Although there is a plethora of evidence-based information about the importance of engaging students in active learning, many of us still use lectures as a major method of teaching. Lecture is still an acceptable, useful, and effective teaching method if you include active and engaging components...

Academic integrity has always been an interest of mine. Over the years, I have come to appreciate the challenges it creates for us as faculty and trying to understand why students don't seem to value it. I, for one, continue to believe that honesty and integrity are important, especially for...

I would venture to guess that most of us are very familiar, if not most comfortable with, single-answer, multiple-choice exams to evaluate student knowledge. However, we need a different type of assessment when assessing performance, either on a skills type exam such as a simulated patient...

Ah, instructional objectives. I bet you were tempted not to read this article! My experience has been that they tend to evoke strong feelings in both faculty and students in a love-hate kind of way. Faculty do not enjoy writing them; students sometimes feel there are too many, and they...

Are you the kind of faculty member who gets to the office early, usually before everyone else, and tends to be the last to leave? Are you the first to offer to help a student or colleague in need? Are you spending your evenings and weekends reading assignments, writing an exam, or planning for...

With the fall upon us, many faculty are welcoming new cohorts and rolling up their sleeves to begin a new semester and course. So, I thought it would be good to talk about workload. One of the things I consistently hear from faculty is their concern about workload. In my experience and my...

I recently read a moving article by Stephen L. Chew, Ph.D. from Samford University, titled: The Indication of a Great Teacher. So much of what he wrote resonated with me because we share a passion for what it means to be a teacher and the impact we can have on our students. 

What makes a...

I was introduced to the concept of “not yet” after listening to a presentation by NASA astrophysicist Dr. Michelle Thaller and one by Dr. Carol Dweck, a psychologist best known for her groundbreaking work in motivation, specifically, the growth mindset. After listening to them one...

There are many common myths floating around about teaching and learning. With the recent expansion in neuroscience and imaging, we now have hard evidence about how the brain learns that we didn't before. However, some beliefs in education continue to be quite popular even when research has shown...

When reviewing a program’s syllabi, I often notice that part of the grading for the course includes attendance and/or participation. It is important to note that neither of these is truly an assessment. Attendance does not evaluate a student’s knowledge or skills. So, why would you...