Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

As an instructor, I have always considered myself to be friendly and approachable. However, I have learned that many students tend to be reluctant to reach out for a variety of reasons. Student perceptions of their instructors’ attitude toward them has been shown to be a predictor of student motivation (Wilson J.

Instructors 98

Instructors Syllabus Attention Teaching Assistants 98

Faculty Focus

JUNE 18, 2023

In a face-to-face class, students see the instructor and other students and, even if not interacting with them directly, know they are not alone. But asynchronous courses, and especially asynchronous independent study courses, present a different scenario with challenges for both instructors and students. Who is my instructor?”

Instructors 105

Instructors Syllabus Assignments Feedback 105

eSchool News

OCTOBER 7, 2015

With that in mind, certain strategies, tips, and guidelines have been proven to help instructors begin what can seem like an overwhelming task—teaching a course without ever even needing to physically see her students. Prepare syllabus and assignment due dates carefully and well in advance so that students know what to expect and when.

Education 279

Education Syllabus Instructors Feedback 279

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

Much has changed since then, as the world of online learning built for working adults has grown. As an advisor at an online college, I know that adults are attracted to the flexibility of an asynchronous online learning environment and the pace of accelerated semesters. Don’t wait for an assignment notification to get started.

Online Learning 190

Online Learning Instructors Coaching Syllabus 190

Edsurge

OCTOBER 29, 2018

Any tips on keeping my eye on the teaching/learning objectives while having two major LMS’s in play simultaneously? Adjunct at a tier 1 research university in the mid-Atlantic Even a little bit of effort toward streamlining content that could be moved to multiple learning management systems (LMSs) can have a big payoff.

Syllabus 143

Syllabus Mobile Devices Learning Assignments 143

Edsurge

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

Someone who wants to live out my values in practice There is a key difference between an educator saying they want to meet the needs of diverse learners and that instructor actually taking the actions that would meet that goal. Even the best teachers fail on a regular basis, but good ones learn from those hiccups and adjust.

Syllabus 157

Syllabus Teaching Beliefs Instructors 157

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 15, 2023

In my experience working with face-to-face faculty, I have observed a wide range of usage patterns regarding the Learning Management System (LMS). Faculty were eager to learn out of necessity, and we were thrilled to witness double-digit participation in online trainings that would typically draw only a handful of attendees.

Syllabus 126

Syllabus Instructors Peer Review Lecturing 126

Edsurge

JUNE 10, 2021

About a month into each semester, Gayle Golden sets aside a little time to ask her students about their learning. The journalism instructor at the University of Minnesota keeps the process simple, with brief questions similar to these: What should keep happening in this class? But instructors can also take a more technical approach.

Feedback 197

Feedback Instructors Students Syllabus 197

Faculty Focus

JUNE 2, 2024

Aside from a bare-bones syllabus, the professor never showed up. Those who participate in fully online courses, particularly asynchronous ones, may feel isolated from their instructor, their peers, and the university as a whole. Does everything work together to achieve the stated learning objectives of the course?

Syllabus 131

Syllabus Course Design Learning Students 131

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Key points : Today’s students will undoubtedly encounter generative AI in their careers Two higher-ed instructors have designed a guide for using generative AI in life design and career education See related article: A scholar’s embrace of ChatGPT-4 Innovations that have transformed education have often been met with skepticism.

Ethics 340

Ethics Essay Syllabus Feedback 340

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 29, 2023

However, as a former instructor of online courses, I have seen first-hand the power of introducing a librarian to a group of online students and how such exposure can lead to curiosity on a topic and deepen student learning. I am not an academic librarian. In fact, I have never worked in a library.

Syllabus 98

Syllabus Instructors Learning Assignments 98

Edsurge

MARCH 2, 2023

In the early days of online education, I imagined that virtual classrooms would follow the same basic model as in-person ones, with an instructor leading the same number of students typical in a campus class. Students attend WGU entirely on screen, with instructors engaging with them virtually by email, phone, text and video.

Teaching 180

Teaching Instructors Syllabus Assignments 180

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 15, 2023

In my experience working with face-to-face faculty, I have observed a wide range of usage patterns regarding the Learning Management System (LMS). Faculty were eager to learn out of necessity, and we were thrilled to witness double-digit participation in online trainings that would typically draw only a handful of attendees.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Instructors Peer Review Lecturing 111

Faculty Focus

MAY 13, 2025

It means cultivating an inclusive and participatory environment where students feel seen, valued, and empowered to learn. Increasingly, instructors report difficulty maintaining students attention, citing ever-present distractions like smartphones, laptops, and a relentless stream of digital notifications.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Instructors Learning Discussions 105

Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 19, 2023

Here are the key lessons I have learned and the strategies I have embraced for effective teaching. 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.

Syllabus 122

Syllabus Lecturing Instructors Feedback 122

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Since the pandemic, which necessitated the use of Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Canvas or Blackboard, there is now an additional component to consider in developing our courses. Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), across the course.

Syllabus 122

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 122

Edsurge

APRIL 27, 2018

I think the onus is still placed on the student with a disability” to ensure they have learning materials that they can benefit and learn from, says Kwong. Rules and regulations have evolved over the years to try to prevent the kind of experience Kwong had, and to require that all students have equal access to learning materials.

Accessibility 159

Accessibility Disabilities Instructors Syllabus 159

Faculty Focus

MARCH 14, 2023

Integral to these efforts, the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) designed and delivered several faculty development opportunities focusing on research-based teaching and learning strategies that support student mental health and well-being. Described below are three ways that instructors support student well-being and mental health.

Syllabus 131

Syllabus Exams Instructors Assignments 131

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 24, 2023

Language for the disability statement in their syllabus. In other words, we need to take the time to create inclusive learning communities if we’re going to make the most of teaching and learning. I want them to learn for learning’s sake.” “I So, when faculty come to me with a problem, they want an answer.

Teaching 122

Teaching Syllabus Instructors Disabilities 122

Faculty Focus

MAY 15, 2025

This article includes a free, open-access resource for educators: What Your Students Arent Telling You: Listening, Learning, and Leading with Empathy. The book, co-authored with students, offers actionable strategies and insights to help create more inclusive and humane learning environments.

Disabilities 54

Disabilities Course Design Students Lecturing 54

Faculty Focus

MAY 13, 2025

It means cultivating an inclusive and participatory environment where students feel seen, valued, and empowered to learn. Increasingly, instructors report difficulty maintaining students attention, citing ever-present distractions like smartphones, laptops, and a relentless stream of digital notifications.

Syllabus 98

Syllabus Instructors Learning Discussions 98

Edsurge

OCTOBER 22, 2021

It’s solution: Create a new marketplace where instructors can find them. One of the ongoing challenges in the adaptive courseware space is we haven’t been able to find a functioning marketplace,” says Norman Bier, director of the Open Learning Initiative at Carnegie Mellon. A key premise of the Lexington, Mass.-based

Textbooks 183

Textbooks Syllabus Instructors Peer Review 183

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 29, 2023

In spring 2021, inspired by feedback from students, I redesigned my two undergraduate education courses as blended learning courses. While I was familiar with the benefits of blended learning (e.g., So, what is blended learning? 2019; Vallée et al., 2019; Vallée et al.,

Blended Learning 132

Blended Learning Lecturing Education Learning 132

Edsurge

APRIL 30, 2020

Colleges have long had offices designed to support students who have learning disabilities and to encourage broader accessibility in the classroom and beyond. EdSurge: In terms of accessibility during this time, what have you learned? I feel like that's what I've really learned in this situation. Is it going pretty smoothly?

Accessibility 218

Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Syllabus 218

Faculty Focus

JUNE 2, 2024

Aside from a bare-bones syllabus, the professor never showed up. Those who participate in fully online courses, particularly asynchronous ones, may feel isolated from their instructor, their peers, and the university as a whole. Does everything work together to achieve the stated learning objectives of the course?

Syllabus 109

Syllabus Course Design Learning Students 109

Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 19, 2023

Here are the key lessons I have learned and the strategies I have embraced for effective teaching. 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.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Lecturing Instructors Feedback 111

Edsurge

APRIL 18, 2018

Why is it so hard to teach K-12 educators how to promote student agency and to provide choices around content and pacing—why is it so hard to teach educators how to personalize learning? It’s easier to provide a syllabus with structured projects and assignments that have assigned due dates and clear grading parameters.

Teaching 163

Teaching Education Learning Syllabus 163

Faculty Focus

MARCH 12, 2023

The first day or week of the semester is often referred to as what students call “syllabus week,” because professors typically spend the first day of class reviewing the syllabus—interject a big yawn here. So, I moved onto showing them the “About Your Instructor” icon in our LMS.

Student Engagement 116

Student Engagement Activities Syllabus Instructors 116

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 22, 2017

Parra , an assistant professor at New Mexico State’s department of curriculum and instruction learning design & technology, says she’s offered her students the opportunity to use their own languages to complete activities. “To Instructors should make sure students have the opportunity to build their own learning experiences, Parra argues.

Culture 154

Culture Teaching Syllabus English 154

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 20, 2018

April Millet, a learning designer at Penn State University, gave educators tips on how to do so last week at the 2018 OLC Accelerate conference in Orlando. Students learn what academic violations are, and what will happen to them if they’re caught. Faculty can also encourage students to learn for the sake of learning, Millet said.

Academic Integrity 153

Academic Integrity Exams Assignments Instructors 153

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Since the pandemic, which necessitated the use of Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Canvas or Blackboard, there is now an additional component to consider in developing our courses. Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), across the course.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 105

Edsurge

DECEMBER 30, 2021

Many of our faculty, all experienced and skilled instructors, were not just overwhelmed but on the brink. But through the pandemic, I’ve learned that overly complex systems, far from being trustworthy and robust, can in fact be brittle—prone to falling apart when something overwhelms them. But so far, nobody has even noticed.

Education 190

Education Syllabus Instructors Communication 190

Faculty Focus

JUNE 1, 2023

As such, more instructors are teaching online courses. Asynchronous online courses can create barriers for instructors to connect with students, but instructors can implement small and significant changes to their online courses that can help build community, connection, and relationships. Why did you take this course?

Instructors 59

Instructors Syllabus Feedback Assignments 59

Faculty Focus

MAY 9, 2024

As educators and students grapple with what is allowed when using generative AI (GenAI) tools, I have compiled five tips to help you design or redesign academic integrity statements for your syllabus, assignments, exams, and course activities. Banning GenAI tools is not the solution Many students use GenAI tools to aid their learning.

Academic Integrity 137

Academic Integrity Writing Syllabus Exams 137

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. You might be surprised by what you learn.

Teaching 119

Teaching Syllabus Feedback Instructors 119

Scholarly Teacher

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

Cavazos , The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Ryan McBride , The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Key Statement: Student-faculty partnerships can foster asset-based approaches in teaching and learning that challenge implicit linguistic bias and enhance students’ linguistically diverse resources. 2024; Cook-Sather, 2020).

Teaching 98

Teaching Instructors English Language 98

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 24, 2023

Language for the disability statement in their syllabus. In other words, we need to take the time to create inclusive learning communities if we’re going to make the most of teaching and learning. I want them to learn for learning’s sake.” “I So, when faculty come to me with a problem, they want an answer.

Teaching 98

Teaching Syllabus Instructors Disabilities 98