Effective Teaching Strategies
As any experienced teacher knows, “one size fits all” does not apply to instructional programs. Faculty Focus is a resource for developing effective teaching strategies, instruction and curricula.
March 10, 2010
Going Beyond Office Hours to Improve Student Learning
Two of the big buzzwords in higher education are “student engagement” and “teacher effectiveness.” One way to address these intertwined issues is to improve the quality of student-teacher interactions both ... Read more »
February 25, 2010
Teaching with Technology: A More Meaningful Learning Experience Starts with Two Simple Questions
We are bombarded with information about online course supplements and the newest interactive multimedia components, all touted as the best approach to engage today’s learners in the online environment. Dedicated ... Read more »
January 25, 2010
Meta-Collaboration: Writing with Students to Engage Learning
In one of my favorite A Midsummer Night’s Dream passages by William Shakespeare, Theseus comments on the creation of poetry. Informing us that the “poet’s eye” in a “fine frenzy ... Read more »
January 11, 2010
Five Questions that Improve Student Writing
Before embarking on a writing assignment, I challenge my students to imagine a skeptical reader who expects them to answer five important questions. Answering these questions demands critical writing and ... Read more »
December 9, 2009
Six Tips for Effective Writing Groups
By offering students a supportive group for writing assignments and research projects, students can form strong learning communities and feel less isolated when they see others around them struggling to ... Read more »
December 2, 2009
Five Tips for Wrapping Up a Course
The ending of a course deserves greater attention than it typically receives. While we have thoroughly ritualized the start of a new semester often somewhere between weeks 11 and 14, ... Read more »
November 18, 2009
Can Clickers Enhance Student Learning?
Dr. Peter M. Saunders, director of Oregon State University’s Center for Teaching and Learning, has heard the horror stories, and understands why faculty were hesitant to use clickers in the ... Read more »
November 12, 2009
Problem-Based Learning: Benefits and Risks
Problem-based learning, the instructional approach in which carefully constructed, open-ended problems are used by groups of students to work through content to a solution, has gained a foothold in many ... Read more »
November 2, 2009
How to Give Effective Feedback on Student Writing Assignments
How often does this happen to you? You pore over students’ writing assignments, adding what you feel are insightful and encouraging comments throughout each paper. Comments you hope your students ... Read more »
September 21, 2009
Ten Tips for Dealing with Nervousness on the First Day of Class
Each new semester as I walk down the hallway to my classroom, I am a little nervous, even after 27 years of teaching experience…and I’m okay with this. I think ... Read more »
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