Center for Innovative Pedagogy

Xtranormal is an online service which creates animated videos based on your script. In this Chronicle article, the author describes using this approach to help students learn to write arguments by assigning the sides to animated characters.

Lots of people at Kenyon use Word's Track Changes or Turnitin's GradeMark. This post talks about ways to attach verbal comments to a document. (This idea is used by some language profs, as a way to get students some listening practice at the same time they're working on a written project.)

These really are easy habits, and I have employed most of them in my classes over the years. Of course, some are easier to pull off than others! Habit number 3 reminded me of something from my grad school days to the point that I felt compelled to post the very first comment.

Shelly Wright argues that Bloom's taxonomy of learning domains is most effective when considered in reverse order.

An interesting take on a "course evaluation" form, with extensive supporting research.

The judge's decision in the copyright suit by publishers against Georgia State University has significant areas which need clarification, and it uses a mechanical principle for determining the amount of a work which can be copied as fair use, but it is generally a pro-education ruling. Of course, it will probably be appealed.

The specific rules presented here are most applicable to K-12 institutions. Still, it's an interesting example of the kind of thinking involved for anyone's social media presence.

At the recent NITLE Symposium, Dan Cohen criticized the fact that the average academic conference is a "lean back" experience (i.e. sit back in your chair and let the information wash over you) as opposed to a "lean forward" experience (i.e. be on the edge of your chair, interacting with the speaker and other attendees). This post takes musician Bobby McFerrin as an example of a speaker who can get an audience to "lean forward." Given that McFerrin's specific decisions are most appropriate to the performing arts, what could we learn (and teach students) about the principles which this author draws out of his technique?

This course redesign "formula" may not work for all courses, but perhaps it can work for you. The article describes what amounts to a course redesign that results in a blended classroom, using the technology available through the text publisher as the source of outside data. The six guidelines they propose can be boiled down to: (1) guide students in active learning; (2) enforce deadlines to keep students on task; (3) reward students for real effort, which translates into real learning; (4) provide regular assessment (immediate feedback via technology, if possible); (5) accommodate varied learning styles; and (6) keep on students to do their work (again, technology can help with this).

Check out this sample flipped lesson that I created in just a few minutes on the TED-Ed (or is it EdTED) site. Currently TED-Ed has only a limited number of videos, but perhaps all TED lectures will be available for flipped lessons in the future. Interested in seeing what you can do yourself? Then go to http://ed.ted.com/ and click on the tour (or Learn More) links. Next, create your own account and get started. This speaker brings together the fields of mathematics, marine biology, feminine handicrafts, and environmental activism. Seriously!

Afraid of making the leap into the new high-tech teaching arena? You are not alone. In fact, one of the champions of "active teaching with technology" has tempered his zeal after conversations with colleagues for whom the technology has not worked as well. This article offers a glimpse into the teaching philosophies of two professors at Kansas State University, both nationally recognized as outstanding teachers. But, if Michael Wesch seems to have reached one extreme (the high-tech one) and veered back, then Christopher Sorensen appears to have reached the other extreme (low- or even no-tech) and remains firmly entrenched. This title is not intended to provide anyone with an excuse not to try something innovative. Rather, I think there is a happy medium between the two extremes hinted at in the article (see my Weiman article post).

A good introduction to Weiman's approach to improving science education. In spite of the title, the lack of scientific rigor in his presentation might bother some of you (especially initially). However, stick it out until the fourth page, and your patience will be rewarded.

Covers the adoption of clickers for instant feedback in a broad range of venues, including such diverse places as fire departments, churches, cruise ships and schools. 

A step-by-step guide to structure thinking about the use of electronic portfolios of student work.

This podcast about under-prepared students touches on the reasons we see more of them in higher education nationally, and various teaching techniques which can help students succeed.

Short, accessible articles summarizing literature and best practices around student course evaluations.

A thought experiment about the risks of change and stasis in the college curriculum.

Seth Godin turns his attention to the purposes of education, and whether we are preparing the learners which our society and economy need. It's a dense "manifesto", but there are important considerations in it.