Tired of Awkward Silences? Upgrade your Think-Pair-Share
I’ve tried a few different techniques for class discussions over the years, some that I’ve written about previously in Faculty Focus. In recent years, I’ve dialed in a 3-step process…
Reading, Writing, and Thinking in the Age of AI
Three years into the current Artificial Intelligence (AI) hype cycle, catalyzed by the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, AI continues to profoundly disrupt higher education. A recent survey of…
Strategies for Teaching Complex Subjects in Large Hybrid Classrooms Across Campus: Bridging Engagement and Equity Across Modalities
Teaching in a large-size classroom differs significantly from teaching in a small-size classroom in terms of engagement, interaction, and instructional methods (Wang & Calvano, 2022). In a large classroom, instructors…
Eleven Ways to Shine Online
It was a Friday evening when I saw a little ad on the bottom of my screen looking for online English instructors. I was in my second year of teaching…
What Job Design Can Teach Us About Course Design
As an industrial/organizational psychologist, work is always on my mind. Naturally, I am interested in understanding ways to make work better for others, but I also regularly apply research and…
Beyond Syllabus Week: Creative Strategies to Engage Students from Day One
Ever wonder why students don’t read the syllabus, despite the time and effort we put into creating it? It serves as a contract between instructors and students (Eberly, Newton, &…
A snapshot of the students' work.
Engaging Students in Collaborative Research and Writing Through Positive Psychology, Student Wellness, and Generative AI Integration
Co-Authored By Aaliyah Lee-Raji, Amadis Canizales, Amaiya Peterson, Andrew Stillwell, Anessa Mayorga, Aniyah Campbell, A'niyah Leather, Anna Fleeman, Brookelyn Vivas, Cassandra Mathieu, Christian Bennett, Clio Chatelain, Daniel Abernethy, Fatoumata Sow,…
Increasing Classroom Engagement
In undergraduate classrooms, instructors encounter a variety of students with diverse backgrounds and different personalities. Since discussion-based learning, both in-person and virtual, remains important, teachers should find ways to encourage…
Student to Teacher: The Silent Transformation
Why did no one warn me? I was 25 years old, a second-year master's student, standing in front of 70-plus undergraduates with my heart pounding and palms sweating. I thought…
Motivational Force: Building a Foundation for Student Success
Eighteen students crammed themselves into a stuffy classroom assigned for my first-year seminar course on a sunny day in September. With desk tops touching and knapsacks piled high, we maneuvered…