At the beginning of the semester, it can be difficult to learn students’ names, pronouns, experiences, and needs. Getting to know your students at the
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Resilient teaching: Making the most of what you have
Let’s face it—last-minute teaching schedule changes or unexpected course additions can throw even the most seasoned educators into a tailspin. You’ve carefully mapped out your
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Building a supportive and collaborative classroom: Creating community agreements with students
When setting class policies and expectations, involve your students in the process by creating community agreements together. Community agreements are a collaborative effort between students,
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AI detectors: An ethical minefield
Generative AI use has been on the rise among faculty and students. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Adobe Firefly, and Claude, among others, have transformed how
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Open minds, open dialogue: Navigating ideological differences on campus
In today’s polarized academic environment, college campuses and classrooms can sometimes feel like battlegrounds of ideas rather than spaces for growth. How do we, as
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Come celebrate our 25th anniversary!
For 25 years, the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) at Northern Illinois University has been fostering academic excellence and curriculum innovation through strong
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Culturally Responsive Teaching
During the early development of higher education in the United States, women were largely excluded from attending colleges and universities. Additionally, African American people were
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The importance of names
By Lindsay Vreeland and Kevin Harris Learning student names and pronouncing them correctly is an important step in helping students feel recognized as individuals and
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Encouraging student curiosity
When students show curiosity towards a course topic, they become more engaged and interested in learning. This curiosity also boosts their motivation, reduces discouragement from
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National Higher Education Teaching Conference 2024
June is an ideal time to gather educators, administrators, policymakers, business leaders, and philanthropists. With summer break underway but fall semester planning still distant, participants
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Ungrading: Decentering grades to enhance student learning
Many people inside and outside of academia seem preoccupied with the specter of “grade inflation.” But, what if instead of grade inflation (or its scary
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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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