Category: Effective Teaching Strategies

Bridging the Divide: Teaching Across Online and In-Person Classrooms – Faculty Focus
In today’s higher education landscape, many of us are navigating dual identities, teaching both online and in-person, often in the same term. While these environments may feel vastly different, great teaching is rooted in a core set of pedagogical values that transcend modality.

This article explores the shared foundations of quality instruction and offers practical strategies to help you confidently shift between digital and physical classrooms without compromising academic quality or student engagement.

What Makes Good Teaching, Good?

Whether we’re standing in a lecture hall or posting an announcement in an LMS, effective teaching starts with:
- Clear objectives
- Active learning
- Strong communication and presence
- Inclusive design
- Meaningful assessment
These fundamentals remain the same. What changes is how we deliver them.

Modality shouldn’t distract us from sound pedagogy. Whether synchronous or asynchronous, face-to-face or online, our work is grounded in backward design, student-centered approaches, and ongoing assessment. Re-centering our focus on these pillars helps us adapt thoughtfully, not reactively.

Example: Learning Objectives in Action

Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) emphasize the importance of well-defined learning objectives. In-person, this could look like writing objectives on the board or incorporating them into your lecture. Online, it might involve embedding objectives into weekly modules and pairing them with a short video or visual explanation.

Take the objective: “Apply ethical decision-making models to patient care scenarios.”
- In the classroom, this might involve a role-play simulation followed by a guided discussion.
- Online, it could become a case study analysis shared on a discussion board, followed by peer responses using a structured framework.
Same goal—different path.

Active Learning: Across Formats, It Works

Bonwell and Eison (1991) first advocated for active learning to deepen student engagement, and later research (Freeman et al., 2014) confirmed its positive impact, especially in STEM fields. The modality doesn’t limit engagement; it simply shapes the format.
- In-person, this may involve group work, real-time debates, or problem-solving tasks.
- Online, use breakout rooms, Google Docs, Padlet, Mentimeter, or discussion forums to simulate those same dynamics.
Students learn best when they are participants, not passive consumers, in the learning process.

Communication, Presence, and Feedback

Instructor presence is a key predictor of student success (Richardson et al., 2017). On campus, presence may happen organically through body language, hallway conversations, or impromptu check-ins.

But online, presence requires intention.

A few simple strategies that make a big impact:
- Weekly video or audio announcements
- Personalized feedback
- Emojis and voice comments in discussion boards
- Prompt, encouraging messages
These touchpoints help students feel supported, seen, and guided, regardless of where or when they log in.

Design and Structure Matter

A well-organized course reduces cognitive load and promotes confidence. Online, this might mean consistent modules, clear navigation, and due dates embedded in calendars. In-person, it could look like daily agendas, visual timelines, or scaffolded activities.

Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) remind us: start with the end in mind. Objectives drive assessments, which in turn shape content delivery. No matter the format, clarity and alignment help students thrive.

Assessment and Feedback

Assessment shouldn’t just evaluate learning; it should shape it. Hattie and Timperley (2007) stress the importance of feedback in closing the learning loop.
- In-person, use exit slips, real-time polling, or think-pair-share.
- Online, leverage auto-graded quizzes with explanations, journals, or reflective prompts with peer feedback.
Equity, Engagement, and Flexibility

CAST’s Universal Design for Learning (2018) reminds us to offer multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. Think transcripts with videos, flexible deadlines, and tech check-ins early in the term.

Online learners often juggle jobs, caregiving, or time zone differences. In-person students may rely on structure but still disengage without varied methods. Both benefit from thoughtfully designed engagement strategies.

Time and energy differ by modality:
- Online requires more front-end design and structure.
- In-person demands real-time adaptability and energy.
Both require flexibility and empathy.

From Performer to Designer

In-person, instructors often act as facilitators and performers, using presence and spontaneity to engage. Online, the role shifts toward that of designer and communicator.

Darby and Lang (2019) champion “small teaching” strategies, such as short videos, weekly check-ins, and structured prompts as powerful tools to maintain momentum and connection online.

Regardless of the environment, our purpose remains unchanged: to guide, support, and respond to our students’ learning journeys.

Final Thoughts: Teaching is Teaching

To sum it up:
- Great teaching is rooted in strong pedagogy—not platform.
- Build presence, design with clarity, and prioritize equity.
- Embrace the tools of the modality but let pedagogy lead.
You don’t have to choose between being tech-savvy and student-centered. You can (and should) be both.

By making these mindful shifts, we ensure that students, wherever they are, receive the same level of support, engagement, and academic challenge.

Michele Poulos has dedicated more than twenty-five years to education, with experience spanning elementary, secondary, and post-secondary settings. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s degree in Psychology, and is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in Human and Learning Science. Throughout her career, she has taught and learned in both traditional classrooms and fully online environments, giving her a unique perspective on how students thrive across modalities. Michele currently serves as the Director of Online Education at Pima Medical Institute, where she oversees online programs, faculty development, and strategic initiatives designed to enhance student learning and success. Her professional accomplishments have been recognized nationally, as she was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who in America for four consecutive years (2022–2025). Her passion for education is matched by her commitment to family life. She resides in Naples, Florida, with her husband and their two children—ten-year-old Trenton and eight-year-old Eliana—who continually inspire her dedication to both teaching and lifelong learning.

References

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.

Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 1. George Washington University.

CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Darby, F., & Lang, J. M. (2019). Small teaching online: Applying learning science in online classes. Jossey-Bass.

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319030111

Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487

Richardson, J. C., Maeda, Y., & Swan, K. (2017). Predicting student achievement and satisfaction in online courses with a structural equation model. Online Learning, 21(3), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v21i3.1180
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January 26, 2026
Explain it in 100 Words: Say Less, Engage More – Faculty Focus
I teach Media Writing at a small community college in southeast Texas, and although that may sound remote, my students – like most young students – are quite tech-savvy. I am always on the hunt for better ways to engage them in the art of writing. I regularly refer to Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling, and Tobias’s 20 Master Plots to get the juices flowing, because what we write is largely storytelling. Mostly, I want them to focus on writing and re-writing. One day, while researching subject matter prompts for my class, something caught my eye. What was this “100-word story?”

When I was assigned to teach Media Writing, I was supplied with a textbook that focused on just writing for print and broadcast. But we all know that most of news writing leans on what the reader will see online as well. Plus, with the diversity of the internet, all media writing is not just for traditional news. Because the world has changed dramatically, I knew a pivot was in order. Remembering my creative writing class from long ago and far away, I drew on an exercise we did in that class. It is called free writing, and I thought it would be a motivational technique for my students.

Free writing is a writing technique that has no form or structure. You just write your thoughts on a certain subject for a set period of time. I challenged my students to engage in this practice on a weekly – if not daily – basis.

Editing is a big part of writing a 100-word story. To get started, one could just free write. With free writing, my students resisted at first. But once they got the hang of it, their thoughts would flow. The ultimate challenge was to go back and make sense of it!

So, let’s say you’ve done a little free-writing on a topic. You have been writing for 20 minutes, so your topic may look like mush. Now you have to make sense of it. You pull out the best thoughts, and make spelling and grammar corrections, and you could possibly have an article. And going a step further, you may want an “introductory piece” to your article. That’s where a 100-word story comes in. Pull out the best parts to “tease” your article, then edit it down to 100 words.

Although a 100-word story is useful when writing an article, your “story” can also introduce course subject matter and set the pace – sort of a “tease” – to pull the reader in.

Here are just a couple of ways to use the 100-word strategy:
- Introduction to a course or module. We know attention spans are shrinking, so pull them in with a short course introduction, and short intros to your teaching modules. Students will appreciate the “chunks” you present in a way that gets them engaged in the topic.
- Use the 100-word strategy for assignment guides and explaining assessments. You would be surprised at how quickly you can get your point across by condensing instructions.
As a former producer at a local TV station, I was charged with creating news topicals (current news stories) that involved reading reporters’ complete stories, then explaining the content in exactly 4, 15, or 30 seconds. Sounds intimidating, but after my trial and error period, I could read the story, confirm the highlights with the reporter, and write a 4-second tease. So, 100 words would have seemed generous to me.

Now, some might contend that there are better ways to write an article introduction, or introduction to a chapter study or lecture, and I won’t argue with you! This is just one option. It is a way to condense and simplify your message. Even if I don’t always stick to a strict 100-words, I keep it close, because let’s face it, this style of chunk writing is easily digestible and works to strengthen a student-reader’s attention span. According to Books Calculator, it takes a reader about 24 seconds to read 100 words. You can effectively grab the reader’s attention with 100 words, and if you can do that, you can begin the learning process.

Even outside the classroom, leading with a 100-word story has its advantages. Let’s say you are promoting a speaker for your school and you are creating a flyer, you can use this concept to make your pitch short and sweet. For example:

Join us on Tuesday February 4, when we welcome multi-media journalist Brandi Smith from Rice University’s Office of Public Affairs. Previously, Brandi worked at KHOU 11 in Houston, Texas where she executed “Living in the Lone Star – Hidden Gems,” a TV segment that offers 11 different ways to see and learn about Houston. Brandi earned her bachelor’s degree in Electronic Media from the University of Oregon after receiving her Associates degree in Journalism from Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. Come and hear her unique story of perseverance as part of our Speaker Series in the Library at 2:00 P.M.

You just read a 100-word story!

Lastly, I would be remiss if I did equip you with an all-the-rage AI tool or two, for those of you that still get stuck and need more assistance – or just want to explore what AI has to offer:

So, there you have it. A few tips on using the 100-word story. I think you will grow to adore this concept as much as I do. Have fun exploring!

Denise Bates is an Instructor in the Communications Department at Alvin Community College in Alvin, TX. She has been teaching at Alvin Community College since 2019. She enjoys teaching communications courses because it is fascinating how the media industry grew and developed in the 20th Century and how it all changed when the Internet disrupted everything and forced us to embrace the technologies in the 21st Century.

References

100 Word Story (n.d.) https://100wordstory.org

100 Word Story. (n.d.) The Fanciful Story of 100 Words, Lynn Mundell, Writer and Editor https://lynnmundell.com/100-word-story/
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January 23, 2026
Day 1 is Hard: Reflections on Being a First-Year Student (Again) – Faculty Focus

It is that time of year again. I am staring longingly out the window while I sit indoors, on my computer, tweaking syllabi in anticipation of teaching again in the coming semester. This ritual feels different this year because I am coming back from a sabbatical, part of which I spent as a student (again). At this time last year, I was preparing to learn basic statistics for my research as a student, because my chemistry undergraduate degree was curiously bereft of training in statistics. So, I (again) registered for a first-year class as a student. My Day 1 experience as a student (again) was enlightening. My brief foray into the freshman experience, while not quite a full experience including living in a dorm room and eating in the cafeteria (Nathan 2006), gave me a chance to critically reflect on what students experience in my own classes. I would like to share a few of my experiences, what I learned from them, and what I aim to change in my own Day 1 routine in the coming year, with the hope that it helps some of you too.

Facing Day 1 Anxiety

One of the most profound shocks of being a student (again) on Day 1 was the sense of anxiety I experienced before the class started. I knew I was very rusty on the prerequisite material; it has been almost 25 years since I took high school math! I was not feeling at all confident that I still “had it” in terms of my ability to succeed as a student. Looking back now, I realized that my own students must also feel the same way. How many of them have not retained all the prerequisite knowledge they learned a while ago? While probably not a quarter of a century ago, I am certain they do feel like their high school education was a long time ago by the time they are in my class. Similarly, how many of them were always near the top of their classes, and now suddenly realize that might no longer be true?

My Takeaway: Give Students Early Support and Reassurance

My experience reminded me that there is no such thing as too much review of prerequisite material, either in the first few classes at the start of my course or as informal reminders when I am introducing a brand-new concept. My students probably feel it has been a long time since they had to activate that prior knowledge that I am trying to build upon, and I guess some don’t feel anywhere near as confident in their ability to succeed as they did even a year ago. Little reminders and lots of reassurance will go a long way this coming fall when I am back in the class as an instructor.

The Novice Moment

But my anxiety did not only manifest before the class started. On my first day back as a student, I fully panicked when a ‘fellow student’ asked a question of our instructor (“Professor, is that variable nominal, or ordinal?”). I panicked because I realized I had absolutely no idea what the question even meant, and I realized how hard it was being a novice again (Mulnix 2023)! I also missed the answer to the question because I was so busy trying not to get visibly upset in the middle of a crowded lecture hall. I am not somebody prone to panic attacks or severe anxiety, but the sudden realization of how unmoored I felt taught me a valuable lesson.

My Takeaway: Build Student Confidence Day 1

This coming semester, I will be more attentive to how simple questions or off-the-cuff remarks could easily hit my students in unexpected ways. For students already feeling unprepared or uncertain in my class, innocent queries or comments might subtly reinforce underlying feelings that my class will be beyond their capabilities. Phrases such as “this should be easy” or “something you should all know already” shall be completely stricken from my vocabulary. Especially as we seek to educate a generation suffering from higher rates of diagnoses for anxiety and panic, I need to find ways to make sure my students remember that they probably know more than they think. Prerequisite classes, while perhaps feeling long past for them, have provided them with everything they need to succeed in my class. Part of my job is to encourage them to engage in the hard work and remind them that they do fit in my class. Whether this involves an easy content-related quiz on the first day of classes or some similar confidence-building exercise, I now realize how important confidence-building is for the first day of class.

Feeling Out of Place

The last key experience from Day 1 of my second time being a first-year student was linked to my discomfort when I entered the lecture hall. I suspect most of us still remember the shock of walking into our first big lecture hall and being stunned by the sheer size of the hall, and number of other bewildered students. But what I felt was discomfort disconnected from the size of the lecture hall. Rather, I walked into the lecture hall and instantly felt like I did not belong. The grey in my beard was a clear signal to other students that I was different, and they subtly found ways to avoid sitting near me or meeting my eye. I believe these behaviors were unconscious reactions on the part of others, but it felt very real. As a White male living in Western Canada, I have not often felt the sensation of walking into a room and realizing I don’t automatically fit in with other people.

My Takeaway: Ensure Every Student Feels Welcome and Included

I realized some of my students must also feel when they walk into my classroom and are visibly different from their peers or their instructor. That sense of alienation is subtle, but it is very real when you are the one who stands out. In my classes, I have always talked about, and tried to put into action, the message that everybody is welcome. But this semester, I will be trying much harder to convey that message, both implicitly and explicitly. My students who are part of traditionally underrepresented groups based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, age, or some other feature, they need to feel welcome in my class. My syllabus language will be tweaked to be more directly inclusive. My friendly greetings on Day 1 shall be clearly directed to all my students to avoid whatever unconscious biases I may harbor. I will endeavor to arrange the physical classroom to make it easier for everybody to sit next to somebody else, and I will make sure my first day of class icebreaker gives people a chance to talk to each other (Weimer 2017). Even if it is just to exchange pleasantries, getting my students talking to each other is the best thing I can do to help them realize they are all feeling similar anxieties, in addition to excitement at how that first class will go.

As the semester continued and I settled in to learn about things such as the differences between a z-test and a t-test, my experience on Day 1 of being a first-year student (the second time around) stood out as particularly important. What I experienced as a student in statistics gave me a great deal to think about how my students might be feeling when they enter my 1^st-year general chemistry classroom this fall. So instead of staring out the window, I had best get back to preparing that course syllabus to incorporate all those non-statistics things I learned this past year.

Brian Rempel, PhD, joined the University of Alberta’s Augustana campus where he primarily teaches general and organic chemistry as an Associate Professor. Brian developed a love for teaching chemistry during his PhD work on enzymology at the University of British Columbia and brought that passion to his teaching-focused role at Augustana in 2009. Brian’s research studies the impact and student perceptions of unique means for evaluating student knowledge, with a particular focus on finding equitable ways of evaluating student knowledge to reduce student anxiety.

References

Mulnix, Amy B. 2023. “Being a Novice Again.” The Teaching Professor, February 27. https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/professional-growth/being-a-novice-again/

Nathan, Rebekah. 2006. My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student. Penguin Books.

Weimer, Maryellen. 2017. “First Day of Class Activities That Create a Climate for Learning.” The Teaching Professor, July 19. https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/for-those-who-teach/first-day-of-class-activities-that-create-a-climate-for-learning/

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January 16, 2026
Supporting Students Through Feedback: Approaches for Faculty – Faculty Focus

Student success and socio-emotional well-being, including coping and adjusting to college life (particularly during their first year) continue to be pervasive issues (van der Zanden et al., 2018; Welle & Graf, 2011). Social support received from a variety of sources (including faculty) are linked to better physical and emotional well-being and academic performance (Hartung et al., 2015; Mattanah et al., 2012; Micari & Pazos, 2012; van der Zanden et al., 2018; Walton et al. 2015). In particular, building rapport and relationships with faculty, and even informal interactions with faculty have all been found to contribute to various positive outcomes including greater student engagement, achievement, motivation, and socio-emotional functioning (Decker et al., 2007; Halawah 2006; Pascarella & Terenzini 2005; Thompson, 2001; van der Zanden et al., 2018; Woodside et al., 1999).

Supporting students is important for their success and this task is not a singular activity completed by a single person. There are various people in positions at the institution which contribute to supporting students and their ultimate success, including but not limited to, faculty, student advisors, student support services (writing center, library, accommodation office, etc.), department administrators, etc. One avenue within the faculty role that is important to highlight is our everyday communications, interactions with, and feedback to students.

Our focus here is on student feedback and how that can contribute to their success, broadly defined, which includes both meeting academic milestones, and mental health and well-being. We use the term feedback here to refer, quite broadly, to a number of linguistic interactions with students which might be verbal or written, delivered synchronously or asynchronously. Because, when we really consider all of our interactions with students, many of them are feedback-like without being tied to an assessment or improving their work (i.e., providing them with a way to gauge how they’re doing in this role of student which they fulfil on our campuses). For example, we may provide advice on study strategies or balancing their out-of-class obligations with their studies, or other advising conversations which could be included under the umbrella term of feedback. Similarly, faculty feedback can serve as intervention strategies to adjust student behaviors if they are struggling with their course work and/or the overall transition process.

Applications

Foster Early Communication and Connection

Starting the semester with a sense of community, building rapport between students and instructor as well as among students is important. One way to build this is to encourage students to post an introduction on the learning management system (LMS) with a photo and a “hidden fact” (e.g., they have an interesting family situation such as many siblings, an identical twin, etc., they work in a unique place, their hometown is far away, etc.). In response to these posts, I always ask a genuinely curious question (“What breed of dog is that?” or “Do you still play/have you always played that position in hockey?”). The purpose of these follow-up questions is twofold. First, genuine curiosity conveys interest and can foster open communication in building individual relationships with students. Second, that feedback on their introduction can also serve to highlight areas of the introduction where students could have been clearer and might improve future writing skills without seeming overtly critical.

Reimagine Office Hours

Another early-semester intervention relates to office hours. Attending office hours is beneficial to students and helps them connect with their professor. We can “force” students to attend (required for credit or bonus point or only strongly encouraged) by framing it as a get-to-know-you opportunity. I had a colleague who called it “Tea with Me” and, although it was not required (nor did it involve tea), students enjoyed engaging with their instructor in this informal manner (the optional nature of the activity was also intentionally not made explicit when students were sent a link to register for “tea” time during the first two weeks of the semester).

Additionally, “office hours” is not really the most inviting or descriptive label for this valuable time where faculty are available for students, so these can be re-named to be more explicit about what the purpose of office hours are or to make them more inviting to students. A quick request to your favorite generative AI tool might propose new names such as Brain Breaks & Beverages; Curiosity Café; Study & Support Session; Curiosity Hour; Prof Pop-Ins; Connect & Reflect; Recharge & Reach Out; Growth Hour, along with many clever personalized alliterations.

As a bonus tip, students don’t always know where our offices are, so offering a bonus point for taking a selfie at our office door may also encourage them to find it and possibly stop by while we’re there. Anecdotally, some first-generation students, who were unfamiliar with academic culture, mistakenly assumed “office hours” were designated times that the faculty member was not available, as these hours were set aside for specific tasks, such as research or grading. Emphasizing that these hours are “open door” policy for students may clarify the purpose of these designated times and encourage them to use these hours for their benefit.

Use Feedback to Build Rapport

When grading assignments and providing students with the traditional content-related feedback about their mastery and performance, you can also use this opportunity for feedback to build rapport with students. For example, you might include information they previously shared with you in person (about their dog, their work, their future aspirations, etc.) in your text where you can, even if it takes the form of an emoji (e.g., a dog to accompany the grading rubric or overall general comment). Using emojis in our feedback may also help make us instructors seem more relatable and approachable to students and make the positive feedback we provide seem less formal.

Maintain Regular Communication

Regular communication/touch points can play an important part in supporting students, such as personalized LMS announcements (using replace strings to personalize students’ names) or emails about class attendance or performance. As Chapman and Kennette (2021) point out, regular positive communication, for both struggling students as well as those who are successful, is important. Some of this work can be automated (e.g., using intelligent agents in the Brightspace LMS), individual (sending each student a personalized email at certain points in the semester), or semi-automated with batch emails sent to students based on some performance measure (e.g., midterm emails for low-performing, acceptable performance, and good-performing students). If using batch emails, remember to BCC students for privacy.

Conclusion

Building additional touchpoints with students can help them to succeed academically as well as support their mental health and wellness. Faculty are encouraged to consider implementing some of the examples above to build additional support for students by way of their interactions and feedback as a method of community building and supporting a culture of collaborative learning.

Lynne N. Kennette is a professor of psychology at Durham College (Oshawa, Ontario). She earned her Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) and has varied research interests including bilingual language representation, memory, supporting student learning, and numerous other topics related to teaching and learning (SoTL).

Phoebe S. Jen Lin obtained her PhD in social psychology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She has conducted research on prejudice and stereotyping, attitude-behavior consistency, and role model influence. Her current scholarly interests are in anti-racism in higher education and inclusive teaching practices. She is currently a professor at Framingham State University.

References

Decker, D. M., Dona, D. P., & Christenson, S. L. (2007). Behaviorally at-risk African American students: The importance of student–teacher relationships for student outcomes. Journal of School Psychology, 45(1), 83-109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2006.09.004

Halawah, I. (2006). The impact of student-faculty informal interpersonal relationships on intellectual and personal development. College Student Journal, 40(3), 670–78.

Hartung, F.-M., Sproesser, G., & Renner, B. (2015). Being and feeling liked by others: How social inclusion impacts health. Psychology & Health, 30(9), 1103-1115. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2015.1031134

Kennette, L. N., & Chapman, M. (2021). Providing positive student feedback in an online environment. Academic Letters, Article 203. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL203

Mattanah, J. F., Brooks, L. J., Brand, B. L., Quimby, J. L., & Ayers, J. F. (2012). A social support intervention and academic achievement in college: Does perceived loneliness mediate the relationship? Journal of College Counseling, 15(1), 22-36. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1882.2012.00003.x

Micari, M., & Pazos, P. (2012). Connecting to the professor: Impact of the student-faculty relationship in a highly challenging course. College Teaching, 60(2), 41-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2011.627576

Pascarella, E. T. & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students. Jossey-Bass.

Thompson, M. D. (2001). Informal student-faculty interaction: Its relationship to educational gains in science and mathematics among community college students. Community College Review, 29(1), 35-57. https://doi.org/10.1177/009155210102900103

Woodside, B. M., Wong, E. H., & Wiest, D. J. (1999). The effect of student-faculty interaction on college students’ academic achievement and self concept. Education, 119(4), 730-730.

van der Zanden, P. J. A. C., Denessen, E., Cillessen, A. H. N., & Meijer, P. C. (2018). Domains and predictors of first-year student success: A systematic literature review. Educational Research Review, 23, 57-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.01.001

Walton, G. M., Logel, C., Peach, J. M., Spencer, S. J., & Zanna, M. P. (2015). Two brief interventions to mitigate a ”chilly climate” transform women’s experience, relationships, and achievement in engineering. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(2), 468-485. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037461

Welle, P. D., & Graf, H. M. (2011). Effective lifestyle habits and coping strategies for stress tolerance among college students. American Journal of Health Education, 42(2), 96-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2011.10599177

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January 14, 2026
Designing AI-Resistant Assignments in Educational Leadership Courses – Faculty Focus
When I began teaching graduate-level courses in educational leadership early in the COVID-19 pandemic, my classroom existed entirely online. I quickly learned that keeping students engaged through a screen required more than well-organized slides or polished lectures. It required activities, learning experiences, and assignments that drew students into authentic, applied work that connected theory to the real leadership challenges they would face. Since then, I have taught dozens of educational leadership courses, both online and in person, and I have seen the same pattern: the design of an assignment shapes not only what students submit, but how deeply they engage with the learning process. Now, with generative AI able to produce essays, summaries, and even comprehensive education plans in seconds, the stakes for assignment design have changed. If an assignment can be completed entirely by an AI tool without any meaningful student input, we risk undermining the very skills that matter most in leadership preparation.

Why AI-Resistant Assignments Matter

Some educators have begun using the term “AI-resistant assignments” to describe work that cannot be fully completed by a chatbot. These are not AI-proof, and I am not trying to exclude technology altogether. In fact, when used appropriately, AI can be a valuable support for brainstorming, organizing ideas, or refining language. But an AI-resistant assignment is one where the core of the work, including the evidence gathered, the decisions made, and the reflections offered, must come from the student’s own engagement with people, data, and context.

Other educators have reached similar conclusions. In a recent New York Times column, Grose (2025) profiled professors who are reimagining their courses to ensure students remain active participants in their own learning. The examples she shared came from the humanities, but the underlying lesson applies across fields: in an AI-integrated world, we have to create assignments that cannot be outsourced entirely to a machine. The University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.) offers strategies for making assignments more resistant to AI completion, such as requiring site-specific context, process documentation, and collaborative components.

Further underscoring the need for evidence, the AutomatED newsletter issued a public challenge to educators to submit assignments they believed were “AI-immune” and then tested them directly with AI tools (Clay, 2023). The results demonstrated that only by actively trialing assignments against AI, not just assuming immunity, can instructors be confident in their design choices.

These realities make it clear that designing assignments for leadership preparation cannot be left to chance. Educators need intentional strategies that not only account for AI’s capabilities but also reinforce the kinds of professional thinking and application AI cannot replicate. The following five principles offer a practical foundation for developing assignments that engage students deeply, foster leadership competencies, and ensure authentic performance.

Five Principles for AI-Resistant Assignments

From my own practice and from published guidance, I have developed five principles for AI-resistant assignments in leadership preparation:
1. Ground in authentic context – Require site-specific or scenario-specific evidence, incorporate the policy and community realities of schools, and engage peers or stakeholders in the process. This can include interactive formats such as presentations (recorded or live), simulations, debates, classroom observations with low-inference notes, analysis of instructional practice, interviews with stakeholders, or structured peer feedback sessions.
1. Connect theory to practice – Anchor assignments in leadership frameworks such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, Lencioni’s Organizational Health, or Kotter’s change model, and always include both application and contextualized reflection.
1. Make the learning process visible – Assess drafts and planning notes alongside final products, and encourage multimodal evidence such as charts, agendas, or observation notes.
1. Clarify the role of AI – Set explicit expectations for when AI can be used and when it cannot replace original, site-based analysis.
1. Center human presence (Saucier’s PEACE Framework) – Build assignments that highlight preparation, expertise, authenticity, care, and engagement — qualities that cannot be automated and remain central to effective teaching (Saucier, 2025). I make sure that my instructions are clear, grounded in tasks they will use in the field, and meaningful for them to complete in their future leadership positions.
Examples from Leadership Preparation

These principles translate into assignments that blend conceptual rigor with applied relevance:
- Community Introduction Town Hall – District leader candidates prepare and deliver a live presentation introducing themselves to the school community during an initial town hall meeting. The presentation includes school demographics, achievement data, community assets, and identified needs, and is followed by a brief Q&A. This assignment is explicitly aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) and requires candidates to connect their leadership vision to stakeholder priorities.
- Organizational Health Rubric and Evaluation – Students use research to build on Patrick Lencioni’s organizational health model to create a custom rubric tailored to the context of a school district. They then apply the rubric to conduct an assessment, gathering both qualitative and quantitative evidence, rating each dimension, and concluding with a prioritized set of recommendations for improvement.
- Clinical Internship Logs with Contextual Analysis and Showcase – Students maintain weekly logs documenting activities, decisions, and reflections from their clinical internship, ensuring each entry explicitly connects to course content and relevant standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). At the end of the course, they present a synthesis of their experiences in a live or recorded showcase, highlighting key takeaways, challenges addressed, and leadership growth.
- Practice Instructional Coaching Conversations – Prepare for and conduct a simulated coaching conversation using an observation or case scenario, applying a framework like Jim Knight’s Impact Cycle, followed by reflection on the exchange.
Implementation Strategies

When implementing these assignments, I sequence them so that simpler applications build into more complex, multi-stakeholder tasks, and I scaffold the skills of data collection, context analysis, and reflective practice. I apply UMass CTL’s transparency recommendations, making the purpose of each assignment explicit, clarifying AI use policies, and linking tasks directly to learning outcomes. I also keep the PEACE framework in mind in both my teaching and my assessment design.

Conclusion: Keeping Humans at the Center

AI-resistant assignment design not only maintains academic integrity; it prepares leadership candidates for the realities of their profession. They practice making decisions with incomplete information, balancing competing interests, and communicating effectively with stakeholders, all in contexts where AI can be a partner but never the whole answer. By aligning these assignments with standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and the National Educational Leadership Preparation standards, we ensure graduates leave with the judgment, adaptability, and human skills their roles demand. In an age when AI can produce passable work in seconds, including comprehensive education plans, the temptation for both students and instructors is to let the machine take the lead. But leadership is not about producing text; it is about guiding people and systems toward a shared vision. As Grose (2025) observed, the most enduring learning happens when students must engage with real people and real problems. If we want to prepare leaders who can thrive, we must ensure that every leadership course includes at least one AI-resistant assignment, not as a constraint, but as a commitment to developing the human capacities that no algorithm can replace.

Andy Szeto, EdD, is an adjunct professor in educational leadership with experience teaching more than fifty graduate-level courses. He specializes in instructional leadership, school management, and AI integration in school leadership preparation, drawing from his professional background as a district leader and his ongoing work mentoring emerging school leaders.

References

Clay, G. (2023, April 3). Believe your assignment is AI-immune? Let’s put it to the test. AutomatED: Teaching Better with Tech. https://automatedteach.com/p/believe-assignment-aiimmune-lets-put-test

Grose, J. (2025, August 6). These college professors will not bow down to A.I. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/06/opinion/humanities-college-ai.html

Saucier, L. (2025, May 12). What can college instructors offer their students in the age of AI? Faculty Focus. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/what-can-college-instructors-offer-their-students-in-the-age-of-ai/

University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). How do I redesign assignments and assessments for an AI-impacted world? Retrieved August 9, 2025, from https://www.umass.edu/ctl/how-do-i-redesign-assignments-and-assessments-ai-impacted-world
Source link
January 12, 2026
Designing AI-Resistant Assignments in Educational Leadership Courses – Faculty Focus
When I began teaching graduate-level courses in educational leadership early in the COVID-19 pandemic, my classroom existed entirely online. I quickly learned that keeping students engaged through a screen required more than well-organized slides or polished lectures. It required activities, learning experiences, and assignments that drew students into authentic, applied work that connected theory to the real leadership challenges they would face. Since then, I have taught dozens of educational leadership courses, both online and in person, and I have seen the same pattern: the design of an assignment shapes not only what students submit, but how deeply they engage with the learning process. Now, with generative AI able to produce essays, summaries, and even comprehensive education plans in seconds, the stakes for assignment design have changed. If an assignment can be completed entirely by an AI tool without any meaningful student input, we risk undermining the very skills that matter most in leadership preparation.

Why AI-Resistant Assignments Matter

Some educators have begun using the term “AI-resistant assignments” to describe work that cannot be fully completed by a chatbot. These are not AI-proof, and I am not trying to exclude technology altogether. In fact, when used appropriately, AI can be a valuable support for brainstorming, organizing ideas, or refining language. But an AI-resistant assignment is one where the core of the work, including the evidence gathered, the decisions made, and the reflections offered, must come from the student’s own engagement with people, data, and context.

Other educators have reached similar conclusions. In a recent New York Times column, Grose (2025) profiled professors who are reimagining their courses to ensure students remain active participants in their own learning. The examples she shared came from the humanities, but the underlying lesson applies across fields: in an AI-integrated world, we have to create assignments that cannot be outsourced entirely to a machine. The University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.) offers strategies for making assignments more resistant to AI completion, such as requiring site-specific context, process documentation, and collaborative components.

Further underscoring the need for evidence, the AutomatED newsletter issued a public challenge to educators to submit assignments they believed were “AI-immune” and then tested them directly with AI tools (Clay, 2023). The results demonstrated that only by actively trialing assignments against AI, not just assuming immunity, can instructors be confident in their design choices.

These realities make it clear that designing assignments for leadership preparation cannot be left to chance. Educators need intentional strategies that not only account for AI’s capabilities but also reinforce the kinds of professional thinking and application AI cannot replicate. The following five principles offer a practical foundation for developing assignments that engage students deeply, foster leadership competencies, and ensure authentic performance.

Five Principles for AI-Resistant Assignments

From my own practice and from published guidance, I have developed five principles for AI-resistant assignments in leadership preparation:
1. Ground in authentic context – Require site-specific or scenario-specific evidence, incorporate the policy and community realities of schools, and engage peers or stakeholders in the process. This can include interactive formats such as presentations (recorded or live), simulations, debates, classroom observations with low-inference notes, analysis of instructional practice, interviews with stakeholders, or structured peer feedback sessions.
1. Connect theory to practice – Anchor assignments in leadership frameworks such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, Lencioni’s Organizational Health, or Kotter’s change model, and always include both application and contextualized reflection.
1. Make the learning process visible – Assess drafts and planning notes alongside final products, and encourage multimodal evidence such as charts, agendas, or observation notes.
1. Clarify the role of AI – Set explicit expectations for when AI can be used and when it cannot replace original, site-based analysis.
1. Center human presence (Saucier’s PEACE Framework) – Build assignments that highlight preparation, expertise, authenticity, care, and engagement — qualities that cannot be automated and remain central to effective teaching (Saucier, 2025). I make sure that my instructions are clear, grounded in tasks they will use in the field, and meaningful for them to complete in their future leadership positions.
Examples from Leadership Preparation

These principles translate into assignments that blend conceptual rigor with applied relevance:
- Community Introduction Town Hall – District leader candidates prepare and deliver a live presentation introducing themselves to the school community during an initial town hall meeting. The presentation includes school demographics, achievement data, community assets, and identified needs, and is followed by a brief Q&A. This assignment is explicitly aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) and requires candidates to connect their leadership vision to stakeholder priorities.
- Organizational Health Rubric and Evaluation – Students use research to build on Patrick Lencioni’s organizational health model to create a custom rubric tailored to the context of a school district. They then apply the rubric to conduct an assessment, gathering both qualitative and quantitative evidence, rating each dimension, and concluding with a prioritized set of recommendations for improvement.
- Clinical Internship Logs with Contextual Analysis and Showcase – Students maintain weekly logs documenting activities, decisions, and reflections from their clinical internship, ensuring each entry explicitly connects to course content and relevant standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). At the end of the course, they present a synthesis of their experiences in a live or recorded showcase, highlighting key takeaways, challenges addressed, and leadership growth.
- Practice Instructional Coaching Conversations – Prepare for and conduct a simulated coaching conversation using an observation or case scenario, applying a framework like Jim Knight’s Impact Cycle, followed by reflection on the exchange.
Implementation Strategies

When implementing these assignments, I sequence them so that simpler applications build into more complex, multi-stakeholder tasks, and I scaffold the skills of data collection, context analysis, and reflective practice. I apply UMass CTL’s transparency recommendations, making the purpose of each assignment explicit, clarifying AI use policies, and linking tasks directly to learning outcomes. I also keep the PEACE framework in mind in both my teaching and my assessment design.

Conclusion: Keeping Humans at the Center

AI-resistant assignment design not only maintains academic integrity; it prepares leadership candidates for the realities of their profession. They practice making decisions with incomplete information, balancing competing interests, and communicating effectively with stakeholders, all in contexts where AI can be a partner but never the whole answer. By aligning these assignments with standards such as the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and the National Educational Leadership Preparation standards, we ensure graduates leave with the judgment, adaptability, and human skills their roles demand. In an age when AI can produce passable work in seconds, including comprehensive education plans, the temptation for both students and instructors is to let the machine take the lead. But leadership is not about producing text; it is about guiding people and systems toward a shared vision. As Grose (2025) observed, the most enduring learning happens when students must engage with real people and real problems. If we want to prepare leaders who can thrive, we must ensure that every leadership course includes at least one AI-resistant assignment, not as a constraint, but as a commitment to developing the human capacities that no algorithm can replace.

Andy Szeto, EdD, is an adjunct professor in educational leadership with experience teaching more than fifty graduate-level courses. He specializes in instructional leadership, school management, and AI integration in school leadership preparation, drawing from his professional background as a district leader and his ongoing work mentoring emerging school leaders.

References

Clay, G. (2023, April 3). Believe your assignment is AI-immune? Let’s put it to the test. AutomatED: Teaching Better with Tech. https://automatedteach.com/p/believe-assignment-aiimmune-lets-put-test

Grose, J. (2025, August 6). These college professors will not bow down to A.I. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/06/opinion/humanities-college-ai.html

Saucier, L. (2025, May 12). What can college instructors offer their students in the age of AI? Faculty Focus. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/what-can-college-instructors-offer-their-students-in-the-age-of-ai/

University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). How do I redesign assignments and assessments for an AI-impacted world? Retrieved August 9, 2025, from https://www.umass.edu/ctl/how-do-i-redesign-assignments-and-assessments-ai-impacted-world
Source link
January 12, 2026
“Say My Name, Say My Name”: Why Learning Names Improves Student Success – Faculty Focus

“Yes, Iris,” my Chicana/o Studies Professor spouted as he acknowledged my raised hand for a comment about the reading. “He knows my name?” I thought distractedly as I tried to refocus on the thought I had wanted to share. Attending a university with over 20,000 students, and class sizes often ranging from 200 to 600 students, I wasn’t used to my professors knowing me by name. I wasn’t used to my professor even knowing I existed aside from a percentage in a gradebook. I sat up a little taller in class, became more attentive, and sought to improve my writing skills over the quarter. Could the simple act of an educator knowing their student’s name change the trajectory of the student’s learning and perhaps their overall perception of the course? Research suggests yes.

In a study conducted by Cooper et al. (2017), 85.4% of the students surveyed stated that it was important for their instructors to know their names. When asked why this was important, the most common replies centered on feeling valued. The results also indicated that students whose names were known were more likely to seek help from the instructor and that they felt more invested in the course. What this tells us is that by using a student’s name, we are validating their existence and contribution to the class, and in turn, they feel more invested and motivated to do well or to seek help.

Now that we know learning students’ names is a simple yet powerful tool for building rapport and improving learning outcomes, how exactly do we remember all their names?

1. Name Tents

Yes, those little folded pieces of cardstock with a person’s name written on them. These can be your golden ticket to calling a student by name and, hopefully, in the process, eventually committing it to memory. Interestingly enough, some research suggests that a percentage of students with name tents perceive that their name is known by the teacher when in fact, it is not. Ergo, simply calling on a student by name using their name tent as an aid can improve the student’s perception of how much a teacher cares (Cooper et al., 2017). So, ask your students to bust out those markers and glitter and get creative.

2. Self-Quizzing

When we discuss evidence-based practices that enhance the learning and retention of materials taught, we inevitably emphasize the importance of self-quizzing. Well, now is your time to put all that teaching into practice. Most schools will have a student photo associated with the student on their learning platform. Use this as a tool to quiz yourself by covering up the student’s name when looking at their photo and trying to guess their name. Practice, practice, practice.

3. Chunking

If your students sit in rows, use the time before class or during breaks to go through one row of students’ names. Do this each class time. Breaking up the number of names you need to commit to memory into chunks of 7-9 students increases your likelihood of storing that information as short-term memory with the hopes that it transfers to long-term memory (“How Memory Works,” n.d.).

4. Get Creative

Create an assignment at the beginning of the course where students upload creative content about their name to their learning platform. This can take the form of visual art, video, audio, or writing, allowing them to express their name and, if they choose, share its meaning or a personal story related to it. Make this content available to their fellow students as well by posting it to a forum or discussion board, as this can be a helpful tool for students to learn their classmates’ names.

Conclusion

While there are many methods for improving student engagement and building rapport, learning students’ names is a great way to start. Some practical tools for learning names can simplify this process and reduce the cognitive load on faculty. The results are typically mutually beneficial, with students feeling appreciated and thereby contributing more, and faculty gaining insight into students’ perspectives and having “buy-in” of course content and assignments.

Iris Villanueva, DMSc, PA-C, is a Professor for the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at the University of the Pacific and a practicing PA. She is passionate about providing holistic and compassionate patient care while also equipping the next generation of PAs with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive. Her current research focuses on understanding how physician assistant students perceive burnout and on developing strategies that promote student wellness.

Dr. Julia VanderMolen is a Professor for the Public Health program at Grand Valley State University and a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor with the University of the Pacific, School of Health Sciences. Her research examines the benefits of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities in public health. She serves as a board member of the Disability Advocates of Kent County and is an active member of the Disability Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Her current research focuses on exploring the health and medical services available to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

References

Cooper, K., Haney, B., Krieg, A., & Brownell, S.E. (2017). What’s in a name? The importance of students perceiving that an instructor knows their names in a high-enrollment biology classroom. CBE life sciences education, 16(1), ar8. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.16-08-0265

Derek Bok Center, Harvard University (n.d.). How Memory Works. https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/how-memory-works (Access the article here: https://www.scribd.com/document/700827279/how-memory-works)

Source link

January 9, 2026
“Say My Name, Say My Name”: Why Learning Names Improves Student Success – Faculty Focus

“Yes, Iris,” my Chicana/o Studies Professor spouted as he acknowledged my raised hand for a comment about the reading. “He knows my name?” I thought distractedly as I tried to refocus on the thought I had wanted to share. Attending a university with over 20,000 students, and class sizes often ranging from 200 to 600 students, I wasn’t used to my professors knowing me by name. I wasn’t used to my professor even knowing I existed aside from a percentage in a gradebook. I sat up a little taller in class, became more attentive, and sought to improve my writing skills over the quarter. Could the simple act of an educator knowing their student’s name change the trajectory of the student’s learning and perhaps their overall perception of the course? Research suggests yes.

In a study conducted by Cooper et al. (2017), 85.4% of the students surveyed stated that it was important for their instructors to know their names. When asked why this was important, the most common replies centered on feeling valued. The results also indicated that students whose names were known were more likely to seek help from the instructor and that they felt more invested in the course. What this tells us is that by using a student’s name, we are validating their existence and contribution to the class, and in turn, they feel more invested and motivated to do well or to seek help.

Now that we know learning students’ names is a simple yet powerful tool for building rapport and improving learning outcomes, how exactly do we remember all their names?

1. Name Tents

Yes, those little folded pieces of cardstock with a person’s name written on them. These can be your golden ticket to calling a student by name and, hopefully, in the process, eventually committing it to memory. Interestingly enough, some research suggests that a percentage of students with name tents perceive that their name is known by the teacher when in fact, it is not. Ergo, simply calling on a student by name using their name tent as an aid can improve the student’s perception of how much a teacher cares (Cooper et al., 2017). So, ask your students to bust out those markers and glitter and get creative.

2. Self-Quizzing

When we discuss evidence-based practices that enhance the learning and retention of materials taught, we inevitably emphasize the importance of self-quizzing. Well, now is your time to put all that teaching into practice. Most schools will have a student photo associated with the student on their learning platform. Use this as a tool to quiz yourself by covering up the student’s name when looking at their photo and trying to guess their name. Practice, practice, practice.

3. Chunking

If your students sit in rows, use the time before class or during breaks to go through one row of students’ names. Do this each class time. Breaking up the number of names you need to commit to memory into chunks of 7-9 students increases your likelihood of storing that information as short-term memory with the hopes that it transfers to long-term memory (“How Memory Works,” n.d.).

4. Get Creative

Create an assignment at the beginning of the course where students upload creative content about their name to their learning platform. This can take the form of visual art, video, audio, or writing, allowing them to express their name and, if they choose, share its meaning or a personal story related to it. Make this content available to their fellow students as well by posting it to a forum or discussion board, as this can be a helpful tool for students to learn their classmates’ names.

Conclusion

While there are many methods for improving student engagement and building rapport, learning students’ names is a great way to start. Some practical tools for learning names can simplify this process and reduce the cognitive load on faculty. The results are typically mutually beneficial, with students feeling appreciated and thereby contributing more, and faculty gaining insight into students’ perspectives and having “buy-in” of course content and assignments.

Iris Villanueva, DMSc, PA-C, is a Professor for the Physician Assistant (PA) Program at the University of the Pacific and a practicing PA. She is passionate about providing holistic and compassionate patient care while also equipping the next generation of PAs with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive. Her current research focuses on understanding how physician assistant students perceive burnout and on developing strategies that promote student wellness.

Dr. Julia VanderMolen is a Professor for the Public Health program at Grand Valley State University and a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor with the University of the Pacific, School of Health Sciences. Her research examines the benefits of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities in public health. She serves as a board member of the Disability Advocates of Kent County and is an active member of the Disability Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Her current research focuses on exploring the health and medical services available to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

References

Cooper, K., Haney, B., Krieg, A., & Brownell, S.E. (2017). What’s in a name? The importance of students perceiving that an instructor knows their names in a high-enrollment biology classroom. CBE life sciences education, 16(1), ar8. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.16-08-0265

Derek Bok Center, Harvard University (n.d.). How Memory Works. https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/how-memory-works (Access the article here: https://www.scribd.com/document/700827279/how-memory-works)

Source link

January 9, 2026
Scaffolding for Success in a Crash Course – Faculty Focus

As the lead professor for a clinical crash course with 50 students, 16 weeks to cover almost every bone in the body and limited machinery, it is important for my students to be self-directed learners. “Self-directed learning can be defined as the outcome of creating an experience that empowers learners to make decisions about the information they want to become proficient in” (Robinson et al, 2020). The difficulty with teaching undergraduate students, whose ages range from 18 to 47 years old is that self-directed learning may be perceived as me not wanting to put in more effort to teach the students. Still, given the volume of information covered in the course and the number of students, it is inevitable that students will need to engage in self-directed learning and learn how to effectively utilize the resources at their disposal to succeed in the course.

So, how do I properly prepare these students to effectively utilize their resources, especially since many are first-time students? I use scaffolding and repetition while being cautious of unconscious bias.

Scaffolding and How to Use it in Your Classroom

“Scaffolding is a classroom teaching technique in which instructors deliver lessons in distinct segments, providing less and less support as students master new concepts or material. Much like scaffolding on a building, this technique is meant to provide students with a framework for learning as they build and strengthen their understanding” (Nance, 2022). In the context of Radiologic Technology education, the foundation of learning positioning is understanding medical terminology and human anatomy.

In the first week, I provide PowerPoint slides. Using those slides, I lecture on medical terminology and important anatomical terms that will be used for the rest of the semester and during their time as working technologists. From that point, I begin teaching body part by body part each week moving forward, utilizing and emphasizing the use of medical terminology. After revising the course and teaching this class for three years, it is a fact that some students understand the material right away, some need more time, and some require significant guidance. The average time that it takes most students to begin understanding the time commitment to learn this much material and be successful is around week 7 of the 16 week course. At that point, I encourage the student’s independence in finding resources outside of the course to help them succeed, such as YouTube and radiography websites. I continue to make myself available for them, but the expectations for the course are well understood at this point, and students know what resources are available to them to help them succeed. This allows me to give less instruction and less intervention, thus successfully applying the method of scaffolding.

First Week Steps

In the first week, I give the students a foundation of knowledge and help them become familiar with the class by setting expectations of the knowledge they need to acquire each week and the positioning and critical thinking skills they must possess. Depending on the class, between week five and seven, I begin stepping back and allowing the students to become more independent since they know the expectations of the class and the knowledge and skills they need to possess or develop. This is how I utilize scaffolding in my classroom.

Repetition

“When stimuli are learned by repetition, they are remembered better and retained for a longer time” (Zhan et al, 2018). Repetition is not solely asking the same question over and over again. It is asking the same question or reviewing the same concept while utilizing various methods or verbiage so students not only remember the answer but understand the concept. When giving directions, it is essential to repeat the directions so students follow them. When teaching a concept, it is essential to repeat the same question in different ways to promote understanding and memorization of that concept. In my course, students learn anatomical planes. When teaching the midsagittal plane, I ask students questions about the midsagittal plane, how it may relate to the image receptor on a posteroanterior (PA) chest x-ray, how it may relate to the image receptor on a lateral chest x-ray, what the difference is between the midcoronal and midsagittal plane, and more. These are different methods of asking the same question to ensure they fully understand the concept and how it relates to the positioning.

The Importance of Understanding Unconscious Bias

“Unconscious biases (also known as implicit biases) are involuntary stereotypes or attitudes held about certain groups of people that may influence our behaviors, understandings, and actions, often with unintended detrimental consequences” (Ogunleye, 2022). As a higher education teacher, there is a level of professionalism, etiquette, and understanding that I believe students had when I was in college and that I believe students should have. It is important to understand that not all students come from the same background or were afforded the same luxuries of education and that as instructors, it is our duty to instruct our students to the level we believe they should be at or to help them obtain the resources that will help them achieve the level that college students who are successful in this program should be at. In this case, we can provide more guidance and support at the beginning of their education journey, then slowly scale back as they reach the level, also utilizing the concept of scaffolding.

Dr. Ryan Gregory Garcia is a Radiologic Technology Instructor at Cypress College and a Radiologic Technologist at an orthopedic clinic. Dr. Garcia is an active member of the Association of Educators in Imaging and Radiologic Sciences (AEIRS) and is passionate about improving the quality of didactic and clinical education in the radiologic sciences field.

References

Adam Nance. (2022). 7 scaffolding learning strategies for the classroom. University of San Diego – Professional & Continuing Education. https://pce.sandiego.edu/scaffolding-in-education-examples/

Ogunleye, T. A. (2022). Unconscious Bias. Dermatologic Clinics, 41(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2022.08.003

Robinson, J. D., & Persky, A. M. (2020). Developing self-directed learners. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 84(3), 847512.

‌Zhan, L., Guo, D., Chen, G., & Yang, J. (2018). Effects of Repetition Learning on Associative Recognition Over Time: Role of the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12(1).

Source link

January 7, 2026
Ten Tiny Experiments to Ease Burnout for Educators – Faculty Focus
I am busy, stressed, perhaps feeling the first prickles of burnout. I feel tension may be getting between me and my students, colleagues, family, and others I care about. I feel that my mind is out of my control, going down rabbit holes, ruminating on the past or stressing about the future. How do I dip my toe into mindfulness, to see if it could work for me, so I can be better for myself and others?

However, my plate is full: I do not have the capacity to take on any new things. So any suggestions must not take much time.

Also, I have never been a fan of the self-help industry and not sure I am such a spiritual person. I am just not interested in woo-woo. Finally, I am not really convinced there’s anything wrong with me that needs to be fixed.

I have heard that mindfulness may be able to help with runaway thoughts and the associated stress, anxiety, and burnout. How can I dip my toe in those calm waters in a way that satisfies all my concerns?

First, you are not alone. People in the helping professions: teachers, counselors, aides, advisors, and others, need help. Stress, anxiety, and burn-out remain at unsustainable levels. People in these professions are especially at risk because they must help others address their own stressors, anxieties, and fears to do their jobs. Failure to do this effectively and consistently means the teacher does not teach, advisors do not advise, and so on. It can also mean that professionals internalize their clients’ challenges, creating a vicious circle. Burnout—a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion, social detachment, and reduced self-confidence —can result from excessive workload and chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been effectively managed. This stress often stems from lacking both the necessary tools and authority to perform our jobs well and achieve meaningful goals. Can mindfulness help?

The scientific literature supports the notion that mindfulness practice, defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn as “Awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally and with acceptance” can reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout. For example, a 2024 meta-analysis of 49 studies found that two-thirds of mindfulness based interventions reduced the effects of burnout, especially emotional exhaustion.

However, intention matters. Perhaps there really is nothing to fix; no self to improve. People should practice mindfulness not to reduce stress or anxiety or to sleep better, but a good thing to do for its own sake. Tightly focusing on goals like these can make them recede because such goals emphasize the gap between where we are and where we want to be, heightening our dissatisfaction with the present. It also reinforces the falsehood that there’s something wrong with us.

“When you try to stay on the surface of the water, you sink; but when you try to sink, you float.” — Alan Watts

On the contrary, mindfulness is about being open and aware of the present moment, without judgment. While we’re defining terms, meditation refers to the many practices and ways of being deliberately mindful with intention, concentration, and compassion. It can occur sitting down, walking, doing certain tasks, or in moments between tasks.

The best reason to practice is not for self-improvement. It is because it is literally the most human thing we can do. Imagine asking an AI to be mindful for us or for itself. Mindful moments are when we are our best, truest selves, when we experience our connection with the world around us. Ideally, it will make us happier and better for others, but this is not the reason to do it, not least because everyone’s experience is different.

To get started, just experiment. Play around with different techniques, practices, and ideas and see what works for you. Try an experiment from the list below for a minute or two, while you change tasks or locations, so they don’t take away time from other to-dos. (Place a sticky-note reminder on your desk.) Every time you do one of these, give yourself a figurative pat on the back.

Here are ten tiny mindfulness experiments that anyone can do without any practice or instruction:
1. Just notice things as you go about your day. Experience novelty in the quotidian.
1. Breathe deliberately and deeply. Experience all of the different sensations that you can, without judgment.
1. Scan the body from head to toe. Experience all the different sensations that arise, without labels.
1. When working with students or others, see if you can relax the focus on the self when it appears. Turn off self-view on Zoom calls.
1. Let yourself feel connection with and compassion for others, even for those you don’t naturally feel positive about. Experience this in the body, not just cognitively.
1. Be aware of the thoughts that come and go in your consciousness, without you having to do anything about them. Hear unconstructive thoughts in a silly voice (I use Daffy Duck.)
1. When eating, for one piece of food, slow down to one-tenth your normal speed and experience all of the sights, sounds, and sensation of eating it.
1. The next time an unwanted sensation or thought occurs, relax the impulse to resist it. Instead, try RAIN: Recognize the sensation; Accept it; Investigate it (i.e. learn from it); and Nurture yourself.
1. Look at your feet. Slowly scan up the body. What is present when you attempt to look above the chest? What happens when you look for the looker? (This is a way to loosen the hold of our ego and relax.)
1. Take a day off from non-essential smartphone notifications and social media. Reflect on the effects.
You will notice as you try these activities that the mind will wander. That is natural and to be welcomed. The point of being mindful isn’t to eliminate thoughts, but rather to build a practice of returning to the object of attention when you want to, so that you don’t remain in the dreamlike state of being lost in thought.

You will also notice how everything you experience changes on its own. Many of the ideas and sensations you experience you don’t have to do anything about, they just come and go on their own. You may even notice that ideas and sensations themselves don’t come packaged with good/bad judgements: we just tend to automatically and mindlessly layer those on ourselves. Experiment with just being with experiences, pleasant or otherwise, and seeing what that’s like.

Where to go from there? There are many organizations, podcasts, and apps to try (I like Waking Up for its variety of teachers, learning opportunities, and guided meditations). Consider setting a time every day for a short “sit”, for example, as part of your morning routine. I have found mindful practice an excellent supplement to other kinds of self-care including psychotherapy. Consider also working with a therapist on issues relating to stress, anxiety, and similar challenges. Finally, invite a friend or loved one to join you in these experiments. Sharing can make the experiences more fun, meaningful, and help you to persist.

To be sure, reducing stress and burnout it’s not only up to us as individuals. As employees, labor union members and voters, we must also advocate for employer and government policies that support safer, more sustainable working and living environments. Excessive workloads, lack of autonomy, poor labor relations, job insecurity, and low pay may all contribute to chronic stress and burnout. Managers and policymakers must address these issues even as they support worker mindfulness and self-care.

In sum, mindfulness need not be time consuming, woo-woo, unscientific, or frustrating. Be playful and experimental about it. Try some of the activities above during the interstices of your day. Over time, you will see what works for you and create habits and rituals that make them more automatic. The Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron argues that over time, as life gets smoother, we build capacity to “move closer” to help people in need. Isn’t this what all of us in the helping professions need?

Note: The above reflects my personal opinion only and may not reflect the views or position of CUNY or BMCC.

Brett Whysel is a lecturer in finance and decision-making at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY, where he integrates mindfulness, behavioral science, generative AI, and career readiness into his teaching. He has written for Faculty Focus, Forbes, and The Decision Lab. He is also the co-founder of Decision Fish LLC, where he develops tools to support financial wellness and housing counselors. He regularly presents on mindfulness and metacognition in the classroom and is the author of the Effortless Mindfulness Toolkit, an open resource for educators published on CUNY Academic Works. Prior to teaching, he spent nearly 30 years in investment banking. He holds an M.A. in Philosophy from Columbia University and a B.S. in Managerial Economics and French from Carnegie Mellon University.

References

Brach, T. (2024). RAIN: Recognize, allow, investigate, nurture. Retrieved October 2, 2025, from https://www.tarabrach.com/rain/

Chödrön, P., & Kullander, J. (2022, July 17). Turning toward pain: An interview with Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön. Beliefnet. https://www.beliefnet.com/wellness/health/physical-health/pain-management/turning-toward-pain.aspx

Ford, B. Q., & Mauss, I. B. (2014). The paradoxical effects of pursuing positive emotion: When and why wanting to feel happy backfires. In J. Gruber & J. T. Moskowitz (Eds.), Positive emotion: Integrating the light sides and dark sides. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199926725.003.0020

Langer, E. J. (2023). The mindful body: Thinking our way to chronic health. Ballantine Books.

Steiner, E. D., Levine, P. R., Doan, S., & Woo, A. (2025). Teacher well-being, pay, and intentions to leave in 2025: Findings from the State of the American Teacher Survey (RR-A1108-16). RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1108-16.html

Watts, A. W. (1951). The wisdom of insecurity: A message for an age of anxiety (p. 40). Pantheon Books.
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January 5, 2026