“What does that mean, fold in the cheese?” If you’ve ever seen Schitt’s Creek, you know the scene: David and his mother Moira are trying
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Blackboard’s new look for 2026!
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
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Demystify the hidden curriculum of letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation are often the silent gatekeepers of opportunity. They can open doors to jobs, internships, scholarships, graduate programs, and professional schools. Yet, for
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Building strong collaborative learners
It’s natural for students to feel hesitant about working in groups—juggling communication, responsibilities, and schedules isn’t easy. Yet collaboration is a powerful skill that supports
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The superpower of faculty and instructional designers working together
Someone said you’re an SME, but what does that even mean? In the instructional design field, our faculty are highly regarded subject matter experts (SME).
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Dr. Brianno Coller, Presidential Teaching Professor Seminar: Learning the right way to ride the wrong bicycle
What does it mean to teach well? For Dr. Brianno Coller, Distinguished Teaching Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Northern Illinois University (NIU), it means embracing
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Holding space for compassion: Trauma-informed teaching in an era of immigration crackdowns
As educators, we often talk about creating an effective learning environment in our classrooms—but what does that look like when students are living through trauma
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Building resilient learners: Turning self-doubt into student success
When I first arrived in the U.S. as an immigrant from Vietnam, I barely spoke English. So I got to work and found myself sitting
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How you can make quick PDF fixes in Anthology Ally right now
Adapted from an article originally published to the Anthology Community Blog by Mindy Mekhail, Director, Product Marketing, Anthology PDFs are among the most frequently used file types
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Strategies for soliciting student feedback
As mid-semester approaches, we are presented with a great opportunity to pause and reflect on our courses. Soliciting student feedback gives us a better sense
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Fall 2025 events focused on well-being, resilience, and transformative teaching
The atmosphere at NIU was buzzing with excitement as we prepared for the Fall 2025 semester. The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) hosted
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Writing like you teach: Making course materials clearer and more human
In “4 Ways to Adjust Your Prose Style for a Public Audience,” James Lang reminds us that writing for non-experts—whether in essays, books, or blog
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