Faced with challenges in teaching remotely over the past year, many IUB instructors developed innovative teaching approaches to keep their students engaged. The question of the summer seems to be what of those new approaches will continue to help students when we return to on-campus classes this fall. I’ve been talking with several of our… Read more »
If you’ll be teaching an online synchronous class this summer, think about how you could use your Zoom background as an icebreaker and way to build community. For example, you could set your background to a photo related to your research or to the class. Then you can start the class chatting with students about… Read more »
This guest post is from Dr. Amy Berndtson, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biology. Last semester, when teaching 300 student online in a gate-way biology course, I discovered the power of using Canvas Gradebook to quickly contact my students about missing assignments as well as poor or strong performance on a particular assignment. More… Read more »
If you’re struggling to find new ways to engage your students in synchronous online class sessions, you’re not alone. Jennifer Terrell and Chase McCoy, instructors who teach a large lower-division course in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, were also looking for new activities to help their students learn course concepts in synchronous… Read more »
Wondering how to set a welcoming tone, get to know your students, and engage everyone from the first day of classes? Use icebreakers to reduce the awkwardness of introductions, build an inclusive learning community, and offer students the opportunity to practice participating. The right icebreaker helps students apply course content and enhance their learning. Plus,… Read more »
Throughout consultations and events this fall, instructors have shared that the “magic” of their typical, in-person class wasn’t as strong in their online or hybrid courses. The common thread among all the stories is that instructors are missing the closeness felt among students in the class. These stories drive me as a graduate student studying… Read more »
