The Importance of Teaching and Learning in the Classroom
“The teaching life is the life of the explorer, the creator, constructing the classroom for free exploration. It is about engagement. It takes courage. It is about ruthlessly excising what…
Take the Zero: Helping College Students Have a Healthier Way of Thinking About Grades
*This article first appeared in the Teaching Professor on August 7, 2018. © Magna Publications. All rights reserved. For the last seven years, I have had the absolute honor of working with…
The Importance of Self-reflection Assignments Between Essays
Each semester I have students complete different writing assignments in my critical thinking and writing course, including two essays: essay 1 (20%) and essay 2 (30%). In between these two…
Teaching and Learning Without Grading
Imagine if faculty did not design courses, select course materials, or grade student work. What role would faculty play in teaching and learning? We serve as instructors at Western Governors…
Let Me Tell You a Story: Enhancing Teaching and Learning through Personal Stories
This article first appeared in the Teaching Professor on November 12, 2018. © Magna Publications. All rights reserved. Good teaching requires a special blend of the personal and the professional.…
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging: Who’s Holding Whom Accountable?
Attributes of work environments that have the greatest influence in determining whether an environment becomes hostile or not is why an organization should start implementing the 5 Cs of Awareness (color, culture,…
Five Strategies for Mastering the Art of Answering Questions When Teaching and Presenting
In academia, we get asked a lot of questions whether we are teaching, giving research presentations, interviewing, or mentoring. This is exciting but can also be scary. The questions are…
Adventures with Snapchat in an Online Course
*This article first appeared in the Teaching Professor on February 25, 2019. © Magna Publications. All rights reserved. Snapchat is a video/photo-sharing app that has become nearly ubiquitous with young…
Innovating with Pandemic Paradoxes: Turning On Our ‘Inner Teacher’
Before the pandemic, the work-life of a teacher involved a seesaw of competing, conflicting, and contradictory demands. Not surprisingly, a number of us wished we had more time and resources…
Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences with an Interactive Customizable Textbook
One of the most fulfilling things I’ve done as an educator is to write my own textbook. Not just any textbook—an interactive digital textbook that encourages students to immerse themselves…