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learning outcomes

The ECHO Model of Experiential Learning

As educators we hear and heed Peter McLaren’s warning, “You can’t teach people anything … You have to create a context in which they can analyze themselves and their social formations and lives.” ¹ We believe the creation of this context must be our aim as educators, and this context must be balanced between theory and practice. In our pursuit to strike this balance, we believe that experiential education has the potential to assist our fellow educators in transforming their pedagogical practices to more deeply engage their students and improve learning outcomes.

Jim La Prad and Andy Mink March 4, 2009

How to Make Course Evaluations More Valuable

The major benefit any conscientious professor seeks in course evaluations is in gaining useful student feedback. Yet most rating instruments generate vague, unjustified student comments.

Robert T. Brill PhD. February 25, 2009

How to Reduce Social Loafing in Your Online Course

Are you having trouble getting your online students to contribute equally to team projects? If so, perhaps you should try varying the membership of these teams because, according to a study by Brian Dineen (see reference below), doing so can reduce social loafing and improve online collaboration.

Rob Kelly January 30, 2009

Building Student Engagement: First Classes

In yesterday’s post I provided tips on how to use the syllabus to build student engagement. In this article I offer some suggestions on how to get students involved in the first few classes to ensure a more engaging course throughout the semester.

Chris Palmer January 22, 2009

Building Student Engagement: The Syllabus

In this, the first installment of a six-article series on building student engagement, I offer some suggestions on how to use the syllabus to help you set a tone of engagement and excellence right from the start.

Chris Palmer January 21, 2009

Four Tips for Acing Your Accreditation Site Visit

With state and federal governments putting more and more emphasis on assessment and learning outcomes, these new-style accreditation processes can be grueling, to say the least. Here are a few valuable tips to help ensure a successful accreditation visit.

Chuck Wight PhD January 7, 2009

Put to the Test: Making Sense of Educational Assessment

Educational assessment is one of the most talked about topics in higher education today. Despite the admirable goal of improving student learning, the trend toward greater accountability through increased academic testing carries with it a diverse range of educational assessment tools, methodologies, perspectives, and stakeholders.

Mary Bart November 14, 2008