Resources - 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

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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

Promotional graphic for “NIU’s Annual Well-being Fair.” The text reads: “The Presidential Commission on Well-being Presents: NIU’s Annual Well-being Fair, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, April 16, HSC Ballroom.” The lower portion shows colorful wellness-themed icons—such as a water bottle, bicycle, running shoe, yoga figure, dumbbells, fruit, trees, a heart with a heartbeat line, a speech bubble, and a first-aid kit—on a green gradient background. On the right side, text reads: “For more information: go.niu.edu/well-being-fair.”

Celebrate well-being at NIU’s annual Well‑being Fair on April 16!

March 19, 2026 Yvonne Johnson News, Newsletter, Resources

Mark your calendars, Huskies! The Presidential Commission on Well-being is thrilled to host one of NIU’s most energizing community events of the year: the Annual Well‑being

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

An American Indian college student wearing a wrist brace types on a laptop in a classroom while other students around him write by hand in notebooks.

From analog to AI and back again: Finding an accessible middle ground

March 6, 2026 Lindsay Vreeland Resources, Teaching, Technology Trends

Recent articles from NPR and Edutopia introduced us to Chanea Bond, a high school teacher who has nearly eliminated the use of computers in her

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

Colorful watercolor illustration of an open book centered on a white background, with vibrant splashes of red, orange, pink, blue, and teal paint flowing outward from the pages. Above the book, the words “Open Education Week” appear in a large, whimsical yet clear brush-style font with a blue-to-orange gradient, arched slightly over the book.

Open to change: Celebrating Open Education Week 2026

February 26, 2026 CITL News, Resources, Workshops

NIU is joining institutions around the world to celebrate Open Education Week, March 2-6, 2026, an annual event dedicated to promoting open educational resources (OER),

A female engineer wearing a bright orange safety jacket sits at a workstation with multiple large monitors displaying technical data, charts, and a 3D model of a vehicle chassis. The engineer is using a keyboard and mouse, with a two-way radio placed on the desk. The background shows an industrial setting with machinery and equipment.

The hidden cost of catching up in STEM

January 20, 2026 Linh Nguyen Best Practices, Resources, Teaching, Tips

In STEM, success is often measured by outcomes: grades, persistence, and graduation rates. When students who start with gaps in preparation ultimately perform as well

A woman wearing a yellow short-sleeve top is seated at a wooden table, writing in a notebook with a pen. Earphones are connected to a laptop placed on the table.

Encouraging students to write: Strategies for building confidence and engagement

January 15, 2026 Lindsay Vreeland Best Practices, Resources, Teaching, Tips

Whether it’s a skill assessment, a midterm essay, or an end-of-semester reflection, students benefit from regular opportunities to write. These activities help them deepen their

Student guide to artificial intelligence

January 7, 2026 CITL Resources, Teaching

As we gear up for the spring semester, the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) is excited to highlight a timely new resource designed

A flat, pastel-colored illustration showing a computer monitor with a simplified Blackboard interface on the screen. A woman with long dark hair stands in front of the monitor, pointing toward the layout blocks. Above the scene, large text reads “New changes to Blackboard layout and navigation,” with a white arrow pointing to the right. Stylized leaf shapes frame the background, creating a clean, modern look.

Blackboard’s new look for 2026!

December 10, 2025 Kevin Harris News, Resources, Teaching, Technology Trends, Web Tools

On January 8, 2026, a few areas of Blackboard will receive a visual refresh. These changes will be part of the Blackboard January update and