A threshold concept is discipline-specific, focuses on understanding of the subject and … has the ability to transform learners’ views of the content.” (Zepke, p. 98) It’s not the same as a core concept, although that’s a useful place to first put the idea. “A
This article explains areas that instructors need to work on in order to be successful: knowledge base of teaching and learning, underprepared students, instructional management, teaching strategies, assessment, and passion.
Can you teach students to be creative? Most of us would say no. It’s more like trying to teach for it—encouraging it, promoting it, acknowledging when it happens, and rewarding it. Despite the difficulties associated with teaching creativity, teachers shouldn’t be excused from trying to
Inquiry-based instruction begins with the instructor posing a problem that students figure out how they will study. Students select variables and decide on procedures guided by faculty questions. The method has been used mostly in the sciences, but the basic approach is adaptable to many
Students don’t like comprehensive exams because most of them don’t use good cross-course study strategies. They wait until finals week and then they start reviewing. Here are some ways teachers can help students develop and use study strategies that make preparing for and doing well on
Many faculty seek to encourage students to reflect—to consciously think about what they are learning and sometimes about how they are learning. Through reflective journals students often answer a set of teacher-supplied prompts. In other assignments they may be reflecting on a course activity, say
In the face-to-face classroom, nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, body posture, eye contact, gestures, and attendance are often used to gauge students’ engagement and understanding. Instructors can use these cues to know when to provide additional support and instruction before proceeding to the next
It’s important for instructors to know their students learning preferences and needs early in an online course in order to provide the best possible learning environment. One way to get to know your students is to conduct a survey at the beginning of the course,
At both the beginning and end of each day, it is important to remember that there are only so many options for designing and delivering distance education courses that comply with copyright and fair use law. If I wanted to give someone the short version
Most online faculty know that discussion is one of the biggest advantages of online education. The increased think-time afforded by the asynchronous environment, coupled with the absence of public speaking fears, produces far deeper discussion than is usually found in face-to-face courses. But many faculty
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