Teaching and Learning Guides

Traditional testing methods, such as multiple-choice exams, may not always be the best tool, but there are alternative assessments you can use to help students demonstrate mastery of course content.

This guide includes a recorded webinar, articles, links, and resources designed to help you:

• Describe alternative assessments to traditional testing;
• Write effective questions for online assessments;
• Modify student presentations for the online learning environment;
• Create online discussion activities and other assignments;
• Recognize best practices for online assignments;
• Use student feedback for continuous improvement of your online course.

Learn more about Alternatives to Traditional Testing.

Rubrics are a useful addition to any assignment including research papers, discussion boards, speeches, and portfolios. This guide includes tips and resources to help you:

• Recognize the importance of using rubrics
• Identify the components of a rubric
• Determine the best criteria for rubrics
• Align rubrics to course objectives
• Write rubrics that assess the appropriate components of an assignment

Learn more about Building Better Rubrics

Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) software is an autoregressive language model that produces human-like text. With the rise of GPT-3 software, instructors may be concerned with students’ use of programs and services to buy assignment submissions and responses.

This guide includes best practices and tips designed to help you:

• Write assignment prompts and policies that don't allow the use of AI software
• Use varied methods to work with AI tools in your classroom
• Adapt teaching strategies to changing technology
• Request support from your Instructional Design Partner and the Technology Service Desk.

Learn more about Creating Assignments that Outsmart AI GPT-3 Software

A well-designed course can help you communicate your course content and help students demonstrate mastery of learning objectives.

This guide includes articles, step-by-step roadmaps, links, and resources designed to help you:

• Design a course using the backward design process;
• Write a course mission statement;
• Write (or review) measurable learning objectives;
• Create instructional materials and learning activities;
• Assess student success in meeting learning objectives;
• Reflect on and improve your instruction.

Learn more about Designing Effective Courses.

Open Education Practices (OEP) include engaging students in content creation, encouraging them to contribute to knowledge building outside the classroom, and offering more student choice.

This guide includes information, tips, and resources designed to help you:

• Design a course with Open Educational Practices (OEP) in mind;
• Incorporate OEP into your already existing course;
• Find resources for using OEP;
• Navigate problems or questions that might arise working with OEP;
• Request support from your Instructional Design Partner and the Technology Service Desk.

Learn more about Including Open Educational Practices in Your Courses

With proper planning and course design best practices, you can effectively move your face-to-face or hybrid courses online into Canvas.

This guide includes articles, step-by-step roadmaps, links, and resources designed to help you:

• Determine your first steps based on your course type;
• Follow the first steps to move your course online;
• Request a Canvas Sandbox (if applicable);
• Find Canvas guides with screenshots and step-by-step instructions;
• Move content into your Canvas course.

Learn more about Moving Your Face-to-Face Course Online.

Culturally responsive teaching, sometimes called culturally relevant teaching, refers to practices that affirm and welcome the diverse cultures of students in the classroom

This guide includes tips and strategies to help you:

• Define culturally responsive teaching
• Apply inclusive strategies to help students feel welcome and engaged
• Empower students through choice
• Use various methods to enhance student cultural competence

Learn more about Engaging Students with Culturally Responsive Teaching

Fostering a culture of academic integrity in your courses can help reduce incidents of plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty.

This guide includes best practices, tips, links, and resources designed to help you:

• Build community with and between your students;
• Communicate with your students about academic integrity;
• Rethink your assessments and how they fit into a culture of academic integrity.

Learn more about Fostering Academic Integrity in Your Courses.

Small group work can foster a sense of community and belonging among students and spark meaningful discussions.

This guide includes best practices and tips designed to help you:

• Identify effective methods to organize group activities in online courses;
• Examine various online tools for using group work in online courses;
• Implement group work using effective tools.

Learn more about Incorporating Small Group Work in Online Courses.

This guide includes tips and best practices designed to help you:

• Differentiate between types of student motivation
• Create a classroom environment where students are motivated
• Make course content relevant to students
• Apply strategies to help students develop a growth mindset
• Provide motivating formative assessments

Learn more about Increasing Student Motivation.

This guide includes best practices and tips designed to help you:

• Introduce students to the benefits of and strategies associated with metacognition;

• Aid students in becoming self-directed learners;

• Select and apply appropriate metacognitive strategies to your courses;

• Leverage Canvas tools to integrate metacognitive strategies;

• Request support from your Instructional Design Partner and the Technology Service Desk.

Learn more about Integrating Metacognitive Strategies into Your Courses.

This guide includes best practices and tips designed to help you:

• Incorporate inclusive communication practices into any course;

• Develop and demonstrate intercultural awareness;

• Foster intentional presence and mindfulness;

• Practice effective and clear communication with your students;

• Leverage Canvas features and tools to help you practice inclusive communication;

• Request support from your Instructional Design Partner and the Technology Service Desk.

Learn more about Practicing Inclusive Communication in Your Courses.

Effective feedback is essential to the learning process. Providing students with meaningful feedback can greatly improve their performance, achievement, and development.

This guide includes best practices and tips designed to help you:

• Write valuable grading comments on student assignments;
• Use varied methods to give general feedback to the whole class;
• Facilitate effective online discussions.

Learn more about Providing Effective Student Feedback.

Office hours benefit not only students but also instructors. Research shows that students who attend office hours are more likely to receive higher scores in the course. Higher student attendance during office hours can also help instructors understand how well students are understanding certain concepts and where they might need further instruction.

This guide includes best practices to help you:

• Encourage students to attend office hours
• Reframe office hours to be more inclusive for students
• Make the most of time during office hours
• Set up virtual or in-person office hours
• Write a syllabus section about office hours

Learn more about Rethinking Office Hours.

HyFlex ("hybrid flexible") is a course delivery model in which an instructor teaches an in-person and a synchronous online class session at the same time. This guide will introduce you to HyFlex, help you prepare to teach a HyFlex course, and connect you with resources to support you throughout the semester.

Learn more about Teaching HyFlex Courses at TWU.

This guide includes best practices and tips designed to help you:

• Explore the research on active learning and its effects on student engagement, motivation, and participation;

• Choose active learning activities to include in your Canvas courses;

• Select appropriate active learning teaching strategies;

• Develop your own Active Learning Strategies Plan using the provided template;

• Request support from your Instructional Design Partner and the Technology Service Desk

Learn more about Using Active Learning to Engage Students.

As an instructor, you have the primary and ultimate responsibility to ensure access to your course materials by every student in every course you teach. The information in this guide will help you make intentional design and development decisions.

This guide includes articles, step-by-step roadmaps, links, and resources designed to help you:

• Apply Universal Design for Learning principles to your course materials;
• Create new course materials that meet accessibility guidelines;
• Revise existing course materials to become accessible to all students.

Learn more about the Universal Design Toolkit.

Quality Assurance reviews at TWU can help instructors improve the quality of their courses with continuous improvement.

This guide includes information and resources about the types of Quality Assurance reviews offered at Texas Woman's University:

• Online Course Design Best Practices Checklist
• Quality Matters Reviews
• Internal Academic Component Review

Learn more about Quality Assurance at TWU.