As individuals, we all come from diverse backgrounds that fundamentally shape our perspectives, perceptions of others, and self-understanding. It is the aggregate of these lived experiences that forms the vantage point from which students enter our classrooms. As professors, our instructional methods and positional authority
Many of us worry that generative AI will do students’ thinking for them. But what if the process of generating AI content—in this case, an image—actually forces a deeper level of critical analysis? To facilitate critical thinking skills about AI, we designed an assignment that
Feedback is one of the most important influences on learning, and providing it is one of an instructor’s most important duties. But it’s no secret that many, if not most, faculty consider providing students with feedback to be drudgery. AI provides a way to offload
When I was an undergraduate at the University of Texas, all students were required to take two courses in US history. The courses were US History Before the Civil War and US History Since the Civil War. I took the first course from a historian
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
While AI is being used to make self-tests, study aids, and a wide range of other learning materials, tutoring systems have arguably the most potential to improve student understanding and performance. Programmed to mimic human tutors, these systems engage in a Socratic dialogue with the
“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
Teaching and learning scholars have widely recognized undergraduate research experiences (UREs) as high-impact practices that substantially influence student retention, learning, and professional outcomes (Lopatto, 2004; Williams & Xu, 2020). Though much research about UREs has focused on experiences in the sciences, UREs provide a foundation
Educators are always looking for ways to make learning more engaging and accessible. Thinglink is an interactive media platform that allows instructors to turn visual content into clickable interactive experiences. By adding “hot spots,” instructors can embed text, audio, video, or links to web resources.
“The Song Remains the Same,” a tune penned by Robert Plant, the energetic lead singer of Led Zeppelin, has a basic message: Even in the face of the passage of time or world events, core elements of life stay constant. That sounds like how we
