If we’re to believe the conversations around higher education’s proverbial water cooler, our students are coming to us with poorly developed reading skills and are less prepared and willing to tackle college-level reading assignments than perhaps ever before. The Chronicle of Higher Education has published
It’s always disheartening to peek at a student’s notes after class and discover how far they are from capturing what was covered. This is partly due to students’ trying to capture everything said, like a scribe. Students should instead take “deep notes” that summarize the
In an ever-changing academic environment, instructors are constantly seeking innovative ways to engage our students and prepare them for success, both in our courses and beyond. How can we increase the likelihood that our class material translates into skills that students will use later in
While much of academia is focused on how to prevent students from using generative AI (GenAI) in their work, what if this tool can be used to help students with their writing in ways that prepare them for writing after college? Instructors can teach this
Are you still lecturing? If so, you are like most faculty. The lecture continues to be the most used teaching approach. Although the lecture has often got a bad reputation for not being active enough, you may be pleased to know that a substantial body
Simple and inexpensive software has made it easy for students and teachers to create video and audio for learning content and projects. But this still leaves many students and teachers struggling with the stylistic elements that make multimedia interesting and engaging. In particular, it is
When watching a movie, you might use the first few minutes to decide whether you will like it or not. This same phenomenon also happens in the classroom: the initial moments often set the tone for the entire session. Many educators discuss using the first
Instructors in face-to-face courses can roughly gauge how well students understand the material by facial expressions and audience response systems. This immediate and informal feedback enables them to adjust their teaching in real-time. But this is not the case in asynchronous courses. Students have to
Many research studies have underscored the importance of teaching presence in asynchronous online courses, with the benefits including higher student satisfaction, reduced isolation, and enhanced emotional engagement (Oyarzun et al., 2018).
It is the first day of the semester in a junior-level preservice teacher course, and 40 students sleepily shuffle in and choose spots at a table with their safety blanket—their friends. As I announce to not get too settled, I am met with muffled groans.
