Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 19, 2023

Successful syllabus While there are mandatory components of a standard syllabus, I also add welcoming elements. I always begin my syllabus with an inclusive and inspirational quote. Think-Pair-Share Students need opportunities to process information during lectures. I incorporate graphs and charts to clarify grading.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Lecturing Instructors Feedback 111

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 22, 2024

The kinds of confusions and challenges that we discuss over coffee with colleagues at conferences, that we laugh about in the taxi ride back to the hotel after that keynote that wasn’t particularly interesting. I know, I know, there are a whole slew of objections we can raise against this approach: I can’t do this in a big lecture.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Discussions Beliefs Questions 111

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Textbooks and course materials to review, syllabi to update, lessons to plan, lectures to prepare. Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), Include a non-graded ‘discussion’ area where students can get to know each other.

Syllabus 122

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 122

Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 6, 2022

If a student wants to discuss accommodations, try to do so during office hours or via email. For instance, when assigned to work in groups during class, students who may have trouble focusing or even hearing the discussion due to the noise level may ask the professor for permission to work in the library or outside.

Disabilities 144

Disabilities Exams Lecturing Education 144

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 22, 2024

The kinds of confusions and challenges that we discuss over coffee with colleagues at conferences, that we laugh about in the taxi ride back to the hotel after that keynote that wasn’t particularly interesting. I know, I know, there are a whole slew of objections we can raise against this approach: I can’t do this in a big lecture.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Discussions Beliefs Questions 105

Edsurge

MARCH 6, 2019

David Peña-Guzman starts off his Friday class at San Francisco State University like any other professor might: students file in and pull out their note-taking materials, and he opens his laptop to begin lecture. For most of the course, there’s no lecture happening at all. The last hour of class is dedicated to discussing the reading.

Reading 161

Reading Teaching Lecturing Syllabus 161

Edsurge

APRIL 30, 2020

On the latest installment of our monthly online discussion forum, EdSurge Live , we explored accessibility in this unusual era of emergency remote teaching. So instead of having a three-hour class, we've tried to break our lectures down into 10 minutes, followed by an interactive short activity. It's, “Did you miss the video?

Accessibility 218

Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Syllabus 218

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Textbooks and course materials to review, syllabi to update, lessons to plan, lectures to prepare. Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), Include a non-graded ‘discussion’ area where students can get to know each other.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 105

Edsurge

MARCH 2, 2023

Classes aren’t led by a lone professor lecturing at the front of the classroom, but by teams of educators, with at least three virtual instructors and as many as ten to fifteen assigned to larger classes. Students attend WGU entirely on screen, with instructors engaging with them virtually by email, phone, text and video.

Teaching 167

Teaching Instructors Syllabus Assignments 167

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 29, 2023

If you are simply going to lecture at students, they do not need to be in the same physical space as you. In fact, a recent study showed that in a HyFlex class, online students were more engaged and felt it was easier to ask questions during lectures compared to in-person students (University of Copenhagen, 2021).

Blended Learning 132

Blended Learning Lecturing Education Learning 132

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 20, 2024

We may not have a storefront window to attract attention, but we do have something that students see before the start of the semester that can grab their attention, set the tone, and get them excited about entering the class…your syllabus! Exhibit 2: Thompson’s Barbie themed class syllabus (Spring 2024). Let Them Play!

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Attention Assignments Activities 111

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 20, 2024

We may not have a storefront window to attract attention, but we do have something that students see before the start of the semester that can grab their attention, set the tone, and get them excited about entering the class…your syllabus! Exhibit 2: Thompson’s Barbie themed class syllabus (Spring 2024). Let Them Play!

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Attention Assignments Activities 111

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 13, 2024

As generative AI evolves rapidly, it is essential to explore and discuss its impact on teaching and learning for both faculty and students. Some faculty expressed that using AI tools has significantly reduced the time spent on creating lecture materials, allowing them more time to focus on creating engaging and exciting student activities.

Syllabus 119

Syllabus Assignments Feedback Teaching Assistants 119

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Listen to highlights of the discussion on this week’s EdSurge On Air podcast. I would get rid of all lecture halls that are beyond 40 people. There's no reason for people to gather in a big room where people can't have a discussion and ask questions anymore. There's nothing wrong with the actual teaching by an adjunct.

Education 163

Education Syllabus Communication Faculty Development 163

Edsurge

APRIL 18, 2018

My official title is “lecturer,” but that is a far cry from how I teach. It’s easier to provide a syllabus with structured projects and assignments that have assigned due dates and clear grading parameters. I am a faculty member at Loyola University Maryland in the Educational Technology Program for the School of Education.

Teaching 161

Teaching Education Learning Syllabus 161

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 13, 2024

As generative AI evolves rapidly, it is essential to explore and discuss its impact on teaching and learning for both faculty and students. Some faculty expressed that using AI tools has significantly reduced the time spent on creating lecture materials, allowing them more time to focus on creating engaging and exciting student activities.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Assignments Feedback Teaching Assistants 111

Faculty Focus

JUNE 18, 2023

To offset students’ feelings of being “the only one” and to help develop feelings of connection, instructors in online courses may make use of strategies such as personal online introductions by faculty and students, discussion assignments, group projects, occasional video lectures, and Zoom office hours. Who is my instructor?”

Instructors 105

Instructors Syllabus Assignments Feedback 105

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

I add the element of having them discuss their individual observations with a partner. So, for those of us that cannot add one more thing to our already packed class schedules, look for ways to bring teamwork to your existing lecture topics. What do you wonder (Newbery, 2023)?”

Exams 116

Exams Syllabus Group work Assignments 116

Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 6, 2022

If a student wants to discuss accommodations, try to do so during office hours or via email. For instance, when assigned to work in groups during class, students who may have trouble focusing or even hearing the discussion due to the noise level may ask the professor for permission to work in the library or outside.

Disabilities 98

Disabilities Exams Lecturing Education 98

Faculty Focus

JULY 27, 2023

They provide a quick way to access a webpage that could be the syllabus, a poll, a list of resources, or a shared online space for a brainstorming activity. Then, the instructor proceeds to conduct a short lecture where course materials such as the syllabus, slides, or videos might be shared with everyone through a QR code (see Figure 1).

Student Engagement 98

Student Engagement Syllabus Students Lecturing 98

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

I add the element of having them discuss their individual observations with a partner. So, for those of us that cannot add one more thing to our already packed class schedules, look for ways to bring teamwork to your existing lecture topics. What do you wonder (Newbery, 2023)?”

Exams 111

Exams Syllabus Group work Assignments 111

Faculty Focus

JUNE 25, 2023

They made declarative statements via lectures throughout class sessions, expecting students to “take it all in” like sponges. One-page syllabus On the first day of class, we reviewed their answers to the appreciative inquiry and discussed how we could be colleagues in this course. What could they contribute to their own success?

Coaching 105

Coaching Syllabus Confidentiality Assignments 105

Faculty Focus

JULY 16, 2023

At some point, most instructors were once students, so it’s easy to relate to sitting in a classroom, listening to a lecture, and perhaps feeling your mind wander. However, it might feel like a heavy lift to rewrite your syllabus to incorporate foundational lessons on dialogue skills when you already have so much content to cover.

Instructors 98

Instructors Lecturing Syllabus Knowledge 98

Faculty Focus

JULY 16, 2023

At some point, most instructors were once students, so it’s easy to relate to sitting in a classroom, listening to a lecture, and perhaps feeling your mind wander. However, it might feel like a heavy lift to rewrite your syllabus to incorporate foundational lessons on dialogue skills when you already have so much content to cover.

Instructors 98

Instructors Lecturing Syllabus Knowledge 98

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

I selected OpenStax because of the many resources they provided, such as PowerPoint lecture slides, instructor solution files, and even LMS cartridges for online classes. Students leave our discussion with a greater understanding of the concepts and now are more comfortable approaching me in the future with any question.

Textbooks 116

Textbooks Syllabus Instructors Peer Review 116

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 29, 2023

If you are simply going to lecture at students, they do not need to be in the same physical space as you. In fact, a recent study showed that in a HyFlex class, online students were more engaged and felt it was easier to ask questions during lectures compared to in-person students (University of Copenhagen, 2021).

Blended Learning 98

Blended Learning Lecturing Education Learning 98

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 5, 2018

So, my students are always kept on their toes because we might start out with a quick review of the last session, which will take about three minutes, then we’ll jump into a discussion of the reading, and then we’ll go to a mini case, then we’ll switch over to a mini lecture, then we’ll do another exercise.

Quizzes 167

Quizzes Failure Culture Students 167

Faculty Focus

JUNE 25, 2023

They made declarative statements via lectures throughout class sessions, expecting students to “take it all in” like sponges. One-page syllabus On the first day of class, we reviewed their answers to the appreciative inquiry and discussed how we could be colleagues in this course. What could they contribute to their own success?

Coaching 98

Coaching Syllabus Confidentiality Assignments 98

Ask a Tech Teacher

APRIL 24, 2018

pick your teacher and section (if available) and then upload your syllabus. Let’s discuss cost a bit more because money is always something to consider before committing. There are no History, English literature, languages, or what are commonly considered ‘soft’ subjects available. Things to know.

Textbooks 95

Textbooks Exams Syllabus Essay 95

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

I selected OpenStax because of the many resources they provided, such as PowerPoint lecture slides, instructor solution files, and even LMS cartridges for online classes. Students leave our discussion with a greater understanding of the concepts and now are more comfortable approaching me in the future with any question.

Textbooks 103

Textbooks Syllabus Instructors Peer Review 103

Faculty Focus

MAY 29, 2025

First, all students, regardless of their SES (socio-economic status) standing, showed significantly higher levels of retained learning than the control group which used the time-honored lectures, basic active learning techniques, and case approaches. Also review situations and/or results in class that apply to all the groups efforts.

Student Engagement 52

Student Engagement Syllabus Learning Students 52

Faculty Focus

MAY 15, 2025

Flexibility in format and modality such as recorded lectures, alternative assignments, or extended deadlinesmade students feel supported, capable, and seen. A reworded syllabus, an anonymous feedback survey, or a mid-semester check-in can shift a students entire trajectory. Textbook format and cost mattered. They asked to be heard.

Disabilities 64

Disabilities Course Design Lecturing Students 64

Edsurge

JULY 7, 2022

The syllabus is structured to inspire confidence and courage. Then they read and discuss a poem, “What You Missed that Day You Were Absent from Fourth Grade,” which starts like this: Mrs. Nelson explained how to stand still and listen to the wind, how to find meaning in pumping gas, how peeling potatoes can be a form of prayer.

Students 168

Students Art Essay Interdisciplinary 168

Scholarly Teacher

DECEMBER 11, 2024

These dialogues, often referred to as cogen, are a structured discourse in which students and teachers discuss students learning and the environment around the course materials in an effort to identity and implement changes to the teaching and learning process (Boss & Linder, 2016).

Teaching 52

Teaching Syllabus Instructors Problem-Based Learning 52

k12 Online Schools

MAY 12, 2025

In 15 seconds, theyve illustrated a core economics principle better than many lectures. These short lectures often introduce students to ideas theyd never encounter in a regular curriculum, ideas about identity, ethics, global issues, and personal growth. But what sets them apart is their emotional and intellectual impact.

Online Learning 52

Online Learning Lecturing Learning Textbooks 52

Faculty Focus

APRIL 10, 2025

Active learning, as defined by Bonwell and Eison (1991), is learning that goes beyond just listening to a lecture and includes engagement on the part of the student through reading, writing, discussion and problem solving. A new comparison of active learning strategies to traditional lectures for teaching college astronomy.

Course Design 64

Course Design Students Active Learning Activities 64

Faculty Focus

APRIL 10, 2025

Active learning, as defined by Bonwell and Eison (1991), is learning that goes beyond just listening to a lecture and includes engagement on the part of the student through reading, writing, discussion and problem solving. A new comparison of active learning strategies to traditional lectures for teaching college astronomy.

Course Design 61

Course Design Students Active Learning Activities 61