cdbooth

Instructional Designer | Google for Education Certified Trainer

Teaching Tips

Boost memory with the feel-good power of curiosity

A colorful illustration of a stylized face and a hand holding a magnifying glass over a giant eye. The background is a colorful swirl of organically circular shapes.

Curiosity isn't just a key to learning; it's a brain-boosting superpower. Research shows that curiosity triggers a dopamine response, enhancing memory and enabling incidental learning. Cultivating curiosity is a skill that can result in more effective learning.

cdbooth
October 30, 2023

Inclusive Practice, Teaching Tips

Updating your syllabus with current requirements

Lightbulbs hanging in a row. One is turned on.

The end of fall semester is rapidly approaching and soon we’ll be planning our classes for spring. Of course, part of this process is refreshing course syllabi. A syllabus is the document that serves as the key to the course…

cdbooth
November 30, 2021

Teaching Tips

Spotlight on placement exams at UAF

Blocks illustrating trying to fit a square peg in a round hole

For many students, the transition to college can be a challenge. Whether just out of high school or an adult learner, students face a mountain of new information, new technology, new academic rigors and new university processes. UAF has many…

cdbooth
October 26, 2021

Canvas, Presentations & Events

Canvas II Workshop

Included is a recording of our Canvas Level 2 workshop. This presentation covers topics that include:

cdbooth
September 17, 2021

Canvas, Teaching Tips, Tools and how to (tips)

Building good instructions in Canvas

Clear, easy-to-follow instructions for quizzes, assignments and discussions within your course are key in guiding learners through the assessments you ask them to complete. Find tips for writing good instructions in this Teaching Tip.

cdbooth
July 13, 2021
2 Comments

Best practices (tips), Inclusive Practice, Teaching Tips

Introducing the online course evaluation rubric

The Online Course Evaluation Rubric serves as a framework for making notes on and progress toward preparing your course for next semester. Several instructional designers worked together gathering important course elements into categories with evaluative statements to jumpstart your review.

cdbooth
June 1, 2021

Teaching Tips, Tools and how to (tips)

Tips for students using the new WordPress block editor

On May 7, 2021, the Community@UAF WordPress server will be updated to the Gutenberg editor. Here is information to share with students on using the new editor.

cdbooth
April 26, 2021

Teaching Tips, Tools and how to (tips)

Community WordPress sites switching to block editor

An animated GIF showing the steps for using the new block editor.

CTL is updating WordPress sites hosted on the community server to use the Gutenberg block editor on May 7, 2021. The Gutenberg block editor is a very different editing experience compared to the WordPress classic editor. Here’s how you can prepare.

cdbooth
April 5, 2021

Blackboard (tips), Teaching Tips

Setting up your course in Blackboard

You may not have used Blackboard much in the past, but with the uncertainty of how COVID-19 will affect in-person classes, Blackboard can be a reliable tool to help you prepare. Here are some steps to get started.

cdbooth
July 27, 2020

Best practices (tips), Teaching Tips

Scheduling for success

Course schedules are tried-and-true tools that provide a bird’s-eye view of your course, and can effectively communicate to students your plan for the semester. A well-crafted course schedule clarifies structure, facilitates planning and explains pacing.

cdbooth
June 22, 2020

Emerging ideas (tips), Inclusive Practice, Quality Matters, Teaching Tips

Open resources for accessibility

This colorful image illustrates web accessibility or eAccessibility, inclusive websites, and web tools designed and coded so people who need different accommodations can use them.

Accessibility is a topic appearing in mainstream conversation with increasing frequency. When it comes to making course materials inclusive and accessible, there are a variety of open tools available.

cdbooth
November 18, 2019

Emerging ideas (tips), Teaching Tips

GER outcomes in your syllabus

General Education Requirements (GER) for baccalaureate degrees describe required courses that students must complete in order to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Here at UAF, GERs provide a common set of learning experiences for students and have outcomes that encapsulate the…

cdbooth
August 11, 2019