Resources for Designing Better Teaching and Learning

In order to teach well, one must be competent in both course design and teacher-student interactions. During the last two decades, research on college teaching and learning have led to some new ideas about course design, which include active learning, significant learning, and educative assessment.  We hope that the resources below are helpful in designing better teaching and learning experiences.

• Integrated Course Design: Backward Design and Significant Learning
• Learning Goals
• Feedback/Assessment
• Teaching/Learning Activities

Integrated Course Design: Backward Design and Significant Learning

Presentation "Better Teaching and Learning by Design", by Dee Fink, Ph.D., October 25, 2012:

• Handout

• PowerPoint slides

• Recording of Presentation (mp4)

Resources:

• Book: “Creating Significant Learning Experiences,” Jossey-Bass or Amazon

• Guide: “Self-Directed Guide for Designing Courses for Significant Learning”

• Summary: "Backward Design and Significant Learning”

• Template: "Course Design Worksheet"

• Website: "Designing Better Learning Experiences"

Learning Goals

• A Primer for Writing Learning Goals: 
  “A Primer on Writing Effective Learning-Centered Goals”, by Robert Noyd, USAF Academy

• Taxonomies as Frameworks to Writing Learning Goals:

  Significant Learning Taxonomy: “What is Significant Learning?”, Dee Fink’s paper

  Bloom’s Taxonomy: “Bloom’s Taxonomy Actions Verbs”, Clemson University’s chart

Feedback/Assessment

• Article:
  “Writing Multiple-Choice Questions for Continuing Medical Education Activities and Self-Assessment Modules”, by Jannette Collins, Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin – RadioGraphics, March 2006, 26, 543-551.

• Manual:
  “Constructing Written Test Questions for the Basic and Clinical Sciences”, Third Edition – National Board of Medical Examiners.

• Paper:
  "Procedures for Assessing Significant Learning - Some Options", by Dee Fink

Teaching/Learning Activities

• Audience Response System (Clickers):
  Website – “Classroom Response Systems” – by Derek Bruff, Director of the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.

• Case InQuiry (IQ): 
  Paper – “The “New” PBL: Case InQuiry (IQ)” by Amy Wilson-Delfosse, Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Assistant Dean for Basic Science Education, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

• Peer Instruction:
  Article – "Farewell, Lecture?” – by Eric Mazur, Department of Physics, Harvard University – Science, 323 (2 January, 2009), 50-51.
  
  Video – "Peer Instruction Memorization or Understanding: Are We Teaching the Right Thing?", presented by Dr. Eric Mazur, November 30, 2012.

• Problem-Based Learning:
  Guide – “Problem-Based Learning: A Practical Guide”, by M. Davis and R. Harden, Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee, Scotland – AMEE Education Guide.

• Team-Based Learning:
  Website –“Team-Based Learning Collaborative”