Best Practices in Higher Education

Active Learning
Student engagement in their learning is essential.  This site provides links to both on-campus and off-campus resources.
Teaching Goals Inventory (online), Center for Teaching at the University of Iowa.

Assessment and Evaluation
Addresses issues ranging from assessment of the learning process to test design and measures of student feedback regarding the quality of instruction (also referred to as student ratings).
NOTE. Protecting Personal Nonpublic Information ( PNPI )

Course Design
A self-directed guide to designing courses for significant learning by L. Dee Fink, Ph.D., Director, Instructional Development Program, University of Oklahoma. Based on his book Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses, 2003. Posted with permission. (.doc)

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Community - The site links directly to the Center for Critical Thinking and to The Institute for Teaching and Learning at San Jose State University.

Critical Thinking
WolcottLynch Associates offers a web site that specializes in the development of critical thinking.  It also has a special site for educators with handouts and recommended resources.  It also features a free web-based tutorial on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Helping your students develop critical thinking skills, Lynch & Wolcott, October 2001, IDEA Paper #37. (pdf)

Bloom's Taxonomy
This well-known classification of learning objectives attempts to classify forms of learning.

Instructional Technology
This site provides on-campus and off-campus resources on enhancing your teaching via technology.

Large Class Resources
This site consists of the names of University of Delaware faculty who have had experience in teaching large classes as well as the resources that they are willing to share with others who, perhaps, have less experience in teaching large classes.

Learning-Centered Syllabus
Provides guiding  questions for syllabus design and links to electronic syllabus templates.

Learning Styles
Descriptions and links to several learning style instruments.

Problem-Based Learning
Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method that is focused on students working cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real world problems.  Focuses upon how to transfer discussion into active learning.  This link takes you directly to the PBL web site.
Article re PBL practices at UD, AAC&U News, August 2002

Promotion and Tenure (.doc)
Summary of annual faculty panel discussions: Planning ahead and preparing for the promotion and tenure process; putting the dossier together and the role of external reviewers; and addressing promotion and tenure policies and procedures effectively.

Promotion & Tenure Process at UD by Eric Kmiec, Chairperson, University Promotions & Tenure Committee; Professor Biological Sciences - presentation at 2007 P&T panel discussion (ppt)
P&T Advice by Yan Jin, Professor, Plant & Soil Sciences - presentation at 2007 P&T panel discussion (ppt)
P&T Advice by Raul Lobo, Professor, Chemical Engineering - presentation at 2007 P&T panel discussion (ppt)

Faculty Handbook: Promotion and Tenure

Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education
Brief summary of the seven principles as compiled by the American Association of Higher Education, the Education Commission of States, and The Johnson Founcation.  See also Applying  the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (1991), Chickering, A. W. & Gamson, Z. F.  For additional information see the article in the TA Handbook.

Service Learning
This link takes you directly to the service learning site at the University of Delaware.

Student and Teaching Portfolios
Includes resources for students and resources for portfolio preparation and refinement.
Teaching portfolio materials, Tom DiLorenzo, Psychology, 2005. (rtf)

Teaching Students with Disabilities
Collection of online resources for faculty and staff compiled and reviewed by Al Cavalier, School of Education, University of Delaware.  CTE gratefully acknowledges Dr Cavalier's work, and posts this document with his permission.   Last revised on July 10, 1998.

The Writing Initiative
The program aims to create a culture of writing at Delaware.  It is an opportunity for faculty and students to enhance their work through writing-intensive experiences in a variety of settings.  A faculty planning group coordinates the development of the initiative and invites your participation.

Tips for Good Practice (Materials and Resources)
Offers multiple articles and handouts developed both by other institutions and by CTE staff.  The page also links to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), administered by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning at UD.
 
 

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