WELCOME TO TEACHING & LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION! This is a highly interactive, practice-based course designed for graduate students in the Tech to Teaching Certificate Program. Together, we will explore learner-centered approaches to teaching, grounded in research on how people learn and how instructors can best support student success. Through readings, discussions, activities, practice, and peer review, you will examine the principles of effective and inclusive teaching in your own instructional contexts. The course is structured to help you connect theory to practice, reflect on your teaching philosophy, and build skills that prepare you for future faculty roles.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to...
- Explain the principles of knowledge retention, transfer, and mastery.
- Explain factors that support or inhibit retention, transfer, and mastery.
- Use understanding of different types and levels of knowledge to plan lessons and assessments.
- Explain how differences in learner preparation and motivation affect learning.
- Apply theories of motivation and student development to the classroom.
- Explain the role that prior knowledge plays in learning and how to evaluate it.
- Explain how inclusive environments that value diversity impact learning.
- Plan strategies to create a welcoming classroom environment.
- Identify and practice evidence-based teaching techniques.
- Describe evidence-based teaching techniques.
- Include formative assessment in lesson planning.
- Demonstrate appropriate selection and use of effective teaching techniques through microteaching demonstration.
- Reflect on, analyze, and evaluate your own and others' lesson plans and teaching demonstrations.
Course Textbook: Lovett, M.C., Bridges, M.W., DiPietro, M, Ambrose, S.A., & Norman, M.K. (2023). How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Wiley.
The grading scale for this course is shown below. Your final grade (Letter or Pass/Fail) is based on your completion of the assigned tasks and the level of sophistication and thoughtfulness of your work.
Class Attendance: This three-unit course meets for 75 minutes on Mondays & Wednesdays. Class attendance and participation are essential to maximize the benefits of this course. The expectation is that everyone is in class on time and prepared for the discussions and activities.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.