Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), Duplicate or misplaced assignment pages create confusion (and potentially issues with the gradebook). Include a non-graded ‘discussion’ area where students can get to know each other.

Syllabus 122

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 122

Faculty Focus

MARCH 14, 2023

The following includes a few strategies and examples to ensure clarity: A clear, inclusive syllabus with a course calendar of class activities, routines, materials, links to rubrics, etc. Clear expectations for all assignments, homework, activities, etc. Wisner, 2022). A clear agenda for each class.

Syllabus 131

Syllabus Exams Instructors Assignments 131

Edsurge

SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

I think the phenomena of the infographic syllabus has been an effort by many teachers to make that document more accessible, more real,” she explains. “We We can solve a lot of problems as educators if we can just get people to read the syllabus upfront.”.

Syllabus 167

Syllabus Teachers Course Outline English 167

Edsurge

JANUARY 9, 2019

Dropbox Paper or Google Docs : these mainstream collaborative word-processing tools let instructors invite students to collaborate on assignments or group work. One way I have been experimenting with a different approach involves using the peer grading function in the Canvas LMS and setting up student-to-student interactions that way.

Instructors 165

Instructors Syllabus Peer Review Students 165

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 15, 2023

What’s it like going from one course that simply posts a syllabus in the LMS to another that makes more robust use of the tools and features? Organization and structure  Students appreciate courses where assignments and course materials are organized and structured. Avoid confusing instructions.

Syllabus 126

Syllabus Instructors Peer Review Lecturing 126

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

I recall one student who would wait until the night of the assignment deadline to dive into their schoolwork. All too often, they would wind up needing to ask their instructor a question about the assignment but had no time to receive an answer before the deadline passed. Don’t wait for an assignment notification to get started.

Online Learning 178

Online Learning Instructors Coaching Syllabus 178

Edsurge

MARCH 7, 2024

The AI agents will also be fed information from the course syllabi and turn in assignments. Brott says he has experimented with ChatGPT on a few assignments for classes. One friend of his, for instance, recently told him about a course where everyone in the class had an average grade of only 60 percent by midterms.

Intelligence 211

Intelligence Syllabus Feedback Assignments 211

Faculty Focus

JUNE 2, 2024

Aside from a bare-bones syllabus, the professor never showed up. Most of our grade was supposed to come from a single class project, but no assignment instructions were ever posted. But what about this assignment that was worth so much of our grade? I emailed the professor and waited…and waited…and waited—silence.

Syllabus 131

Syllabus Course Design Learning Students 131

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), Duplicate or misplaced assignment pages create confusion (and potentially issues with the gradebook). Include a non-graded ‘discussion’ area where students can get to know each other.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 105

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 15, 2023

What’s it like going from one course that simply posts a syllabus in the LMS to another that makes more robust use of the tools and features? Organization and structure  Students appreciate courses where assignments and course materials are organized and structured. Avoid confusing instructions.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Instructors Peer Review Lecturing 111

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 21, 2025

Scaffolded assignments: Break significant projects into smaller, more manageable parts, such as proposals, annotated bibliographies, and rough drafts, to reduce student anxiety and provide opportunities for meaningful feedback at each step, improving learning outcomes (Ambrose, 2010). 2014; Agarwal, 2019).

Plagiarism 122

Plagiarism Syllabus Ethics Feedback 122

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 20, 2018

Students cheating on assignments is hardly a new or surprising problem. In research and surveys conducted by Dr. Donald McCabe and the International Center for Academic Integrity over the span of 12 years, 68 percent of undergraduates who responded admitted to cheating on tests or written assignments.

Academic Integrity 147

Academic Integrity Exams Assignments Instructors 147

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 18, 2024

I was handed a syllabus, a classroom, and students, and left to figure out the rest on my own. In preparing that first course, I focused on what I thought were the essentials of teaching: finalizing the syllabus, picking the readings, and writing the assignments. Encourage student participation. Use formative assessment.

Teaching 119

Teaching Syllabus Feedback Instructors 119

Edsurge

APRIL 30, 2020

But now that so many students are taking courses remotely, in improvised environments that may not be especially conducive to learning, it may take some extra effort to redesign instruction, assignments and assessments to address everyone’s needs. It's not like we're grading it for huge stakes. And the activity is just a content check.

Accessibility 218

Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Syllabus 218

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 21, 2024

Five strategies to foster sense of belonging Be caring and authentic: Syllabus policies and language, as well as introductory comments on the first day of class, set the tone for an entire term. Students must understand why the assignment is important, what is expected, and how the quality of their work will be judged.

Syllabus 132

Syllabus Exams Students Motivation 132

Edsurge

MARCH 2, 2023

Classes don’t start and end according to an academic calendar, but begin when a student clicks “start course” and gets assigned a faculty member. On average, instructors are assigned 230 students at a time--a big change from the 20 or 30 I was used to at NYU and Stevens. Course completion at WGU is 86 percent.

Teaching 167

Teaching Instructors Syllabus Assignments 167

Faculty Focus

DECEMBER 15, 2024

For some, planning revolves around syllabus revision, closing loopholes, and adjusting dates. But as I write this article in mid-December, the reality is there are papers and projects to grade, events to attend, holidays to celebrate, and a short break before spring courses commence. I highly recommend their work.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Exams Course Outline Attention 111

Edsurge

AUGUST 1, 2017

We all have that one teacher who seems to take months to grade even a single test. We spend the entire semester wondering what our grade is. Is that a real A, or an A based on turning in the syllabus? Socrative helps counteract this slow grading syndrome. For Michigan senior Jackie, this is the product’s best feature. “I

Quizzes 137

Quizzes Textbooks Syllabus Students 137

Edsurge

MARCH 21, 2019

I have created what I’m calling my “prep syllabus” and hope to set a solid foundation for myself. I would love to get your feedback on what should be in my "prep syllabus” and how to make that transition. It turned out that the small number of points she was missing from the assignment had absolutely zero impact on her overall grade.

Syllabus 134

Syllabus Writing Schools Research Methods 134

Edsurge

APRIL 18, 2018

The concept of gradual release of responsibility is second nature to me when working with students in grades K-12, but in my new role teaching graduate students in an education technology program, I am struggling to model so many of the practices I expect these teachers to use in their own classrooms. There were my guidelines.

Teaching 161

Teaching Education Learning Syllabus 161

Faculty Focus

MARCH 14, 2023

The following includes a few strategies and examples to ensure clarity: A clear, inclusive syllabus with a course calendar of class activities, routines, materials, links to rubrics, etc. Clear expectations for all assignments, homework, activities, etc. Wisner, 2022). A clear agenda for each class.

Syllabus 98

Syllabus Exams Instructors Assignments 98

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 18, 2024

I was handed a syllabus, a classroom, and students, and left to figure out the rest on my own. In preparing that first course, I focused on what I thought were the essentials of teaching: finalizing the syllabus, picking the readings, and writing the assignments. Encourage student participation. Use formative assessment.

Teaching 111

Teaching Syllabus Feedback Instructors 111

Faculty Focus

JUNE 2, 2024

Aside from a bare-bones syllabus, the professor never showed up. Most of our grade was supposed to come from a single class project, but no assignment instructions were ever posted. But what about this assignment that was worth so much of our grade? I emailed the professor and waited…and waited…and waited—silence.

Syllabus 110

Syllabus Course Design Learning Students 110

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 24, 2023

Language for the disability statement in their syllabus. A new way to write their course policy on academic integrity or late assignments. I want them to take ownership over their learning and their time and assignments.” “I Be specific about what will need to happen to achieve their learning goals versus just to get the grade.

Teaching 122

Teaching Syllabus Instructors Disabilities 122

Faculty Focus

DECEMBER 15, 2024

For some, planning revolves around syllabus revision, closing loopholes, and adjusting dates. But as I write this article in mid-December, the reality is there are papers and projects to grade, events to attend, holidays to celebrate, and a short break before spring courses commence. I highly recommend their work.

Syllabus 100

Syllabus Exams Course Outline Attention 100

Faculty Focus

MAY 15, 2025

Download it here: [link] In higher education, we often track student success through grades, credit hours, and retention rates. Flexibility in format and modality such as recorded lectures, alternative assignments, or extended deadlinesmade students feel supported, capable, and seen. Textbook format and cost mattered.

Disabilities 54

Disabilities Course Design Lecturing Students 54

Edsurge

OCTOBER 16, 2017

Instructional technology may take the form of software that can be used to complete homework assignments, or serve as a primary content-delivery and assessment system in fully online or blended online classes. Online videos (e.g. Course management technology organizes and presents course structure and materials on an electronic platform.

Technology 154

Technology Education Syllabus Counselling 154

Faculty Focus

JUNE 25, 2023

Next, I drafted a one-page syllabus (Figure 1) that included my contact information, a course description, student learning outcomes, those same discovery questions (above), recommended texts, a preliminary course schedule, and an abbreviated outline of the course content. The list of assignment ideas was edited to four or five assignments.

Coaching 105

Coaching Syllabus Confidentiality Assignments 105

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 21, 2025

Scaffolded assignments: Break significant projects into smaller, more manageable parts, such as proposals, annotated bibliographies, and rough drafts, to reduce student anxiety and provide opportunities for meaningful feedback at each step, improving learning outcomes (Ambrose, 2010). 2014; Agarwal, 2019).

Plagiarism 98

Plagiarism Syllabus Ethics Feedback 98

Ask a Tech Teacher

OCTOBER 23, 2024

Certificates Certificates acknowledge a significant student achievement such as completion of a class or achieving a grade-specific standard. They can even be used for gift certificates (such as “skip a homework” or “skip an assignment”). Click to view slideshow. Click to view slideshow.

Syllabus 172

Syllabus Knowledge Achievement Math 172

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

These questions draw from information on the syllabus (which they are provided with the week before we meet) as well as general trivia like what’s Netflix’s most watched series, what is the most desired corporate stock, etc. But I do try to make those assignments as engaging as possible.

Exams 116

Exams Syllabus Group work Assignments 116

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 21, 2024

Five strategies to foster sense of belonging Be caring and authentic: Syllabus policies and language, as well as introductory comments on the first day of class, set the tone for an entire term. Students must understand why the assignment is important, what is expected, and how the quality of their work will be judged.

Syllabus 103

Syllabus Exams Students Motivation 103

Ask a Tech Teacher

JUNE 10, 2021

In general terms, you want them to know you’ll do your best to make their summer experience worthwhile, get them through the material, and help them pass the required exams with the grades they need. If you assign homework, make it worthwhile, not busy work. I’ve talked about best practices for teaching. Use time wisely.

Motivation 154

Motivation Schools Syllabus Students 154

Faculty Focus

JUNE 25, 2023

Next, I drafted a one-page syllabus (Figure 1) that included my contact information, a course description, student learning outcomes, those same discovery questions (above), recommended texts, a preliminary course schedule, and an abbreviated outline of the course content. The list of assignment ideas was edited to four or five assignments.

Coaching 98

Coaching Syllabus Confidentiality Assignments 98

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

You could include personal information and/or a photo, in addition to the course syllabus and other course-related information. If they have not opened the course syllabus or were not in class on the first day, this could be addressed in the email. Predicting Student Attitudes and Grades from Perceptions of Instructos’ Attitudes.

Instructors 122

Instructors Syllabus Attention Teaching Assistants 122

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

These questions draw from information on the syllabus (which they are provided with the week before we meet) as well as general trivia like what’s Netflix’s most watched series, what is the most desired corporate stock, etc. But I do try to make those assignments as engaging as possible.

Exams 111

Exams Syllabus Group work Assignments 111

Faculty Focus

DECEMBER 17, 2023

For some, planning revolves around syllabus revision, closing loopholes, and adjusting dates. But as I write this article in mid-December, the reality is there are papers and projects to grade, events to attend, holidays to celebrate, and a short break before spring courses commence. I highly recommend their work.

Exams 111

Exams Syllabus Course Outline Attention 111