Resources for TAs, CAs, and Student Forum Leaders
CPI is available to work with you for matters related to your academic work with students. If you would like further support for any of these questions, or others not addressed here, we can help you. No matter what stage your class is in, CPI aids in thinking through objectives, designing online or in-person activities, building community in classes, ensuring equity in your instruction, and more. Contact us anytime with questions!
Initial Questions
- How do I make sure students learn what I want them to?
QUICK TIP: While several models of instructional design exist, the most straightforward is an approach called Backwards Design, which encourages you to think about your end goals (known as learning objectives) and create your content backwards from that.
Links
- What is Backwards Design?
- Learn about some other models of instructional design.
- How do I write a strong learning objective?
QUICK TIP: A learning objective is a statement of what students will be able to do or demonstrate by a certain point in the class (usually the end). An effective learning objective is measurable and focuses on the student’s perspective and includes timing (e.g., “by the end of week 4”), demonstrable activity (e.g., “define”, “differentiate”, “build”, “design”) and product.
Links
- How to write a clear learning objective, including dozens of verbs based on Bloom’s taxonomy to guide your thinking.
Live and Recorded Video
- Should I record a video or meet on Zoom?
QUICK TIP: Pre-record videos for content that can be one-directional and static, requiring little if any discussion. Zoom meetings allow for content that changes regularly or focuses heavily on discussion aspects. Most courses - and even many individual “class sessions” - may exist as a combination of these two and can utilize both approaches. CPI can help you construct a plan for recorded videos or offer suggestions for improving the quality of synchronous meetings.
- How do I use Zoom most effectively?
QUICK TIP: Take advantage of the fact that all students are present and connected. Don’t try to exactly replicate the in person experience. Allow opportunities for short, regular breaks to give students a quick mental reset and make explicit space for inevitable distractions. For longer meetings, consider ways to have whole-group Zoom sessions “bookend” some other activity. Talk to CPI about some strategies and ideas that will make sense for your particular course.
Links
- University of Minnesota provides an overview from setup to delivery of strategies to make your Zoom meeting effective, dynamic, and engaging.
- Take a look at some targeted best practices for engaging with students over Zoom.
- How do I make a good instructional video?
QUICK TIP: Above all else, keep instructional videos short, typically between 6 and 10 minutes (so a typical 50-minute lecture might consist of 5-8 videos). Have a plan for what you want to say (a script or at least an outline) and recognize that your timings are likely to be different than a live lecture because you won’t have feedback in the form of questions or opportunities for clarification. Find logical breakpoints in the lecture, and try to have each video be independent enough that students don’t need to watch the entire set straight through to follow the thread. Leverage visuals when possible, but try to keep your image on the screen (even in a small box) at least most of the time to build personal connection.
Links
- Video: Make super simple videos for teaching online.
- 10 Tips for Creating Effective Instructional Videos.
- Lean in to your teaching persona and allow aspects of your life to emerge in the course content.
- Although not focused on lectures, here is a beginner’s guide to producing high quality video using just your smartphone.
Community Building
- How can I devote space each class for students to build community with each other?
QUICK TIP: Don’t expect every moment of an online class to be devoted to content. Allow opportunities for students to interact absent your oversight, such as taking more frequent short breaks, breakout groups, and offering non-academic discussion forum spaces.
Links
- Encourage continued interaction outside of class with group tools like Google Docs or Perusall.
- Five ways to build community in online classes.
- How do I ask good discussion questions?
QUICK TIP: Craft discussion questions - whether posed synchronously or asynchronously - that reflect on weekly learning objectives and do not allow for yes/no answers. Allow space for students to consider replies before anyone responds. For forum-based discussion, provide multiple questions for response.
Links
- Designing Effective Discussion Questions.
- A very thorough example rubric from Purdue for discussion contributions.
- How do I encourage students to participate in class discussions online?
QUICK TIP: The Community of Inquiry framework suggests an effective online learning experience requires elements of social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence working together. Further, an effective pedagogical strategy incorporates the student interacting with each of the three main elements of the classroom - course material, the instructor, and other students - while allowing time for self-reflection.
Links
- Video explanation of the Community of Inquiry framework.
- A handful of quick tips for handling asynchronous discussion in a large class.
- Inside Higher Ed offers an overview article on how to develop a productive discussion board
Accessibility and Inclusion
- How can I be sure my content is accessible to everyone?
Links
- Be aware of the ideas of Universal Design for Instruction and how they can ensure effective learning experiences for all.
- Then consider ten tips for designing accessible online materials.
- How can I continue committing to inclusive learning with students in different places?
Links
- Check out some suggestions from Columbia University.
- Read 8 ways to be more inclusive on Zoom.
- How do I adapt my teaching for students with internet connectivity concerns?
QUICK TIP: Survey students early about access so you can plan accordingly. Whenever possible, save versions of documents that use few images. PowerPoints can be saved as PDFs; video files can be saved as audio. Zoom classes are accessible by phone, and office hours can be too. Consider how your materials will look on a smartphone. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to send documents or even flash drives full of content through the mail.
Links
- Ryerson University provides an extensive Google Doc of techniques to assist students with low-quality internet.
- Learn some best practices for optimizing your file sizes.
Additional CPI Resources
- Useful links that don't fit into any other category
- Here's an excellent overview of strategies for maintaining active learning in physically distanced or hybrid classrooms
- If you're looking for a round peg to fit an idea you have, take a look at this crowdsourced list of tech tools
- Consider how to incorporate Project Based Learning with this slide deck from CPI director Jen Rose