At the start of each new semester, I look out at a room of nontraditional students and see the hidden superheroes of higher education. Returning to college after years of managing careers, family, and life’s many demands, they bring remarkable strength, resilience, and perspective to
Students often enter a new course with some degree of trepidation wondering whether they belong (Wilson & Wilson, 2007). During the first few weeks of the semester, classrooms can feel intimidating as students learn names, establish routines, and determine whether their instructors see them as
As July fades into August, faculty across the country gear up for the fall semester. We have spent our summer resting and relaxing, reading, and mentally preparing to welcome a new cohort of students into our classrooms. This is about the time when we scan
In modern classrooms, where students have diminishing attention spans, some freeze when called upon, and others seem to unravel at the slightest sign of critical feedback, old methods of teaching are caving under the weight of a new, trending reality. Across higher education, faculty are
When faculty tell me their online students “just don’t engage,” I always want to ask a simple question: Do your students actually know you? Not your credentials. Not your syllabus. You.
During finals week, I sit down with a stack of blank note cards, my favorite purple gel pen, and write to each student in my Principles of Managerial Accounting course.
Although a range of pedagogical methods use storytelling, evidence of their connection to academic outcomes in specific disciplines is lacking. We present a form of biographical storytelling with the potential to improve academic outcomes. It has five components: narrative structure, characters, emotional resonance, imagery and
“Let’s pretend,” I said, pointing toward the back row, “that Macbeth’s enemy is way across the battlefield, back by Jon.” I moved down the aisle, reciting Shakespeare’s language. “Like valour’s minion carved out his passage—till he faced . . .”—then gestured in the same direction
Every time a student submits work that doesn’t reflect what you know about them, you face the same impossible task: proving something that was designed to be unprovable. AI detection tools offer a number, not an answer. Formal academic integrity processes demand evidence that, in
Moving beyond standard instructional practices is a necessity in today’s diverse classrooms. Faculty are tasked with creating educational spaces that not only meet the varied learning needs of their students but also leverage their backgrounds. The good news? Effective models already exist.
