Category Best practices

Best practices

Best practices, Inclusive Practice, Teaching Tips

Mental health first aid

A watercolor sketch of a blue stylized human head with rainbow-colored confetti coming out off the top

As we continue through the winter season, the cold and dark becomes an ever-present factor in our daily mental health. The Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) has some helpful tips to keep in mind to prioritize our students’ wellbeing.…

UAF CTL Staff
November 28, 2022
2 Comments

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Send feedback to advisors about students with barriers

Instructors can feel isolated in their efforts to support students and their success throughout the semester. This is especially true when they have multiple students who are not responding to their outreach about concerns like low engagement, not attending class,…

UAF CTL Staff
March 2, 2022

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Experience the benefits of in-semester feedback

A woman sitting in a living room, in front of a laptop with her hand raised

You’ve finished marking exams, final grades are submitted, and the semester is done. For many instructors, this is the point at which there’s a moment to reflect on the class, open up course evaluations, and learn what the students thought…

Elle Fournier
February 15, 2022

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Support online class engagement through guided communication

An animated GIF of a cat typing on a laptop

Students are more likely to engage in online courses when they understand expectations for communication. To support course engagement, instructors can create both formal and social discussion spaces, share expectations, and affirm student contributions.

Elle Fournier
August 27, 2021
2 Comments

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Strategies for better first-week student engagement

It's the first week of class. Do you know where your students are? It can be a rocky time for students the first week, even for those who are experienced. Here are some tips for helping them get up to speed as quickly as possible.

Moss
August 20, 2021

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Transitioning from on campus to online

Your use of Canvas can help you translate your face-to-face course into an enjoyable online experience for you and your students. Here are a few steps to get you started, including how to build a template to use for each week or module and how to add your lectures right inside the editor.

UAF CTL Staff
July 26, 2021

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Reimagining feedback to be feedforward

Child pointing at coffee mug that has text "See the Good"

Feedback can be a powerful influence on achievement, particularly when students are able to participate in the conversation. Find out how Canvas allows for quick, easy, personalized 'feedforward' collaboration in the gradebook.

Jenn Pedersen
July 16, 2021

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Why should we care about OER?

Around 65% of your students may not purchase your textbook due to cost. This can have a significant impact on their success in your course. Using free and open education resources (OER) can ameliorate expenses for students and help make higher education more equitable for all students.

Moss
July 5, 2021

Best practices, Teaching Tips

How to inspire success through student interaction

Get ready to inspire someone to do their personal best this semester. This Teaching Tip includes ideas for increasing interaction in your course. Start with one thing and be consistent. Your choices will impact student learning and achievement. Before the…

UAF CTL Staff
June 28, 2021

Best practices, Teaching Tips

Skeuomorphism – How to use it or lose it

Skeuomorphism is where an object in software mimics its real-world counterpart. Learning Management Systems are riddled with skeuomorphism and this affects your course structure. Embracing the strength of online courses as learning environments requires the intentional use of skeuomorphism and modern web design.

Best practices, Inclusive Practice, Teaching Tips

Ideas for inclusive teaching practice

Inclusive teaching practice involves embracing diversity holistically throughout your course and activities. This Teaching Tip provides some ideas and resources for how to think about your course through an inclusive lens.

Moss
June 15, 2021

Best practices, Inclusive Practice, Teaching Tips

The art of the welcome announcement

Sending a welcoming message to students at the beginning of the semester is an important step in designing an effective online course. Intentional design and language choices in the announcement can create a lasting positive impression.