ITeach: Certification in Higher Ed Inc.
Are you a graduate student or early career academic who is driven to excel in your studies and pursue a career as an academic? Then this blog is for you. You'll join 100s of others that I have helped enhance their teaching abilities, gain a competitive edge in the academic job market, and become a well-rounded educator. You will be provided with insights, strategies, and resources to help you become an effective and respected educator within your discipline.
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Inviting Peers to Observe Your Teaching
Hello Reader, If you are teaching this semester, either as the instructor, guest lecturer, or as a teaching assistant, you want to consider asking a peer to observe your teaching. Below, you will find a five-step peer observation process to enhance your teaching, how to attain access to valuable learning conversations about teaching with peers, and the depth of reflection that comes from engaging in peer observations. Having a colleague take a student’s perspective of your teaching provides...
READ POSTClassroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)
Hello Reader, Do you love cats? Not those furry cute ones but Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs), which provide feedback about student learning. This source of data is anonymous and represents students' learning, which reflects your teaching. CATs are administered at the end of class. There are many different kinds, shapes, and sizes (over 50). Here are three easy to use CATs. These can be used in classes of any size and online. Muddiest Point At the end of class, ask students to put in...
READ POSTCommunication Skills
Dear Reader, As the academic term begins, our communication most likely increases, making our communication skills highly important. You may be engaging more with peers, students, and colleagues. Here are some ideas to consider. Take advantage of opportunities Communication skills are considered a key area of skills proficiency for the workplace. This includes verbal, visual, and written communication for diverse audiences. Verbal communication (able to speak to different audiences) Take...
READ POSTHumanizing Deep Learning
Hello Reader, What happens when you ask over 68 graduate students and post-docs to share their experience and thoughts about teaching and learning in higher education? On August 7, 2026, ITeach held its annual Graduate Students/Post-docs Teaching in Higher Education: Empowering the Next Generation of Instructors Conference with 288 unique participants, who maintained attendance throughout the whole day. The conference began with a thought provoking keynote by Ian Jarvis, a PhD Candidate in...
READ POSTCourse Portfolios: Your constant companion
Hello Reader, “The portfolio serves as a guide or map. I can see more clearly where I have been, where I want to be, and have better ideas about how to get there.” Cerbin, 1994, p. 104 Have you heard of a course portfolio? When teaching, the course portfolio provides a space for you to reflect on the course and student learning so that you critically assess your course and formulate ideas for improvement. If you do not assess your courses, then you risk repeating inefficient assessment and...
READ POSTGraduate Students/Post-docs Teaching in Higher Education Conference: Empowering the Next Generation of Educators
Hello Reader, If you are someone who is interested in teaching, then you will want to attend the Graduate Students/Post-docs Teaching in Higher Education Conference: Empowering the Next Generation of Educators. At this virtual gathering, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who are actively engaged in teaching within higher education, either as sessionals/adjuncts, teaching assistants(TA), or other teaching-type positions, will share valuable teaching strategies. When: Friday, August...
READ POSTCommon challenges with gathering feedback from students
Hello Reader, What are the common challenges when gathering feedback from students? When gathering feedback from students, you can face some challenges. This guide will help you overcome common issues with student feedback. 1. No constructive feedback: Even though everyone loves to hear how well they did, if you do not receive any feedback that indicates that students have critically reflected on their learning and the course structure, then that feedback is not useful to you. 2. Low response...
READ POSTWhy seeking feedback about your teaching is absolutely crucial to your career
Feedback is the cornerstone of progress, hence why seeking feedback about your teaching is so important. It provides you with an opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow. Therefore, gathering effective teaching feedback is absolutely crucial. It acts as a mirror, giving you a clear picture of your teaching methods, strategies, and interactions. However, the key to obtaining feedback is to do so consistently throughout the course. Only gathering end-of-term feedback is insufficient. Aim to...
READ POSTWhy seeking feedback about your teaching is absolutely crucial to your career
Feedback is the cornerstone of progress, hence why seeking feedback about your teaching is so important. It provides you with an opportunity to reflect, learn, and grow. Therefore, gathering effective teaching feedback is absolutely crucial. It acts as a mirror, giving you a clear picture of your teaching methods, strategies, and interactions. However, the key to obtaining feedback is to do so consistently throughout the course. Only gathering end-of-term feedback is insufficient. Aim to...
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