Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Ever wonder why students dont read the syllabus, despite the time and effort we put into creating it? It serves as a contract between instructors and students (Eberly, Newton, & Wiggins, 2001), outlining the entire semesters expectations, assignments, and deadlines. Use Notebook LM to create a podcast of your syllabus.

Syllabus 98

Syllabus Students Activities Instructors 98

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. Check for questions frequently and provide timely feedback on progress.

Education 279

Education Syllabus Instructors Feedback 279

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

As an instructor, I have always considered myself to be friendly and approachable. Perhaps they are nervous about asking questions because they don’t want to be seen as a student who doesn’t understand the material. If they have not opened the course syllabus or were not in class on the first day, this could be addressed in the email.

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

Edsurge

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

You can pose a question for a future column here. Reader Question: Dear Bonni, I know it is important to be able to address the needs of diverse learners. Verify that your syllabus contains statements that reflect your values in this area. The text of your syllabus and course design. And the subtext of your syllabus.

Syllabus 154

Syllabus Teaching Beliefs Instructors 154

Edsurge

JUNE 10, 2021

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? Between weeks five and eight—and after students have received results from a major assessment—instructors ask students to weigh in on how their learning is progressing.

Feedback 193

Feedback Instructors Students Syllabus 193

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

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. But simply saying so doesn’t make it easy for students to express themselves; for instance, asking questions is a learned skill.

Online Learning 185

Online Learning Instructors Coaching Mobile Devices 185

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 337

Ethics Essay Syllabus Feedback 337

Edsurge

APRIL 30, 2020

They also addressed audience questions about how to get faculty motivated to adjust their courses to improve accessibility. What are some of the accessibility needs college students have that instructors, researchers and course designers should be thinking about when moving courses online? Del Tufo: That's a great question.

Accessibility 218

Accessibility Disabilities Universal Design Syllabus 218

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 173

Teaching Instructors Syllabus Assignments 173

Edsurge

OCTOBER 29, 2018

You can pose a question for a future column here. A Canvas-specific resource I have found helpful in thinking more creatively about embedding is a CanvasLIVE video featuring Laura Gibbs, an online instructor at the University of Oklahoma: Beautiful Curation: Flickr & Pinterest (+Diigo & Padlet). syllabus-BUSN114.pdf)

Syllabus 138

Syllabus Mobile Devices Learning Assignments 138

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), For instance: One instructor might have clearly labeled modules containing content for each week, while another might use one module for all handouts and another for all assignments. across the course.

Syllabus 122

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 122

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. Here, they were free to ask me any questions. So, I moved onto showing them the “About Your Instructor” icon in our LMS.

Student Engagement 116

Student Engagement Activities Syllabus Instructors 116

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 24, 2023

Language for the disability statement in their syllabus. The second question I ask in one form or another is, “Do your students know that this is what you want for them?” Another way of asking the question is, “Do you talk to them about this?” So, when faculty come to me with a problem, they want an answer. Start strong.

Teaching 122

Teaching Syllabus Instructors Disabilities 122

Edsurge

DECEMBER 30, 2021

The practice is a common retrospective technique known as Start/Stop/Continue, and it poses three questions: • What are we not doing, that we should start doing? Many of our faculty, all experienced and skilled instructors, were not just overwhelmed but on the brink. This is a real question. But so far, nobody has even noticed.

Education 185

Education Syllabus Instructors Intelligence 185

Faculty Focus

MARCH 14, 2023

These pedagogies provide instructors a powerful opportunity to create learning environments that effectively support all students, minimize student stress, and support overall student mental health, without sacrificing academic rigor. Described below are three ways that instructors support student well-being and mental health.

Syllabus 131

Syllabus Exams Instructors Assignments 131

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 20, 2018

She recalled one instructor who told her that 11 students in her class of 35 turned in the exact same assignment using materials from Course Hero, a website where students can share and access course study materials. If educators must test students, changing the questions can help foil potential cheaters as well, said Millet.

Academic Integrity 148

Academic Integrity Exams Assignments Instructors 148

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Instead of thinking about the LMS as simply a repository for course essentials (syllabus, contact information, etc.), For instance: One instructor might have clearly labeled modules containing content for each week, while another might use one module for all handouts and another for all assignments. across the course.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Instructors Assignments Faculty Development 105

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. What are your pronouns?

Instructors 59

Instructors Syllabus Feedback Assignments 59

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. Here, they were free to ask me any questions. So, I moved onto showing them the “About Your Instructor” icon in our LMS.

Student Engagement 98

Student Engagement Activities Syllabus Instructors 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. Ask students to complete a pre-semester survey.

Teaching 119

Teaching Syllabus Feedback Instructors 119

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

But Rima Al Tawil (2019) demonstrates that there is a variety of ways in which nonverbal cues make their way into online learning, and it is important for instructors to understand these communication influences to monitor and manage the tone of their courses. The same is true of personal communication with students in response to questions.

Instructors 103

Instructors Communication Syllabus Discussions 103

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 27, 2024

Connecting with students shifts the obligation from the instructor working singularly to create an inclusive environment to one where the class works collectively to build the community. Instructors lead by example, sharing information about themselves, their backgrounds, and their interests, and encourage students to do the same.

Instructors 116

Instructors Students Minute Papers Course Design 116

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. Write your own GenAI policy to include in your syllabus.

Academic Integrity 137

Academic Integrity Writing Syllabus Exams 137

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 begin with a caveat. I am not an academic librarian. In fact, I have never worked in a library.

Syllabus 98

Syllabus Instructors Learning Assignments 98

Edsurge

JUNE 6, 2024

The software will automatically use your recording to make notes, flashcards and quiz questions,” she says in the promotional video. She describes opening up the company’s tool on her laptop during class and clicking a record button. Some educators worry that it will keep students from paying attention.

Lecturing 216

Lecturing Education Assignments Syllabus 216

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 13, 2024

Often, there are suggestions on what AI can do, but instructors might struggle with figuring out how to use it effectively. However, with numerous upgrades and increasing faculty engagement, hopefully, instructors are now more comfortable using it as a valuable tool for preparing and managing the semester efficiently. Look no further.

Syllabus 119

Syllabus Assignments Feedback Teaching Assistants 119

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 24, 2023

Language for the disability statement in their syllabus. The second question I ask in one form or another is, “Do your students know that this is what you want for them?” Another way of asking the question is, “Do you talk to them about this?” So, when faculty come to me with a problem, they want an answer. Start strong.

Teaching 98

Teaching Syllabus Instructors Disabilities 98

Ask a Tech Teacher

MAY 1, 2015

What I want to do today is go over the most common questions I’ve gotten regarding sign ups: Q: What is the cost to register? 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 can read more here and here. And welcome!

Questions 71

Questions Syllabus Instructors Curriculum 71

Faculty Focus

JUNE 2, 2024

Aside from a bare-bones syllabus, the professor never showed up. This poses the question: How can we best serve our online students? Those who participate in fully online courses, particularly asynchronous ones, may feel isolated from their instructor, their peers, and the university as a whole. Mental i llness.

Syllabus 131

Syllabus Course Design Learning Students 131

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. Ask students to complete a pre-semester survey.

Teaching 111

Teaching Syllabus Feedback Instructors 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 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

MAY 13, 2025

Increasingly, instructors report difficulty maintaining students attention, citing ever-present distractions like smartphones, laptops, and a relentless stream of digital notifications. While this structured approach provides clarity, one must question whether it sufficiently addresses the evolving needs of todays students.

Syllabus 105

Syllabus Instructors Learning Confidentiality 105

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 27, 2024

Connecting with students shifts the obligation from the instructor working singularly to create an inclusive environment to one where the class works collectively to build the community. Instructors lead by example, sharing information about themselves, their backgrounds, and their interests, and encourage students to do the same.

Instructors 105

Instructors Students Minute Papers Course Design 105

Faculty Focus

AUGUST 13, 2024

Often, there are suggestions on what AI can do, but instructors might struggle with figuring out how to use it effectively. However, with numerous upgrades and increasing faculty engagement, hopefully, instructors are now more comfortable using it as a valuable tool for preparing and managing the semester efficiently. Look no further.

Syllabus 111

Syllabus Assignments Feedback Teaching Assistants 111

Edsurge

SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Instructors who flunk a student on an exam can reasonably expect to see an email from a concerned parent every so often. Reed and her colleagues surveyed 461 college students at FSU and asked questions about parental involvement. They also asked students about their perceived mental and physical health and self-efficacy.

Syllabus 158

Syllabus Exams Instructors Study 158