Higher Education Teaching Course

Lesson 1 • Understanding Today's College Students

Profiles the diverse backgrounds, motivations, and challenges of current undergraduates and graduate students. Informs student-centered instructional decisions.

Lesson 2 • Roles and Responsibilities of Instructors

Defines teaching, advising, and collegial duties expected of faculty. Clarifies professional obligations within the academic community.

Lesson 3 • Developing a Personal Teaching Philosophy

Guides instructors in articulating values, beliefs, and goals that drive their practice. Produces a written philosophy statement used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Major Learning Theories

Surveys behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and social learning theory. Equips instructors to justify pedagogical choices with theoretical grounding.

Lesson 2 • Applying Theory to Instructional Decisions

Translates theoretical principles into concrete teaching moves and course structures. Bridges the gap between research and classroom practice.

Lesson 3 • How Memory and Learning Work

Covers encoding, storage, and retrieval processes central to durable learning. Connects cognitive science directly to classroom design choices.

Lesson 1 • Writing Effective Learning Outcomes

Teaches construction of measurable, action-verb-driven outcomes at appropriate cognitive levels. Outcomes anchor all subsequent assessment and activity decisions.

Lesson 2 • Inclusive and Universal Course Design

Applies Universal Design for Learning principles to remove barriers from the outset. Produces courses accessible to students with diverse abilities and backgrounds.

Lesson 3 • Backward Design Framework

Introduces the three-stage model: desired results, evidence, and learning experiences. Establishes the design logic used throughout the chapter.

Lesson 4 • Selecting and Organizing Course Materials

Guides selection of readings, media, and resources that serve stated outcomes. Addresses accessibility, cost, and relevance in material curation.

Lesson 1 • Lecture Design and Delivery

Transforms traditional lecture into an engaging, structured presentation with built-in checks. Covers preparation, pacing, and vocal and physical presence.

Lesson 2 • Problem-Based and Case-Based Learning

Uses authentic problems and cases to drive inquiry and application of knowledge. Develops facilitation skills for guiding students through ambiguous challenges.

Lesson 3 • Cooperative and Collaborative Learning

Designs structured group activities that promote interdependence and accountability. Covers team formation, role assignment, and conflict resolution.

Lesson 4 • Discussion-Based Teaching

Develops skills for facilitating productive academic discussions that deepen thinking. Addresses questioning techniques, wait time, and managing dominant voices.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Assessment in Higher Education

Distinguishes formative from summative assessment and explains validity and reliability. Establishes the conceptual foundation for all assessment design decisions.

Lesson 2 • Grading Systems and Grade Equity

Examines grading philosophies, weighting schemes, and equity implications of common practices. Guides instructors toward transparent and equitable grading policies.

Lesson 3 • Designing Formative Assessments

Builds a toolkit of low-stakes checks that generate actionable feedback during learning. Connects formative data to instructional adjustments.

Lesson 4 • Constructing Summative Assessments

Covers design of exams, papers, projects, and portfolios that measure intended outcomes. Addresses item writing, task design, and academic integrity.

Lesson 1 • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Foundations

Defines equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the higher education context. Establishes shared vocabulary for the chapter's applied practices.

Lesson 2 • Managing Difficult Dialogues

Equips instructors to facilitate sensitive, controversial, or emotionally charged discussions. Develops skills for maintaining safety while preserving intellectual rigor.

Lesson 3 • Culturally Responsive Teaching

Applies culturally responsive pedagogy to curriculum, examples, and interactions. Validates students' cultural assets as resources for learning.

Lesson 4 • Reducing Systemic Barriers in Practice

Audits common course policies and practices for hidden equity barriers. Produces actionable revisions to syllabi, assignments, and classroom norms.

Lesson 1 • Creating Engaging Digital Content

Covers production of instructional videos, interactive media, and multimedia resources. Addresses cognitive load principles in digital content design.

Lesson 2 • Facilitating Online Interaction and Community

Builds strategies for fostering discussion, collaboration, and social presence online. Addresses instructor presence and student-to-student connection.

Lesson 3 • Online Assessment and Academic Integrity

Adapts assessment strategies for online contexts while maintaining integrity. Covers proctoring options, authentic tasks, and deterrence approaches.

Lesson 4 • Using Learning Management Systems Effectively

Develops proficiency in organizing, communicating, and tracking progress within an LMS. Connects LMS features to pedagogical goals rather than technical use alone.

Lesson 1 • Gathering Student Feedback

Covers mid-semester and end-of-semester feedback strategies beyond standard evaluations. Teaches instructors to design and interpret their own feedback instruments.

Lesson 2 • Peer Observation and Collegial Feedback

Structures productive peer observation cycles that generate specific, actionable feedback. Develops skills for both observing and being observed professionally.

Lesson 3 • Building a Teaching Portfolio

Guides assembly of a professional teaching portfolio documenting growth and effectiveness. Produces a portfolio artifact usable for promotion, tenure, and job applications.

Lesson 4 • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Introduces SoTL as a systematic inquiry into one's own teaching and student learning. Connects classroom questions to scholarly investigation and publication.