Design and Teach Your Course

"Teachers possess the power to create conditions that can help students learn a great deal – or keep them from learning much at all. Teaching is the intentional act of creating such conditions." – Parker Palmer, "The Courage to Teach"

Many of the decisions affecting the success of a course take place well before the first day of class. Careful planning at the course design stage not only makes teaching easier and more enjoyable, it also facilitates student learning. Once your course is planned, teaching involves implementing your course design on a day-to-day level.

Teach Your Course

Here you can find information on how to:

Make the most of the first day of class
Implement effective instructional strategies
(lectures, discussions, labs, studios, case studies)
Create a productive and inclusive learning environment
Handle course management issues
Conduct assessments of teaching and learning
Address problematic student behavior
Direct students to support services

Prior knowledge can help or hinder learning. | MORE
Motivation generates, directs, and sustains learning behavior. | MORE
The way students organize knowledge determines how they use it. | MORE
Meaningful engagement is necessary for deeper learning. | MORE

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learning principles

Effective teaching involves acquiring relevant knowledge about students and using that knowledge to inform our course design and classroom teaching. | MORE
Effective teaching involves aligning the three major components of instruction: learning objectives, assessments, and instructional activities. | MORE
Effective teaching involves articulating explicit expectations regarding learning objectives and policies. | MORE
Effective teaching involves prioritizing the knowledge, skills and attitudes we choose to focus on. | MORE

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Design and Teach Your Course

Teach Your Course

learning principles

teaching principles