Teaching Resources
We understand that even the most confident subject matter experts find teaching to be complex and challenging at times. Whether you're interested in pursuing efficient and innovative approaches to teaching, or just need some quick ideas on how to better engage your students, our articles and links provide practical knowledge and best practices you can use to enhance your teaching and improve your students' learning.
Preparing to Teach
Welcome Instructors!
Whether you are brand new to WMU or to teaching or are a seasoned professional, we have checklists to support you as you prepare to engage with teaching and learning as an instructor at WMU. These lists are written to help you remember the smaller items or tasks you may only do once or twice a year. Our Semester To Do Checklist is designed to offer instructors a guide and links to support for getting course(s) prepared for the semester start, supporting learners through the midterm, closing out the gradebook at the end of the semester, and planning for future iterations of the course. Wherever you are on your journey, welcome.
Teaching Guides
These guides were created to support you in the design, delivery, and development of your courses and learning experiences. Whether you are looking for functional course design, switching instructional modalities, or focusing on inclusive practices, we have guides, and one on one support available to you.
Functional Course Design
This guide is designed to support WMU instructors in the design and development of courses for all modalities, helping them to create learning experiences that meet instructional goals and outcomes, encourage interaction between the learner and instructor, and allow for learner-self directedness. The guide is also explicitly designed to help instructors leverage Elearning (WMU’s online learning management system) tools to create a navigable, accessible, and supportive learning experience.
Connecting Research to the Classroom
Our WMU faculty are continuously conducting research and sharing their experiences, check out how they have connected their research to the classroom.
Faculty Spotlights
Our faculty spotlights dive into the innovative projects, ideas, and strategies our professors use to engage students and enhance their courses. Whether you're looking for new techniques to energize your teaching or are simply curious about our faculty's research interests and specialties, we hope you find inspiration and useful knowledge in these profiles.
Developing or Redeveloping a Course
A successful course depends on thoughtful planning. Whether you are a new professor, creating a course from scratch, or want to improve an existing course, our team is here to support you with resources and one-on-one consultations.
How We Work with Instructors
Working with an instructional designer varies from person to person, but the team does follow a similar process to support course design.
Course Development Process
The WMU course development process is guided by the WMU Elearning, accreditation, and state and national standards. Follow the link for information on this more formal course design process.
Creating Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experiences
Looking to ensure your courses are created to invite students into the learning space from the start? Check out some of our resources and please contact the team for more support.
Creating Engaging Learning Experiences
Looking for ways to transform the learning experience for your students? Check out some ways to design your course and the supporting materials with student and instructor engagement in mind.
Assessing Learning and Providing Feedback
Assessment not only gives us insight into how much our students understand but also allows us to measure our course objectives. It helps us answer the question, "How do I know my students know, understand, and are able to do what I set out for the course?" and provides valuable feedback on areas we may want to review or revise. This section provides resources for exploring new assessment approaches, templates, and ideas for reflection and provides ways to ensure there are feedback loops in place, so students and instructors are informed throughout the learning process.
