Announcing a new CTL Guide: Teaching in a Mask (at BU & beyond)
BU’s face covering policy, which requires masks “to be worn indoors in classrooms, offices, public common areas, the BU Shuttle, and healthcare facilities,” is designed to protect the BU community. Teaching in a mask, however, presents a unique set of challenges. This Guide presents tips to help instructors meet these challenges by protecting their voices, engaging […]
Safety, Curiosity, and the Joy of Learning
A recent webinar, “What Students Need This Academic Year,” hosted by The Chronicle of Higher Education, reminded us that “normal” is a relative and transitory feeling and space. Malik Singleton, a student speaker from Harris-Stowe State University, noted that he wants to “take charge of my own normal.” With that advice in mind, we wish […]
Supporting students and faculty in the classroom
Contributed by Jean Otsuki and Deb Breen, CTL (3 minute read) After more than a year and a half of pandemic pedagogy (masks, social distancing, remote and hybrid teaching), many students and faculty have been looking forward to the prospect of a return to face-to-face classes. Yet the spread of the Delta variant has subdued […]
Setting Up Students to Succeed on Final Assessments
Contributed by CTL staff (2 minute read) As we near the end of the term, it’s critical to prepare students to succeed on their final assessments by building in low-stakes opportunities for them to practice and receive feedback on the skills they will be asked to demonstrate. Too often, there is a disconnect between how […]
Have you checked in with your students?
Contributed by CTL staff (2 minute read) The middle of the semester is the prime time to check in with students, inquire about their well-being, provide support, get feedback for the course, and re-focus on priorities till the end of the semester. Our earlier News & Announcements post, “Harness the Positive Power of Feedback”, offers […]
Modeling Accessibility and Inclusivity through Film-making
Film Director Miguel Ángel Font Bisier discusses accessibility and inclusivity with Prof. Elena Carrión Guerrero’s Spanish translation class (Image courtesy of Elena Carrión Guerrero) Contributed by Elena Carrión Guerrero (Senior Lecturer, Spanish, Department of Romance Studies, CAS) (4 minute read) In my spring class, LS 306 Spanish through Translation, I was fortunate to receive a […]
First week of class: Welcoming the Community!
Contributed by CTL staff (2 minute read) As you meet your students online or in person this week, we recommend you have an intentional and purposeful approach for welcoming your students to the learning environment and building community in your classroom. When students feel that they are welcomed members of a group and part of […]
Turning Inside Out: Learning Beyond the Classroom
Contributed by CTL staff, with thanks to CAS Writing Program Instructors (3 minute read) Summer courses are known for their long and concentrated classes, which can be draining on both the instructor and the students. However, summer classes also offer great possibilities to experiment with content and format. Taking your class outdoors – on BU’s […]
Jump-starting Discussion Using Images (Part 2)
Graduate Teaching Blog Post Contributed by Phillippa Pitts (5 minute read) This post is a follow-up to my entry last week, where I introduced two quick approaches to teaching with images in ways that will get students talking and thinking about your course content in a new way. In this post, I’d like to introduce […]
Student Engagement Part 2: Ensuring deep learning
Contributed by CTL staff (3 minute read) In our Student Engagement Part 1 News & Announcement post, we focused on the emotional aspects of learning, and offered strategies to keep students invested and motivated in your courses. It is equally important to have techniques during class to ensure that students are engaging in learning activities […]