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. I consistently wanted to integrate community building activities for the students to participate in and feel safe and comfortable.

Student Engagement 116

Student Engagement Activities Syllabus Instructors 116

Faculty Focus

MAY 13, 2025

Increasingly, instructors report difficulty maintaining students attention, citing ever-present distractions like smartphones, laptops, and a relentless stream of digital notifications. Rather than dictating course policies and classroom norms, instructors can instead ask: What do you think about this plan? Often, class ends early.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Instructors Learning Discussions 105

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 15, 2023

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. 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?

Syllabus 126

Syllabus Instructors Peer Review Lecturing 126

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.

Teaching 119

Teaching Syllabus Feedback Instructors 119

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 22, 2017

Instructors should make sure students have the opportunity to build their own learning experiences, Parra argues. She said that one of the ways she implements active participation is through participatory course design in some of her courses, where students take part in brainstorming what the course will look like.

Culture 147

Culture Teaching Syllabus English 147

Faculty Focus

MAY 13, 2025

Increasingly, instructors report difficulty maintaining students attention, citing ever-present distractions like smartphones, laptops, and a relentless stream of digital notifications. Rather than dictating course policies and classroom norms, instructors can instead ask: What do you think about this plan? Often, class ends early.

Syllabus 98

Syllabus Instructors Learning Discussions 98

Edsurge

APRIL 30, 2020

They dug into the principles of universal design for learning, how instructions can use rubrics to empower students to demonstrate knowledge in many different ways, and how to break up class sessions to make it easier for everyone to participate fully. Start with your syllabus, make your syllabus accessible and then do one document per week.

Accessibility 218

Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Syllabus 218

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.

Teaching 111

Teaching Syllabus Feedback Instructors 111

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. I consistently wanted to integrate community building activities for the students to participate in and feel safe and comfortable.

Student Engagement 98

Student Engagement Activities Syllabus Instructors 98

Edsurge

JUNE 6, 2024

Now that such tools are out there, Watkins suggests that professors look for more ways to do active learning in their classes, and to put more of what he called “intentional friction” in student learning so that students are forced to stop and participate or to reflect on what is being said.

Lecturing 215

Lecturing Education Assignments Syllabus 215

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 15, 2023

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. 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?

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Instructors Peer Review Lecturing 111

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. Participants represented a range of public, private, not-for-profit, and for-profit institutions.

Syllabus 98

Syllabus Instructors Learning Assignments 98

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 21, 2025

Collaborative syllabus design: During the first class, engage students in setting community and classroom norms and goals. A co-created syllabus session fosters accountability and trust, as students feel ownership of the course structure (Cook-Sather et al., Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors.

Plagiarism 121

Plagiarism Syllabus Ethics Feedback 121

Faculty Focus

MAY 15, 2025

Over multiple semesters, more than 2,000 students voluntarily participated in IRB-approved surveys and follow-up interviews. Inclusive language, representation, and proactive instructor support all contributed to students sense of belonging and trust. These were not standard end-of-semester evaluations.

Disabilities 53

Disabilities Course Design Lecturing Students 53

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. My first and only fully online class taken as an undergraduate student was a complete disaster.

Syllabus 131

Syllabus Course Design Learning Students 131

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 13, 2024

We asked them to share their initial thoughts on AI, the tools they had tried, the professional development they had participated in, and their reflections at the end of the semester. Often, there are suggestions on what AI can do, but instructors might struggle with figuring out how to use it effectively.

Syllabus 119

Syllabus Assignments Feedback Teaching Assistants 119

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 13, 2024

We asked them to share their initial thoughts on AI, the tools they had tried, the professional development they had participated in, and their reflections at the end of the semester. Often, there are suggestions on what AI can do, but instructors might struggle with figuring out how to use it effectively.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Assignments Feedback Teaching Assistants 111

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 21, 2025

Collaborative syllabus design: During the first class, engage students in setting community and classroom norms and goals. A co-created syllabus session fosters accountability and trust, as students feel ownership of the course structure (Cook-Sather et al., Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors.

Plagiarism 98

Plagiarism Syllabus Ethics Feedback 98

Edsurge

MARCH 28, 2018

But it wasn’t until her current gig, serving as an instructor for a course on water supply and demand in California, that she got her feet wet with open educational resources. Previously, her syllabus relied on a series of pamphlets from the Water Education Foundation, a California-based non-profit. But those materials were not ideal.

Textbooks 115

Textbooks Instructors History Syllabus 115

Scholarly Teacher

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

Students as Learners and Teachers (SaLT) is an innovative teaching approach where students and instructors collaborate to improve educational experiences ( Cavazos et al., What does the language in the syllabus/assignment assume about students (e.g., 2024; Cook-Sather, 2020). Image courtesy of Unsplash.

Teaching 98

Teaching Instructors English Languages 98

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. My first and only fully online class taken as an undergraduate student was a complete disaster.

Syllabus 108

Syllabus Course Design Learning Students 108

Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Acrobat) to apply built-in page layouts Tables do not work well with screen readers, so consider alternative organizational elements Use descriptive wording for hyperlink text rather than “click here” Post most instructor-created content within LMS content pages (i.e., Cold or random call.

Disabilities 144

Disabilities Exams Lecturing Education 144

Faculty Focus

MAY 7, 2024

The template features an intuitive layout and essential components such as a syllabus, clear assignment guidelines, feedback and grading policies, detailed discussion forums, and links to student support services. Identify and communicate the technical skills necessary for successful course participation to prepare students.

Feedback 121

Feedback Course Design Instructors Education 121

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 29, 2023

In-person instruction In-person instruction is the teaching and learning that happens when the students and instructor are together in a physical space. It also offers students more time to engage deeply with the class content because they are not required to respond in real time to the instructors’ prompts.

Blended Learning 132

Blended Learning Lecturing Education Learning 132

Ask a Tech Teacher

JULY 3, 2019

Educators participate in this three-week hands-on quasi-writer’s workshop as they learn to use widely-available digital tools to help their students develop their inner writer. Student joins a Google Classroom-based class and meets weekly with instructor to discuss class activities and assignments. What Do You Need to Participate.

Syllabus 94

Syllabus Writing Internet Instructors 94

Edsurge

APRIL 20, 2018

But how should instructors foster rich, inclusive dialogues with diverse students—and do so online where everyone might be anonymous? Steele suggested that online instructors should look for additional channels through which students can participate in conversations and demonstrate learning. she posed. “If

Instructors 92

Instructors Syllabus Learning Discussions 92

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

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. By integrating dialogue into the classroom, instructors can help students connect academic content to real-life experiences and current events.

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. By integrating dialogue into the classroom, instructors can help students connect academic content to real-life experiences and current events.

Instructors 98

Instructors Lecturing Syllabus Knowledge 98

Faculty Focus

MAY 7, 2024

The template features an intuitive layout and essential components such as a syllabus, clear assignment guidelines, feedback and grading policies, detailed discussion forums, and links to student support services. Identify and communicate the technical skills necessary for successful course participation to prepare students.

Feedback 110

Feedback Course Design Instructors Education 110

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 18, 2024

A reflective thinking-promoting approach to enhancing graduate students’ flipped learning engagement, participation behaviors, reflective thinking and project learning outcomes. Fostering a positive and inclusive community culture is essential for creating an environment where students feel empowered to learn, contribute, and thrive.

Culture 130

Culture Syllabus Critical Thinking Intelligence 130

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 18, 2024

A reflective thinking-promoting approach to enhancing graduate students’ flipped learning engagement, participation behaviors, reflective thinking and project learning outcomes. Fostering a positive and inclusive community culture is essential for creating an environment where students feel empowered to learn, contribute, and thrive.

Culture 110

Culture Syllabus Critical Thinking Intelligence 110

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 29, 2023

In-person instruction In-person instruction is the teaching and learning that happens when the students and instructor are together in a physical space. It also offers students more time to engage deeply with the class content because they are not required to respond in real time to the instructors’ prompts.

Blended Learning 98

Blended Learning Lecturing Education Learning 98

Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Acrobat) to apply built-in page layouts Tables do not work well with screen readers, so consider alternative organizational elements Use descriptive wording for hyperlink text rather than “click here” Post most instructor-created content within LMS content pages (i.e., Cold or random call.

Disabilities 98

Disabilities Exams Lecturing Education 98

Ask a Tech Teacher

MAY 23, 2017

With all AATT Summer Learning classes, you get as much time as you need with the instructor to mentor and coach–even on topics not included in the syllabus. This 18-hour course provides participants with first-hand experience leveraging technology as a strategic tool when teaching academic topics. You want to change that.

Teachers 79

Teachers Syllabus Learning Instructors 79

Ask a Tech Teacher

MAY 1, 2015

Email the instructor at askatechteacher at gmail dot com throughout the week and/or bring up your question at the weekend Google Hangout or TweetUp. You participate from your computer, wherever that is. There are a few differences (for example, it’s 5 weeks instead of 3 and it’s graded) so read the syllabus first.

Questions 76

Questions Syllabus Instructors Curriculum 76

Edsurge

OCTOBER 24, 2019

Since professors typically require use of these tools to participate in class, students complain that they are essentially being charged to turn in their assignments. That’s when we really started getting calls from frustrated instructors at community colleges who said, ‘I have a big problem. A lot of students weren’t able to get jobs.

Textbooks 117

Textbooks Instructors History Syllabus 117