Browse

Join us for the 2025 MSU Educational Technology Summit Monday, June 2 through Thursday, June 5.
 
Visit the D2L learning community to enroll and visit the course home page to find the complete schedule and register for the sessions you plan to attend.
 
This four-day virtual event highlights the technologies that enhance teaching and learning and promote student success. In addition to demos from partner vendors, MSU educators and support staff will present and discuss the use of the powerful and helpful educational technology available at MSU.
 
Sessions include:
 
·      Online white boards: Enhancing teaching, collaboration, and community building
 
·      Call us irresponsible: Designing online curricula for the AI era
 
·      The best of both worlds: The academic security of in-person assessments and the ease of digital grading
·      And many more!
 
Sessions will take place each day in the morning and afternoon. Attend and engage in as many sessions as you wish. Participating vendors scheduled to present include TechSmith, Packback, and iClicker.
 
Hosted by MSU IT’s Educational Technology department, the MSU Educational Technology Summit is open to the MSU community for the purposes of increasing awareness of supported educational technologies, promoting IT services available to our MSU communities, and sharing useful strategies for using these technologies.

Overview
Yes, teamwork is possible in large-enrollment courses! During the 2024 Spring Conference on Teaching and Learning, I presented on: 1) how I use CATME to create teams, 2) what the first day of class looks like, including how team members find each other, 3) how we set up team and class norms, and 4) how students provide feedback to each other on CATME. 
Resources
Check out the resources below! The first one is a link my presentation. The rest of them are assignments that I use to foster teamwork skills. 

Presentation PowerPoint: Bierema Teamwork Skills Presentation.pptx
Assignment instructions that students follow for the team maker survey (used to make teams) and for practicing providing feedback: 1- CATME Team Maker Survey & Rating Practice Instructions.docx
In-class assignment that students complete shortly after meeting each other for the first time: 2- Team Charter.docx
An extra credit assignment for team members to meet outside of class: 3- Getting To Know the Team.docx
#iteachmsu article on lecture hall seating charts, including templates: Team Seating Charts for Large Enrollment Courses 

Check out CATME's informational page or CATME's login page to learn more about the program.

Your Pedagogical Practices. 
In the previous step, the reader was asked to consider what various teaching methods they use. The combination of those used and the reasons why they’re implemented essentially compose ones teaching pedagogy. Your teaching pedagogy should encompass the theories, practices, principles, and core values that you use to guide student learning. As opposed to teaching methods, your teaching pedagogy is unique to you and constructed by your specific values as opposed to being merely strategies you employ.
In essence, it would be reductive to describe your teaching pedagogy by a broad name, while you may mostly agree with one person, perceptions of the various methods and named pedagogies are never quite the same. Nevertheless, attempts to categorize them are helpful in the sense they give individuals a base point to begin crafting their own growing pedagogies.
 
This section does not exist to instruct you on how to form your own pedagogies, but to instead consider how your pedagogy is worked into your syllabus, what benefits your pedagogy offers the students of your course and are your methods and strategies towards teaching supported through up-to-date research. This step understandably involves the most homework on the part of the reader. To develop your teaching pedagogy and ensure you are using up-to-date teaching practices it’s encouraged that you:
 

Occasionally read peer-reviewed journals on teaching:

Journal of Teaching Education
Teaching in Higher Education
Journal of College Student Development
There may be ones specific to your own field:

Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
Journal of Research in Reading
Etc.




Attend Professional Developments offered by your institution.

Most schools offer these kinds of opportunities every year. Sometimes they are designed as training for new educators, but it can always be helpful to get involved.


Discuss your current thoughts on education with colleagues.

You’re a member of a department and have several other instructors working alongside you who also work with students. Rely on their knowledge and experience as well as your own to create ideas and thoughts relating to teaching.



 
Use your syllabus as a way to express your teaching pedagogy, making it clear to those who read it explicitly what your values as an educator are and how you set out to accomplish them.
 
 
Something is missing…
The intention behind this guide is to help craft a working/functional syllabus and use popular opinions of what a syllabus is used for as a metric for how well it is written. There is simply too much about teaching to summarize in a single guide. To that end, you may have teaching techniques, ideas, methods, concepts, activities, etc. that are not touched upon or discussed here. Perhaps there have been things written here that do not apply to you/your class or that you disagree with.
 
That view is welcome.
 
Engaging with this activity to that degree is essentially the point of the activity itself. Pushing you to consider what is valuable as an instructor and how to use the syllabus to help achieve those goals. The syllabus is a humble and often overlooked tool, but also one of the most universal. To this end, if you have anything to contribute that hasn’t been mentioned here that you value…
 
Include it in the syllabus.

This will be the briefest section of this guide. It is impossible to know the specific needs of every field, of every institution, of every department, of every class and of every student. The research this project is based on attempted to capture the most valuable uses of a syllabus but never pretended that it had caught them all. Instead of striving for perfection in a single document, it is far more important to accent and encourage flexibility and change. Almost certainly one of the best things you can do to help improve your syllabi, is simply ask the esteemed colleagues you have around you. All of whom also write syllabi and presumably have other approaches from you.
 
Sharing Practices with one another:
Apart from your own practices. What are other members of your department/institution doing in their classes? Where have they found success and does that align with your own teaching philosophy/core values?
 
Sharing common resources:
Ask around. What resources does your institution offer its students and ask your students what they need. For example, some institutions offer: Tutoring Centers, Writing Centers, Tech Desks, library access, wellness centers, career services, guidance counseling, gyms, computer labs, mental health support, emergency financial assistance, etc.   
 
Recurring discussions about success/failure 
Failing is a part of learning. Destigmatizing this essential process is key to achieving success. If we cannot accept our own failures, how can we encourage students to accept theirs and develop? We should reflect with our peers/students/etc. on what has worked, what hasn’t. Be open and meaningfully consider the feedback that is readily available should you ask.
 
Most importantly: Just Ask.  

 
Outlined Learning Objectives.
Up until this point, this guide has mostly focused on the instructor listing topics as opposed to objectives. While listing topics has a form of value, the topics may not communicate exactly what you hope students can achieve at the end of the course. For this reason, as much as possible an instructor should consider changing course topics to learning outcomes: concise statements describing the skills or abilities a student should have at the end of a course/unit.
 
Tips for writing learning objectives:

Begin each objective with the phrase, “After participating in this session, students should be able to…”

This is not how it may be phrased in your syllabus but will hopefully provide an effective brainstorming session on how to transform topics into objectives.


Choose verbs that are indicative of specific, measurable and observable behaviors which match desired level of knowledge or skill:

“Recall…”
“Describe…”
“Evaluate…”
“Create…”
Etc.


Write them as an outcome, not as a task.

Your objective should describe what students should be able to do/know as a result of the course/unit.
For example:

“Write a reflection on ______ .” is a task, not an outcome.      





 
Teaching Methods.
Each instructor has their own approach to teaching. The general version of this approach has most likely already been listed in your syllabus. However, now you should consider how well your approach fits with the methods described in the syllabus itself and your goals as an educator. Here are some examples of teaching methods and why you may choose to use them. Reflect on what your own teaching method is and how it is incorporated throughout your syllabus.
 

Lecture-based learning:

Common for large groups, introducing a new topic, or delivering a complex lesson. This type of learning can be efficient for covering large amounts of information; however, it may decrease student engagement and encourage passive learning if done frequently.


Discussion-Based Learning:

Common for encouraging critical thinking, covering literature, philosophy or subjects that would benefit from multiple and diverse viewpoints. This type of learning can help promote active participation and deeper levels of understanding but can be time-consuming and run the risk of being dominated by a few participants if not moderated properly.


Inquiry-Based Learning:

Common in science and project-based learning, or areas where exploration is prioritized. This type of learning hopefully fosters curiosity and independent learning, however, relies heavily on student motivation so it requires heavy facilitation and planning.


Problem-Based Learning:

Common in applied fields such as medicine or engineering which rely on problem solving capabilities. This type of learning strongly develops analytical skills and problem solving but can be extremely challenging for students not used to open-ended tasks and is often affiliated with burnout.


 Flipped Classroom:

Commonly used to engage students in higher-order thinking during class-time as opposed to presenting information. Ideally this will increase active learning and engagement during class but requires access to technology and relies on student motivation outside of class.


Differentiated Instruction:

Common in mixed-ability classrooms, this teaching method is tailored to different student learning styles, needs, and abilities. It is inclusive and student-centered, which may increase student/teacher relationships, but demands heavy planning and flexibility on the part of the instructor.


Montessori Method:

While more common in early development, this teaching technique encourages students to select activities from a range of options, which can encourage independence and self-motivation; however, it requires access to a lot of material and an extensive amount of planning from instructors.



 
Assessment Strategies.
Following the guide through each step means you already have some type of description of your assessments provided. Take this time to explain your strategy and reasoning behind those assessments.
 
Support
Be reflective of how you manage and support students in your class:

What implicit biases are built into your class and syllabus?

What is your stance on ableism?
Are their social/political motivations embedded in the syllabus?


Does your syllabus benefit one student over another?

If students are struggling financially, would that impact their ability to access resources for your class?
If students had a form of neurodivergence, how would that affect their performance in your class?
Do you favor one type of student over another?


What accommodation are you providing for students?

Here are some to consider:

Notes? Recorded Lectures? Audio recordings? Online attendance options?
Physical copies of materials? Electronic ones?
Extended test time? Alternate Test Locations?
Links to additional resources?
Assistive technology? Preferential seating?





 
Here is the time to demonstrate how you teach, set that clear expectation for students, and flesh out what it means for them to be in the class. 

 
“It’s not what you know, but who you know.” is one of the largest colloquialisms when it comes to career trajectory. In addition, a big part of attending higher education is to help propel student careers. While we may want to prepare students by just giving them the necessary knowledge for their future endeavors, we should also strive to take this time to help establish connections and reasonable paths forward for them as well.   
 
Engagement/Participation:
Student engagement is defined by how actively and enthusiastically students are involved in the learning process during class.  Meanwhile, participation refers to actual involvement of the students. So, it is possible for:  

A student may participate and not be engaged,
Or a student to be engaged but not participate.

This is important to consider when defining your pedagogical approach to classroom engagement and participation, and how you define it within your class. If you plan to award student participation, or your class heavily relies on discussion and active student engagement, you may even want to provide these definitions in the syllabus.
 
However, you may not directly explain these ideas and instead focus on whether ask these questions of your syllabus:

Does your teaching style facilitate your views of participation/engagement?
Is your syllabus communicating whether you want students to participate?
Is the syllabus itself engaging for students?
Do your assessments reflect your goals for participation/engagement?
In what ways is your syllabus contributing to student participation and engagement?

 
Peer-to-peer Interaction 
Students working together is crucial for learning and development. It helps students build necessary social skills, establish relationships between current/future colleagues, increases active participation and engagement and often increases student self-efficacy towards the course topic.
 
Therefore, it is encouraged that you construct course materials that facilitate peer-to-peer interactions and foster some sense of community within your classroom. As far as what to include in the syllabus, you should specify what types of activities you will hold that require peer-to-peer interactions, and what expectations you have of students during these interactions.
 
For example, the syllabus may contain:

A list of classroom rules that you or your class develops:

Developing them yourself lets you be in control of exactly what values you want accentuated in your class.  
Developing them as a class can communicate that students have autonomy over their learning and increase classroom engagement.  


Examples of peer-discussion techniques you use:

Whole Group Discussions:  

Ask your class to consider a question/topic and facilitate a group discussion on the topic, allowing students to speak freely and challenge one another.


Think-Pair-Share:

Ask students to individually consider a question/topic, discuss it with a partner, then share their insights with the whole class.


Mingle-Pair-Share:

Similar to think-pair-share, except students can move freely about the class and have discussions with multiple students.


Discussion Groups:

Breaking students into smaller groups to hold discussions on a question/topic, which can then be brought into larger group discussions.


Jigsaw:

Break down a larger topic into smaller pieces and allow each group to focus on an individual piece to share out in a whole class discussion.


Collaborative Assignments:

Students work together in small groups to develop material specified by a rubric or find solutions to laid out problems.


Socratic Seminar:

This is an open discussion based on an assigned set of readings. Instead of generating a question or specific topic you want students to consider, just allow them to openly discuss the material and explore at their own pace.





                               
There are numerous other ways you may facilitate peer-to-peer relationships and communication, but however you choose to do so, it is helpful to communicate that to students upfront and through the syllabus.
 
 
Instructor-Student Interaction:
Fair or not, how students reflect on course material, or a specific subject, largely depends on their (impression of)/ (relationship with) their teacher. For this reason, it’s important to have a positive relationship between an instructor and their student. The syllabus, again especially as a first impression, can help facilitate this relationship and help an instructor feel more approachable. For this reason, it’s important that your syllabus:

Sets a welcoming/positive tone:

Clearly communicate your enthusiasm for the course and the students participating.
Set expectations but don’t dictate them.
Include words with positive connotations

As an example, instead of describing student work as “acceptable” consider saying it is “valid” or “commendable”


Avoid negatives (such as “do not” or “unable to” as much as possible)


Encourages engagement:

You’ve explained what types of engagement you’re looking for, but now it is important to encourage that from students. To do so:

Give examples of your interactive content.
Engage in storytelling by sharing personal details you feel comfortable sharing.
Ask for and encourage student feedback.
Be authentic.




Promotes your own availability:

One of the leading reasons students don’t attend office hours is because they feel they are “awkward.” To break through this barrier, you might:

Explain the value office hours provide students:

Promote the benefits such as improved understanding and better test scores.
Highlight success stories


Offer flexible scheduling for office hours.
Consider Location/Modality:

Are you available via video or only in-person?
If in-person, where are you available to meet and how accessible is that to the students?


Set one-on-one meetings during the semester.

These can be informal and short to get students familiar with the process, or perhaps there is a specific purpose tied to the meeting.







 
Students who feel more comfortable with their instructor tend to perform significantly better in a course and have a stronger sense of confidence in their own ability. Fostering this relationship is one of the most crucial for the educator to create a positive classroom environment.
 
Provide Connections:
With the goal in mind that students attend college to increase career success, it is important to use our abilities and connections to help them achieve it. This will appear vastly different depending on the field of study, and possible career paths, but here are some forms this may take:
 
Connect students with other faculty: Perhaps another member of the department or institution you know has better connections that align with a student’s career aims, or areas of interest.
 
Have guest speakers: You can’t know everything, and having a guest speaker can help students gain exposure to the community around the topic they’re studying and form meaningful connections with them.
 
Utilize connections in the field: You more than likely studied this material at your own university/had a job in the field. Consider connecting students to relevant contacts or having them be a guest speaker.
 
Ask Alumni: If you’ve had students who have gone into the field, especially if you’ve stayed in contact with them, consider having them be a guest speaker or asking them to explain how your class helped prepare them for industry. What types of things could you change in your class to help make this transition more effective?