We all want to engage our students and help them succeed. With those goals in mind, the Center for Faculty Development has created the Teaching Toolkit. It contains essays written by Old Dominion University faculty members on a variety of instructional strategies that may be useful in your courses. If you are interested in contributing, please email cfd@vaftizo.com.
Activating Prior Knowledge
“What students already know about the content is one of the strongest indicators of how well they will learn new information relative to the content” (Marzano, 2004, p. 1). Therefore, instructors should take the time to incorporate strategies to activate prior knowledge in order to gain a pulse check on what students know, do not know, or need to know."
The Gradual Release of Responsibility Framework
The gradual release of responsibility framework purposefully and gradually shifts the cognitive load from the teacher to the students. The teacher moves from modeling to guiding instruction to providing students with opportunities to collaborate before they engage in an independent learning experience.
The Graphic Syllabus
The syllabus is a blueprint for a class. It provides students with a detailed plan or outline of the essential components of the course, as well as the instructor’s expectations.
Ensuring Criticality: The HILL Model
What is criticality? How can we ensure our students are engaging in authentic learning experiences that will motivate them to explore who they are, question their biases, employ criticality, and take action?
Syllabus Design
The syllabus is a blueprint for your class that helps students navigate your course. The Old Dominion University Teaching and Research Faculty Handbook requires certain statements and instructions be included on your syllabus. The CFD offers other optional materials that students can also find helpful on a syllabus. Experts on syllabus design recommend that you ensure that you align your learning outcomes with the assignments your students are expected to complete.