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
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Supporting first-generation students: Teaching practices that make a difference
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
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Beyond the loudest few: How to get quieter students to participate in your class
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,
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The hidden cost of catching up in STEM
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
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From error to insight: The role of mistakes in learning
What if failure wasn’t the opposite of success but a necessary step toward it? In education, we often talk about growth, but we don’t always
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Feminist pedagogies inform inclusive STEM teaching
Traditional STEM teaching has a persistent predicament of exclusion and inequity. The 2023 Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities report from the
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Apply for the Curricular Innovation Grant Fund
In line with university goals and priorities Goal 3A: Transdisciplinary Scholarship and Curricular Innovation to encourage curricular innovation and experimentation and provide opportunities for interdisciplinary courses
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Techniques for setting the tone in your classes
Source: OneHE Have you ever wondered why some classes seem to “click” and others just seem “off?” Setting a positive tone in your classes can
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Professional development offerings aim to support inclusive teaching efforts
NIU faculty and staff are being offered a growing number of professional development opportunities under three related efforts to support inclusive and equitable teaching and
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Blackboard Promotes Inclusive Learning Environments with New Name Pronunciation Feature
Names are important, particularly accurately pronouncing each others’ names. In Blackboard, the new name pronunciation feature helps you create a more inclusive learning environment by allowing you and your students to add a phonetic spelling and short audio recording of how to pronounce your name.
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2021 Online Teaching Symposium keynote address promotes inclusive teaching
Attendees of the 2021 Online Teaching Symposium were fortunate to witness the Keynote address, which focused on promoting equity through Inclusive Teaching. The keynote speakers
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Fall 2021 Teaching Assistant Institute: Save the date – August 16-20
Each year the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) hosts a Teaching Assistant Institute (TAI) to inspire faculty for the upcoming semester. We are
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