WHAT'S NEW

My Favorite Classroom Moments of 2024

Nichole DeWall

As a new term approaches, this countdown of the author’s gratitude journal entries from last year offers a reminder of how kind, clever, and insightful college students can be. Read More

A First-Day-of-Class Activity: Dessert Potluck Padlet

Scott DeLoach

Before diving into the syllabus, consider talking about dessert. Not merely a fun icebreaker, this activity provides an access point into students’ personalities and cultural backgrounds and helps the teacher establish rapport early in a course. 
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Addressing the Cons of Using Rubrics in Assessment

John Orlando

While many faculty champion rubrics for clarifying standards of excellence and ensuring consistency in grading, rubrics also have their critics. Understanding common objections can help instructors improve how they use rubrics in their courses. Read More

EDITOR'S PICK

Food for Thought: Setting the Table for Learning

Lolita Paff

Whenever a restaurant asks food critic Pete Wells for a credit card to schedule a reservation, it signals that the reservation “isn’t an appointment with pleasure; it’s an obligation to be kept.” Do students experience similar feelings when they read a syllabus that focuses on policies instead of learning, or when the first class period is devoted to reviewing the syllabus instead of whetting their appetite for the subject? Read More

Share Your Thoughts

Did a recent article strike you as especially noteworthy or useful? Is there a topic or type of article (book review, interview, etc.) you’d like to see more of? Did we get something wrong? Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to the editor at jon.crylen@magnapubs.com.

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