatens to be an exercise in measuring what's easy, rather than a process...
Problem-based learning is an approach to teaching designed to help students develop essential skills required to find information, work with it and communicate it to others. Using problem-based learning, students often have higher long term retention of information and see more clearly the interconnection between disciplines.
Problem-based learning can be applied to classes of any size and require the instructor to consider a range of issues such as assessment, effective use of groups and more. A wealth of resources exists online and in print to help you learn more about it. These links can...
(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...
The objective of interdisciplinary teaching is to assist students with seeing complex problems and solutions from a holistic and global perspective ... reviewing the history of the pedagogical approach may be helpful, as well as linking it to the increasingly global nature of contemporary society (the world wide web, multi-national corporations, etc.)
Identify specific outcomes that illustrate interdisciplinary thinking and problem solving.
Construct lessons around a particular question or problem, and take time to identify the disciplines that may offer insights, responses and solutions....
Clearly communicate your expectations in multiple venues well ahead of the due dates for exams and assignments.
Provide clear rubrics that illustrate how the work will be assessed. Provide examples of excellent, mediocre and unsatisfactory work, so standards are clear.
Assess often, even if such "dip-sticking" is merely for preview or review; this helps monitor student understanding and informs the instructor's course design and pacing.
Assess the process and not only the product. Certain skills related to research, media projects, writing, and scientific research are often overlooked in...
From the Collective Wisdom of the CTFD Advisory Board
Oral presentations are a standard component of pedagogy and assessment, yet are sheer personal torture for many students. Their fear of public performance also renders a presentation less effective as a learning rubric. Fortunately, there are techniques available to help you help your student cope with hesitancy and fear in the face of public presentation.
Make sure that there is no physical or emotional disability to be considered for accommodation.
Build up to the solo presentations by having more than one per semester, and make them...
Ensure that course materials and resources are accessible to all by following the Universal Design for Learning model.
Be active in the classroom/auditorium. Move around the class and invite participation. This will help create an encouraging environment so that neither you nor your students will feel intimidated by the numbers.
Personalize your class; get to know as many names as possible. Extend your availability—show up to class early and be sure to keep regular office hours.
Integrate active learning strategies that are focused on specific outcomes. Consider using "clickers" for...
