Teaching Tidbits workshops

As an instructor, how do you know if what you’re doing in the classroom is working? In other words, how do you know if your teaching methods are effective in helping support students in achieving your course learning objectives? Join your colleagues and CATE facilitators in a workshop from our new Teaching Tidbit series this fall, which are 90-minute, interactive online sessions aimed at giving you an overview, resources and strategies you can implement in your course on various teaching topics.

Reflective Teaching: Leveraging Student Feedback to Inform Your Teaching

• Tuesday, Nov. 30, noon– 1:30 p.m.

In this workshop, we will discuss one strategy for evaluating and enhancing your teaching beyond using course evaluations: collecting and using student feedback throughout the course. We will consider how to set a classroom climate that is conducive to feedback, and review strategies and tools to collect and respond to feedback, such as classroom assessment techniques like minute papers and polling and mid-semester feedback surveys.

Cultivating Equitable Discussions by Integrating Active Learning into Large-Enrollment Courses

• Wednesday, Dec. 1, noon– 1:30 p.m.

In this workshop, we will explore ways to integrate active learning into your face-to-face and online courses. Research studies have shown that students in lecture-dominated courses are 1.5 times more likely to fail than students in classes using active learning. Furthermore, active learning can drive the performance gains of historically underserved students, particularly in large-enrollment courses characterized by high achievement gaps. In this online workshop, we will explore some of the literature demonstrating the benefits of this student engagement strategy and then work through examples of evidence-based teaching techniques you and your TAs may readily implement in your classroom to create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment.

For questions about Teaching Tidbits workshops or other teaching support, contact the Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence staff at teaching@uic.edu