Best Practices - Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

A person wearing a bright yellow hoodie sits at a desk using a laptop, smiling and gesturing with their hands as if recording a spoken response to a video. They are wearing wireless earbuds. On the desk are papers, a calculator, a smartphone, a notebook, a coffee mug, and a small potted plant. The background shows a softly lit living space with shelves and decorative items.

When should you use VoiceThread? Choosing the right tool for media sharing and interaction

April 22, 2026 CITL Best Practices, News, Resources, Teaching, Technology Trends, Tips, Web Tools

Video content can be an integral part of any course, but especially asynchronous online classes. How you share that content—and to what end—matters. There are

Five adults standing side by side against a plain background, smiling and holding colorful speech bubble signs in different shapes, suggesting conversation or discussion.

When should you choose Yellowdig? Choosing the right tool for engagement

April 22, 2026 CITL Best Practices, Newsletter, Resources, Teaching, Technology Trends, Tips, Web Tools

How do you decide which digital engagement tool to use in your courses? Ideally, you would start with the pedagogy: what do you want students

Students sit at a table with different projects spread out among them.

Choose-your-own-adventure assessments: A flexible approach to measuring learning

March 30, 2026 Lindsay Vreeland Best Practices, Resources, Teaching, Tips

Our student populations are evolving, and we’re seeing that traditional “one-size-fits-all” assessments are becoming recognized as less effective. As students’ learning experiences shift—and as some

Illustration of several students interacting with large digital devices (a laptop, tablet, and phone) displaying learning content, with icons such as a globe, lightbulb, graduation cap, and books around them. The scene represents online learning and educational technology, with students studying, collaborating, and accessing course materials in a digital environment.

Keep it simple: An approach to navigating emerging technology

March 23, 2026 Megan Holt Best Practices, Teaching, Technology Trends, Tips

“We are here to support and strengthen [faculty’s] work, not to add complexity,” says William “Bill” Tozzi, regarding his role as an instructional designer in

A student wearing headphones takes notes in a notebook while watching an online lecture on a laptop where a teacher points to diagrams on a whiteboard.

When homework isn’t proof of learning: Assessing foundational math in the AI era

March 16, 2026 Amanda Hirsch Best Practices, Resources, Teaching, Technology Trends

If you teach a foundational math course right now, you have likely experienced the following disconnect: polished homework submissions paired with shaky quiz and exam

People standing around a table collaborating on a project

Supporting first-generation students: Teaching practices that make a difference

March 2, 2026 Linh Nguyen Best Practices, Resources, Teaching

Authors: Linh Nguyen and Yvonne Johnson According to the Fall 2025 enrollment highlight, more than half of NIU’s incoming first-year students identify as first-generation college

Prof. Stephanie Baker leans on front of table at the front of classroom with students sitting at desks.

Beyond the loudest few: How to get quieter students to participate in your class

February 16, 2026 Linh Nguyen Best Practices, Teaching, Tips

I recall walking into a lecture hall and disappearing into the crowd in many of my undergraduate courses. Like any hopeful and determined first-generation student,

E. Taylor Atkins, in a red shirt, stands at the front of a classroom, gesturing and pointing toward a large projected slide behind him that shows historical photographs and illustrations, as he explains the images to students in a classroom.

Teaching academic success skills for all students: An equity-centered approach

February 9, 2026 Lindsay Vreeland Best Practices, Teaching, Tips

Regardless of the courses we teach, we often expect students to show up already knowing how to learn on their own. Skills like note-taking, reading

Outstretched hand holds a glowing hologram of a human head with an “AI” chip and graduation cap, surrounded by icons for learning, innovation, analytics, and achievement against a dark background.

Alarmed but hopeful? What AAC&U’s new GenAI report tells us

February 3, 2026 Amanda Hirsch Best Practices, News, Teaching, Technology Trends

AAC&U’s new survey, The AI Challenge: Faculty Concerns About Generative AI in Higher Education, doesn’t just measure opinions about generative AI; it captures a moment

Pink broken umbrella on blue background with the phrase "Ask the Expert"

Save the Date! Ask the expert: Book chat with Jessamyn Neuhaus, author of Snafu Edu

January 28, 2026 Yvonne Johnson Best Practices, News, Newsletter, Teaching, Tips

Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST Online event—registration required! The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning is delighted to continue the conversations begun during our Spring 2026