Step 1: Ensure all students are familiar with Generative AI

ChatGPT. Bard. WALL-E. Many students are likely familiar with at least one of these Generative AI tools. Ask learners to engage with a platform of their choice to better grasp the functionality that AI can offer. In turn, this process will allow students to critically evaluate the affordances—and shortcomings—of such platforms. Stommel advises educators to not require students to create accounts when exploring on their own. His rationale as to why will become increasingly evident after reviewing any Generative AI platform’s Terms of Service.

Step 2: Read and discuss Generative AI’s Terms of Service

When was the last time you read the Terms of Service after signing up for a new technology? Most of us just bypass the legalese, and there’s a good chance your students do the same. But taking a closer look can be illuminating. Have students review the T’s and C’s for a given platform in small groups and ask them to report out on anything they find striking—a great exercise to help them become more conscious digital citizens.

Consider asking students to respond to the following questions when engaging in their exploration.

1. How does generated content get stored? 
2. Does user data get harnessed by AI platforms to improve their language models? 
3. Am I able to claim ownership of AI-generated work? 
4. Is the content generated considered my intellectual property?
5. What happens to data in the event of a breach?
6. What’s one thing that surprised you when reviewing the Terms of Service?

The answers to the questions above can be deeply complex. It’s why it’s so crucial to have an open discussion with students on how these platforms function from a technical lens.

Step 3: Input a research prompt or question

Let students formulate a research question or prompt to ask Generative AI that’s relevant to their coursework. Before students input their prompts, ask them to reflect on what type of response they expect to receive from Generative AI. What might they do to improve the value of the output? Now’s a great time to remind students that the strongest AI prompts are fairly robust, offering clear instructions and providing plenty of supporting context. Here are some examples of strong and weak AI prompts.

Step 4: Consider the generated results

Ask students to analyze the responses that Generative AI spits out. This works well as an individual or small group exercise. What do they notice? Does the work appear as though it was created by a human? Why or why not? Are there proper references? How would they assess the voice and tone or level of subject matter expertise? Who does the intellectual property belong to? You might also encourage students to consider how they would adjust their prompt to improve the output.

Step 5: Consider how AI fuels ethical risks

Host a discussion with students to address questions related to bias, plagiarism, intellectual property, and fair access. For example, since Generative AI is trained on vast amounts of existing data, how might existing biases affect the outputs we see? How would they handle attribution when using Generative AI for coursework? If students regularly use AI for assignments, how will future employers have confidence in their own knowledge and capabilities?  How would they manage fair use knowing that many of the latest tools require paying for a subscription? Or, as the theorist and cultural critic Neil Postman suggests, how does this technology privilege or marginalize students at the intersection of identity (i.e. race, language, culture, disability, age)?

Looking harder at the company’s developing AI tools, Stommel suggests the following questions to get students thinking critically in evaluating the technologies they use. 

1. Who owns the tool? What is the name of the company and the CEO? What are their politics? 
2. What does the tool say it does? What does it actually do?
3. What flexibility do we have to be anonymous, or to protect our data? Where is data housed and who owns it? What are the implications for in-class use? Will others be able to own our work on these platforms? How might this affect workers at companies where protecting intellectual property is essential?
4. How accessible is the tool? For a blind student? For a hearing-impaired student? For a student with a learning disability? For introverts? For extroverts?

Step 6: Determine your path forward

You might consider using the outputs to co-create a Standard of Conduct similar to this list shared by Harvard Business School to guide students in their approach to using AI. This could include recommendations on citing work students generate using AI as well as managing confidential information in line with your school’s Information Security Policy. 

Stommel’s vision is that the rise of Generative AI encourages educators to host a larger set of conversations with students. The process of evaluating Generative AI is a journey—not a destination. It’s Stommel’s hope that the steps above will help you transition from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat when using AI in your course. So buckle up: there may be some turbulence on your journey, but we promise it’ll be worth it.

Get to know Top Hat Ace, our new AI-powered assistant. Our human-centered application of AI will help further our mission to make education more effective, inclusive and accessible.

References

1. GenAI In Higher Education: Fall 2023 Update Time for Class Study (2023). Tyton Partners. https://tytonpartners.com/app/uploads/2023/10/GenAI-IN-HIGHER-EDUCATION-FALL-2023-UPDATE-TIME-FOR-CLASS-STUDY.pdf

The post A 6-Step Exercise for Discussing AI In Education appeared first on Top Hat.

Help your students thrive post-graduation and land their dream jobs by placing greater emphasis on five career readiness skills in your course.

Skills to promote workforce readiness

Self-management

Going directly from the classroom to the workforce isn’t easy. Students must show that they’re responsible, diligent and can oversee several projects at once with a high degree of efficiency. Students are encouraged to hone their project and time management skills and approach all scenarios with respect and dignity.

Example (Arts majors): Create an assignment where students redesign their resumés and cover letters. This will help them sharpen their project management skills, while familiarizing themselves with digital technology tools like Adobe Illustrator or InDesign.

Communication

Communication skills are a core part of workforce readiness. Whether it’s communicating via code or presenting solutions to a client, students need to effectively convey their ideas using digestible language and supporting aids. In the corporate world, presenting ideas, providing project updates and making the case for investments are often a day-to-day occurrence. With a little creativity, there are endless opportunities to get students to put their verbal and written communication skills to practice.

Example (Biology majors): Ask students to submit a podcast episode on a course concept of their choosing, such as the stages of mitosis. Encourage students to discuss their topic in two minutes or less, prompting them to think creatively and critically about how to illustrate the most important points.

Collaboration and teamwork

The majority of jobs involve working with others to share knowledge and address a business need. The adage, ‘you’re only as strong as the weakest link,’ holds true here. Give students the opportunity to learn from one another, take on varying roles within groups (i.e. not just being a notetaker in every group project) and demonstrate cooperation and initiative when working with others.

Example (Public Speaking majors): Start each class with a few rounds of improv to get students communicating in front of one another. This can even strengthen teamwork and problem solving. Depending on the game, you could ask students an open-ended question and have each ask a question in response to the one before it, going around in a circle.

Critical thinking

Do you search for a solution to a problem immediately or pause to collect as much information as possible and ask peers for their opinions? Risk assessment, data analysis and collaboration are all core tenets of this soft skill. Students make sound decisions by objectively reviewing several sources of information.

Example (Business majors): Taking the form of a group project, ask students to form a ‘proof of concept’ for a new product of their choice. Group work will help students become effective communicators and critical thinkers, and improve their people skills. This activity will also leave students with something to add to their professional portfolio at the end of your course.

Emotional intelligence

Empathy, integrity, care. It’s what goes into learning with an emotionally intelligent lens. Students are able to recognize and manage their own emotions and influence the emotions of others. In the workplace, students may need to put their emotions aside in order to resolve conflicts, coach and motivate their peers and create a culture of collaboration. Practicing giving critical feedback to a friend in class, for example, could be a great way for students to build up this skill.

Example (English majors): Have students grade each other’s essays using a rubric that ensures they are evaluating students on fair criteria. The process of peer-grading will promote collaboration and teamwork as well as emotional intelligence—making sure students give empathetic feedback that focuses on growth as opposed to shortcomings.

Class activities to support workforce readiness

Nurturing the five skills above will do wonders in helping students prepare for their first job out of school. Aside from skill development, there are several other tactics you might use to make learning more applicable and relevant to the professional aspirations of your students.

1. Bring in industry experts

Guest lectures can help expose students to diverse perspectives and advice—and video conferencing software means the possibilities for inviting guest speakers have been blown wide open. Bringing in guest speakers may also reduce your workload. Jasmine Roberts, a strategic communication lecturer in the School of Communication at The Ohio State University, mixes up guest lectures with group discussions to maintain a lively classroom while reimagining student engagement. Give your students enough time to prepare questions for your guest in advance, and consider using an anonymous discussion board, or social media, to keep the conversation going outside of class.

2. Promote networking and mentorship opportunities

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” goes the old adage, and that may never be more true than during a job search. By some estimates, up to 70 percent of jobs (at least) aren’t even advertised, instead being filled by social and professional networks. To help bridge the gap between your classroom and the workplace, consider inviting a past student to deliver a guest lecture. In addition, you might spotlight job fairs occurring on campus or in your city for students to attend and expand their network.

3. Spotlight your campus’ career resources

From job fairs to resumé critiques or cover-letter writing workshops, familiarize yourself with your campus’ career services and highlight them on your syllabus. Consider setting up a discussion board for students to share any additional career-specific resources. You might consider incentivizing students to attend a writing workshop offered on campus by giving them an extra point or two on an assignment if they can prove their attendance.

4. Incorporate real-world examples into your course materials

When students see content that they can easily relate to, they’re more likely to retain it. Across your textbook readings, lectures and homework assignments, make sure your examples and case studies reflect real-life events and stories as much as possible. Stephen Buckles, Principal Senior Lecturer of Economics at Vanderbilt University, did just this when the GameStop stock saga made headlines in January 2021. By incorporating this case study into his Top Hat textbook, he was able to make explicit connections between his course material and the world beyond his course. Buckles also added stories exploring the effects of COVID-19 on employment, income and prices—especially captivating for students who were watching these stories unfold in real time.

References

1. Essential Job Readiness Skills That Every Graduate Needs To Develop. (n.d.). GradSiren. https://www.gradsiren.com/career-advice/essential-job-readiness-skills-graduate-needed/

The post Workforce Readiness Begins By Nurturing These 5 Essential Skills appeared first on Top Hat.

What is career or workplace readiness?

Career readiness, also known as workplace readiness, refers to the preparedness of individuals to enter the workforce and thrive in their chosen careers. It encompasses a broad spectrum of skills, knowledge, and attributes that go beyond academic achievements and technical expertise such as emotional intelligence, cultural competence, financial literacy, and much more. Career readiness prepares students to tackle the challenges and complexities of the modern workplace, enabling them to adapt, excel, and contribute meaningfully to their chosen professions.

Why is career readiness important for higher education students?

Beyond the obvious benefit of making sure students are ready for the workforce, many reports, including one by Indeed, note that career readiness, when focused on at the college level, help students find a fulfilling career—which is the goal of most higher ed learners. Here are a few reasons career readiness is critical for higher ed students.

• Enhanced employability: The primary goal of higher education is to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed for gainful employment. Career readiness ensures that graduates are well-prepared to secure meaningful jobs in their respective fields.
• Economic advancement: Graduates who are career-ready tend to command higher salaries and experience faster career advancement. This not only benefits individuals but also contributes to the economic growth of the nation.
• Meeting employer expectations: Employers seek candidates who not only possess technical competencies but also demonstrate strong soft skills and adaptability. Career-ready graduates are more likely to meet these expectations, making them attractive to potential employers.
• Reducing skills gap: Career readiness helps bridge the gap between academia and the real world. Data from a PwC study indicates that by 2030, the talent shortage and skills gap in the U.S. alone is expected to hit a total loss of $8.5 trillion.¹ Graduates who are prepared for the workforce can bridge the gap immediately, reducing the need for extensive training and onboarding.

How can professors help students become workplace ready?

In a survey conducted by Top Hat in 2022, 72 percent of students indicate that their instructors help them understand how what they are learning will support their career readiness after college.² Professors play a pivotal role in preparing students for the workplace, and there are several actions they can take to enhance career readiness.

Firstly, professors can actively assist students in securing internships and co-op opportunities by offering guidance, sharing industry contacts, and providing information about available positions. Moreover, aligning coursework and assignments with real-world applications and challenges can help students bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Professors can foster a collaborative and team-oriented learning environment, as teamwork and communication are vital workplace skills. Encouraging students to engage in group projects that simulate workplace dynamics can further enhance their ability to work effectively in teams. Additionally, professors can offer career counseling, workshops on resume-building and interviewing skills, and provide insights into industry trends and expectations. By combining academic knowledge with practical experience and career-oriented support, professors can significantly contribute to students’ readiness for the professional world.

Top Hat’s Interactive eTexts can also promote career readiness competencies. The MBA Human Resources department at the University of Canada West (UCW) created three custom Top Hat textbooks, packed with real-world examples that could help students digest concepts faster. “Every chapter has cases from the Canadian context that students can relate to,” shares Nisa Chand, Assistant Professor in UCW’s MBA program. The level of detail found within all three Top Hat texts has an added benefit: students can now earn their Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) accreditation during the program versus upon graduation. Allowing students to learn from relevant course materials hasn’t only helped with engagement, it’s enabled students to more effectively apply their learnings to the business world.

How do soft skills help with career readiness?

Soft skills, often referred to as interpersonal or non-technical skills, play a crucial role in career readiness. As reported by the Department of Labor, the three ‘Rs’ (reading, writing, and arithmetic) may be essential to your job, but soft skills could be just as, if not more, important to work readiness. These skills are not specific to any particular profession but are essential for success in any job. Some of the key soft skills that contribute to career readiness include:

Soft skills vs. technical skills

Soft skills and technical skills represent distinct yet interconnected components of an individual’s skill set, and both play pivotal roles in career readiness within the context of higher education.

Soft skills: Soft skills, also known as interpersonal or non-technical skills, encompass a broad range of qualities and behaviors that enable effective communication, collaboration, and adaptability in various settings. These skills are inherently transferable and can be applied across different professions and industries. 

Examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, leadership, and time management. In higher education, cultivating soft skills is essential as they empower students to navigate the complexities of academic and professional environments successfully. 

Soft skills help learners engage in meaningful class discussions, collaborate effectively on group projects, and build relationships with professors and peers. Furthermore, these skills are vital for job interviews, networking, and career advancement, making them integral to career readiness in higher education.

Jessica Roisen, Professor of Philosophy at St. Ambrose University, relies on her Top Hat Interactive eText to help hone career readiness competencies including soft skills. Roisen incorporates case studies that reflect our economic landscape today—presenting an engaging alternative to traditional problem solving. During classes, she asks students to read their assigned chapters and create slideshows of their takeaways in small groups. The process helps sharpen a number of soft skills, including leadership, teamwork and communication.

Technical skills: In contrast, technical skills are specific competencies related to a particular field, discipline, or profession. These skills are typically acquired through formal education, training programs, or hands-on experience and are directly applicable to a specific job or industry. 

Examples of technical skills range from programming languages and laboratory techniques to legal research and financial analysis. In higher education, technical skills are often the core focus of specialized programs and courses, equipping students with the expertise required for their chosen career paths. 

These skills provide a foundation for students to excel in their fields of study and ultimately secure employment. However, it’s essential to recognize that even in higher education, technical skills are most effective when complemented by strong soft skills. Graduates who can communicate their technical knowledge, work collaboratively, and adapt to changing circumstances are better prepared for the ever-evolving job market.

Career readiness in higher education: The integration of soft skills and technical skills is a cornerstone of career readiness in higher education. Institutions must not only impart technical expertise but also provide opportunities for students to develop and hone their soft skills. This can be achieved through interactive classroom environments, group projects, leadership opportunities, internships, and career development programs. 

By fostering a holistic, twenty-first century skill set that combines technical proficiency with strong soft skills, higher education institutions prepare students not only for their first job but also for long-term career success. As graduates enter the workforce, they can draw upon their comprehensive skill set to communicate effectively, adapt to industry changes, collaborate in diverse teams, and demonstrate leadership qualities, all of which contribute to their readiness for a fulfilling and prosperous career.

Ninety-three percent of students say the variety of assessment types in Top Hat helped them develop critical thinking skills—a core competency for any career today. See how to create assignments and exams in Top Hat that prepare students for the workplace.

What are NACE career readiness competencies?

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has identified eight career readiness competencies that serve as a valuable framework for higher education institutions and students. These competencies provide a structured approach to developing the skills and attributes necessary for career success. Here are the eight NACE career readiness competencies.

• Critical thinking / problem solving: Graduates can demonstrate the ability to think critically, analyze information, and solve complex problems.
• Oral / written communication: Career-ready individuals are proficient in conveying ideas effectively through both written and oral communication.
• Teamwork / collaboration: They can work effectively in diverse teams, demonstrating the ability to contribute to group dynamics and achieve common goals.
• Digital technology: In today’s digital age, proficiency in using technology and adapting to new tools and platforms is essential.
• Leadership: Career-ready graduates exhibit leadership qualities, whether in formal leadership roles or through influencing and motivating others.
• Professionalism / work ethic: They maintain a strong work ethic, including demonstrating reliability, integrity, and a commitment to professional growth.
• Career management: Graduates have the skills to navigate their career paths effectively, including setting goals, seeking opportunities, and adapting to changing career environments.
• Global / intercultural fluency: In an increasingly globalized world, career-ready individuals can work effectively in diverse cultural contexts and demonstrate an understanding of global issues.

A survey conducted by Job Outlook of 172 employers indicates that critical thinking, teamwork and professionalism are ranked among the most essential career readiness competencies. However, using a five-point scale, employers rate critical thinking 3.6, teamwork 3.83 and professionalism 3.4.³ These findings underscore the importance of honing career readiness competencies in the classroom environment.

Top Hat’s interactive polls and quizzes make it easy to facilitate low-stakes assessments. Faculty can choose from 14 question types—including matching, word answer and click-on-target—which sharpens a number of career readiness competencies along the way. The dynamic format of Top Hat questions also helps students feel more confident in writing long-form responses or defending their opinion, which may be required of them in the workplace.

Five career readiness competencies in focus

While all eight NACE competencies are important, let’s delve deeper into five key competencies that can significantly impact a graduate’s career:

It’s also important to note that workplace readiness and career readiness competencies don’t just form in the lecture hall. Students sharpen these invaluable skills when interacting with friends, completing extracurricular or athletic activities, and working part-time jobs. Combined, these experiences help shape students into well-rounded individuals who possess both the technical understanding and people skills required for success upon entering the workplace full-time. 

Quiz: How much are you promoting career readiness in your course?

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced and competitive job market, career readiness is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity for higher education students. Graduates who possess the right mix of technical expertise and soft skills are better equipped to secure meaningful employment, excel in their careers, and contribute positively to their organizations and society.

By understanding the importance of career readiness and focusing on key competencies like critical thinking, communication, teamwork, leadership, and professionalism, higher education institutions can prepare their students for success in the real world. In doing so, they not only fulfill their educational mission but also empower graduates to navigate the path to a bright and prosperous future.

References

1. Probst, L. & Scharff, C. (2019). The Lost Workforce: Upskilling for the Future. PwC. https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/world-government-summit/documents/wgs-lost-workforce.pdf
2. Lai Read, D. (2022). Top Hat Field Report: 2,798 Students on Assessments, Career-readiness, and Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom. Top Hat. https://tophat.com/blog/feb-2022-student-survey/
3. NACE Staff. (2019). The Four Career Competencies Employers Value Most. National Association of Colleges and Employers. https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/the-four-career-competencies-employers-value-most/

The post A Guide to Navigating College and Career Readiness (+ Quiz) appeared first on Top Hat.

In this guide, you will:

• Learn what teaching styles are and how they impact learning
• Get teaching styles examples and resources
• Review an inventory of different teaching styles, informed by higher ed experts like Anthony Grasha, Kay Mohanna, Ruth Chambers and David Walls
• Receive methods for experimenting with a range of different teaching styles (including the demonstrator and facilitator teaching styles) to improve your course delivery

1. What are teaching styles?

Teaching styles are linked to a professor’s educational value system and stem from their philosophy of education. Being aware of your own teaching style (or styles) can help you improve your teaching methods, by designing your course to increase student engagement and, ultimately, enhance student outcomes. The types of teaching styles you adopt will depend on your course goals, course material and learning objectives.

Teaching styles not only refer to the instructional strategies and methods employed but also the use of certain types of rhetoric. In fact, Daniel K. Schneider, an associate professor at TECFA, a research and training unit in the faculty of psychology and education at the University of Geneva, says that educators are usually not aware of their own teaching style and it could even be described as an “emergent property.”

One educator, for example, might be more teacher-centered, viewing themselves as an authority figure on a particular topic. Another, meanwhile, might approach teaching from a mentorship perspective, functioning more in an advisory role and giving students the latitude to work more independently. Neither would be making a necessarily conscious decision to teach in that way.

Anthony Grasha, the late Professor of Psychology at the University of Cincinnati, and a noted expert on teaching styles defined five types of teaching methods: expert, formal authority, personal model, facilitator and delegator. Ideally, educators can experiment with multiple styles, consider their strengths and develop an approach that they’re comfortable with that can maximize student engagement. Often, this will involve making conscious use of a mix of teaching styles.

2. How different teaching styles affect learning

Harry and Rosemary Wong, former teachers and co-authors of The First Day of School: How to be an Effective Teacher and The Classroom Management Book, believe that there are three goals of teaching styles: to develop effective classroom management skills, to achieve lesson mastery and to have positive expectations.

Teaching styles can vary considerably based on individual classroom settings, the subject you’re teaching and the diverse group of students in your class. An authority or lecture-based teaching style, for example, is well-suited to large classes and subjects that require heavy memorization, like history. A delegator or group teaching style might be more conducive to subjects that require lab activity, like chemistry, or subjects that involve significant feedback, like debate and creative writing. In the latter style, the teacher inspires and observes rather than recites facts.

The goal of any teaching style is to remain focused on teaching objectives and engaging students as best you can. Not all students respond well to a particular style, which is why many professors who are versed in teaching styles use a combination of them based on the subject matter or environment.

Students are the most important factor in building your course environment: and it’s essential to use a teaching method to engage students at all levels of learning and ability. Using a balanced mix of teaching styles that blend the best of what you have to offer will reach every student effectively.

2.1. A teaching style inventory made for any course or instructor

The first step in developing and understanding your curriculum delivery is to review a teaching style inventory.² Several resources can offer structure to this self-reflective exercise. The most effective resources that can help you understand the different teaching styles are below.

1. Mohanna, Chambers and Wall’s Staffordshire Evaluation of Teaching Styles (SETS) is a self-evaluation questionnaire and scoring sheet that helps educators select their own teaching style from a list of six options. The types of teaching methods include: a) all-around flexible and adaptable, b) student-centered and sensitive, c) official curriculum, d) straight facts; no-nonsense, e) big conference and f) one-off.³
2. The Teaching Behavior Preferences Survey by Behar and Horenstein (2006), meanwhile, includes statements (such as “My teaching is guided by instructional strategies”) to determine if you are more teacher- or student-centered, and into which of four subdomains you might fall.⁴
3. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale by Conty (1983) includes 44 self-administered questions to determine where you fall on the spectrum of teaching styles.⁵
4. Another option is the Constructionist On-Line Learning Environment Survey by Taylor and Maor (2000), which measures the quality of an online environment and teaching styles.⁶

3. What are the different types of teaching styles?

There’s no canonical group of teaching styles. The concept can be sliced in many different ways in terms of definition. One group of classifications, for example, is based on content while another is based on student communication.

The important consideration is that teaching styles identify the gaps between where learners are and where they need to be and find a way to help bridge that gap.

Teaching styles can range from strict authorities to, more commonly nowadays, those that promote active and collaborative learning. Here are two of the most commonly used sets, which stem from Mohanna, Chambers and Wall’s teaching styles and Grasha’s teaching methods.

3.1. Types of teaching styles proposed by Mohanna, Chambers and Wall

Kay Mohanna, Ruth Chambers and David Wall developed SETS in 2007, to discover if there were distinct teaching styles that could be measured.⁷ They were familiar with the idea of learning styles but felt that these did not take into account the importance of the teacher in the learning process as well. They also wondered if a mismatch between an educator’s teaching style and a student’s preferred learning style could stand in the way of positive educational outcomes.

The researchers analyzed aspects of teaching by studying educational literature and looked for patterns and associations. The themes they came up with fit into six identifiable teaching styles: all-around flexible and adaptable; student-centered, sensitive; official curriculum; straight facts, no-nonsense; big conference; and one-off. From there, they created a self-evaluation questionnaire and scoring sheet to provide professors with personal scores in each type to identify their strongest preferences. Plotting these points onto a Staffordshire Hexagon provides a visual representation of an educator’s personal teaching style matrix.

Below, we break down the six types of teaching styles as proposed by Mohanna, Chambers and Wall.

3.1.1. Student-centered, sensitive

This teaching style emphasizes emotions and gives students more responsibility for their own learning. It’s used by educators who are not comfortable delivering lengthy presentations, or when a subject does not necessarily call for formal lectures. Roleplay and drama can even be involved. For example, professor Sergio Juarez at California State University, Fresno takes an empathetic approach to student assessment. Using a dynamic Top Hat textbook, he allows students to deliver speeches in the language they feel most comfortable in, boosting student engagement and morale.

This student-centered teaching style promotes greater interaction and uses an active learning environment to help students develop critical thinking and meta-cognitive skills. However, this teaching method might not be effective for all students—many people can quickly get frustrated or lose a sense of direction with personal, unsupervised learning. Top Hat’s interactive and inclusive discussion tool sparks conversations where students are invited to share their ideas in a variety of ways, no matter how big the class.

This teaching style is best used in smaller classrooms, and where discovery and exploration would be more effective in the learning process than reciting facts and note-taking. It can be used in disciplines such as medicine and teaching a patient-centered mindset. It’s also ideal for a subject where activities like role-playing, lab work and drama can be used, such as debate and creative writing.

3.1.2. Official curriculum teacher

Teaching styles like this one are for the well-prepared and accredited educator who is aware of and wants to follow the formal curriculum to a tee. As Wall explains, “As well as being familiar with the curriculum statements, this teacher is very careful to match their teaching with these curriculum statements so that over time, the whole curriculum has been properly covered.”

This teaching style focuses on external targets for teaching, as well as faculty development and “teaching the teacher,” and offers dependency and security to instructors and students alike. Knowledge of the curriculum itself, of course, is paramount and this teaching style cannot work without it. However, one major disadvantage to this is that teaching with a structure in place means that one cannot deviate from it, even for subjects that students may find interesting or worth more time. As a result, student engagement can potentially suffer.

3.1.3. Straight facts, no-nonsense

Similar to the official curriculum teaching style, this style describes educators who like to teach facts and figures, typically in a lecture format. These educators are less focused on multi-disciplinary teaching and learning and place more value on specific course material that needs to be taught. It’s most appropriate for students at the beginning of a subject who need to absorb the foundations of a topic. This teaching style also works well for subjects that involve heavy memorization.

Content-based, teaching styles like this align well with the cognitive domain in Bloom’s taxonomy. For skills, Miller’s pyramid may be more useful. But aligning to structure could be hard for educators who prefer to take a more personal approach to their class—the authors recommend anybody who wants to adopt this teaching style attend ‘teach the teacher’ courses.

3.1.4. Big conference

This teaching style is adopted by professors who like to get up on stage in front of a big audience to share their knowledge on a topic. These teachers can potentially be very engaging speakers who can hold students’ interest, even if there is little interaction in class.

This teaching style works well when applied to subjects like psychology, philosophy or law, especially for large first-year courses. Quizzes and polls are one of the best ways to get a read on how your students are progressing. You can use them to highlight concepts in different, interactive ways and encourage student collaboration—but with Top Hat, they also create real-time insights that instantly let you know how your class is doing.

Of course, stage fright or fear of public speaking can be a significant problem for many teachers in this particular teaching style. Being able to network, engage others and engender respect are vital parts of speaking at a conference and teaching in a conference style. And, just because somebody can give a compelling presentation, it doesn’t mean they can necessarily teach. As Chambers says, “Quite often when a charismatic speaker has given a rousing lecture, you can think afterward, ‘Well, what did they actually say?’ and not be able to voice a single take-home message.”

3.1.5. One-off

The one-off teaching style is defined by professors who prefer to deliver small, self-contained bits of teaching on a one-on-one basis versus lecturing on a topic for an hour in front of a big audience. There are no props or fancy presentations—just the teacher and student. It can also cover any impromptu teaching time or guest workshops. The downside to this teaching method is that students often have little-to-no connection with their professor, making learning feel highly impersonal.

“One-off teaching is impersonal, flexible, self-confident, self-contained, resourceful, centered more on the purpose of teaching than learners’ needs [and] discontinuous,” Chambers writes. A one-off teacher ultimately might be brought in to fill a knowledge gap so that curriculum goals can be fulfilled.

3.1.6. All-round: Flexible and adaptable

Those who prefer this teaching style are comfortable using different skills and methods in the classroom. Educators take into account both the environment and individual student needs and adapt on the fly—knowing that students differ in needs and learning styles. The integrated approach is inclusive and allows professors to adjust as needed, thus potentially reaching more students effectively.

Some educators might feel that it’s easier to stick to one teaching style, but a base awareness of different teaching styles and how they can apply to different students is a good first step towards developing an all-around mentality. “The all-around flexible teacher does however possess one skill we should all aspire to as teachers; the main role of any teacher is to create an educational environment that supports learning,” says Mohanna.

3.2. Teaching styles proposed by Grasha

Anthony Grasha coined five approaches to teaching styles in 1996⁸: expert, formal authority, personal model, facilitator and delegator.

Grasha believes that all educators possess each of these five teaching styles to varying degrees, though they gravitate to some more than others. He likens teaching styles to an artist’s palette: the teacher’s primary or dominant teaching style(s) are similar to the foreground of a painting, while the other qualities still exist, but are farther into the background. All styles and colors, however, are needed to some degree to create a painting with dimensions and layers.

Many educators and educational institutions use Grasha’s styles to help define their approaches to learning and teaching. One study with English as a First Language (EFL)⁹ educators found that this group most frequently adopts the facilitator teaching style, followed by delegator, personal, expert and formal authority. The study determined that these types of teaching methods helped create an environment that was more conducive to learning, promoted higher levels of motivation and helped students achieve their goals.

3.2.1. Expert

The expert teaching style defines professors who want to showcase a high level of knowledge and expertise in a subject and use the information to challenge students. The goal is to transmit information to students to prepare them for assignments, exams and further studies. This tremendous knowledge transfer can be helpful for students looking to soak up information from credible resources in their field. But this method can be intimidating for students if it’s overused. And while this style focuses on facts and figures, it might not successfully show the processes used to find answers to problems.

Similar to the official curriculum teaching style—and the one-off style, for parachuted-in knowledge—the expert style is ideal for large and more mature classes in higher education, including introductory sophomore classes where there are countless facts and figures that students need to grasp.

3.2.2. Formal authority

Educators who use the formal authority teaching style establish status among students, clearly define their learning goals and expectations and follow a set list of rules of how things should be done. This teaching style is great for students who need structure since there are clear guidelines and expectations, and an understanding of the acceptable way to do things. 

However, this teaching style can also be too rigid and standardized for many students who appreciate more active learning settings, interaction and better engagement. This teaching method can work effectively in disciplines like law or music where there are established rules that need to be followed, and where an instructor can lead by example by playing an instrument or discussing legal procedures.

3.2.3. Personal model

In the personal model, educators use any opportunity they can to teach by using real-life examples and establishing a prototype of how to think and behave based on their own beliefs and methods. Educators oversee, guide and direct work, but don’t necessarily present themselves as authorities on a subject. Rather, they show students how to do things and encourage them to observe and follow directions to complete tasks. This educator, then, is essentially a role model.

This type of teaching style provides hands-on experience and direct observation. But some educators run the risk of pushing their own way as the best way, which can cause some students to feel inadequate if they can’t live up to the standards. This method could work well, however, in a higher education setting where students already have a good grasp of the material and abstract concepts, and where all students are working on the same level, like in advanced medical studies.

3.2.4. Facilitator

Providing a warm, more emotional climate, the facilitator’s teaching style focuses on teacher-student interaction on a personal level. Students are encouraged to ask questions, explore different options and suggest alternatives, and are guided along the way as they learn by trial and error. The goal is to help students think independently and take more responsibility for their own learning process. Elizabeth Sargent, Biology Lecturer at Georgia Southern University, takes on a facilitator teaching style in her classroom. During assessment time, she asks students to suggest new topics to discuss and debate. Sargent also runs group exams—held before a formal end-of-term test—to allow students to build connections with their peers and to help one another arrive at a solution.

In this teaching style, the instructor works in a more consultative role, providing support and encouragement. This style allows for much greater flexibility in the classroom and focuses on student needs and goals. But it can be time-consuming and ineffective if the subject matter is one where a more direct approach is needed. Some students might also be uncomfortable with a less structured approach. Facilitation can work well in smaller classroom settings or upper-level and graduate courses where creativity and exploration are encouraged, and if students are at a point they feel willing to take risks.

3.2.5. Delegator

The ultimate goal for someone adopting this teaching style is for students to be able to function autonomously, working independently on assignments and projects or as part of small teams with peers. The instructor is available when needed, to be used as a resource. Educators who use the delegator teaching style don’t host formal lectures.

A teaching style like this can help students develop the tools to be confident and independent learners. Still, students who aren’t ready for such autonomy could become anxious and not perform well. This method is great for upper-level studies where students already have an appropriate level of knowledge and don’t need much hand-holding. They are ready to rise to the next level of learning and view the educator as a guide, not someone who’s there for standard instruction.

4. Why teaching styles are important

4.1. Teaching style examples in higher education

Teaching styles used in K-12 classroom settings won’t necessarily work in higher education settings. Younger children will initially respond more to authoritative teaching methods, and while older students might benefit from blended learning or working on their own projects, incoming college students will be expected to do a great deal of research and work on their own.

Many studies have found that there is value in higher education instructors sharing some aspects of their personal lives with students. It humanizes them and makes them appear more relatable and approachable. Doing so could be as simple as mentioning your love of a popular TV series as an aside (bonus points if you can relate it to the course material) or even some family circumstances. “When [a faculty member] shared that she has a daughter beginning college at another university, she showed that she understands from multiple perspectives what it is like to be a college student,” says Dr. Sarah M. Ginsberg, associate professor at Eastern Michigan University, in an essay entitled Shared Characteristics of College Faculty Who Are Effective Communicators.

Content isn’t the be-all, end-all of classroom management. More important than knowing is being able to use effective instructional strategies to share it. In other words, how you teach something is just as important as what you teach.

“I think that deep engagement is really hard work for students. If they become engaged that means they’re applying effort, it means they’re exposing themselves to possible failure, it means they’re taking risks. One of the best ways to engage students is to challenge them. To push them to the outskirts of their ability and even a bit beyond. For all of those reasons, engagement is hard work for students. I view it as offering them an open hand to succeed.”

Professor Sarah Rose Cavanagh, author and psychology professor, author of Hivemind and Spark.

In addition to trying to make your curriculum more personal, seeking feedback from students throughout the year (not just at the end of a course) can help educators gain a better understanding of how well their teaching style is working, and how they can adjust it to better reach students. Technologies like clickers and in-class polls and surveys can help, as well as simply observing student behavior to gauge their interest and enjoyment in the class.

Change doesn’t have to be drastic. Employing simple tactics can go a long way to increasing student engagement. It could be asking students to write their questions, comments or responses on assignments for your feedback—taking some inspiration from the more student-centered teaching styles—or structuring an otherwise lengthy lecture to include breaks, which would require some flexibility in teaching.

4.2. Teaching styles and academic performance

Many studies have found a relationship between teaching styles and academic performance. In Malaysia, one study¹⁰ found a “significant but moderate” relationship between a lecturer’s teaching style and student academic engagement. More support for the relationship between student engagement and a teacher’s teaching style can be found in the OECD Program for International Student Assessment (2000).

A student’s ability and willingness to learn also depends on how suitable a teaching style is to the way they prefer to absorb course material. Psychological investment and the institution’s culture can also impact student participation.

Overall, student involvement is an important predictor of academic performance. The more students are involved in and engaged with their studies, the better they are likely to perform.

4.3. Teaching styles and active learning

Not surprisingly, some teaching styles lend themselves more to active learning than others. Any teaching style that involves less lecture time and more student interaction is conducive to active learning. This includes teaching styles like the delegator, facilitator and personal model in Grasha’s classifications, and the student-centered, sensitive, one-off and all-around, flexible and adaptable teaching methods in Mohanna, Chambers and Wall’s. Any blended teaching style, of course, incorporates some active learning components.

To encourage an active learning environment, and ensure that it thrives, find a comfortable balance between both the cognitive and affective dimensions of teaching and work to develop a genuine relationship with students in some way.

Even if you gravitate more toward an expert or authoritative teaching style, try and make yourself more approachable by carving out some time to create meaningful activities for students. Presentations, demonstrations, and responsive feedback—part of the delegator or facilitator teaching style—are vital aspects of active learning.

Even teaching styles such as formal authority or a one-off lecture can incorporate some active learning strategies. Flipped classrooms can be achieved with a curriculum-based teaching style; a ‘straight facts’ approach melds well with a ‘muddiest point’ exercise.

4.4. Teaching styles versus learning styles

Teaching styles and learning styles can work hand-in-hand. And when they match, it can result in a positive experience all around

Learning styles, in general, describe ways that students prefer to absorb and understand information, and the classifications they put themselves in based on their preferences. Some sets include visual learners, auditory learners, kinesthetic learners or verbal learners. Since there’s no common definition for learning styles, there’s no scientific basis to them: nevertheless, taking the student’s perspective is valuable when considering your teaching style.

Like learning styles, it’s widely acknowledged that teaching styles fall on a spectrum and are contextual rather than fixed. An educator doesn’t necessarily adopt just one type of teaching style but they might employ a secondary or tertiary style when necessary. Or the instructor might switch styles based on subjects, students, course curriculum or other mitigating factors as part of a plan to adopt more effective learning strategies.

At least one study has found a statistically significant correlation between successful teaching styles and learning styles.¹¹ But a mismatch between the two, for example, could in some ways be beneficial for first-year students and those in the early stages of learning. Some students can benefit from being pushed to learn in new ways outside of their comfort zones, and thus develop new learning skills.

Regardless of the primary teaching style, the goal should always be to adopt a balanced method that doesn’t favor one style too much, that is open-minded to different types of teaching and can accommodate different learning styles.

5. How teaching styles can improve student engagement

The teaching style(s) you choose to employ can directly predict student engagement, collaboration and participation. Research shows that when students feel that their teacher is more involved and supportive of their goals, students will be more engaged inside the classroom and, in turn, more likely to perform better academically.¹² For example, the delegator teaching style may require a greater level of effort and persistence on students’ part. The facilitator teaching style prompts students to take the lead in managing discussions and projects, which will simultaneously increase their engagement and sense of agency. Here are some ways that students may feel more involved in the learning process.

• Polls and discussions may encourage students to reflect upon a statement and voice their opinions
• Visual diagrams, 3D simulations and even hands-on dissections can allow students to observe and experiment with something foreign
• Group work and activities can lead to friendly competition and help learners forge connections with their classmates

6. Conclusion

Teaching styles are not set in stone, and course delivery shouldn’t be placed in specific boxes. Every educator falls somewhere on a spectrum, from the authoritative expert to the student-centered facilitator and delegator. More important than defining where you fall on the spectrum—though this is useful to determine—is analyzing and observing your curriculum, students and subject matter and finding the best teaching style to match.

Teaching styles that match students’ learning styles, and that put student needs and learning at the forefront, can lead to more positive academic outcomes. Students tend to be more engaged, and thus better grasp the material.

Educators who are aware of their teaching style, who re-evaluate it, try new things and get feedback from students can take teaching to a new level.

References

1. Bohren, A. (2019, March 8). Teaching styles: Everything you need to know about teaching methods and strategies. CogniFit. https://blog.cognifit.com/teaching-styles/
2. Teaching Styles. (n.d.). Center for Research on Learning & Teaching, University of Michigan. https://crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsts
3. Mohanna, K., Chambers, R., & Wall, D. (2007). Developing your teaching style: increasing effectiveness in healthcare teaching. Postgraduate medical journal, 83(977), 145–147. https://doi.org/10.1136/pgmj.2006.054106
4. Teaching Style. (2018). ART 601: Teaching Assistant Seminar. http://art601.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/5/1/22512830/teaching_style.pdf
5. Principles of Adult Learning Scale. (n.d.). Conti-Creations. http://www.conti-creations.com/Online_Page.htm
6. The Constructivist On-Line Learning Environment Survey (COLLES). (n.d.). Curtin University of Technology. https://surveylearning.moodle.com/colles/
7. Mohanna, K., Chambers, R., & Wall, D. (2008). Your teaching style: A practical guide to understanding, developing and improving. Oxford: Radcliffe.
8. Grasha, A. F. (1994). A Matter of Style: The Teacher as Expert, Formal Authority, Personal Model, Facilitator, and Delegator. College Teaching, 42(4). 10.1080/87567555.1994.9926845.
9. Heydarnejad, T., Fatemi, A. H., & Ghonsooly, B. (2017). An Exploration of EFL Teachers’ Teaching Styles and Emotions. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 4(2), 26-46.
10. Shaari, A. S., et al. (2014). The Relationship between Lecturers’ Teaching Style and Students’ Academic Engagement. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 118. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.02.002.
11. Hussain, Nasreen & Ayub, Nadia. (2012). Learning Styles of Students and Teaching Styles of Teachers in Business Education: A Case Study of Pakistan. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences. 69. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.12.122.
12. Fall, A.-M. and Roberts, G. (2012), High school dropouts: Interactions between social context, self-perceptions, school engagement, and student dropout. Journal of Adolescence, 35: 787-798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.11.004

The post 11 Teaching Styles to Increase Student Engagement appeared first on Top Hat.

What is a course syllabus?

Before defining a syllabus template, it’s essential to clarify the definition of a course syllabus itself. A course syllabus for higher education contains necessary information about that class. This includes, but is not limited to, the topics to be covered, accommodation and participation policies, learning resources and a list of assignments and their associated weightings. A course syllabus template should also outline learning outcomes as well as rules, expectations and pedagogical practices to get students excited about the term ahead.

→ Download Now: Higher Ed Course Syllabus Template [Free]

Table of Contents

1. What to include in a course syllabus template
2. Why is a course syllabus important?
3. Who should I write my syllabus template for?
4. How to design a course syllabus for an online or in-person course
5. What you can do with a course syllabus template
6. How to make your course syllabus fun and interactive
7. Download a free course syllabus template
8. Conclusion
9. Frequently asked questions

What to include in a course syllabus template

A great deal of information goes into a typical course syllabus template. A syllabus template includes four basic aspects:

1. Information about the instructor
2. Academic and non-academic policies
3. Required texts and supplies
4. Schedule of classes and assignments

The purpose of a course syllabus is to give students a roadmap of what will be expected of them in your class, where to seek support and outlines what students should expect to learn by the end of your course. Our downloadable course syllabus template includes the following sections and information—which will make this essential course document easier to read.

• The basics: Include information about the college, department, term and course credit, course location, the teacher and any co-instructors along with their contact information and office hours. It may also include specific details like email etiquette for students, academic or school policies and, if applicable, a campus Indigenous land acknowledgment statement.
• Table of contents: A section clearly laying out the content and flow of the syllabus with hyperlinked entries to give students the quickest and easiest access to navigate the document.
• About the course: Contextual elements of the course, such as the official course description, objectives, pre-and post-requisites, required resources like textbooks, hardware and software (such as required technology tools and platforms), assignments and assessments overview, learning outcomes, collaboration expectations, and activities and advice on how to be successful in the course.
• Course policies and expectations: This section highlights administrative elements of the course, such as its policies regarding attendance, participation and camera use for online courses, accommodations, computer and Internet access and plagiarism. You can also include a basic needs statement here to direct students who need basic food and housing assistance to the on-campus and external resources that can help them thrive.
• Attendance policy: How many sessions is a student permitted to miss and still pass the course? Is attendance taken each session and, if so, how will it be recorded? What must a student do if they’re going to be absent? How should they make up for any missed coursework? How does lateness affect a student’s grade, and what must a student do if they are going to be late for a session? If your course is asynchronous, how will attendance and participation be measured?
• Participation requirements: Similarly, how much are students expected to participate in the class and how much does this contribute to their grade? What degree of participation do you expect from each student, and what does this look like in practice? Does the course entail lab sessions, tutorials or seminars in which the students are required to participate? Is the course synchronous, asynchronous or blended, and how does that affect your participation expectations of students?
• Behavioral expectations: Outside of participation, how do you expect students to act and treat one another in class? If your course is online, what netiquette guidelines will you provide to your students?
• Academic integrity statement: This is a statement of your expectations and the rules and regulations regarding students’ academic performance in and out of class. If there are any academic prerequisites or corequisites associated with the course, outline them here. This may include not only prior coursework but previously acquired knowledge, skills or abilities you expect from students. This section can also clarify aspects of the course that may commonly confuse students. An important element to clarify is what counts as appropriate collaboration and the boundaries between acceptable paraphrasing and required citation.
• Personal support: For students requiring mental and emotional support, you may include a statement detailing support and services available to them through the school or local community. 
• Course schedule or calendar: The final section of your college course syllabus should include a clear and detailed outline of the course schedule over the calendar term, including important deadlines and exam or assessment dates.

Why is a course syllabus important?

The value of a course syllabus cannot be overlooked. Research shows that 92 percent of General Psychology university students keep their syllabus in their notebook or binder through at least three quarters of the semester. The same study also indicates that more than 62 percent of students turn to the course syllabus to gauge whether there will be a scheduled quiz during their next lecture. Fifty-seven percent of students regularly reviewed the syllabus to understand what topics and readings would be covered in that day’s class.

In any postsecondary course, a syllabus is one of the initial points of contact between an educator and student. It serves as a central source of information about a course that all students can refer to anytime they have a question to ensure they receive the same uniform answer. The course syllabus can be referred to when building out your class administration—whether in Top Hat or another educational technology platform. Regardless of whether you’re running an in-person class or a synchronous or asynchronous online course, our syllabus template can be edited to fit the needs of any teaching environment.

No matter what course you teach, the purpose of a course syllabus remains the same. A course syllabus serves as a contract, a permanent record and a learning tool. The ideal course syllabus takes all three of those objectives into account in its crafting. Later on, we’ll explore the three purposes of class syllabi in depth.

A course syllabus template can help you make sure you have all necessary information listed around course policies, accommodation guidelines and assessments. Syllabus templates may additionally offer guidelines on how to write different sections with inclusivity in mind. Some universities also offer syllabus templates that offer tactics on making your course document approachable and appealing to Generation Z.

Who should I write my syllabus template for?

When crafting a college syllabus template, it’s critical to keep in mind your audience. While your students may be the primary focus, they are far from the only readers. You should also craft your course syllabus with colleagues and administrators at your school in mind.

The educator

A syllabus is important to you, the educator, because it prompts you to think about how you’ll prepare for and spend each day of the program. It serves as a reminder of what’s coming up next and ensures you stay on track in meeting your course objectives. Giving students a comprehensive syllabus also frees up your time to focus on areas that require specialized attention, like developing lesson plans, grading papers and checking in with students on their progress.

The student

For students, a syllabus helps set them up for success by giving them all they need to know to excel in the class. The ideal course syllabus is a student’s complete guide to the class they have enrolled in. By reviewing the course syllabus closely, a student should be able to understand exactly what will be expected of them in the course. They should also be able to identify the specific activities and assignments they must complete in order to pass the course.

When students have access to all required materials in a single view, they’re more likely to succeed. “All the assignments were in the same place and we were able to work ahead. I got As in all my Top Hat classes,” shares one Business student from a recent student survey. Our syllabus template offers pre-written course policies, accommodation guidelines and more accessible from a single document.

Colleagues

Your syllabus is important to your colleagues in case any of them have to fill in for you during an absence. It can also help new instructors take over your role if you’re promoted or take on a teaching position at a different institution. You might also compare your syllabus with a colleague teaching the same course as you. Doing so will ensure that both of you are delivering an equivalent educational experience regardless of which class students have enrolled in.

Administrators

Administrators will likely use your syllabus to ensure that your course is consistent with the department it falls under, with the school’s expectations and teaching philosophy and with the larger standards of the state. Sometimes, complying with certain state standards in your course syllabus is necessary in order for your school or program to receive funding.

The two main groups that will likely rely on syllabus templates are educators and administrators. Administrators may mandate their staff to use a particular syllabus template to ensure all students receive the same quality and course experience, no matter what year or discipline they’re in. Educators can also use college syllabus templates to guide them in writing the various components of this essential course document.

How to design a course syllabus for an online or in-person course

No two course syllabi are alike. While each individual syllabus will contain some of the aforementioned elements, differences will always exist due to teaching modality. The format of online courses, such as synchronous and asynchronous, will also inform what information is included on the syllabus.

Syllabus examples for synchronous vs. asynchronous courses

A syllabus will differ depending on whether you’ll be conducting the course in a synchronous, asynchronous or blended format. It helps to understand the differences between these approaches. 

• In synchronous learning, the students and teacher all meet together in the same place and time, even if that “place” is online, such as a video conference. Students access activities, resources and course content at a specified time and place. In some cases, students taught synchronously may still have some control over their pace. Students also have direct and immediate access to teachers and peer support while undertaking tasks and assignments.

Synchronous learning allows for greater class engagement, dynamic learning and educational depth. However, it imposes a rigid schedule and the possibility of certain logistical difficulties, such as access to a computer and reliable Internet.

• In asynchronous learning, students move through the coursework at their own pace. Students can access course materials and work on their studies from anywhere that offers an Internet connection. In some cases, students can even download coursework and materials in advance of their study time so they can work when and where a computer or Internet connection may be lacking. 

Students are fully in charge of the time, place and pace of their learning and complete all tasks and assignments independently. Asynchronous learning allows for greater flexibility. However, it can also involve greater isolation and the potential for apathy and technical difficulties, such as computer software errors and Internet access issues.

• In blended learning, some of the coursework is conducted in real-time. Students and instructors meet at the same time and location to conduct some course activities. Other work is conducted on the student’s own time. An example of blended learning is low-residency programs. In these programs, students meet with teachers and each other on campus for a brief period at the start of each term. Then, they conduct their studies for the remainder of the term asynchronously at home on their own time.

Considering the differences between synchronous, asynchronous and blended learning, it’s easy to see how a course syllabus for each should be adapted accordingly.

• For a synchronous course: The times and locations of each class session and exam will be strictly scheduled. Attendance, lateness and absence policies are typically detailed in the course policies section.
• For an asynchronous course: A greater focus is placed on due dates and deadlines. As long as a student reviews materials and completes assignments, exams and other assessments within the expected timeframe, they remain in good standing. Course policies for this type of course may place a greater focus on academic integrity than attendance and participation. A course syllabus for asynchronous learning should also detail exactly how students will be assessed and what learning outcomes they should strive for.
• For a blended course: Synchronous and asynchronous elements of the course must each be delineated. While both elements must be scheduled, students need to be clear on which require real-time, in-person participation and which aspects are merely deadlines and due dates. Course policies may focus strongly on participation, given the opportunities to do so will be limited.

What to include in an online course syllabus

As classes continue to be offered in virtual modalities, it’s important to note some of the differences between online and blended courses.

For an online course course syllabus, be sure to include:

• Unit of time: Do you use a weekly time frame or more flexible modules to structure the course? If using a weekly time frame, consider making assignments due at the end of each weekly period. If using modules, incorporate regular check-ins or incremental due dates to maintain consistent contact with students and encourage progress.
• Weekly structure: On what days does each weekly period begin and end? This can help students better organize their time in the lead up to each assignment and avoid lateness. It can also keep students from attempting to contact you during times you don’t wish to be contacted.
• Workload: Include a rough idea of how much time students are expected to commit to coursework each week. You may even include additional guidance on the degree of motivation and self-discipline necessary to succeed in the course.
• Type(s) of learning: Online courses can be synchronous, asynchronous or blended. Let students know in the online syllabus what type or types of learning will take place in the course and the procedures and expectations for each. How will classroom discussions take place: in a schedule, real-time chat or over an asynchronous forum?

An online course syllabus template may also include information on where and how students can obtain technical support and what software or services students should use to communicate with peers and instructors. 

An online course syllabus is also a good place to remind students of protocol associated with the technologies and platforms you’ve chosen for your class. As with any course document, you should also include tips and advice on how to succeed in the course.

What you can do with a course syllabus template

The majority of course syllabus templates are completely editable. That means you may add, delete, alter and reshuffle any of the content to suit your specific needs.

Most syllabus templates aren’t meant to be copied and submitted to students as-is. Instead, each section provides prompts to effectively draft each section. It’s up to you to pick and choose which criteria to include and how to present it.

For the best use of these free course syllabus templates, be sure to reflect yourself, your teaching philosophy and your own unique points of focus. Apply your own personality to your college syllabus template. Consider using this template to give your students a sense of your teaching style. You can even create an interactive syllabus template by using colors and, if appropriate, including images, GIFs, fun facts or interesting links.

Make sure your final course syllabus demonstrates empathy for the learning process. This is also a critical opportunity to convey respect for students’ time and learning challenges, particularly if you’re teaching a remote or blended course.

→ Download a sample syllabus template with easy-to-follow directions

How to make your course syllabus fun and interactive

As long as your course syllabus contains all essential information, this important class document doesn’t have to be stale and boring. Instructors far and wide have come up with different types of creative, innovative syllabi. 

For example, if you’re savvy with graphic design software, you can create a graphical syllabus, also known as a ‘visual’ syllabus. This may include images, charts and graphs, like an infographic. Similarly, you can parse out the information you need to convey in bite-sized chunks by creating a PowerPoint document.

Some tips for an effective graphic syllabus:

• For a college syllabus template, limit your choice of colors to avoid visually overwhelming students.
• Keep the design relatively simple, avoiding clutter and allowing for plenty of space to maintain readability and flow. Avoid intricate, hi-res graphics, as well. Instead, use simpler line drawings and vector images.
• Use basic fonts, avoiding anything too fancy that may be hard for some to read.
• If your students will be downloading the document to print on their own, keep the document and pixel size to a reasonable level so accessing it doesn’t become prohibitive. Creating a syllabus template in Google Docs is a great way to ensure it is accessible for students.

Understanding how to develop a great syllabus means defining the roles and responsibilities of teacher and student alike and presenting a clear assertion of the course’s intended learning outcomes. Ideally, it should establish procedures and standards for assessment and apprise students of all logistics about the course. This, in turn, helps create a clear channel for communication between students and instructors. 

Captivate student attention from day one by watching our on-demand session for building an interactive course syllabus.

Download a free course syllabus template

This free, course syllabus template is ready to use upon download and works as a Microsoft Word or Google Docs file. Simply open the course syllabus template in your preferred program and begin entering in your responses to each of the prompts in the text boxes provided. It’s really as simple as that.

→ Download our free sample syllabus template for higher ed instructors today

Conclusion

College students are expected to be more self-directed and accountable for their learning progress than students in primary and secondary educational environments. A course syllabus must therefore be designed with self-directed learning in mind. Postsecondary students may also have greater demands outside of class. It’s why giving students a complete view of assignments, exam dates and deadlines to schedule into their calendars is particularly important in avoiding conflicts. 

On a purely administrative level, a course syllabus may also require more detailed information about the credits a student earns for completing the course and the exact times and locations on campus or virtually for any classes, conferences or labs. Make your next class accessible, inclusive and effective by referring to our course syllabus template for higher ed instructors—downloadable for free.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is a course syllabus template used for?

If a course syllabus is a student’s guide to a course, a college syllabus template is a teacher’s guide to creating an effective syllabus. Rather than merely provide instructions, like a tutorial, a template provides prompts for certain specific information and gives you the spaces in which to enter it. Then, when it’s completed, the course syllabus template allows you to print out a ready-to-use course syllabus you can distribute immediately to your next group of students.

Some syllabus templates may already be pre-written for arts, STEM and social science courses. Contrastingly, you may be able to download a free syllabus template, which you can adapt to the needs of your course and students.

2. What are some well-designed examples of course syllabi?

No matter how many students are in your next course or what subject matter you teach, well-designed syllabus templates can help your students feel motivated and supported from the beginning of the semester. We share effective syllabus examples below for you to base your own document around.

• The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s course syllabus template clearly outlines the various parts of an effective syllabus, along with grading guidelines. Including a course calendar in your own syllabus can further make it easy for students to stay on track, while letting advanced students read ahead.
• The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s college course syllabus template offers guidelines for writing the five major sections of any class syllabus: course information, course learning outcomes, topic schedule, grading policy and course policies. This syllabus is an effective example since it also provides clear netiquette tips for online classes—which can be applied to any hybrid or blended course as well.
• The University of South Carolina Center for Teaching Excellence offers three free, syllabus examples that are designed for face-to-face, online and blended courses. These syllabi examples outline how to write each section effectively, while the university also offers syllabus best practices for faculty. You’ll learn what pieces are essential to include on your next syllabus, no matter what modality you choose to teach in.

3. Tips for editing your course syllabus template

Once you’ve completed a draft of your class syllabus template, try and read it through the eyes of your students. Imagine you know nothing about yourself or the course, and see if your syllabus provides a clear and cogent idea of who you are, what the course is about, how it is structured, what the student will get out of it and why you are qualified to teach this course. 

Another powerful way to sharpen your course syllabus before sharing with students is to submit it to colleagues in your department for peer review. This certainly doesn’t take the place of your own meticulous self-review, but it can give you the benefits of a fresh, unbiased set of eyes. In particular, ask your chosen peer-reviewers to identify anything that may be confusing and any gaps that may need filling.

Use the following syllabus checklist for additional questions you can ask both in your self-review and peer-review of your course syllabus:

• Is the description of your course thorough enough to inform the reader of the value of the course content and the instructional methods you plan to use?
• Are all the required materials, supplies, texts and prerequisites listed essential to the course, and do they each contribute to achieving the learning outcomes of the course?
• Have you included sufficient details about the structure of the course to distinguish it from other classes on similar subjects?
• Are the learning outcomes clearly described, and are they appropriate for student learning at that level?
• Are the assessment methods outlined clearly, and are they appropriate for student learning at that level?
• Have you identified the components and course activities that will run in person and online, both synchronous and asynchronous?
• Do students clearly know where to seek support when facing financial, socioeconomic or basic needs concerns?

→ Download your free, customizable syllabus template today

The post The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Course Syllabus appeared first on Top Hat.

Prioritizing diversity in your syllabus goes beyond selecting work from scholars of color. We recommend four strategies to guide you in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion when compiling your reading list. Plus, we spotlight how Top Hat can make the reading experience more representative and reflective of your cohort.

1. Assess which narratives are missing

All students want their unique identities and backgrounds to be reflected within your chosen course materials. As you begin to select your required readings for the term, examine which historical narratives are missing. For instance, are Latinx peoples adequately represented in a required reading about the civil rights movement? Are the contributions of Black women fairly portrayed in your STEM syllabus? If you’re unsure how to find and incorporate diverse authors into your reading list, refer to this guide by George Mason University. You’ll find database suggestions that specifically highlight marginalized voices—such as GenderWatch that advances women’s and 2SLGBTQ+ research—as well as a list of diverse authors in your field.

Top Hat’s dynamic courseware allows faculty to promote a more inclusive reading experience. Jennifer Donovan, Associate Teaching Professor of Chemistry at Arizona State University, authored a bespoke title, Introductory Chemistry, with Top Hat. In doing so, she was better able to celebrate the contributions of women and underrepresented communities that often get overlooked in the STEM field. As an example, Donovan customized her chapter on DNA to ensure the work of Rosalind Franklin—a scholar who is often excluded when discussing the molecular structure of DNA—was adequately spotlighted. 

2. Balance a variety of content formats

Representation often refers to the granular topics and diverse authors listed on your reading list. But going one level deeper, diversifying your materials means choosing different mediums for students to absorb knowledge. For instance, you might balance textbook readings with TED Talks, podcasts and online simulations for students to put their understanding to the test. This idea ladders up to Universal Design for Learning: a framework that involves using a variety of teaching methods to best serve all students. One of three tenets, striving for ‘Multiple Means of Representation’ involves presenting material in accessible ways. In doing so, you’ll be more equipped to support those with learning disabilities, neurodivergent students and those who consider themselves visual or kinesthetic learners. 

As you source your new set of course materials, consider asking yourself the following questions.

• Have I supplemented my readings with visual aids such as photographs, videos, diagrams and interactive simulations?
• Have I added alternative text to imagery?
• Have I enabled closed captioning on any media I have selected?
• Have I posted electronic equivalents of paper handouts?
• Have I shared my course materials online in advance of the start of the semester?
• Are my required textbooks available in my university’s library for students to loan?
• Are my course materials compatible with text-to-speech software?

For more suggestions on incorporating diverse content formats into your classroom, refer to this guide prepared by the University of Saskatchewan.

3. Consider adding a Diversity Statement to your syllabus

There are several opportunities beyond your reading list where you can remind students that they belong. Adding a diversity statement to your syllabus can be a great place to begin. This statement signals why diverse authors from historically marginalized backgrounds were chosen for your reading list. This short blurb also surfaces norms and expectations for inviting students to discuss sensitive topics related to race, gender and politics, depending on your subject matter. You might use this as an opportunity to share how disagreements between students will be handled should they arise during class discussions. Check out these sample diversity statements compiled by instructors at Yale University and customize these to fit your curriculum needs.

4. Give your students greater say

Mixing up the format and content of your readings doesn’t start and end with you. Allow your students to request that a certain piece of media be added to your reading list at the start of the semester. By inviting students to pitch newspaper articles, journals, TED talks, podcast episodes or even reality TV episodes into your syllabus, they’ll automatically feel as if their voices are being heard, and more importantly, valued. Consider using a Google Form or your LMS to host a discussion where students can drop links at their leisure. You might also use Top Hat’s classroom discussion tools to let students anonymously share any suggested materials they’d like their peers to read.

See how Top Hat Pages allows you to personalize class readings with real-time events, lived experiences and historical milestones to make learning more representative. Watch the video below to hear how four professors have made classroom readings more diverse and timely.

References

1. Flaherty, C. (2023, Feb. 13). Survey: Students Cite Barriers to Success, Seek Flexibility. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/academic-life/2023/02/13/survey-top-five-barriers-student-success

The post 4 Ways to Diversify Your Class Reading List appeared first on Top Hat.

This is part two in a two-part series on STEM student success. For a look at the learning barriers that STEM faculty faced in their own education, check out part one here.

The mission: Make learning equitable and empowering

Remind students that learning happens through struggle

You may have seen it in your own classroom: when students are confronted with a challenging problem, they’re likely to Google the answer versus struggling for 20 minutes. “Students are trained to just look up answers and they think this is learning. We need to stop outsourcing their learning and put it right back inside their head. That’s why I flipped my classroom,” says Stephanie Dillon, Director of Freshman Chemistry Labs at Florida State University. She now relies on Top Hat to host recorded lectures and quizzes that students complete before class. During lectures, Dillon administers countless practice problems run via Aktiv’s intuitive and visual-heavy platform. Not only are her chemistry students more engaged, they are given the guided instructional feedback necessary to identify their own misconceptions in the moment.

Underscore equity where possible

As many STEM educators recognize today, equity can’t just be a buzzword. It must be woven into the fabric of any course. “We have to do our best to serve underserved communities. So it’s not just about equality or equity, it’s actually justice,” says Angela Seliga, Physiology Laboratory Manager at Boston University. Faculty also remind us that embracing equity in the classroom may involve offering a highly personalized learning experience to individual students. “Equity involves equal empowerment, which may mean differentiated resources,” shares Lourdes Norman-McKay, Professor of Biological Sciences at Florida State College at Jacksonville. You might follow her blueprint for equitable group exercises by intentionally assigning members from diverse backgrounds into small groups. “The best problem solving happens with diverse teams because of broader perspective, based on gender, identity, race, ethnicity, age. Start with yourself as a role model and establish that culture of acceptance and support,” she says.

Taking an equity-minded route to course delivery doesn’t mean letting go of all course standards. In fact, John Redden, Associate Professor-in-Residence in the Physiology and Neurobiology department at the University of Connecticut, advocates for the opposite—with an asterisk. “Giving students complete control—for instance, not having any deadlines or assignments—often works against them. Having some course structure is important for inclusive teaching,” he says. Instead, Redden uses a pedagogy known as democratic course management where he lets students customize their grade weights, so long as they cumulatively add up to 100 percent, all in the name of autonomy and trust.

Help students see one another as teammates, not competitors

Students may enter your course with different goals and backgrounds. But as faculty reiterate, your role isn’t to pit students against one another. It’s to help them build each other up. “I tell my students they’re not there to compete against one another. They’re there to help one another, like ‘this is how I did this question.’ Aktiv allows that to happen,” says Daniel Collins, Instructional Associate Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University. Faculty like Beverly Kris Jaeger-Helton, Teaching Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University, also rely on collaboration to give students the confidence they need to solve complex problems. “I give students an opportunity to self-discover during learning and then bring their findings to a team. This often leads to richer and more thoughtful responses,” she shares.

Students may wince when they hear the term ‘group work.’ But in a highly structured environment, collaborative activities can be just as fulfilling, if not more, than solo reflection. “When students are in teams, I ask their preference to work on the weekends, if they’re the type to hand in work early or closer to the deadline. Then we assign them teams based on the answers on this assignment,” says Seliga. She goes one step further by ensuring students forge open communication among their groups from the get-go. “They do a contract together where it lays out our expectations for them as a team and questions we at least want them to talk about as a team,” she shares.

Watch the video below to see how your peers are promoting equity and engagement in STEM. You can also read more from these six educators in part one of our series on STEM learning challenges.

The post What STEM Student Success Looks Like Today [VIDEO] appeared first on Top Hat.

Whether you are a seasoned educator looking to refine your discussion strategies or a new instructor seeking guidance on how to kick-start in-class discussion activities, this guide will provide you with valuable insights. We will explore various aspects of facilitating classroom discussions, including setting the stage for productive discourse, preparing for effective discussions, implementing classroom discussion strategies, and enhancing the overall discussion experience for both instructors and students. By following the strategies outlined in this guide, you will be equipped with the tools necessary to create a dynamic learning environment where students actively engage, learn from one another, and develop critical thinking skills that extend far beyond the classroom walls.

Setting the Stage for Productive Classroom Discussions

Creating an atmosphere conducive to fruitful classroom discussions is crucial for student engagement and participation. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Establishing Ground Rules

To promote respectful and inclusive discussions, one important class discussion strategy is to establish clear expectations and guidelines. Discuss with your students the importance of active listening, speaking respectfully, and challenging ideas rather than individuals. Encourage them to embrace diverse perspectives and create a safe space where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts.

2. Building Rapport and Trust

Nurture a supportive classroom environment where students feel valued and respected. Take the time to learn their names, demonstrate a genuine interest in their ideas, and provide constructive feedback. Encourage collaboration and emphasize the notion that everyone’s contributions are valuable. When students trust that their voices will be heard and respected, they will be more likely to actively participate in discussion strategies in the classroom.

3. Icebreaker Activities

Commence each discussion strategy example with icebreaker activities to help students feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts. These activities can be as simple as a quick classroom discussion strategy or thought-provoking questions related to the topic at hand. Icebreakers not only help students become acquainted with one another but also establish a positive and welcoming atmosphere that sets the tone, serving as a great strategy to engage students in classroom discussions.

4. Setting Clear Learning Objectives

Clearly communicate the learning objectives for each discussion session as a group discussion facilitation technique. When students understand the purpose and desired outcomes, they can better focus their contributions and actively engage with the material. Share with them the skills they will develop through participation in discussions, such as critical thinking, effective communication, and the ability to consider multiple perspectives.

By setting the stage for classroom discourse strategies and activities through ground rules, building rapport, incorporating icebreakers, and defining clear learning objectives, you create an environment that encourages open dialogue and active engagement. In the next section, we will explore effective discussion strategies for preparing and structuring instructional strategies and classroom discussions to achieve the desired learning outcomes.

Preparing for Effective Classroom Discussions

To ensure productive and engaging classroom discussions, adequate preparation is key. Here are some steps to consider:

1. Define Discussion Goals

Before each discussion session, establish clear objectives aligned with the course curriculum and learning outcomes. What specific knowledge, skills, or perspectives do you want students to gain from the discussion? Clearly communicate these goals to students, so they understand the purpose and relevance of the upcoming student-led discussion strategies or whole-class discussion strategies.

2. Selecting Discussion Topics

Choose topics that are relevant, thought-provoking, and aligned with the course objectives. Consider incorporating real-world examples, current events, or controversial issues that will captivate students’ interest and stimulate lively discourse. Aim for a balance between challenging topics that require critical thinking and topics that relate directly to students’ experiences and interests.

3. Preparing Discussion Prompts

Craft classroom discussion starters that encourage critical thinking, reflection, and the exploration of multiple perspectives. Avoid questions with definitive answers, as they may hinder discussion. Instead, pose questions that spark intellectual curiosity, challenge assumptions, or require students to apply course concepts to real-world scenarios. Provide students with clear instructions and guidelines for responding to the prompts to help illustrate why class discussions are important.

4. Resource and Material Preparation

Gather relevant resources, such as articles, case studies, multimedia materials, or primary sources, to support the discussion topic. Share these resources with students in advance, allowing them sufficient time to review and analyze the material. Encourage students to come prepared with notes or questions, fostering a deeper engagement with the topic and facilitating more meaningful discussions.

5. Structuring Discussion Time

Consider the time allocation for discussions carefully. Determine whether the discussion will take place during a single class session or be spread across multiple sessions. If time is limited, plan for focused and concise discussions. If discussions span multiple sessions, create a clear structure or agenda to guide the flow of conversation and ensure that all important points are covered. Top Hat’s classroom discussion tool sparks conversations, where students are encouraged to share their ideas in multiple ways, regardless of class size.

6. Anticipating Challenges and Preparing Strategies

Reflect on potential challenges that may arise during discussions, such as student reticence, dominance by a few individuals, or tangential conversations. Develop strategies to address these challenges, such as incorporating think-pair-share activities to encourage participation, assigning roles or responsibilities to students, or using gentle prompts to refocus the discussion. Being proactive in addressing potential obstacles will help maintain a productive and inclusive discussion environment.

By carefully preparing for classroom discussions by defining goals, selecting relevant topics, crafting discussion prompts, gathering resources, structuring discussion time, and anticipating challenges, you can maximize the potential for productive and engaging exchanges among your students. In the next section, we will explore effective strategies and techniques for implementing classroom discussions to enhance student learning and participation.

Effective Strategies for Classroom Discussions

Employing a variety of discussion strategies can promote active participation, critical thinking, and collaborative learning. Here are several proven techniques to enhance your classroom discussions:

1. Think-Pair-Share

The think-pair-share strategy encourages active engagement and peer learning. Begin by posing a thought-provoking question or prompt. Give students a few moments to individually reflect and generate their ideas. Then, have them pair up with a classmate to discuss their thoughts. Finally, invite pairs to share their ideas with the whole class. This strategy fosters deeper thinking, builds confidence, and provides opportunities for students to learn from one another.

2. Socratic Seminars

Inspired by the Socratic method, this student-led discussion strategy promotes critical thinking and analysis. Select a specific text, case study, or concept as the focus of the seminar. Assign students different roles, such as discussion leader, devil’s advocate, or summarizer, to ensure active participation and a variety of perspectives. Encourage students to pose thoughtful questions, challenge each other’s ideas respectfully, and construct well-supported arguments. As the facilitator, your role is to guide the discussion, ask probing questions, and ensure that all voices are heard.

3. Fishbowl Discussions

The fishbowl discussion technique creates a dynamic learning experience by providing students with an opportunity to observe effective discussion strategies. Arrange chairs in two concentric circles. Select a small group of students to sit in the inner circle as active participants in the discussion while the rest of the class sits in the outer circle as observers. The inner circle engages in the discussion while the outer circle listens attentively. After a set period, the roles can be reversed. This technique allows students to witness effective discussion skills, observe different perspectives, and learn from their peers.

4. Jigsaw Technique

The jigsaw technique encourages collaborative learning and deepens understanding of complex topics. Divide a challenging topic or problem into smaller subtopics and assign each subtopic to a small group of students. Within their groups, students become experts on their assigned subtopic through research and discussion. Afterward, regroup the students, ensuring representation from each initial group, and have them share their findings. This strategy promotes collaboration, allows for comprehensive coverage of the topic, and encourages students to consider multiple perspectives.

5. Incorporating Visual Tools and Technology

Visual tools and technology can enhance classroom discussions by facilitating engagement and interaction. Use whiteboards, interactive displays, or digital tools to capture and organize student ideas during discussions. Online discussion boards, collaborative platforms, or polling applications can extend classroom discussions beyond the physical space, enable asynchronous participation, and promote active engagement.

Remember, it is crucial to select the most appropriate strategy for your learning objectives, the nature of the topic, and the dynamics of your class. Experiment with different techniques, adapt them to suit your specific context and encourage student feedback to continually refine your approach.

In the next section, we will explore additional methods for enhancing classroom discussions by integrating technology, incorporating role-playing, and incorporating reflective practices.

Enhancing Classroom Discussions

To further enrich the classroom discussion experience and maximize student engagement, consider the following strategies:

1. Integrating Technology

Embrace technology tools that can enhance classroom discussions that engage all students. Online platforms, such as discussion forums, video conferencing, or collaborative document sharing, can provide opportunities for students to engage in discussions beyond the confines of the physical classroom. These tools allow for asynchronous participation, encourage thoughtful responses, and enable students to build on one another’s ideas. Additionally, multimedia resources, interactive presentations, or online polling tools can help stimulate discussions and make them more dynamic and engaging. Top Hat’s discussion features allow students to Incorporate video, images or good old-fashioned plain text to spark lively conversations and drive the debate.

2. Role-Playing and Simulations

Incorporate role-playing and simulations to immerse students in real-world scenarios and encourage active participation. Assign students specific roles or characters related to the topic of discussion and have them engage in structured debates, negotiations, or problem-solving activities. This technique promotes critical thinking, empathy, and understanding of multiple perspectives. It also provides a safe space for students to explore different viewpoints and develop their communication and teamwork skills.

3. Reflective Practices

Integrate reflective practices into your classroom discussions to deepen learning and enhance metacognition. Encourage students to reflect on their own contributions, the quality of their arguments, and the effectiveness of their communication skills. Provide opportunities for students to journal or write post-discussion reflections, allowing them to consolidate their learning and identify areas for improvement. Reflection prompts can include questions about what they learned from their peers, how their perspectives evolved, and what strategies they found most effective.

4. Cultivating a Supportive Feedback Culture

Foster a culture of constructive feedback within your classroom discussions. Encourage students to provide feedback to their peers, focusing on the substance of their arguments and the clarity of their communication. Model and reinforce constructive feedback by providing your own comments and suggestions. This feedback culture promotes critical thinking, fosters a sense of community, and helps students refine their communication skills. 

5. Assessing and Recognizing Participation

Implement fair and transparent assessment methods to recognize and evaluate student participation in classroom discussions. Consider criteria such as frequency and quality of contributions, active listening skills, and the ability to build on others’ ideas. Provide timely feedback to students, emphasizing their strengths and areas for improvement. Recognize and celebrate exemplary contributions to encourage ongoing engagement and active participation. Every interaction in Top Hat leads to actionable data you can use to help students and personalize your teaching. Educators can capture results from graded discussions in the Top Hat gradebook, along with quizzes, polls and tests.

By integrating technology, incorporating role-playing, promoting reflective practices, cultivating a supportive feedback culture, and implementing fair assessment methods, you can enhance the quality and impact of your classroom discussions. Remember that flexibility and adaptation are essential; continually assess the effectiveness of your strategies and make adjustments based on student feedback and evolving learning needs.

Conclusion

Facilitating dynamic and meaningful classroom discussions is an art that requires careful planning, a supportive environment, and effective strategies. By implementing the discussion strategies, classroom discourse techniques, and student-led discussion strategies outlined in this ultimate guide, you can foster engaging and transformative learning experiences for your students.

Remember, it’s important to establish ground rules and create a safe space that encourages respectful dialogue. Additionally, adequate preparation, well-crafted discussion prompts, and a variety of discussion strategies will contribute to successful classroom discussions. Don’t shy away from embracing technology and integrating reflective practices to further enhance engagement and learning outcomes.

As an educator, you have the power to create a vibrant and interactive learning environment where students can explore diverse perspectives, challenge assumptions, and develop critical thinking skills. By mastering the art of facilitating classroom discussions, you empower your students to become active participants in their own learning.

So, go ahead and apply these strategies, experiment with different techniques, and continuously seek feedback from your students. With practice and persistence, you will cultivate an environment that fosters rich and engaging classroom discussions, ultimately enriching the learning experience for everyone involved.

Happy facilitating!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Facilitating Classroom Discussions appeared first on Top Hat.

By reading the guide below, you’ll gain a solid understanding of the various types of teaching strategies, why they’re important and how they can be applied to the learning process to benefit both professors and students.

In this guide, you’ll:

• Learn what instructional strategies are, and the various strategies educators can use to teach more effectively
• Gain a deeper understanding of how instructional strategies for teachers—including formal and informal assessments, case studies, debates, flipped classrooms and more—play into the overall student learning experience
• Get equipped to implement instructional strategies that are appropriate for your course in order to become more effective at teaching and engaging students
• Get access to a free instructional strategies list, packed with 25 easy-to-implement exercises for your next course

With this collection of teaching strategies, you’ll be ready to guide students towards success in any classroom setting. Plus, putting a few of these techniques into practice will ensure students come to class prepared to engage with the material, with their peers and with you.

1. What are instructional strategies?

Instructional strategies encompass any type of learning technique a teacher uses to help students learn or gain a better understanding of the course material. They allow teachers to make the learning experience more fun and practical and can also encourage students to take more of an active role in their education. The objective of using instructional strategies beyond subject comprehension is to create students who are independent, strategic learners. The hope is, with time and practice, students will be able to select the right strategies on their own and use them effectively to complete tasks.

There are various instructional strategy examples that can be used effectively at all levels and subject areas, with a wide range of learning styles. These learning strategies motivate students by improving their engagement, capturing their attention and encouraging them to focus on not only remembering course material, but truly understanding it.

Educators who use instructional strategies allow students to make meaningful connections between concepts learned in class and real-life situations. They offer an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and course correct on their own when needed. Teachers also benefit from using instructional strategies because they’re able to better monitor and assess student performance through different methods of evaluation.

2. What’s the difference between instructional strategies, teaching strategies, teaching techniques and teaching practices?

In the dynamic landscape of higher education, understanding the nuances between instructional strategies, teaching strategies, teaching techniques, and teaching practices is crucial for educators aiming to enhance their pedagogical approach. Instructional strategies encompass a broader framework, outlining the overarching plans and methods employed to facilitate learning. These strategies guide the selection of teaching methods and techniques, serving as the foundation for effective educational practices. On the other hand, teaching strategies delve into the specific approaches instructors use to convey information and engage students. These strategies act as the vehicles through which instructional goals are achieved, embracing diverse methodologies such as collaborative learning, active participation, and technology integration.

Zooming in further, teaching techniques are the tactical tools and methods employed within a specific teaching strategy. These are the hands-on practices educators implement to deliver content, foster understanding, and promote critical thinking. Examples include case studies, role-playing, and interactive discussions. Finally, teaching practices encompass the comprehensive application of instructional, teaching, and technical strategies in the classroom. It reflects the amalgamation of various methods tailored to the unique needs of learners and the subject matter. By dissecting these components, higher education professors can refine their pedagogical repertoire, fostering a rich and dynamic learning environment for their students.

3. Types of instructional or teaching strategies

There are far too many types of instructional or teaching strategies to catalog in one place. And there’s no single, specific way to group them together. While the categories below are by no means exhaustive, instructional strategies often fall under general groupings. These include: active learning, assessment-based, group-based, advanced strategies, organizational (or classroom management) and tiered.

4. Active learning instructional strategies and teaching strategy examples

4.1. Exit tickets

Before students leave your learning environment, ask them to answer a question related to a key concept discussed in the lesson that day. They can write it down on a piece of paper or index card. Questions can be simple, like asking students what they found most interesting about the lesson. Or, they can be more complex, such as having them draw a sketch that demonstrates what they learned, or asking them to connect the key concept they learned to a real-life situation. Have students hand the ‘tickets‘ to you as they exit (or have them submit a response to your discussion board), then review the responses.

The feedback can help educators determine which students need additional teaching in specific areas. Using this approach, teachers gain a quick understanding of how the whole class is grasping and reacting to the material.

Use the information from the exit tickets to form groups in the class that follows. Place students at similar levels of understanding, or who have similar views on a topic, together. Conversely, group students with opposing views together in order to foster debate and conversation. Learn more about the types of exit tickets you can use in your next course—download an exit ticket template here.

4.2. Flipped classrooms

Regardless of where you teach, flipping your classroom is one of the most popular forms of active learning and among the most well-known instructional strategies. Instead of using classroom time for lecturing, educators provide students with a pre-recorded lecture to watch prior to class. They’re often concise, posted to sites like YouTube, or presented in the form of a podcast that students can listen to at home or during their commute. Educators can then use classroom time to engage students in learning activities related to the lecture they’ve already seen or heard.

Flipped classrooms are an effective teaching technique because they allow students to review and learn concepts on their own time. Students are then free to complete more interactive and collaborative work in class, including discussions and tasks with their peers and teacher. They can also collaborate and discuss material online, via forum discussions with peers and subject matter experts. In class, students can actively apply concepts via peer learning, group work, and presentations.

Flipped learning helps keep students continuously engaged in class instead of just passively listening. And it makes good use of downtime by allowing students to combine a workout or commute time with further learning, when it’s most convenient for them. Built to enable this strategy, Top Hat makes it simple to adopt a flipped classroom—simply run quizzes prior to your lecture and create interactive discussions for students to collaborate during class time.

Looking for more? Get 25 additional instructional strategies in this free guide.

4.3. Journals and learning logs

This instructional strategy lets students record their thoughts, feelings and reflections on a variety of topics. Journal entries could refer to something discussed in your lecture, or they can allow students to reflect on a relevant newspaper article or piece of media they came across. Journals can also be used for getting students to think critically about the course material and how it can be applied to the real world. This activity lets students make predictions, brainstorm ideas, connect ideas and even identify solutions to problems presented in class.

You might consider using the following prompts in advance of a journaling assignment to promote higher-level thinking. At the start of a lesson, you might ask, “What questions do you have from yesterday?” During the middle of a lesson, ask, “What do you want to know more about?” At the end of your lesson, ask, “How could you use these findings outside of class?” Encourage students to note any thoughts that come to mind at these three points. At the end of the semester, their journal can form the foundation of a more comprehensive study guide.

4.4. Minute papers

Pose a question about the day’s teaching, and give students a moment to reflect before writing down their answer on their own or in pairs. The responses can provide valuable insight into student comprehension of the material.

Minute papers can be presented in a number of ways, but the easiest is a “ticket out,” whereby educators wrap up class a few minutes early. (We saw this earlier in our instructional strategies list, under ‘exit ticket’). They then ask students to answer what the most important thing they learned today was and what questions they still have. The first question requires students to think quickly, recall class material, decide on the main points, and put it into their own words. For the second, they must think further about what they’ve understood thus far.

Teachers can use the responses to determine how well students understand the material. Minute papers can also help students understand where their own learning gaps are. Once this is realized, both students and teachers can identify and address weaknesses.

4.5. Muddiest point

The ‘muddiest point’ is another active learning instructional strategy. This activity asks students to use index cards (or an app), to anonymously submit what part(s) of the course material they’re having the most difficulty with. Educators can then use the responses to determine where extra instruction is needed and adjust lessons accordingly.

Alternatively, these topics can be addressed during student review sessions. Ask students to identify topics they feel they need clarification on and consolidate these into a list. Then get each student to select a term from the list they feel they can explain to the rest of the class.

Cross it off the list, and move on to the next. By the end, it will be easy to see which concepts students are having the most issues with by process of elimination. And if terms haven’t been selected, they are being avoided for a reason. Naturally, students will pick the terms they are most comfortable with.

Use that information to devise more instructor-led sessions on the concepts that most students are confused about, or that require more clarification, to eventually complete the entire list.

4.6. Reflection

Hand out blank index cards or a pre-designed worksheet at the end of a class session and ask students to use them to submit a response to a question about the day’s lesson. Alternatively, ask students to submit a discussion board response. The reflection prompt could be simple, like asking what they learned, or what they found the most interesting. Or, you can make your prompt more application-based, like asking them to connect what they learned to a real-life situation, or telling them to explain why what they learned is important.

The purpose of reflection is to encourage students to consider what they have learned. Like a number of other instructional strategies in this list, it also gives the teacher an idea of where students stand on a topic or issue so they can use this information to help better prepare for the next lesson. The added benefit is that having students express these thoughts on paper can result in better memory retention.

To drive this strategy in higher education, Top Hat’s interactive discussions make it easy for students to reflect on what was covered in class. Allow students to discuss concepts with their peers, with the ability to grade discussions as desired.

4.7. Think-pair-share

This active learning technique is another of the best-known instructional strategies. After presenting a lesson, pause the lecture for a moment to ask students to pair up with a partner. Have them discuss the material they just learned. Prepare questions, and, once they’ve had some time to discuss with their partner(s), get students to take turns presenting their observations to the rest of the class.

Make the question challenging, such that it could spark debate between the grouped or paired students. Give them just a few minutes to talk amongst themselves and come to a collective conclusion.

Think-pair-share can work especially well for the first few lessons of a class, keeping students on their toes and interested in the material that is to come. But it can also help recapture student enthusiasm near the middle of a term, reminding students that they aren’t alone in their learning and that others share their views or concerns, and that there are different perspectives to support an issue that are worth considering beyond their own.

5. Assessment-based instructional strategies

5.1. Assessment

One of the most used instructional strategies, assessments are considered any graded test, quiz, project, or exam. Informal checks of student progress throughout the year, such as discussions or presentations, can be included too. There are many different assessment-based instructional strategies (and a few follow in this group).

In general, there are various ways to run assessments and different ways to adapt them to class time. These include: asking certain groups of students to only complete specific parts of a test, allowing students to respond orally versus in writing, or asking students to demonstrate what they’ve learned in a more hands-on way, like building something or drawing a diagram.

The most critical thing to remember with assessments is to try and stay focused on evaluating the concept that’s most important for the student to grasp. This might mean your assessments have to be more practical. Asking a student to put the learning to work and actually do something can be a far better indicator of what they know than simple written or oral answers.

One tip is to include test or quiz questions that vary in complexity, and focus on different aspects of a concept. You could include one question mandatory for responding, but allow students to choose which ones they want to answer among the remaining ones.

→ Download Now: 25 Free Instructional Strategies

5.2. Cubing

“Cubing” is a version of the above. It involves writing a command or question on each of the six sides of a cube, then having students roll the cube like a die and respond to the question or command accordingly.

The questions can relate to describing, comparing, contrasting, applying, predicting or imagining concepts. Get students even more involved in this cooperative learning activity by having them come up with their own questions that they then exchange with classmates, taking turns to answer.

Take it to another level by creating multiple cubes with questions of varying levels of complexity. Assign students to work in groups—have each group of students write or dictate their answers to the questions on their cube. Use the data to determine which students should work on which concepts come assignment time.

5.3. Grade as you go

This instructional strategy is ideal for subjects that involve repetitive practices and rote memorization, such as mathematics and language. Have students work on assignments either alone or in pairs, checking and marking their work.

This teaching technique is motivational because students instantly know if they’re on the right track, allowing them to gauge their achievement level. But it also helps students immediately correct something they’re doing wrong. Once they identify the mistakes, they can translate that learning to subsequent questions, instead of completing the entire assignment incorrectly.

Instructional strategies such as ‘Grade As You Go’ also help educators pinpoint students who have a superior grasp of the material, allowing them to move on to a more challenging assignment.

By the time the assignment is completed, it’s far more likely that the entire class will be ready to move on to the next concept or skill. And since grades have already been given, it reduces after-class grading time for teachers. Put this strategy into practice this fall by relying on the Top Hat Gradebook. This comprehensive tool lets you view attendance, participation and completion data in one place and makes it easy to retroactively adjust grade weights as needed.

5.4. Homework practice

The purpose of homework, as one of the numerous assessment-based instructional strategies, is to extend learning beyond the classroom setting. Homework gives students extra time to master concepts studied in class and further refine their learning. To use this effectively, assign homework based on the student’s skill level, ensuring it aligns with the areas they need more practice in.

The amount and complexity of homework varies depending on subject and level. Students should be able to complete homework independently, with minimal involvement from tutors or peers. If they can’t, it should serve as a red flag to both the student and educator.

Built to enable this strategy, Top Hat makes it easy to create, personalize and assign interactive homework assignments. Choose from a variety of question types including fill-in-the-blank or multiple choice and embed discussion questions throughout your assessments.

5.5. Questions and quizzes

Question-asking is among the simplest of the instructional strategies, but it can still be strategically complex. The simplest way to gauge student understanding of course material is to ask them questions about it. During group discussions, pose several questions of varying complexity so that everyone has a chance to respond, including both those who are experiencing difficulties with the class, as well as those who are mastering the concepts. Strategically adjust the questions you ask based on who you plan to call upon. This helps build student confidence and ensures the class runs smoothly.

Timing is important, too. When the class starts, or there’s a pause between concepts or topics, you can administer a quick quiz or poll to get an understanding of how far along students are in their learning. In order to effectively assess comprehension, it’s best to not attach a grade to this activity. Students will inevitably worry if the quiz is going to impact their overall grade for the class. Platforms like Kahoot! can be used to facilitate informal games or trivia sessions at the start of class, setting the stage for what’s to follow in your lecture.

Use technology like clickers to administer things like multiple choice quizzes that can be tabulated immediately for large classes, with questions that challenge or check an assumption before a lecture begins. Then, administer the same or a similar quiz at the end of class, and compare the results.

Educators can determine how effective the lesson was and see if they need to revisit the subject matter again, or can confidently move on to the next topic.

6. Group teaching techniques

6.1. Case studies

Case studies, as instructional strategies or teaching techniques, are more spontaneous than structured group projects. But this is a good thing. It helps prepare students for when they enter the workforce, where problem solving on the fly is an essential skill. In a practical work environment, students can’t just do what they’re told and expect to succeed. Case studies can help prepare them for life after college or university.

To use case studies, put students into groups and task them with finding a way to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired from reading course materials and listening to lectures into real-world scenarios that match your assigned content area(s).

In a classroom setting, working on case studies encourages students to think critically about what they’ve learned, not just recite points back to the class.

6.2. Debates

Instructional strategies like these work as a structured form of argumentation. Debates require students to research concepts and think critically in order to present their positions in a convincing and justifiable way.

Most fitting for concepts with opposing points of view, debates help students develop listening and presentation skills. Once presented in class, having a debate can also introduce new perspectives on topics, and convince students to conduct further research in order to build stronger arguments, or intelligently counter those of the opposing side.

6.3. Peer instruction

With the teacher’s guidance, students can prepare and present course material in class, encouraging interaction with peers. Try to do this without the use of slides as an aid, so students have to communicate more with classmates and discover more creative ways to present the material.

It’s best to do these kinds of student-led instructional strategies at the beginning of a class, so students can teach one another about what they know, sharing their knowledge and experiences that relate to course material.

6.4. Role play

The use of simulations and games in your instructional toolkit can give you a deeper look at the impact of learning, as well as demonstrate how students can invent and experiment with learned concepts. Role playing also offers students a chance to practice their interpersonal skills in an environment in which they are comfortable and familiar.

Having the opportunity to visualize, model or role play in dynamic situations promotes curiosity, exploration and problem solving. It can aid students in working towards a greater understanding of the material. The more ways that students have of representing the knowledge they’ve acquired beyond writing and oral explanation, the better their comprehension and recall of the information will be.

In math and science fields, for example, students can experiment with simulated projects that would otherwise be difficult or cost-prohibitive to do in real settings. Examples include: designing a model of a roller coaster to understand slopes, angles and speed; using a hard-boiled egg to demonstrate Newton’s Law of Motion; or building a model volcano to understand what makes them erupt.

7. Teaching strategies examples for advanced students

7.1. Curriculum compacting

These instructional strategies encourage educators to identify students who already have advanced knowledge of a subject, skill or concept so they can spend less time on these areas. Curriculum compacting frees students up to focus more on the areas where they need to develop a greater understanding, versus concepts with which they’re already proficient. It’s ideal when working with individual students or small groups.

7.2. Independent study project

If students appear to be ahead of the class, assign them independent study projects. These projects should allow them to focus on a single concept around material discussed in class. They can also work on a separate but related topic for which they’ve expressed an interest or passion, making this an inquiry-based learning exercise.

Once the project is completed, the student can share what he or she learned with the class, demonstrating their mastery of the concept, and further educating the rest of the class on a specific area or example.

Independent study projects usually run anywhere from three to four weeks.

8. Organizational instructional strategies

8.1. Agendas

An agenda sets out a comprehensive list of the assignments, activities, projects and tests students are responsible for working on and completing throughout the year, along with a timeline for each. Students can decide how they want to complete the work and in what order. Do they want to focus on one area of learning for an entire week? Do they want to tackle the subject matter they’re most comfortable with first, or start with more difficult concepts? In addition to encouraging students to come up with a structure they can follow, agendas help them practice time management skills.

To get going, provide each student with a blank calendar to fill in with their own schedule, ensuring they’ve organized work in order to meet assignment and project due dates. If different students are working on the same part of an assignment at the same time, consider allowing them to work together during class. Take on the role of a facilitator here, helping students set reasonable deadlines according to their needs.

8.2. Anchor activities

Also referred to as ‘sponge’ activities, anchor activities are assignments that students must work on immediately in order to maximize instruction time. They can complete these activities at the beginning of every class or right after, but the idea is to keep the learning and educational process going.

Anchor activities might include the student revisiting a question posed in the previous day’s class and composing a response to it, or presenting and discussing an answer out loud to a partner. Another option could be drawing a picture to represent a concept they just learned, or writing down an opinion about a key issue. This instructional strategy for teachers can also be used to provide students with notes as a reference when they’re studying for exams.

Be mindful of anchor activities that are simply ‘busy work’ to pass the time. Just as a sponge soaks up water, the goal of anchor activities is to help students soak up a better understanding of a concept or skill.

8.3. Knowledge charts

Before delving into a new topic or concept, have students submit what they already know, what they want to know and what they’ve learned already. Then, assess their prior knowledge on the subject, and get a feel for how interested they are in a topic.

Knowledge charts, as instructional tools, can also be used at various times to see how students are progressing, and if their interest in the topic is waning or growing. In filling out these graphic organizers, teachers can get an idea of where students are at academically. Students themselves can gauge their own progress and see where more work is needed.

8.4. Learning contracts

Another one of the several instructional strategies aimed at more advanced students is the learning contract. Use it to help students who need to be challenged by providing a specific assignment and list of directives that they must complete within a set period of time. Work with the student to set out the requirements of the contract, and provide a blank calendar they can use to devise a doable timeline, determining what dates and times they need in order to complete different parts of the assignment. 

This is an effective instructional strategy to help students set their own learning goals and practice time management skills—both of which are useful in the working world. Once the contract and timeline are set, encourage students who are working on the same parts of the assignment at the same time to work together.

8.5. Portfolio development

Portfolios allow students to gather, organize and illustrate examples of their learning and academic achievements. Portfolio development is the process of creating, collecting, reflecting on and selecting work samples that best showcase students’ understanding of a given concept. Once students select their top pieces that best represent their learning outcomes, they can then use a binder or scrapbook to organize their work.

Work samples kept in a portfolio might include notes from an interview, a diagram, storyboards, essays, infographics and more. Portfolio development is a necessary and effective process for most humanities and STEM majors. Art students can use a portfolio to curate their top pieces—whether paintings, drawings or photographs—at the end of the semester. Alternatively, students in architecture or engineering courses can use a portfolio to house mockups and wireframes of a new building or the parts of an engine. No two students’ portfolios will include the same work since these differ based on discipline and course.

9. Tiered instructional strategies

9.1. Tiered activities

Set up three or four activities of varying complexity for students to participate in. Each should have the same common goal of helping students understand a specific element of the subject material. For example, it might be different experiments that all explain the basic concept of physics.

Start with a mid-level activity that would apply to most students in the class, then include one that’s a step-up in difficulty to challenge students with a better understanding of the material. Alternatively, offer a simplified version for students who are still working to gain a full understanding of the concept.

Place students in groups based on their perceived level, or give a brief description of each of the assignments and let them choose which level they feel most comfortable working in. Once completed, discuss and compare the results.

By the end of this collaborative exercise, each group will have a greater understanding of the material. If students are able to choose which group they join, the teacher will also get a feel for the comfort level of each student.

9.2. Tiered rubrics

Present a couple of rubrics (scoring guides) to students, based on their current level, so they have the skills needed in order to better focus and be successful in class.

The rubrics should all contain the same basic categories, but the point value or required elements should be adjusted based on the student’s readiness. For students equipped to take on greater challenges, add more categories or requirements. Conversely, remove some requirements and/or categories for students who need more assistance, or haven’t quite grasped the material just yet.

10. Conclusion

In exploring various types of instructional strategies, you’ll find that there’s something to suit every type of student level, subject and lecture format. When applied effectively, instructional strategies for teaching can help students gain a deeper understanding of course material and encourage critical thinking, beyond basic retention and surface understanding. Educators, too, can benefit by using different teaching methods throughout the semester to determine the efficacy of lesson plans, and how every student is progressing through each concept.

Download our free instructional strategies guide, filled with 25 effective activities and best practices to use in any college course.

The post 25 Effective Instructional Strategies For Educators appeared first on Top Hat.

What is Social and Emotional Learning?

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. Social-emotional learning is the process where learners acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to maintain healthy identities, manage their emotions and achieve meaningful goals. 

SEL advances student achievement by extending learning outside the classroom. By building supportive environments and collaborative relationships,  students can thoughtfully engage in teaching and learning. Social-emotional learning curriculum can also help address various forms of inequity and empower learners to contribute to their communities by giving them the confidence and empathy needed to give back.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) identifies five short-term goals: 

1. Self-awareness
2. Social awareness
3. Self-management
4. Responsible decision-making 
5. Relationship skills

These five goals help students improve attitudes about themselves and others in their community. They also help learners strengthen academic performance, have fewer behavioral problems and forge better relationships.

Click to learn about Top Hat’s suite of tools designed to engage students wherever learning takes place.

Why is SEL important?

By providing a stable foundation, social-emotional learning enhances students’ ability to succeed in their academic learning, as well as their professional and personal lives. In the short term, SEL has been shown to have a positive effect on academic achievement. Longer-term, it contributes to the development of emotional competence and coping mechanisms. This promotes a growth mindset and better equips students to deal with setbacks and to view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. 

Benefits of Social and Emotional Learning

Social and emotional learning also enriches academic achievement, improving grades and test scores. Students also tend to exhibit more positive behavior and a stronger sense of themselves in learning environments. SEL has long-term benefits for students as well. Enhanced emotional competencies are associated with students’ increased likelihood to graduate high school and pursue a college education. These competencies can also contribute to professional and relational success, better mental well-being, decreased tendencies toward drug abuse and greater community involvement.

SEL can also have far-reaching economic and societal impacts. Social and emotional learning has a statistically significant association with the decreased likelihood of legal trouble before adulthood or relying on public housing or assistance.

SEL activities for higher education

Adapting to the rigors of higher education can bring with it new pressures and higher levels of stress. Here, we share some social-emotional learning activities that help students anticipate and gain perspective on potential stressors to help their ability to cope in these situations. If learners can label or anticipate their emotions, you create the perspective and space necessary to manage them more effectively rather than being carried along by your emotions. Here, we share some ways to incorporate social and emotional learning into your college classroom. 

6 stress release activities for college students

1. Stress release visualization: Around midterms or finals, encourage students to visualize what their stress looks and feels like through a short written description or drawing. Ask them to acknowledge the stress and then release it by reflecting on their creation, or sharing with a peer.
2. Befriending stress: At the beginning of the semester, ask learners to identify a future event that elicits stress. Have them describe this stressor verbally or in writing. Encourage students to frame the event as a “challenge” that can improve their confidence and well-being. This way, when they encounter stress throughout the semester, they can approach these events feeling better prepared. 
3. Noise isolation: For some students, noise can trigger stress, frustration or anger. Ask students to listen for a few moments and focus on one sound. Have them describe it and how it makes them feel. Then, have them write a short reflection on this experience in an online discussion thread with their peers.
4. Support network: Invite learners to list the names of five or six people they usually turn to during times of stress. Ask them to identify the qualities that make these people supportive or comforting and send periodic reminders to students throughout the term to reach out to their networks as necessary to build and maintain positive relationships. 
5. Name that emotion: Emotions are easier to manage when we acknowledge them. Ask students to identify an emotion they feel at that moment and share it with another peer or small group. This exercise gives learners practice in communicating their feelings to others and how to respond to others’ emotions in productive ways, as well as aiding in their own emotional development. For online classes, use breakout rooms or discussion boards to allow students to engage.
6. Write it, rip it, toss it: A few weeks before a big test or presentation, ask participants to think of something that makes them insecure, like public speaking, and have them write it down on a slip of paper. After considering their insecurity for a few seconds, invite them to rip the paper and throw it away. This emotional check-in can teach learners that insecurities are things they can overcome.

9 mindfulness exercises for college students

Mindfulness is about cultivating more awareness of the present moment. Like the exercises above, it helps creates a space to observe one’s emotional state without interpretations or judgment. 

1. Mindful breathing: Having students pay attention to their breathing is one way to teach mindfulness. Ask participants to inhale through the nose deeply for three seconds, hold it for two seconds, and then take four seconds to exhale. Encourage students to do this several times every day and note any changes in their mood. You can also share online videos of breathing exercises on your course platform as a mindfulness break.
2. Check-in: This activity can be effective at the start of class. Ask students to reflect internally on their current emotional state, perhaps by having them rate it on a scale of 1-10. Doing this can encourage students to become more aware of their feelings and manage their emotional skills and states. This can help them become more introspective and self-aware learners.
3. Growth vs. fixed mindset: If learners are aware of the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, have them talk about or write down moments when they have demonstrated each. Ask them to compare the outcomes of these two mindsets. This can help when they are facing obstacles in a project or struggling to grasp student outcomes.
4. Good things: You can share this exercise with students at the beginning of the term and encourage them to use it as necessary. Students write down at least one thing that went well each day and why. Remembering positive events has been shown to increase optimism and a positive outlook on life.
5. Quote of the day: At the beginning of each lecture or course module, present students with a quote that relates to a class topic. Invite students to share their thoughts in response to the quote, either in a discussion thread or with a small group. This exercise encourages learners to be aware of their beliefs and learn how to handle disagreements in opinion.
6. From childhood: Have students bring in a baby or childhood picture at the beginning of the semester or term. During each class meeting, show a baby picture and have the others guess who it is. Have that student then share a favorite memory from childhood. This is a great way to help students get to know one another on a more personal level and see each other in a different light.
7. Meaningful photos: Over five days, have students take photographs of things—people, places, objects—that make their lives feel meaningful or purposeful. Have them write what makes each item special to them in a discussion thread and encourage students to comment on each other’s photos to promote informal discussion and communication in your class.
8. Use my strength: Ask students to identify a personal strength, such as creativity, self-control or a sense of humor. Have them recall how they have used this strength to overcome a difficulty. Invite them to think of how they might use their strength differently and uniquely to meet a future challenge they may encounter throughout their higher education journey. You can also share resources, such as mental health supports and academic resource centers that students may find useful in overcoming these challenges. 
9. Morning self-affirmation: Ask each student to write down a positive affirmation they repeat each morning. It should be first-person, present-tense, and stated in active language. This activity helps students start their learning off on a positive note and effectively prepares them for tackling challenging course concepts.

10 communication-based activities for college students

Communication is an essential skill in the college classroom that can make learning easier, helps students build connections with their classmates and gives them an opportunity to build their confidence.

1. Interest-based discussion: At the start of each session, have a different student share a three-minute presentation on a hobby or interest. Encourage them to use presentation slides or bring a visual that represents their interest. This way, students can build confidence in their public-speaking skills in a low-stakes environment.
2. Silver linings: Have participants talk about or write down a time when something didn’t go their way. Ask them to write how they could see a brighter side of the situation they just described. These social-emotional skills help students learn to become more optimistic by looking at a negative moment from a different perspective.
3. Active listening: Place students into small groups using breakout rooms or designated spots around the classroom. As group members take turns sharing something personal, encourage the other students to show empathy by nodding, leaning forward, smiling and asking probing questions that get the speaker to elaborate.
4. Another perspective: Pair students with peers they don’t know very well and invite them to write a short poem or essay about their partner after some conversation. This activity can teach participants how to get to know others and develop empathy for them.
5. Small acts of kindness: As a way to boost morale mid-way through your course, assign students a day to engage in five acts of kindness. They should be able to document these acts, their outcomes and how they felt as a result. This activity can promote kindness toward others without the expectation of personal gain.
6. Introductions: Ask students to pair up and ask their partner five questions. They will use the responses to introduce each other to the rest of the class. This activity works as a great icebreaker for the first week of class by helping students feel more comfortable getting to know their classmates.
7. Identity bingo: Consider creating bingo cards with squares that have interesting traits or characteristics, such as, “I was born outside of the country” or “I can speak two or more languages fluently.” Have students mingle to tick off boxes and find people that match those characteristics as an icebreaker exercise.
8. Letter of gratitude: Have learners think of a person who did something for them for which they are thankful. This should be a person to whom they haven’t yet expressed gratitude. Then, invite students to write thank-you letters to send or deliver in person, if possible. You can leave it up to students to decide when they would like to complete this activity during the term.
9. Group revelation: At the end of each class, have students gather and invite them to volunteer something they appreciate about the class, such as, “There are some brilliant people in this group.” The revelation can also be an apology, such as, “I didn’t think I would like this class as much as I do.” Building this sense of community and trust helps pave the way for more successful learning.
10. Biosketch: During the first week or at the start of the term, set aside time for students to share a one-minute autobiography, either during class or through an online discussion thread. It can be about a hobby or a life-changing event. Allow time for others to ask questions about each person’s autobiography.

Conclusion

Social and emotional learning helps children and adults manage conflicts, increase their self-image, maintain healthy relationships, and approach problems with heightened emotional intelligence. SEL brings many benefits for both the short and long term. The activities above can help learners of all ages become more aware of their emotions’ impact.

Click to learn about Top Hat’s suite of tools designed to engage students wherever learning takes place.

References

Conley, C.S. (2015). “SEL in Higher Education.” In J.A. Durlak, C.E. Domitrovich, R.P. Weissberg, & T.P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning. New York: Guilford Press.

Hawkins, J.D., Kosterman, R., Catalano, R.F., Hill, K.G., & Abbott, R.D. (2008). “Effects of social development intervention in childhood 15 years later.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 162(12), pp.1133-1141.

Jones, D.E., Greenberg, M., & Crowley, M. (2015). “Early social-emotional functioning and public health: The relationship between kindergarten social competence and future wellness.” American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), pp.2283-2290.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Social and Emotional Learning [Plus: 20+ Activities to Use in Your Classroom] appeared first on Top Hat.

Table of contents

1. What is classroom management?
2. Why does classroom management matter?
3. What is your classroom management style?
4. How to create a classroom management plan
5. Why creating a classroom management plan is important in higher ed
6. 11 classroom management strategies to create a productive learning environment

What is classroom management?

Classroom management in higher education involves creating and maintaining an environment that is conducive to learning. This includes everything from setting expectations for student behavior and engagement to managing classroom logistics like seating arrangements and technology. Effective classroom management helps ensure that students are able to focus on the content being presented and participate in meaningful discussions and activities.

Why does classroom management matter?

Effective classroom management is essential for several reasons. First, it helps ensure that students are able to focus on the material being presented. When students are distracted or disengaged, they are less likely to learn and retain information. By creating a structured and supportive classroom environment, instructors can help students stay focused and engaged throughout the class.

Additionally, classroom management is important for creating a positive learning environment. When students feel comfortable and supported in the classroom, they are more likely to participate in class discussions and ask questions. This can lead to a more dynamic and interactive classroom experience, which can benefit both students and instructors. For example, Top Hat’s interactive and inclusive discussion tool sparks conversations where students are invited to share their ideas in a variety of ways, regardless of class size.

Finally, effective classroom management can help prevent or address behavioral issues. By setting clear expectations and addressing disruptive behavior in a timely and professional manner, instructors can help prevent minor issues from escalating into major disruptions. This can help create a more harmonious and productive classroom environment for all students.

What is your classroom management style?

One important aspect of effective classroom management is understanding and adopting a teaching style that supports student learning. As an instructor, it’s important to ask yourself, “What is my classroom management style?” Do you prefer a more authoritarian approach, where you enforce strict rules and consequences to control the classroom? Or do you prefer a more democratic approach, where you encourage student participation and collaboration to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment? Alternatively, do you prefer a more laissez-faire approach, where you give students more autonomy and responsibility for their learning? 

Understanding your own teaching style and preferences can help you develop a classroom management plan that is effective and productive for both you and your students. By adopting a classroom management style that aligns with your teaching philosophy and supports student learning, you can create a positive and successful learning environment that promotes academic achievement and success. So take some time to reflect on your teaching style and consider how you can incorporate effective classroom management strategies to create a supportive and engaging learning environment in your higher education class.

What is a classroom management plan?

A classroom management plan is a set of strategies and guidelines that instructors use to create and maintain a positive and productive learning environment. It involves establishing clear expectations for behavior, participation, and assignments, as well as creating routines and procedures that support student learning. A classroom management plan may also include strategies for addressing disruptive behavior, encouraging student participation, and promoting student engagement and motivation. 

So, whether you’re a seasoned instructor or new to the profession, taking the time to develop a classroom management plan can help you create a successful and fulfilling teaching experience in higher education.

How to create a classroom management plan

Creating a classroom management plan in higher education involves several key steps. First, it’s important to establish clear expectations for behavior, participation, and assignments, and communicate them to your students in a clear and concise manner. Second, you’ll need to create routines and procedures that support student learning, such as a system for turning in assignments, taking attendance, or transitioning between activities. Third, you’ll need to develop strategies for addressing disruptive behavior and promoting positive classroom culture, such as using positive reinforcement, giving clear and consistent consequences, and encouraging student participation. 

Finally, it’s important to regularly reflect on and adapt your classroom management plan based on the needs and preferences of your students. This may involve seeking feedback from students, reflecting on your own teaching style and strategies, and making changes as needed to ensure a positive and engaging learning environment for all. By following these steps and continuously reflecting and adapting your classroom management plan, you can create a supportive and productive learning environment that promotes academic success for all students in higher education. Quizzes and polls are a great way to get real-time feedback from your students, and modify your classroom management accordingly. You can use them to highlight concepts in different, interactive ways and encourage student collaboration—but with Top Hat, they also create real-time insights that instantly let you know how your class is doing.

Why creating a classroom management plan is important in higher ed

A classroom management plan is crucial in higher education because it helps create a structured and supportive learning environment that fosters academic success. A well-designed classroom management plan sets clear expectations for behavior and participation, establishes routines that promote engagement and focus, uses positive reinforcement to motivate students, addresses disruptive behavior in a timely and professional manner, and engages students in the learning process. By implementing a classroom management plan, instructors can help create a positive and productive learning environment that benefits both students and instructors alike.

11 classroom management strategies to create a productive learning environment

Effective classroom management strategies can help promote student engagement, retention, and motivation, which can ultimately lead to higher academic achievement and success. Incorporate these strategies into your teaching to foster academic growth.

1. Set clear expectations: One of the most important classroom management strategies is setting clear expectations for behavior, participation, and assignments from the very beginning of the course. Communicating your expectations can help students understand what is expected of them and can reduce confusion and misbehavior.
2. Establish routines: Establishing routines can help create a predictable and supportive learning environment. For example, you might begin each class with a brief review of the previous lecture or end each class with a reflection activity. These routines can help students feel more comfortable and prepared for class and can also help them focus on the material being presented.
3. Use positive reinforcement: Positive reinforcement can be a powerful motivator for students. Consider offering verbal praise, small rewards or extra credit for outstanding participation. This can help encourage positive behavior and can create a more positive learning environment.
4. Use effective communication: Effective communication is essential for effective classroom management. Be sure to communicate clearly and respectfully with your students, listen to their concerns, and respond to their questions in a timely and professional manner.
5. Encourage student participation: Encouraging student participation can help create a more engaging and interactive learning environment. Consider using group activities, discussions, and other classroom management techniques to encourage student participation.
6. Use active learning strategies: Active learning strategies can help promote engagement and retention of material. Consider incorporating activities like problem-solving exercises, simulations, or case studies into your teaching.
7. Provide timely feedback: Providing timely and constructive feedback is an important aspect of classroom management. Be sure to provide feedback on assignments and assessments in a timely manner, and offer constructive criticism that can help students improve their work. By getting regular feedback from your students, it’s easy to understand what’s working and which students need extra help. With Top Hat, every interaction—attendance, participation, assignments, tests—is automatically tracked for you. 
8. Address disruptive behavior: It’s important to address disruptive behavior in a timely and professional manner. This might involve speaking to the student privately after class, issuing a warning, or involving a higher authority if the behavior persists. By addressing disruptive behavior early on, you can help prevent minor issues from escalating into major disruptions.
9. Use technology effectively: Technology can be a valuable tool for classroom management. Consider using tools like online discussions, polling software, or interactive whiteboards to engage students and promote learning. “Top Hat allows students constant access to notes and teacher notations,” says Michelle Newsom, an instructor at Wright State University. “It allows me to control the pace and adds student accountability in and out of the classroom.”
10. Create a positive classroom culture: Creating a positive classroom culture can help promote engagement, motivation, and learning. Be sure to foster a supportive and inclusive environment that respects diverse perspectives and encourages collaboration and teamwork.
11. Continuously reflect and adapt: Finally, it’s important to continuously reflect on your classroom management strategies and adapt them as necessary. Be open to feedback from students and colleagues, and be willing to try new techniques and approaches to improve your teaching.

By incorporating these classroom management strategies into your teaching, you can help create a positive and productive learning environment that benefits both students and instructors alike.

The post Top Classroom Management Strategies To Try in Your College Courses appeared first on Top Hat.

→ Free Download: Course Planning Template

Pre-class: Where the foundation begins

Like many faculty, Collins realizes that students arrive to his class with vastly different levels of understanding. “I have a lot of first-generation students from small high schools who have taken one chemistry course so far,” he says. “For me, it’s all about how I can help get the material on their level.” Rather than rushing to cover all the material during his time with students, Collins slows things down. He instead records videos that are no more than ten minutes in length that give students a glimpse into what will be covered the next day in class. This method lets students familiarize themselves with concepts such as stereochemistry at their own pace. Plus, recorded lectures let learners rewind and rewatch at their leisure versus putting pressure on them to copy down diagrams as they previously experienced.

Once students are able to remember and understand information, Collins moves into ‘application’ mode. He creates weekly pre-class assignments using Aktiv Chemistry, an active learning platform that helps students visualize chemical structures, dimensional analysis, nomenclature, equilibrium and more. Collins sees this assignment method as a prime way to make learning less about points and more about knowledge retention. Plus, allowing students to complete these three-to-four question quizzes during a 24-hour period—versus a set time—makes the process less intimidating. “I’m not throwing students to the wolves. With videos online and basic foundational questions, my goal is for students to arrive tomorrow with some know-how,” he says.

In-class: Stepping up to the plate

Once the basics are covered, Collins uses live, in-person lectures to build skills and competence. He has three major goals when meeting with students in person:

1. Fortify the material he’s previously discussed in video recordings
2. Introduce more challenging concepts that may require faculty involvement
3. Help students improve their skills by dispelling misconceptions about concepts covered thus far

Collins also translates his use of Aktiv Chemistry to real-time learning experiences. “I’m able to take the temperature in the room and immediately find out whether an example lands,” he shares. Aktiv’s helpful hints and guided feedback help students understand where they went wrong. Collins also uses class time as an opportunity to promote peer-to-peer learning. Students play a heavy role in guiding one another through the learning process by drawing out chemical structures and discussing their solutions in small groups. Not only does the process get students talking with new classmates, it helps build confidence in their own abilities.

Homework: Making learning stick in the long-run

‘How can I help students retain the skills they’ve gained during pre- and in-class work?’ This is the ultimate question that guides Collins when it comes time to administer homework. This new set of problems—typically no more than 20 questions in one sitting—aren’t designed to trip students up. Rather, it’s an opportunity for students to apply their understanding of chemical processes already covered in class. “My emphasis is on long term retention. It’s not to trap students over how they answer a question,” Collins notes. 

The penultimate item in Collins’ scaffolding sequence involves low-stakes quizzes. Administered using Aktiv, this is a final opportunity for students to absorb material and practice retrieving their understanding before their high-stakes tests. These quizzes are timed as Collins aims to simulate a real test-taking environment. He again reduces the pressure that can come with timed tests by allowing students to drop their worst of two quiz grades.

Practice makes (near) perfect

The above steps, including recorded lecture videos, pre-class assignments, in-class problems, homework and low-stakes quizzes might sound like a cumbersome undertaking. But Collins has found students are able to reap the benefits when it comes time to performing on their high-stakes tests. He’s found a multi-step scaffolded classroom to be extremely rewarding on student success. And he’s got the data to show for it. 

Data from Spring 2023 reveal students received an average of 83.2 percent on their exam questions. It’s Collins’ hope that his ongoing cycle of feedback and practice give learners the confidence to effectively problem solve in future chemistry courses and their careers. “My class should give them enough flexibility to see their long-term path—it’s what keeps me tinkering at all times,” he says.

Planner: One week lesson plan

Collins’ scaffolding techniques have made quite the ripple on student success. Put his tips to use in your own course with his sample planner below.

→ Download our fully customizable course planner to build lectures, tests and more

The post Why Scaffolding Is Essential in the Chemistry Classroom [+ Planner] appeared first on Top Hat.

To truly make a difference in the lives of students, educators must also possess a deep understanding of how to teach effectively. This means knowing how to engage students, promote critical thinking, provide feedback, and tailor instruction to meet diverse learning needs. 

In this article, we’ll explore why teaching strategies are so important in higher education, provide more than a dozen teaching strategies that will make your course even more equitable and highlight how educators can develop and refine their teaching skills to better serve their students.

Why are teaching strategies important?

Teaching strategies are important because they can significantly impact the effectiveness of learning and the engagement of students. Effective teaching strategies can help create a positive learning environment, improve student motivation and engagement, and enhance student learning outcomes.

Here are some reasons why teaching strategies are important:

1. Different students learn in different ways: Students have different learning styles and preferences, and teaching strategies can be tailored to meet these individual needs.
2. Promote active learning: Teaching strategies that encourage active learning can help students become more engaged and take a more active role in their own learning.
3. Enhance student motivation: Effective teaching strategies can help to create a positive learning environment, which can enhance student motivation and engagement.
4. Encourage critical thinking: Certain teaching strategies can help to encourage critical thinking skills in students, which are essential for academic success and future career success.
5. Increase student learning outcomes: When teaching strategies are used effectively, they can help students to learn and retain information more effectively, leading to better academic performance and learning outcomes.

In summary, teaching strategies are important because they help to create a positive and engaging learning environment, cater to different learning styles, promote active learning, enhance student motivation and critical thinking skills, and improve learning outcomes.

What’s the difference between teaching strategies and learning strategies?

Teaching strategies and learning strategies are both important concepts in education, but they refer to different approaches to the educational process.

Teaching strategies are approaches that teachers use to facilitate learning in their students. These strategies can include techniques such as lectures, discussions, hands-on activities, and group work, among others. The goal of teaching strategies is to create a supportive learning environment that allows students to engage with the material in meaningful ways, and to help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to be successful learners.

Learning strategies, on the other hand, refer to the techniques and approaches that students use to actively engage with and process information. These strategies can include techniques such as note-taking, summarizing, self-testing, and metacognitive reflection, among others. The goal of learning strategies is to help students become more effective and efficient learners, by developing their ability to organize and retain information, and to identify and address their own learning needs and challenges.

In summary, teaching strategies are approaches that teachers use to facilitate learning in their students, while learning strategies are techniques that students use to actively engage with and process information in order to become more effective and efficient learners.

Download Now for Free: 25 Teaching Strategies for Any Higher Ed Course

The importance of equitable teaching strategies

Equitable teaching strategies are essential for creating a positive and inclusive learning environment that meets the needs of all students. These strategies can help to promote engagement, increase student success, and create a more just and equitable education system. Here are 14 equitable teaching strategies that you can use to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.

14 equitable teaching strategies for any course

1. Culturally responsive teaching: This approach acknowledges and values the diversity of students’ cultural backgrounds and incorporates this diversity into the curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
2. Differentiated instruction: This approach recognizes that students have different learning needs and preferences, and provides instruction that is tailored to meet these individual needs.
3. Universal design for learning: This approach focuses on creating instructional materials and activities that are accessible to all students, regardless of their learning needs or abilities.
4. Collaborative learning: This approach promotes teamwork and encourages students to work together to achieve common goals, while also fostering social and emotional learning. Tools like Top Hat can help with collaborative learning. “The interactive ability is what sets Top Hat apart,” says Joe Chapa, professor at the University of Texas, Arlington. “I have many students who just wouldn’t speak or participate in the lecture. This really affected retention and grades. I have found that with Top Hat, they now have no problem writing a comment on their phone and sharing it with the class.”
5. Active learning: This approach emphasizes engagement and encourages students to take an active role in their own learning, by providing opportunities for discussion, problem-solving, and hands-on activities. 
6. Project-based learning: This approach focuses on learning through project-based activities, which provide students with opportunities to develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.
7. Assessment for learning: This approach emphasizes the use of formative assessment techniques to provide students with feedback and support, and to identify areas where they need additional help.
8. Scaffolding: This approach involves providing students with support and guidance as they learn new skills or concepts, gradually removing this support as students become more confident and independent.
9. Student-centered learning: This approach places the focus on the needs and interests of the student, rather than on the curriculum or the teacher.
10. Personalized learning: This approach involves tailoring the learning experience to meet the specific needs and interests of individual students, based on their learning style, background, and goals.
11. Inquiry-based learning: This approach encourages students to ask questions and explore topics of interest, promoting curiosity and critical thinking skills.
12. Authentic assessment: This approach involves assessing student learning through real-world tasks and activities, providing students with opportunities to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in context. Top Hat allows instructors to build assignments and exams with the features and functionality today’s learners expect, delivered in dynamic and interactive formats.
13. Building an equity-minded classroom environment: This approach emphasizes the importance of creating a positive and inclusive learning environment that respects and values the cultural backgrounds of all students.
14. Trauma-informed teaching: This approach recognizes the impact of trauma on student learning and behavior, and provides strategies for creating a safe and supportive learning environment that promotes healing and resilience.

Ultimately, equitable teaching strategies are essential for creating a positive and inclusive learning environment that meets the needs of all students. By incorporating these strategies into your teaching practice, you can promote engagement, increase student success, and create a more just and equitable education system.

What is equitable pedagogy?

Equitable pedagogy is an approach to teaching that aims to create a more just and fair education system by addressing the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities for learning. Equitable pedagogy recognizes that students come from diverse backgrounds and have different experiences and needs, and therefore requires educators to be aware of and responsive to these differences.

Here are some key principles of equitable pedagogy:

1. Recognizing and addressing systemic inequalities: Equitable pedagogy acknowledges that systemic inequalities exist within education systems and works to address them through targeted interventions and support.
2. Culturally responsive teaching: This approach acknowledges and values the diversity of students’ cultural backgrounds and incorporates this diversity into the curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
3. Supporting student voice and agency: Equitable pedagogy recognizes the importance of student voice and agency in the learning process, and encourages students to take an active role in their own learning.
4. Differentiated instruction: This approach recognizes that students have different learning needs and preferences, and provides instruction that is tailored to meet these individual needs.
5. Creating inclusive and safe learning environments: Equitable pedagogy emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive and safe learning environments that are welcoming to all students, regardless of their backgrounds or identities. Top Hat’s interactive discussion features give every student a voice, with the option to explore sensitive topics. This way, students can respond anonymously, even those not yet comfortable to raise their hand—by letting them engage using their laptops, tablets and even their mobile phones.

Overall, equitable pedagogy aims to create a more just and equitable education system by addressing the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities for learning, and by recognizing and responding to the diverse needs of students.

Free Download: 25 Instructional Strategies

Conclusion

Equitable teaching strategies are essential for creating a positive and inclusive learning environment in higher education. By recognizing and addressing the diverse needs and experiences of students, educators can help to promote engagement, increase student success, and create a more just and equitable education system. By incorporating equitable teaching strategies into their practice, educators can create an environment that values and respects the diversity of their students, and helps to ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential. By working together to create an equitable learning environment, we can help to create a better future for all students.

The post 14 Teaching Strategies for an Equitable Classroom appeared first on Top Hat.

“The good news is, we live in a golden era of discovery regarding how people learn,” says Brad Cohen, Top Hat’s Chief Academic Officer. “Personalized learning, surfacing prior knowledge and fostering belonging are essential strategies that we should all be incorporating.”

By following a systematic approach to course design, educators can create courses that meet the needs of their learners and help them achieve their educational goals.

Table of Contents

1. What is involved in the course design process?
2. What’s the difference between course design and curriculum design?
3. What are some effective course design ideas for higher ed?
4. Where can I find a good course design template for higher ed?
5. Conclusion
   

What is involved in the course design process?

The course design process typically involves several key steps:

1. Defining learning outcomes: The first step in course design is to define the learning outcomes or objectives for the course. These outcomes should be specific, measurable, and aligned with the overall goals of the program. An example of a well-written learning outcome would be: By the end of this course, students will be able to identify the strengths of formal vs. informal language by advancing through the following three levels of knowledge and skill:
   
   – Using language formally vs. informally
   – Explaining how to write and speak in each type of language
   – Teaching others how to choose and use the appropriate type of language in different situations

2. Identifying content and resources: Once the learning outcomes are defined, the course designer needs to identify the content and resources that will help students achieve those outcomes. This may involve selecting textbooks, articles, videos, and other materials.
3. Developing assessments: Assessments are an essential part of course design, as they help measure the students’ understanding and mastery of the material. These assessments may include quizzes, exams, essays, and projects.
4. Creating a course schedule: A course schedule outlines the sequence of activities and assignments that will take place during the course, as well as any due dates. This schedule should be designed to ensure that students have enough time to complete assignments and master the material.
5. Designing activities and assignments: Activities and assignments should be designed to help students achieve the learning outcomes and reinforce the course content. These may include group projects, case studies, discussions, and hands-on activities. 
6. Choosing instructional strategies: The course designer needs to select instructional strategies that are appropriate for the course’s goals and learning outcomes. This may include lectures, discussions, simulations, and online activities. 

Throughout the course design process, it’s important to consider the needs and abilities of the learners. This may involve designing the course content in a way that is accessible to all learners, accommodating different learning styles, and using technology to enhance the learning experience.

What’s the difference between course design and curriculum design?

While course design and curriculum design are often used interchangeably, there are some key differences between the two. Course design refers to the process of designing a specific course, while curriculum design refers to the larger process of designing an entire educational program.

Course Design

Course design is a process that involves creating a specific plan for a single course. The goal of course design is to create a structured and organized learning experience that meets the needs of the learners and the goals of the institution. This process typically includes:

1. Defining learning outcomes: The first step in course design is defining the learning outcomes or objectives for the course. These should be specific, measurable, and aligned with the overall goals of the program.
2. Identifying content and resources: Once the learning outcomes are defined, the course designer needs to identify the content and resources that will help students achieve those outcomes.
3. Developing assessments: Assessments are an essential part of course design, as they help measure the students’ understanding and mastery of the material.
4. Creating a course schedule: A course schedule outlines the sequence of activities and assignments that will take place during the course, as well as any due dates.
5. Designing activities and assignments: Activities and assignments should be designed to help students achieve the learning outcomes and reinforce the course content.

Free Download: Top Hat’s Course Planning Template

Curriculum Design

Curriculum design, on the other hand, is a more extensive process that involves creating a comprehensive educational program. The curriculum is designed to ensure that learners receive a consistent and high-quality education, regardless of the individual courses they take. The process of curriculum design typically involves:

1. Defining educational goals: The first step in curriculum design is defining the educational goals for the program. These goals should be aligned with the institution’s mission and the needs of the learners.
2. Developing learning outcomes: Once the educational goals are defined, the curriculum designer needs to develop specific learning outcomes for each course in the program.
3. Creating a course sequence: The course sequence outlines the order in which courses should be taken to ensure that students receive a comprehensive education.
4. Selecting instructional strategies: Curriculum designers need to select instructional strategies that are appropriate for the program’s goals and learning outcomes.
5. Developing assessment strategies: Assessments should be designed to measure the student’s progress toward the program’s learning outcomes.
6. Ensuring alignment: Finally, the curriculum designer needs to ensure that all the elements of the program are aligned with the educational goals and learning outcomes.

What are some effective course design ideas for higher ed?

As the landscape of higher education continues to evolve, so too does the need for effective course design. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to designing a course, there are certain principles that can help ensure that your course is engaging, relevant, and effective. Here are 10 effective course design ideas for higher education:

1. Define clear learning outcomes: As mentioned above, before you start designing your course, it’s essential to define clear learning outcomes. What do you want your students to know, understand, or be able to do by the end of the course? This will help you structure your course and ensure that your students are learning what you intend.
2. Use active learning techniques: Active learning techniques such as group work, case studies, and problem-based learning can help students engage with the material, apply what they’ve learned, and develop critical thinking skills. Top Hat helps students engage with—not just respond to—their learning. More than 14 different question types allow instructors to gauge understanding in nearly any discipline. Real-time feedback helps students stay on track and helps you give learners the support they need. 
3. Incorporate technology: Technology can enhance your course in many ways. You can use online platforms like Top Hat to facilitate discussions and collaboration, create interactive quizzes and activities, and provide multimedia resources. 
4. Create a diverse and inclusive learning environment: It’s important to create a learning environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all students. This means considering diverse perspectives, using inclusive language, and providing accommodations for students with disabilities.
5. Scaffold learning: Scaffolding refers to breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. By scaffolding learning, you can help your students build on their prior knowledge and gradually develop more complex skills.
6. Provide timely and meaningful feedback: Feedback is crucial to student learning. By providing timely and meaningful feedback, you can help your students understand where they are in their learning and how they can improve. Top Hat leverages real-time data and insights in the form of attendance, participation, assignments, and tests, making it easy to pinpoint struggling students. This data can also help instructors improve engagement, outcomes and course satisfaction. 
7. Use real-world examples: Real-world examples can help students see the relevance of what they’re learning and apply it to their lives and future careers.
8. Balance theory and practice: Higher education courses should strike a balance between theory and practice. This means providing students with a strong theoretical foundation while also giving them opportunities to apply what they’ve learned in real-world settings.
9. Foster a sense of community: Students are more likely to succeed when they feel like they are part of a community. You can foster a sense of community by providing opportunities for students to connect with each other and with you, such as through group projects and office hours.
10. Continuously evaluate and improve: Course design is an iterative process. It’s important to continuously evaluate your course and make improvements based on feedback from your students, your own observations, and changes in the field.

By incorporating these course design ideas into your courses, you can help ensure that your students are engaged, motivated, and equipped with the skills they need to succeed.

Where can I find a good course design template for higher ed?

A well-designed template can help ensure that all the necessary components of the course are included and that they are organized in a logical and coherent way. Here are some places where you can find good course design templates:

1. Your institution’s learning management system (LMS): Many learning management systems offer built-in course design templates. These templates are often customizable, allowing you to tailor them to your specific needs.
2. Online course design resources: Many websites and resources are available online that offer course design templates. Some of these resources are free, while others require a subscription or fee. Examples of these resources include CourseArc, Canva, and Prezi.
3. Professional organizations: Many professional organizations for educators, such as the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), offer course design templates as part of their resources for members.
4. Colleagues and peers: Your colleagues and peers may have course design templates that they are willing to share. This can be a great way to get inspiration and ideas for your own course design.
5. Books and publications: There are many books and publications available on the topic of course design, many of which include templates and examples. Examples of these publications include “The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach” by Judith Grunert O’Brien and Barbara J. Millis, and “Designing Effective Instruction” by Gary R. Morrison, Steven M. Ross, and Jerrold E. Kemp.

When looking for a course design template, it’s important to consider your specific needs and the needs of your learners. Look for templates that are flexible, customizable, and aligned with your course goals and objectives.

Click here to download Top Hat’s Course Planning Template to design meaningful weekly lessons and track progress toward curriculum goals.

Conclusion

Effective course design is critical to the success of your courses, as it ensures learners are provided with an engaging and meaningful learning experience. A well-designed course should be organized and structured in a way that facilitates the achievement of specific learning outcomes or objectives and should utilize appropriate instructional strategies, activities, and assessments. 

Effective course design also takes into account the needs and abilities of learners, including accommodating different learning styles and utilizing technology to enhance the learning experience. With the right approach to course design, educators can create courses that effectively facilitate learning and help students achieve their educational goals. By following a systematic process and utilizing available resources, educators can develop courses that are engaging, effective, and meaningful for their learners.

The post 10 Effective Course Design Ideas for Higher Education appeared first on Top Hat.

John Redden, Associate Professor-in-Residence of Physiology and Neurobiology at the University of Connecticut and Luke Green, Instructor of Communications Studies at St. Cloud Technical & Community College, recognized the challenge and the opportunity. Their ultimate goal was to give students more agency over their learning experience. To do so, they employed an approach called democratic course management, which makes ample use of many of the core facets of intrinsic motivation. Here’s how it works and the impact it’s had.

→ Free syllabus template: Give students more autonomy next semester

What is a democratic classroom?

Democracy in the classroom involves giving students a say in the sequence of lessons, the time dedicated to each learning unit and what shape your assessments take. Agency plays an enormous role in student persistence. Scholars including Dr. Robert Marzano, author of The Highly Engaged Classroom, note that increased choice often translates to greater effort and the willingness to go deeper with learning.¹ This framework that Redden and Green use takes the emphasis off grades and points and makes learning more about the pursuit of knowledge. And the best part? Since forming a democratic classroom, these scholars have noted declining program fail rates and rising final grades.

Democracy in the classroom doesn’t mean sacrificing rigor or completely overhauling your course. Nor does it mean creating individual learning plans for your 200 students. It means taking thoughtful steps to honor and incorporate student voices into the DNA of your course. The end goal of a democratic classroom is to give students the ability to influence the curriculum, which in turn, helps students become more invested in the assignments and assessments they take on. “What democratic course management boils down to is giving students a voice versus me dictating a course policy on day one,” says Redden.

“What democratic course management boils down to is giving students a voice versus me dictating a course policy on day one.”

What prompted the shift to a democratic classroom

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to curriculum delivery that will serve every student. Today, community building and active learning are more than just buzzwords. Research shows that active learning increases student performance in STEM disciplines. Just as important, students are more likely to embrace a growth mindset in courses that use evidence-based teaching. 

At the core of democratic course management is the desire to support equity and inclusion. For Redden, he noticed a concerning trend: students from historically underrepresented populations were dropping, failing or withdrawing from his course at higher rates than their white counterparts. It’s why he was determined to demonstrate to students that he recognized their needs and unique circumstances that too often prevented them from succeeding.

Democracy in the classroom in action

If you’re new to the concept of a democratic classroom, it’s best to take small steps versus plunging into the deep end. Depending on your comfort level, Redden and Green share how to incorporate student input to shape their course policies and assessments.

Class syllabus

• Beginner | Flexible due dates: Formative assignments may be given flexible hand-in dates. Using this approach acknowledges that students may have competing priorities beyond academics and ensures that they’re given the space they need to produce their best work without the added pressure of a hard deadline.
• Intermediate | Expected range due dates: Let students decide what time frame is realistic for them to turn in their assessment or assignment. This forces them to be more accountable for the range they set.
• Expert | Democratic syllabus construction: Give students greater control over your course structure. Allow them to weigh in on assessment format and grade weights as it relates to an instructional unit or activity.

How Top Hat helps: Polls and discussions allow educators to gauge common areas of interest at the start of the term or learning unit. The results can be used to determine relevant course readings or assignment ideas that can be reflected in your syllabus.

Assessments

• Beginner | Student-created learning assignment: Allow students to submit one or two potential quiz questions for your next assessment. You can incorporate the most effective questions, giving students a reminder that they have a stake in their learning.
• Intermediate | Opt-in formative assignments: Students may want extra opportunities to test their knowledge in advance of a larger assessment. This method allows learners to use additional assignments (that may or may not count for extra credit) to get comfortable with course concepts. 
• Expert | Assignment menu: Students are given the freedom to choose what activities they would like to complete in your course. Your menu should have some non-negotiable activities—which students must complete—complemented by a few alternatives such as video diaries, written journals or verbal presentations to show what they know.

How Top Hat helps: Customizable assignments let faculty set flexible due dates and allow students to receive immediate feedback to help them correct their learning as they progress.

Grading policy

• Beginner | Re-submit assignments: Students don’t want one bad grade to bring down their average. Allow learners one opportunity during the semester to re-submit a formative assessment where they weren’t satisfied with their grade.
• Intermediate | Selecting grade weights: Let students have a say over how their grades are distributed. For instance, Redden allows students to weight some of their assignments all the way to 0 or near 0 percent. Doing so lets students choose between a formative assignment (such as a journaling exercise) or a high-stakes multiple choice assessment. They may still need to complete both but can decide how much they want each activity to count in terms of grade weight. 
• Expert | Ungrading: Replace letter grades with more opportunities for feedback, collaboration and self-reflection. Put to practice, at the end of the term, you may ask students to submit a short letter reflecting on their progress in your course and assessments that are a particular point of pride. 

How Top Hat helps: A comprehensive Gradebook enables faculty to set and edit grade weights based on student preferences. Grade weights can also be retroactively adjusted should students choose to re-write an assessment.

Redden is among the faculty who have taken steps towards student-centered pedagogy. He allows his 700 Anatomy and Physiology students to create their unique grading formula by adjusting the weight of assignments within a specified range. At the start of the semester, students input their anticipated grades and custom grade weights per assignment.

It’s important to note that the process lets Redden maintain some structure—for example, he allows individual exams to be weighted between 30 and 75 percent. The result? Custom grading led to a noticeable decrease in course failure, particularly among students from marginalized communities. Ultimately, Redden ensures his students are in control over how and where they spend their time in his course. “Some students might choose to focus on traditional tests. Others might choose to focus on a lower-stakes option like reading assignments or the laboratory component. In my system, students still have to do a small amount of everything, but how much each of those things count is really up to them,” says Redden.

As with any innovative pedagogy, your students want to see you as their ‘guide on the side,’ not a ‘sage on the stage.’ Give students some trust to decide how their learning takes place. This independent reflection and flexibility to pursue what’s of most interest to them personally will improve accountability and engagement by giving your students more skin in the game. As Redden and Green have found, these relatively small steps can make a huge difference on your engagement and retention rates in the long run. Plus, students are more likely to feel like valued members of a learning community when given an opportunity to influence class policies and assessments.

→ Download our free syllabus template for customizable course policies

References

1. Mulvahill, E. (2018). Understanding Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation in the Classroom. We Are Teachers. https://www.weareteachers.com/understanding-intrinsic-vs-extrinsic-motivation-in-the-classroom/

The post Democratic Course Management: Giving Students More Control and Autonomy In Class appeared first on Top Hat.

During my recent webinar with Top Hat, we explored how to create safe and productive learning environments where difficult conversations can, and should, take place. Faculty left with tools to set students up for success such as inclusive language to consider in the classroom. Below, I’ve summarized my takeaways for educators looking to foster understanding and meaningful dialogue among students.

→ Free preview: Explore Social Problems and Silver Linings today

Turning students into engaged and informed citizens

If educators are to drive positive change, we first need to acknowledge how history has shaped current societal norms and beliefs. In the classroom, you might discuss complex topics openly but respectfully, seek out uncomfortable truths that challenge commonly held values and provide an outlet for meaningful conversations to occur. These raw and much-needed discussions offer rich insights on how students can positively impact the world, including their local and global communities. Making real progress within our nation today requires honest recollection of history and timely action based on this understanding. Doing so will equip students with the knowledge and empathy necessary to become informed citizens of our world.

How to set the stage for success

1: Emphasize a culture of peer-to-peer learning 

Ensure students are given opportunities to learn from, not just with, their peers. I recommend setting ground rules at the start of a discussion to avoid potential conflict. Example: “In this class, we will challenge ideas but respect each other’s opinions. We value inclusivity and seek out different perspectives.” 

2: Proceed with humanity and empathy

Students want to know that you’ve got their back. Embracing empathy can help remind students that they belong in your course. Example: “I will create and maintain a safe, respectful environment for discussion. I’m here to listen, guide, and learn with you.” 

3: Reinforce expectations with modeling and consistency

Help students understand how your assignments, activities and tests contribute to their academic and personal growth. One of the best ways to do this is by managing expectations early and often. Example: “I will send a reminder about assignment deadlines both in person and via our discussion platform.”

Prepare yourself to host difficult conversations

1. Let credible and diverse sources guide you

It’s impossible to be on top of every political, racial or social advancement in the world. To stay up-to-date on the latest news while maintaining inclusion, it is crucial to diversify your sources of information. Look for credible data, stay connected to your academic research community—whether at your institution or beyond—and seek out first-hand accounts from those involved in social movements such as #BlackLivesMatter. 

If you would like further strategies for staying knowledgeable about the latest advancements in your field, check out this LinkedIn article that I contributed to along with other innovative scholars. You can also use the customizable template below to solicit recommendations on media and articles from your professional network.

2. Embrace authenticity to foster understanding 

Use authenticity to your advantage. Encourage a learning environment that fosters growth, connection, and critical thinking, which in turn, will give way to open and honest dialogue. Be transparent with your own experiences while considering the context of the conversation, and strive to create a safe space for students to share their perspectives. Remember that how you react during these conversations will influence the way your students might respond.

3. Build connections using mindful listening and reflection 

Pause. Reflect. Repeat. Let students truly absorb your course topics by following this process. Taking the time to check in with ourselves allows us to gain self-awareness while providing an opportunity for deeper learning. You might also weave reflective prompts and exercises throughout your material, allowing students to connect theory to practice. Normalizing contemplative practices can empower our students to become informed global citizens.

Bring your wisdom to difficult conversations

Sensitive conversations are almost unavoidable. From disagreements within relationships to disciplinary actions in the workplace, difficult conversations can arise on any occasion. While these profoundly personal encounters can be daunting, it is essential to remember that all of us have successfully handled a variety of difficult conversations already that we may not realize or remember. The takeaway? We are each uniquely capable of passing on this skill to the next generation.

For inspiration, review a sample chapter from my book Social Problems and Silver Linings. Top Hat also offers practical resources to make classes more inclusive, or guidance on managing microaggressions should they arise.

The post 6 Ways I Empower Students During Sensitive Class Discussions appeared first on Top Hat.

For those unfamiliar with Bloom’s Taxonomy, it consists of a series of hierarchical levels (normally arranged in a pyramid) that build on each other and progress towards higher-order thinking skills. Each level contains verbs, such as “demonstrate” or “design,” that can be measured to gain greater insight into student learning.

Click here to download 100+ Bloom’s taxonomy question stems for your classroom and get everything you need to engage your students.

Table of Contents

1. Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)
2. Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001)
3. Bloom’s Taxonomy for adjunct professors
4. Examples of Bloom’s Taxonomy question stems
5. Additional Bloom’s Taxonomy Example Questions
6. Higher-Level Thinking Questions

Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)

The original Bloom’s Taxonomy framework consists of six levels that build off of each other as the learning experience progresses. It was developed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom, an American educational psychologist. Below are descriptions of each level:

• Knowledge: Identification and recall of course concepts learned
• Comprehension: Ability to grasp the meaning of the material 
• Application: Demonstrating a grasp of the material at this level by solving problems and creating projects
• Analysis: Finding patterns and trends in the course material
• Synthesis: The combining of ideas or concepts to form a working theory 
• Evaluation: Making judgments based on the information students have learned as well as their own insights

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001)

A group of educational researchers and cognitive psychologists developed the new and revised Bloom’s Taxonomy framework in 2001 to be more action-oriented. This way, students work their way through a series of verbs to meet learning objectives. Below are descriptions of each of the levels in revised Bloom’s Taxonomy:

• Remember: To bring an awareness of the concept to learners’ minds.
• Understand: To summarize or restate the information in a particular way.
• Apply: The ability to use learned material in new and concrete situations.
• Analyze: Understanding the underlying structure of knowledge to be able to distinguish between fact and opinion.
• Evaluate: Making judgments about the value of ideas, theories, items and materials.
• Create: Reorganizing concepts into new structures or patterns through generating, producing or planning.

Bloom’s Taxonomy for adjunct professors

Free Download: Bloom’s Taxonomy Question Stems and Examples

Bloom’s Taxonomy questions are a great way to build and design curriculum and lesson plans. They encourage the development of higher-order thinking and encourage students to engage in metacognition by thinking and reflecting on their own learning. In The Ultimate Guide to Bloom’s Taxonomy Question Stems, you can access more than 100 examples of Bloom’s Taxonomy questions examples and higher-order thinking question examples at all different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. 

Examples of Bloom’s Taxonomy question stems

Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956) question samples:

• Knowledge: How many…? Who was it that…? Can you name the…? 
• Comprehension: Can you write in your own words…? Can you write a brief outline…? What do you think could have happened next…?
• Application: Choose the best statements that apply… Judge the effects of… What would result …? 
• Analysis: Which events could have happened…? If … happened, how might the ending have been different? How was this similar to…?
• Synthesis: Can you design a … to achieve …? Write a poem, song or creative presentation about…? Can you see a possible solution to…?
• Evaluation: What criteria would you use to assess…? What data was used to evaluate…? How could you verify…?

Click here to get 100+ Bloom’s taxonomy question stems that’ll help engage students in your classroom.

Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001) question samples:

• Remember: Who…? What…? Where…? How…?
• Understand: How would you generalize…? How would you express…? What information can you infer from…?
• Apply: How would you demonstrate…? How would you present…? Draw a story map… 
• Analyze: How can you sort the different parts…? What can you infer about…? What ideas validate…? How would you categorize…?
• Evaluate: What criteria would you use to assess…? What sources could you use to verify…? What information would you use to prioritize…? What are the possible outcomes for…?
• Create: What would happen if…? List the ways you can…? Can you brainstorm a better solution for…? 

Additional Bloom’s Taxonomy Example Questions

As we know, Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework used in education to categorize levels of cognitive learning. Here are 10 Bloom’s Taxonomy example questions, each corresponding to one of the six levels in Bloom’s Taxonomy, starting from the lowest level (Remember) to the highest level (Create):

1. Remember (Knowledge): What are the four primary states of matter? Can you list the main events of the American Civil War?
2. Understand (Comprehension): How would you explain the concept of supply and demand to someone who is new to economics? Can you summarize the main idea of the research article you just read?
3. Apply (Application): Given a real-world scenario, how would you use the Pythagorean theorem to solve a practical problem? Can you demonstrate how to conduct a chemical titration in a laboratory setting?
4. Analyze (Analysis): What are the key factors contributing to the decline of a particular species in an ecosystem? How do the social and economic factors influence voting patterns in a specific region?
5. Evaluate (Evaluation): Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of two different programming languages for a specific project. Assess the effectiveness of a marketing campaign, providing recommendations for improvement.
6. Create (Synthesis): Design a new and innovative product that addresses a common problem in society. Develop a comprehensive lesson plan that incorporates various teaching methods to enhance student engagement in a particular subject.

Download Now: Bloom’s Taxonomy Question Stems and Examples

Higher-Level Thinking Questions

Higher-level thinking questions are designed to encourage critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis of information. Here are eight examples of higher-level thinking questions that can be used in higher education:

1. Critical Analysis (Analysis): “What are the ethical implications of the decision made by the characters in the novel, and how do they reflect broader societal values?”
2. Problem-Solving (Application): “Given the current environmental challenges, how can we develop sustainable energy solutions that balance economic and ecological concerns?”
3. Evaluation of Evidence (Evaluation): “Based on the data presented in this research paper, do you think the study’s conclusions are valid? Why or why not?”
4. Comparative Analysis (Analysis): “Compare and contrast the economic policies of two different countries and their impact on income inequality.”
5. Hypothetical Scenario (Synthesis): “Imagine you are the CEO of a multinational corporation. How would you navigate the challenges of globalization and cultural diversity in your company’s workforce?”
6. Ethical Dilemma (Evaluation): “In a medical emergency with limited resources, how should healthcare professionals prioritize patients, and what ethical principles should guide their decisions?”
7. Interdisciplinary Connection (Synthesis): “How can principles from psychology and sociology be integrated to address the mental health needs of a diverse student population in higher education institutions?”
8. Creative Problem-Solving (Synthesis): “Propose a novel solution to reduce urban congestion while promoting eco-friendly transportation options. What are the potential benefits and challenges of your solution?”

These questions encourage students to go beyond simple recall of facts and engage in critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, and ethical considerations. They are often used to stimulate class discussions, research projects, and written assignments in higher education settings.

Click here to download 100+ Bloom’s taxonomy question stems

The post Bloom’s Taxonomy Question Stems For Use In Assessment [With 100+ Examples] appeared first on Top Hat.

Taylor, Lecturer in the Department of Economics at the University of Georgia, offers her three pieces of advice for faculty looking to tap into peer-to-peer and collaborative learning in any course.

Embrace the ‘10-minute rule’

A red flag should automatically go up if you’re met with blank stares when asking if anyone has a question during lecture. Like many, Taylor became frustrated when students would affirm that they understood the concepts covered in class, but performed poorly on their exams. Today, she uses a ‘10-minute rule’ that serves as a gentle wake up call for students who may be distracted or those who need a refresher on what was just covered.

Taylor teaches two sections of Principles of Microeconomics to nearly 700 freshmen and two sections of Intermediate Microeconomics to 100 upper-year students per semester. No matter class size, she’s found that this simple mechanism keeps all students on their toes. “As the professor, you’re very steeped in this material. After ten minutes of me speaking, I might ask students to discuss a formula in small groups or use a simple call-and-response technique,” Taylor says. 

She also encourages physical movement in her classes to draw students in. For instance, if she’s delivering a lecture on supply and demand trends, Taylor might ask students to physically point upwards or downwards when asking, “when price increases, quantity demanded goes ____.” Opportunities for collaboration that also function as pulse checks allow students to expose their own learning gaps and ensure they have plenty of time to get comfortable with concepts before exam day. Top Hat makes it easy to get a read on knowledge gaps with low-stakes quizzes that offer instant feedback.

Take the stress out of participation and collaboration

Not all students feel comfortable raising their hand in a large introductory course. It’s unfortunately why comprehension gaps can go undetected, especially among introverted students. Taylor advises creating a participation strategy in a smart, low-stress manner that appeals to both extroverts and introverts. “If I cold call a student and see them panic, I might ask them, ‘Do you want to phone a friend?’ It’s not about shaming students but more a mechanism to wake them up,” Taylor says. She also warns students in advance if she’s about to host a class-wide discussion. For instance, when running a think-pair-share exercise in class, Taylor will walk the room during the ‘pair’ phase and ask members from select groups if they would later be willing to share their thoughts with the class. Not only does this remove the surprise element that can come with speaking out in class, it gives learners some extra time to refine their thoughts.

The latest research shows that discussing questions with a partner in class is proven to boost accuracy among disciplines and grade levels.¹ By prioritizing collaborative learning, Taylor has helped lay the foundation for upper-year Economics courses and, more importantly, career success. Students have responded overwhelmingly to her class structure, especially as they’re given space to make mistakes and admit when they don’t have an answer at the ready.

Help students internalize information in a meaningful way

Students may not be able to detect their own learning gaps until preparing for a test. It’s why Taylor has started to step aside and let students do the teaching from time to time. “Peer-to-peer teaching forces students to internalize information in a way that will make sense to their classmates. If you can teach it, then you know it. It really forces them to know their stuff,” she says. Using peer-to-peer learning—such as by asking students to shout out the answer to a question before revealing the correct answer—has also helped learners stay alert and gives them a unique opportunity to quiz themselves without a grade attached. This strategy, in turn, has helped students participate without the added pressure of being correct.

Taylor is also aware that students may be more receptive to their peers. So on day one, she invites former students back to lecture her current cohort. “On syllabus day, I now give a 10-minute talk and then bring in previous students who share how to succeed in my course, what assignments look like and how to prepare. This information’s more believable coming from students compared to me,” she shares. Another technique Taylor uses is hosting group office hours. Instead of meeting with students one-to-one, she’s turned these sessions into collaboration opportunities for students to realize who’s in the same boat when it comes to areas of confusion.

The impact of collaborative learning can’t be understated. Taylor’s course evaluations from 2021 make it clear that students have responded extremely well to peer interaction during large classes. One student wrote, “I’ve seen concepts click for people during the time that she stopped and clarified a bit instead of keeping on time and steamrolling ahead.” Another student wrote: “The balance of student participation and Dr. Taylor’s lectures were perfect!” A final student stated: “…I have learned to think critically, cumulatively, and have fun at the same time.” So as you begin preparing your next course or continue to deliver your current curriculum, ask yourself, ‘how will I help my students learn from, not with, their peers?’

Watch the video below to learn how Top Hat has created more accessible, stress-free assessments for both Taylor and her students.

References

1. Tullis, J.G., Goldstone, R.L. Why does peer instruction benefit student learning?. Cogn. Research 5, 15 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-020-00218-5

The post ‘If You Can Teach It, You Know It’: The Power of Collaborative Learning appeared first on Top Hat.

We recently spoke with Alati to understand how alternative assessments were proven to boost academic integrity and equity across his three Sociology and Law courses. He also shared why an empathetic approach to grading is needed to keep students afloat.

→ Webinar: Dr. Jesse Stommel on alternative assessments

High-stakes tests trigger an urge to cheat

Two large exams aren’t necessarily effective in accurately or fairly measuring student understanding. In fact, this assessment format only boosts the likelihood of plagiarism and cheating—especially true in hybrid or blended courses. Data show that 93 percent of faculty believe students are more likely to cheat online than in-person.¹ Software such as ChatGPT has made it even easier for students to generate pre-written essays and short-form assessments. But as Alati notes, the urge to cheat begs a larger question: is it time to rethink assessments altogether? “Exam writing brings with it a certain anxiety. It’s an outdated mode of evaluating students. Performance is just one metric: it’s better to spread it out over multiple assessments,” he says.

Alati reminds us that it’s possible to still improve academic integrity, without diminishing the equity and flexibility students need today. He shares some best practices below.

Tip #1: Swap memorization for application

It goes back to the basics of Bloom’s Taxonomy: remembering and understanding concepts only goes so far. Make your assessments too memorization-heavy and you’ll create a fertile ground for cheating to occur. Alati recognizes the importance of solidifying basic course principles in first-year courses, but urges professors who teach second-year students and above to emphasize application, analysis and evaluation.

In Alati’s fourth-year Criminal Law courses, he lets students bring in an outside resource on test day, effectively eliminating the pressure to memorize complex facts. “I understand that my students aren’t lawyers. So I let them bring in a one-page formula sheet with the basics of certain cases and legislations,” he says. The formula sheet enables students to study in advance for the exam, thus reducing the likelihood of last-minute cramming and test anxiety that often feeds into cheating as a last resort.

A second way to move past memorization involves embracing open-book tests. Though it may seem controversial, this mode of testing may actually require students to prepare even more compared to closed-book tests. “There’s a stigma around open book exams, but they’re not easier. Law schools have exams that are open book and they’re incredibly strenuous. If anything, these exams might be more tough as they’re heavily application-based,” Alati says. You might also consider using testing windows as a means of granting students more flexibility and autonomy. Students can decide when to write an online quiz over a 48-hour window, so that they can avoid running into potential distractions or connectivity issues.

Tip #2: Vary your grading techniques

Offering a more equitable testing experience doesn’t mean overhauling your entire assessment model. Nor does it mean sacrificing academic integrity. Instead, empathetic grading approaches can reduce stress while, better yet, help students understand why they’re being quizzed on a particular topic. “Ask yourself what the purpose behind your assessment is. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to assess and reflect on why we use certain assessments, and made it clear that it doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game,” says Alati.

Letter grades can only fuel the fire when it comes to student anxiety and stress around midterm season. It’s why Alati has also embraced a modified pass-fail model when marking weekly content reflections in Top Hat. “I’ve found that when the stakes are low, performance increases quite significantly. Reducing the pressure lets their creativity really shine through,” he shares. Students reflect on something they watched on TV or a news article that they read, relating their observations to course material, in exchange for a single number. A zero denotes incomplete work, where a student may earn a ‘1’ if their work is partially completed with missing criteria or a ‘2’ if their reflection is fully completed and meets all requirements. 

Alati notes that this assessment had the twin benefit of keeping him connected to his students outside the classroom while giving students ownership over how their assessments relate to their daily lives. 

Tip #3: Use education technology to give frequent feedback

If you’ve used a Scantron sheet for your latest midterms or exams, you’ll know that not only do they force students to play a waiting game in receiving their marks, but educators have to manually input grades. Instead, Alati uses Top Hat to administer weekly quizzes that account for 25 percent of the final course grade. It’s a win-win for both him and his students. 

Top Hat offers a lockdown browser that prohibits students from navigating away from their quiz and potentially cheating. Better yet, both Alati and his students are given instant feedback that helps shore up learning gaps. “If students want an explanation on a certain question, I’m able to easily dig up that information. And with feedback given pretty easily to students, the amount of time it takes to grade has significantly decreased,” he says. Alati also notes that students have overwhelmingly favored this method of test taking to traditional, paper-written tests.

Alati also relies on Top Hat to offer the equitable testing experience his students have come to expect. For instance, he uses the platform to grant extra time to students with special accommodations. “Students with Access to Disability Resources (ADR) accommodations have shared that they prefer using Top Hat versus submitting a formal request through our school’s exam service. It’s made life easier for everyone,” Alati notes. 

After three years of using Top Hat for quizzes, Alati has successfully found a middle ground between flexibility and academic integrity. “I’m more confident with Top Hat in maintaining academic integrity than any other form of software. Even with concerns about ChatGPT swirling in higher ed, I know that there’s features in Top Hat to prevent cheating in class,” he shares.

→ Webinar: Get assessment and grading ideas to deepen learning

References

1. Wiley (2020). Academic Integrity in the Age of Online Learning. Wiley. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/network/education/instructors/teaching-strategies/academic-integrity-in-the-age-of-online-learning-3

The post Want to Boost Academic Integrity? Remove Your Exams (Seriously) appeared first on Top Hat.

]]> https://tophat.com/blog/advocate-for-your-students/ Fri, 28 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://tophat.com/?p=37423 Scholars online urge educators to adopt an empathetic and flexible mindset as the U.S. midterm election approaches

The post 5 Ways to Advocate for Your Students During the Midterm Election appeared first on Top Hat.

]]> The U.S. midterm election is just around the corner. On top of carrying multiple academic and employment responsibilities, some students will also be voting for the first time. Others, such as those from marginalized or historically underrepresented populations, may be overwhelmed with what the election results could mean for them. In the lead up to Election Day, a healthy dose of empathy will be essential in ensuring students have a chance to fulfill their civic duty—and the opportunity to consider its consequences.

Being flexible with due dates, considering students’ wellbeing and ensuring learners are armed with the resources needed to vote are the most important things you can do as Election Day nears. Read on to learn how professors advocated for their students during the 2020 election—and how you can do the same.

Consider making November 8 and 9 free of assignments (or even classes)

Exams can cause some students a great deal of stress and anxiety. Lillian Horin, Biological and Biomedical Sciences PhD student at Harvard University, urges educators to keep BIPOC students in mind when scheduling high-stakes tests.

Professors: PLEASE don't schedule examinations for directly after election night. In 2016, I had a biochem exam the day after the election. BIPOC students spent our election night begging our professor to postpone it. It intensified one of the most traumatic nights of our lives.

— Lillian Horin (@LillianHorin) August 12, 2020

Consider swapping your exams or problem sets (Psets) with a trip to the ballot box. Jacob Light, Economics PhD student at Stanford University, writes that this simple gesture may allow students to exercise their civic duty.

In 2012 my linear algebra professor canceled our election week problem set because voting was more important. The gesture meant the world to me. Today I made the same argument on behalf of my students. #AcademicTwitter cancel psets during election week; your students want to vote

— Jacob Light (@jlight_) October 13, 2020

Other students like Anna-Sophia Boguraev, Bioengineering PhD student at Harvard Medical School and MIT, say that TAs have the power to amplify student concerns and requests—none of which should be ignored.

legit if you have any leverage w prof, use it to help students – when ppl started basically being like “we’re traumatized plz let us reschedule the midterm” on piazza, the TAs just deleted the posts w no response or acknowledgement bc the prof told them to. so like … not that

— Anna-Sophia (she/her) (@artisanna01) October 3, 2020

If your assignments can’t wait, build in flexibility and timeliness

Self-paced learning can allow students to visit the polls and complete coursework at a time that works for them—so says Jesse Fox, Associate Professor of Communication at Ohio State University.

US instructors: working on your syllabus?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3

Please plan an asynchronous option that day. There are already enough efforts to impede & suppress voting!

Tell a friend! #AcademicChatter #AcademicTwitter #Election2020

— Jesse Fox (@CommFox) July 29, 2020

Election Day can also be a good opportunity to let students catch their breath in your course. Give students a chance to study and review material that they haven’t had a chance to look over, suggests Scott Grunow, Instructor in English and Religious Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Same here. Kind of. They are working asychronously on an essay. Feedback week. No synchronous class. I will be available all week for drop in hours.

— Dame Scott G. Against Petty Persecutions/Vainglory (@scottgr60613) October 6, 2020

Should your institutions provide little leeway in your assessment choices, at least incorporate real-time events into your discussions. Derek Bruff, Director of the Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University, notes that relating course content to the election can help students see the value of what they’re learning.

What are you planning to do in class the day after the election? 1. Find a connection to your course topic (e.g. polling error in a stats course). 2. Acknowledge that it was a late, emotional night. 3. Don't give a pop quiz.

— Derek Bruff (@derekbruff) October 15, 2020

Real-time political events and policy proposals can make for discipline-specific conversations. This also allows students to apply what they’ve learned in your class to the real world, as Andrea Gomez Cervantes, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Wake Forest University, proposes.

To encourage students' critical thinking this election season I included assignments to analyze proposed policies by 2020 candidates.. Could be a great or terrible idea. We will find out! #AcademicTwitter #Sociology #Election2020 #Politics #Families #Immigration

— Dra. Andrea Gomez Cervantes (she/ella) (@AndreaGC_soc) September 23, 2020

Mobilize your students to show up at the polls

Gen Z students are motivated to vote. In the 2018 midterm elections, the student turnout rate increased by 20 percent compared to the 2014 midterms.¹ Ensure students are equipped with the resources to vote as soon as possible, writes Wendy Christensen, Sociology Professor at William Paterson University.

Don't forget to include voting info in your Fall 2020 syllabus and online course module! Include any voter registration deadlines, registration info, drop off ballot info, AND the general election date Nov. 3rd. #GOTV #AcademicTwitter @AcademicChatter #AcademicTwitter

— Wendy Christensen (@wendyphd) August 19, 2020

Similarly, ask students about their voting plans. Consider working with your class to ensure they know where to go on November 3, suggests Margaret Boyle, Associate Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures at Bowdoin College.

Hey #AcademicTwitter, is election day on your syllabus? Have you asked your students about their plan to vote? #VoteLoud pic.twitter.com/B6mkUJ9yEc

— Margaret Boyle (@profmargboyle) September 24, 2020

Ensure your voter registration information and resources appeal to all students, regardless of what political party they support. Meghan Novisky, Assistant Professor of Criminology at Cleveland State University, emphasizes the importance of using non-partisan guidelines.

Suggestion for this fall: include (non-partisan) voter registration info for students in week 1's course materials AND inform students election week will be assignment free in support of voter turnout. #phdchat #AcademicChatter

— Dr. Meghan Novisky (@DrNovisky) August 13, 2020

Some scholars like Sara Wheeler-Smith, Associate Professor of Management at Manhattan College, even plan to offer a grading incentive for visiting the polls.

With my chair’s approval, I’m offering extra credit to anyone who can demonstrate they voted. (Anyone ineligible can do an alternative assignment). If I were teaching on #ElectionDay I would have cancelled too.

— Dr. Sara Wheeler-Smith (@svaaati) August 17, 2020

Incorporate guest lectures and learn from your colleagues

Navigating election week with students in mind might be an unfamiliar undertaking. Consider leaning on faculty at your institution for support, writes Heather Mayer, Director of Educational Technology at Everett Community College.

Interested in hearing what people have planned. We’re developing a faculty workshop for the the week before to give people a chance to talk with each other about ideas and resources.

— Heather Mayer (@hmayerpdx) October 6, 2020

Some students may be undecided voters, while others may have missed the presidential debates. Incorporate forms of debate in your classroom—with the support of scholars from other institutions, as Yujin Jung, Political Sciences PhD student at the University of Missouri, plans to do.

I am truly lucky to have political campaign debate seminar with Prof. @MSMcKinney this semester given this exciting political arena – it feels like debate matters even more in this year's election. #AcademicTwitter #PoliticalCommunication https://t.co/63nN9ICum6

— Yujin Julia Jung (@YJuliaJung) October 8, 2020

Keep in mind the importance of mental and physical health

Check-ins with students have gained new meaning in the midst of an election. Andrea Kelley, Sociology Professor at the University of Michigan, tends to her students’ socioemotional needs before assigning readings and lectures.

I have built "self-care" weeks into all 3 of my courses during election week. No new readings, no graded assignments, just a check-in. We can't self-care our way out of structural oppression and related stresses, but I can make sure my classes don't pile on. #AcademicChatter

— Andrea D. Kelley, Ph.D., MSW (they/she) (@adkelleysoc) October 9, 2020

Election Day can come with a range of emotions for many students. Cate Denial, Distinguished Professor of American History, Chair of the History department, and Director of the Bright Institute at Knox College, removes the expectation for students to pay attention and participate in class.

I will not be assigning reading for the week, and instead we'll review whatever happens in light of what we've been learning. It will be completely on the fly, but I will not be expecting my students to be able to focus.

— Cate Denial (@cjdenial) October 6, 2020

References

1. Thomas, N. et al. (2018). Democracy Counts 2018: Increased Student and Institutional Engagement. Tufts University. https://idhe.tufts.edu/sites/default/files/DemocracyCounts2018.pdf

The post 5 Ways to Advocate for Your Students During the Midterm Election appeared first on Top Hat.

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