Can you remember the feeling of being an Associate Instructor (AI) for the first time at IUB? Most of us feel nervous before teaching a new class – stomach jitters, sweaty palms, trying to remind ourselves why we wanted to go to grad school. Being a bit nervous before teaching is normal and the Center… Read more »
Instructional Technology
Graduate Students – Get Oriented to Teaching at IU!
We’re occasionally asked if we offer spring versions of our day-long Associate Instructor Orientation or Classroom Climate Workshop. While we don’t replicate these programs at the start of the spring semester, we are offering various workshops in early January that will introduce graduate student instructors to some foundational skills for teaching. If the following options… Read more »
Providing Feedback Early and Often with the Student Engagement Roster
One of the classic texts on undergraduate teaching—Chickering and Gamson’s “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” (AAHE Bulletin, March 1987)—notes the importance of providing prompt feedback to students, giving students “frequent opportunities to perform and receive suggestions for improvement.” In many cases, this means providing low-stakes quizzes and assignments early in the semester,… Read more »
Devices in the Classroom: To Ban or Not to Ban?
Interested in this topic? There is still time to register for our March 22 SoTL talk on “Helping Students Learn in an Age of Digital Distraction” by Katie Linder from Oregon State University. Register here. If you’ve ever faced a room full of students who seem to be paying more attention to their laptops or… Read more »
Technologies for Creating Inclusive Classes
Research shows that creating inclusive classes can help your students improve their performance by enhancing their learning (Muruyama, et. al., 2000). A key starting point for inclusion is making sure everyone feels like they belong to the class community—that they have opportunities to be heard and engage with classmates. As an IUB instructor, you have… Read more »
Say It Right with NameCoach: Pronouncing Student Names
Do you have trouble pronouncing your students’ names, or is your own name a real tongue twister for some? NameCoach, a new default app embedded into Canvas, can help you and your students pronounce one another’s names correctly. Here are some examples of using NameCoach in effective and engaging ways. Build relationships with your students… Read more »