Center for Teaching Effectiveness

The University of Texas at Austin

Main Building 2200

Teaching a University Course

Course Planning

Identifying Objectives
See "Why Write Objectives" in the Teachers and Students Handbook

Creating a Syllabus
See Teachers and Students Handbook

Course Preparation
Gives advice on planning the overall design of a course, such as setting goals, considering the audience, outlining the course, and writing the syllabus.
http://ctl.stanford.edu/teach/handbook/design.html

Planning Your Course: A Decision Guide
Provides suggestions to consider when planning a university course.
http://www.byu.edu/fc/fds/pycguides/pycguide.html

Academic Policies and Procedures
From the UT General Information Bulletin.
http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/catalogs/gi99-00/ch4/ch4a.html

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Diversity Issues

Creating Inclusive College Classrooms
A chapter, written by Shari Saunders and Diana Kardia at CRLT, that provides guidance on ways instructors can create a supportive learning environment for students.
http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/P3_1.html

Fostering Diversity in the Classroom
Provides tips on teaching and learning to assist in creating an atmosphere which embraces diversity in the classroom.
http://www.colorado.edu/ftep/diversity/

Gender equity
See Teachers and Students Handbook

Special Needs
Information for reaching students with disabilities.
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd/

Multicultural issues
See Teachers and Students Handbook

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Evaluating and Documenting Teaching

Getting Feedback on Teaching and Learning
Provides ideas and tools for gathering and interpreting feedback data.
http://www.utexas.edu/academic/cte/getfeedback/

Consulting for faculty by the Center for Teaching Effectiveness
The CTE offers confidential individual consultations to faculty members who wish to discuss specific teaching concerns and effectiveness as they relate to a specific class or classes.
http://www.utexas.edu/academic/cte/facservices/consultation.html

The Teaching Portfolio
From a review of hundreds of teaching portfolios, Seldin identifies typical items chosen for inclusion.
http://www.lgu.ac.uk/deliberations/portfolios/ICED_workshop/seldin_book.html

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Evaluating and Testing Learning

Testing and Grading
See "Test Construction: Some Practical Ideas", "Some Pertinent Questions about Grading", and "Evaluating and Grading Students" in Teachers and Students Handbook

Academic Dishonesty
See Teachers and Students Handbook

Authentic Assessment
See Teachers and Students Handbook

Internet Resources for Higher Education Outcomes Assessment
Provides information on assessment and links to other online resources.
http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/assmt/resource.htm

Measurement and Evaluation Center
Staff and facilities are available to aid in evaluation and research projects undertaken by faculty members and other persons in the UT Austin community.
http://www.utexas.edu/academic/mec/

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Instructional Technology

Instructional Design
An essential element in integrating technology into the curriculum. The Center for Instructional Technologies (CIT) provides pedagogical support for the use of instructional technology in the classroom.
http://www.utexas.edu/academic/cit/howto/resources/instructional_design/

Computer Services
Guide to computing information and services for UT faculty.
http://www.utexas.edu/computer/faculty/

The World Lecture Hall (WLH)
Links to pages created by faculty worldwide who are using the Web to deliver university-level academic courses in any language.
http://www.utexas.edu/world/lecture/index.html

What's New?
Examples at George Mason University of the latest successful combinations of research, teaching, and technology to enhance learning.
http://www.gmu.edu/newtech/findex.html

Online Collaborative Learning in Higher Education
A web site devoted to world's best practice in online collaborative learning in higher education, and related topics: here you'll find links to online articles, books, journals, and other relevant information.
http://clp.cqu.edu.au/

Evaluating Online Courses
An article about applying the "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education," developed by Chickering & Gamson to evaluate online courses.
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=839

Educational Resources for Developing Computer-Mediated Discussions
Some ideas about designing whole-class and small-group asynchronous discussions online. Most of the activities were designed specifically for hybrid or fully online classes and are adaptable to either type of class.
http://wordsworth2.net/activelearning/ecacdiscustips.htm

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Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning

Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning
An article published as part of Essays on Teaching Excellence, distrubuted by the POD Network.

Interdisciplinary Courses
A chapter, "Structuring and Delivering Interdisciplinary Courses: Approximating the Ideal," written by James R. Davis, Center for Academic Quality, University of Denver, CO.
http://www.ku.edu/~cte/resources/reflections/reflections2001.pdf

Exploration in Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning
A project initiated by Deborah Vess that focuses on the various problems and issues associated with interdisciplinary learning.
http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~dvess/ids/courseportfolios/front.htm

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Internet Use

WWW Search engines
Descriptions and search tips for many search engines, subject guides, and metacrawlers. Also includes links to other sites about search engines.
http://www.lib.utk.edu/refs/search.html

Citation Styles
Provides examples for citing various types of electronic information.
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html

Evaluating Information on the Internet
Provides suggestions for users who must evaluate information found on the internet to ensure that it is valid and reliable.
http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/~techman/evaluate.htm

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Media Aids

See "Media Aids for the Classroom" and "Using Computers for Developing AV Materials" in Teachers and Students Handbook for:

Resources for Students

Dean of Students
Six diverse areas: Campus and Community Involvement, Greek Life and Education, New Student Services, Retention Services, Services for Students with Disabilities, and Student Judicial Services.
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/

The UT Learning Center (UTLC)
This student academic service offers both group and individualized programs to increase efficiency in college-level math, science, writing, reading, and learning strategies.
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc

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Teaching and Learning Strategies

Teaching by Discussion
Offers tips on preparing for discussions, asking questions that promote discussion, getting students to talk, and handling common problems that arise during discussions.
http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/TLBulletins/2(3)Discussion.html

Tips for Using Questions in Large Classes
Ideas from The Teaching Professor. Article by Daniel J. Klionsky, University of California-Davis.
http://www.biology.lsa.umich.edu/research/labs/klionsky/TP.pdf

Effective Lectures
Provides tips for developing and delivering effective lectures.
http://www.uab.edu/uasomume/cdm/lectures.htm

Cooperative Learning Structures
Discusses some of the most commonly used cooperative learning structures in higher education. http://www.utexas.edu/academic/cte/hewlettcls.html

Best practices in College Teaching
Specific examples in twelve categories including rewarding learner participation, active learning, lecture, modeling and group discussion.
http://northonline.sccd.ctc.edu/eceprog/bstprac.html

See Teachers and Students Handbook for: