CTL Weekly Teaching Note

Using Technology to Improve Student Learning

Blog | Apr 27, 2016

Faculty interested in being more reflective and effective with their technology use need to look no further than the SAMR model. Developed by Ruben Puentedura, an educational technologist, the SAMR model guides faculty in their design, implementation and evaluation of technology use in their classes.

Becoming a Writer

Blog | Apr 14, 2016

Many academics do not think of themselves as writers. Instead, they think of themselves as teachers, thinkers, scholars, researchers or artists who must write. This mindset creates obstacles to writing.

Weaving Current Events into Student Assignments and Classroom Activities

Blog | Apr 07, 2016

One way to help students recognize the relevance of a course of study is to incorporate current events into the mix of classroom strategies. Whether your students use actual newspapers or electronic resources, there are dozens of ways to weave current events into student assignments and classroom activities. The New York Times Learning Network posted "50 Ways to Teach with Current Events" on their website last fall and there are hundreds of other suggestions on the web.

It's never too late to hear from your students

Blog | Mar 17, 2016

Don't wait until the end of the semester to ask your students about their course experiences. Early semester feedback is a way for you to learn more about your students and your teaching methods and make changes to your course to better support you student learning.

How to Give Better Feedback

Blog | Mar 09, 2016

Feedback often functions as course corrections on a student's path. As you provide abundant feedback throughout the semester, keeping course learning goals in mind, students are best able to improve their own learning experience and to arrive successfully at the final destination.

Going Beyond Passive Listening

Blog | Mar 03, 2016

Active learning promotes "deep learning." Active learning can encompass anything from focused listening that helps students digest new information, to short writing exercises that helps students reflect and react, to group work where students collaborate and apply course content to real-life or new situations. Students who are active learners are more likely to prepare for class, make connections across topics, and carry what they’ve learned into the next courses they take.

Reflective Practice: SKAP – Skills, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Blog | Feb 11, 2016

"Reflective Practice" involves reflecting and debriefing on an experience as part of the learning experience. Instruction or experience alone may not lead to true learning; reflective practice is an essential ingredient to deep understanding and increases the probability of application and transfer of learning.

Using Technology to Improve Student Learning

Becoming a Writer

Weaving Current Events into Student Assignments and Classroom Activities

It's never too late to hear from your students

How to Give Better Feedback

Going Beyond Passive Listening

Reflective Practice: SKAP – Skills, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

How Accurate are Your Assumptions about the Students in Your Class?

First Day of Class: Engage your Students with Poll Everywhere!

Encouraging Students to Ask Questions