Tag: learner-centered teaching

SIP 7.15 Skills-based Syllabi

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice? Regardless of the topic or level of the course—intro-level general studies or upper-division requirement for the major—we have all heard our students ask, “Why do I have to take this class?” While this is a genuinely annoying question, the “translation” might inspire a bit of empathy: when students ask …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-7-15-skills-based-syllabi/

SIP 7.13 The Snowball

Thirsty for Strong Instructional Practice? The SIPsquad is excited to bring you this Throwback Thursday selection! Take a look at this gem from Year Two: the Snowball.  As the weather gets warmer, the Snowball is sure to make your classroom chill with a fun and inclusive activity that encourages whole-class participation — even from students who …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-7-13-the-snowball/

SIP 7.10 Proactive Accessibility

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice? How do you feel at the beginning of the semester when you know students are going to give you letters asking for accommodations (accessibility letters)? Do you think about what you will have to change on a day-by-day basis or the extra work you will have to do to …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-7-10-proactive-accessibility/

SIP 7.9 Specifications Grading

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice?               It is 9pm on a Sunday night. You spent much of yesterday and most of today grading and you still aren’t done. You try to provide such thoughtful feedback to your students, but you can’t be sure that they read it. You …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-7-9-specifications-grading/

SIP 7.7 Creating “True” Breaks — Not Assigning Work Over Break

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice? Have you ever noticed that the energy in the classroom after Spring Break can be a little . . . subdued? If you are like many academics, you work through Spring Break and expect your students to use the time to get caught up on reading and assignments. You might have …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-7-7-creating-true-breaks-not-assigning-work-over-break/

SIP 7.6 The Class Notetaker

Dear Readers, In January, the SIPsquad celebrated three full years of bringing Strong Instructional Practices to the MSU Denver community! As a special treat, we wanted to take you back to where it all began: SIP 1.1, The Class Notetaker. This SIP and all past SIPs can be found on our website, The Well. Take a …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-7-6-the-class-notetaker/

SIP 5.3 How to Teach Note-Taking Skills

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice? How often have you been in the middle of a dynamic lecture or lesson and looked out to see that only a fraction of the class is taking notes? We know that students who take good notes score better on exams, have better comprehension of material, and retain information …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-5-3-how-to-teach-note-taking-skills/

SIP 4.12 Developing Learner Self-Awareness

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice? Last week’s SIP explored the differences between being student-centered and learner-centered, with learner-centered classrooms being focused on what students do and what and how they learn. A key practice of learner-centered teaching is explicit attention to developing learner self-awareness, which is a component of meta-cognitive awareness. Meta-cognitive awareness has …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-4-12-developing-learner-self-awareness/

SIP 4.11 Student-Centered vs. Learner-Centered Teaching

Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice? For years now, faculty development circles have been tossing around the phrases “student-centered” and “learner-centered.”  We are all pretty clear on the fact that the “sage on the stage” has given way to the “guide on the side,” but how do we “faculty guides” center our practice appropriately?  Aren’t …

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Permanent link to this article: https://sites.msudenver.edu/sips/sip-4-11-student-centered-vs-learner-centered-teaching/