Vawn Himmelsbach

Teaching Strategies

How to Properly Implement Digital Textbooks in Your Classroom

While digital textbooks are increasingly making their way into classrooms, they require a new approach to teaching and learning—for both…

Student Engagement

11 Ideas For Boosting Classroom Attendance

We know from studies—and the wisdom that comes with experience—that attending class leads to improved student outcomes. And yet, it’s…

Faculty Development

How To Incorporate Midterm Course Evaluations

Students may be busy preparing for midterms, but this time of year is also an opportunity to take a pause by carrying out a midterm course…

Education Technology

4 Emerging Education Technology Trends to Watch

Education and technology have always developed hand-in-hand—and technology has always informed the way we educate. But we are far from the…

New to Teaching

6 Ways Professors Can Combat Cheating in the Classroom

From incorporating open-book testing, to utilizing secure online assessment technology, there are a number of ways professors can prevent…

Agile Classroom

If Your Textbook Is Only Used for Readings, You’re Doing It Wrong

As any linguistics expert will tell you, words can last a lot longer than the technology they describe. A steamroller doesn’t use steam…

Student Engagement

73% of Colleges Are Planning Active Learning Classrooms by 2020

Students are changing—which means courses must start changing too

Education Technology

Technology in the Classroom in 2019: 6 Pros & Cons

For professors, new technology can be a fantastic opportunity to experiment and grow in realms not originally considered

Agile Classroom

Agile Learning: Collaboration in the Classroom

Agile learning takes its inspiration from the concept of ‘agile’ as used in the world of technology. Agile teams collaborate on projects…

Student Engagement

19 Student Engagement Strategies to Start with in Your Course

Student engagement strategies are changing. Previously, in a traditional classroom, students would passively take notes while the professor…

Active Learning

How to Engage Students in Active Learning

You’ve created new lesson plans and are experimenting with active learning in the classroom. The problem is, your students are completely…

Faculty Development

Course Evaluation: What’s Wrong and How to Fix it

Course evaluation often elicits groans from students — and can cause stress for instructors. There’s even an article1 in The Chronicle…

Education Technology

How Does Technology Impact Student Learning?

How does technology impact student learning? Some postsecondary educators view technology as a distraction in the classroom. Even if they…

Student Engagement

10 Classroom Icebreakers For College Professors

Classroom icebreakers encourage new students to have conversations, get to know each other and feel comfortable in your classroom. They’re…

Innovation in Teaching

10 Team Building Activities for Students

Team building isn’t just for the corporate workplace — it can also be used in the classroom to encourage collaboration, problem-solving…

Student Engagement

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: How Rhetoric Can Improve Your Teaching

The three rhetorical appeals — pathos, ethos, logos — were defined by Aristotle hundreds of years ago, but they’re just as relevant…

Education Technology

YouTube in the Classroom: 7 Tips and Best Practices

While YouTube is better known for Taylor Swift and video game commentary than higher education, the video hosting platform has gone from a…

Faculty Development

How To Become a Tenure Track Professor

Looking to get on the tenure track? Here's what you need to plan for, and how to get there

Student Assessment

Curriculum Based Measurement: How To Get Started

While exams are designed to test and score knowledge, they don’t always indicate how well students are progressing through course…

Agile Classroom

Course Design For Agile Teaching: 5 Ideas To Try

Rote learning has become passé. So has passive teaching. These days, top educators are thinking about being agile and engaging, and…