McKendree University Top 10 Teaching Tips

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McKendree UniversityTop 10 Teaching Tips
Not everyone can travel by bubble! Elphaba,
Wicked
Follow the Yellow Brick Road

• Tami Eggleston , Brenda Boudreau, Joni Mitchell

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Chickering and Gamson 7 Principles

• Principle 1 Good Practice Encourages
  Student-Faculty Contact
• In your syllabus include clear ways to contact
  the instructor
• Office Hours
• Online Office Hours
• Telephone
• E-mail (McKendree and a backup)
• Use Blackboard for a FAQ first Discussion Board
• Give some estimated time lines (e.g., I check my
  email M-F but not on the weekends or after 1000
  p.m.) I try to have grades posted online within
  1 week.
• Online classes this is even more important!

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• Student Services Suggests
• A GREAT way for more faculty student contact is
  not just in class but outside of class!
• Students LOVE to see their instructors at plays,
  musical events, and sport activities.
• (If you cant attend all of these things at
  least know what students are involved with.)

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• Principle 2 Good Practice Encourages Cooperation
  Among Students
• Learners should be required to participate (and
  their grade should depend on participation).
• Discussion groups should remain small.
• Tasks should engage learners in the content.
• If you try group projects need clear guidelines
  and grading procedures.

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• Principle 3 Good Practice Encourages Active
  Learning
• Students should present course projects.
• If the course is too large, break into group
  projects.
• In an online class you could still have various
  students be responsible for a discussion board or
  attach a power point or a web quest.
• Try to add something besides just a lecture.

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• Principle 4 Good Practice Gives Prompt Feedback
• Instructors need to provide two types of
  feedback information feedback and acknowledgment
  feedback.
• Giving feedback to the entire class can be
  useful.
• Rubrics can help provide feedback.
• The Blackboard Gradebook gives quick feedback
  (students really appreciate this feature).

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More on prompt feedback

• If using the Blackboard Gradebook,
• Seems to work best if you use a points system
• At the beginning of the semester assign points
  for each assessment (e.g., 100 points for an
  exam, 100 points for final paper, 30 points for
  attendance, 10 points for participation, 5 10
  point quizzes, 10 discussions _at_ 5 points each,
  etc.)
• Students can keep track of their grades better if
  it is a simple point based system (not weights or
  ).
• Students should KNOW why they received a grade.

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• Principle 5 Good Practice Emphasizes Time on
  Task
• It is important to have attendance policies in
  the syllabus and also very clear deadlines. It
  may be beneficial to have multiple deadlines for
  large projects.
• In classes that only meet once per week it may be
  useful to have outside of class Blackboard
  activities such as quizzes or discussion boards.
• In online or blended classes even more important
  to have multiple assessments (book questions,
  quizzes, discussion boards, peer editing, etc.
  for time on task).

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• Student Services Suggests
• If you have students who are in debate, football,
  etc., make sure that you put something in your
  syllabus and discuss your policies in class.
• For example, tell students they must give you a
  list of the dates they will miss class and they
  are responsible for making up any missed work in
  1 week.
• If you have any problems with students missing
  class, contact Student Services.

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• Principle 6 Good Practice Communicates High
  Expectations
• Challenging tasks, sample cases, and praise for
  quality work communicate high expectations.
• Assign tasks requiring students to apply theories
  to real-world situations rather than remembering
  facts or concepts. This case-based approach
  involves real-world problems with authentic data
  gathered from real-world situations.
• Finally, publicly praising exemplary work
  communicates high expectations. Instructors do
  this by calling attention to insightful or
  well-presented student postings.

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• Principle 7 Good Practice Respects Diverse
  Talents and Ways of Learning
• Allow students some choices in the projects, the
  cases, the topics, and perhaps a portfolio with
  various components.
• Have a set of guidelines that shapes the
  assignments.
• Multiple assessments (exam formats, papers,
  presentations, etc.).

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• Student Services Suggest
• Universal Instructional Design
• If a student is really struggling in your class,
  try to identify them early. Contact student
  services to try and get the student the help they
  need
• Writing Center
• Learning Center
• Counseling
• Career Services

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8 (3 more tips!)

• SYLLABUSWe just cant emphasize this enough
• Include policies such as attendance, plagiarism,
  learning resources, clear guidelines, grading
  procedures, missed class policies, and deadlines.

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• For every class think of your big picture and
  have at least one project that captures this
  overall idea.
• Try to have one activity, case study,
  demonstration, group project, example, etc. each
  day that you are excited about!
• Think about your daily take home message.

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• Be authentic to your teaching and learning style.
• Not everything works for every teacher or for
  every class.
• Keep learning and trying new things.
• (Please join our list serve on teaching and share
  the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you are
  interested in putting in more Blackboard
  activities you can contact John Graham or look at
  the help sheets! Please try to attend our
  teaching circles!)