Strategies

First Day(s) of Class

The first days of class are important in setting the tone for what is to come, and it is crucial to think carefully about how you present yourself and how you get the course established. The links in this section provide information and suggestions for getting started effectively on the first day of class.

Learning Students' Names (University of Nebraska)
List of 23 techniques for learning students’ names in both small and large class settings.

The Most Important Day: Starting Well (Wright, 1999)
Ideas for faculty members on how to start a course well.

101 Things for the First 3 Weeks (University of Nebraska, Lincoln)
One-hundred and one ideas for generating interest in course material, building community in the classroom, helping students transition into the course, and encouraging active learning.

The First Day of Class (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
Seven tips for handling your first meeting with students, and the answers to seven common concerns of beginning teachers. Read more »

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Evaluation of Teaching

The articles and links in this section provide information about multiple methods for collecting data on teaching effectiveness. The overview includes articles and links with advice for best practices in teaching evaluation and examples of comprehensive systems of evaluation. The section on student ratings and midterm student feedback includes summaries of the extensive body of research on this topic, including tips for best practices in the administration and interpretation of ratings. The last section on peer review includes a method for sound classroom observation as well as discussion of reviewing course materials. Finally, CRLT has numerous books and articles on evaluation, and we are available to consult with administrators and executive committees as they develop or revise their approaches.

Overviews

Guidelines for Evaluating Teaching

Methods of Evaluating Teaching
An overview of teaching evaluation that includes basic principles of best practice as well as a description of multiple methods and data sources for evaluation. Read more »

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Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) allow instructors to monitor students’ progress throughout the term. CATs help answer the questions, “What are my students learning? How effectively am I teaching?” The articles and links in this section provide comprehensive information about CATs, including their purpose and their use across disciplines.

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs): An Introduction (Enerson, Plank, & Johnson, 2007)
Summary of Angelo & Cross’s volume, Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. This handout briefly outlines those techniques that are easiest to use, interpret, respond to, and modify; detailed examples of each technique are included.

Classroom Assessment Techniques (National Teaching & Learning Forum)
Discussion of why faculty should use CATs, including benefits to students and instructors. Contains a table with descriptions of eight common CATs and how faculty members can use the data collected from them. Read more »

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Students' Ethical Development

Ethical Reasoning Value Rubric (Association of American Colleges and Universities)

This rubric is intended to help faculty evaluate students’ work that demonstrates learning about ethics.   The AACU defines Ethical Reasoning as “reasoning about right and wrong human conduct.  It requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings, think about how different ethical perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas, and consider the ramifications of alternative actions.” 

Curbing Academic Dishonesty in Online Courses

Topics covered in this short article include conducting online assessments and combatting plagiarism.  A list of resources on recognizing plagiarism and preventing academic dishonesty is also provided.   

Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices Read more »

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Syllabus Design

A successful course depends on the planning that precedes it. The articles and links in this section serve as planning guides for both faculty and GSIs. They provide instructions for creating a syllabus.

CRLT GSI Guidebook: Preparing to Teach

These sections of CRLT's Guidebook for New Graduate Student Instructors include a vareity of resrouces to help with syllabus construction. The first is a brief discussion of the purposes of a syllabus and important items and policies to include. The other three include examples drawn from the various settings in which GSI teach.

Writing a Syllabus (Cornell University)
This site includes advice for creating useful, learner-centered syllabi. Resources include a course planning decision guide, a syllabus template, and a rubric to help evaluate a syllabus. Read more »

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