Author Archive

Vawn Himmelsbach

Vawn Himmelsbach is a journalist and tech blogger based in Toronto. Published in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, CBC, Moneywise, Zoomer, Wheels, CAA Magazine, Explore Magazine, Canadian Traveller, Travelweek, WestJet Magazine, Ottawa Life, Flare and Consumer Reports, among others.

  1. How Education Technology In The Classroom Can Impact Student Learning

    Technology in the classroom is essential for increasing student engagement and empowering educators to create innovative learning…

  2. 25 Classroom Icebreakers For College Professors [Plus: Free List of 50 Icebreakers]

    A roundup of the best classroom icebreakers to help students connect and collaborate in any course

  3. Virtual Classrooms: The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Your Online Course

    Creating effective and engaging virtual classrooms is more important than ever. Here’s how to get started.

  4. 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…

  5. 4 Surprising Ways To Boost 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…

  6. 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…

  7. 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…

  8. 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…

  9. 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…

  10. 73% of Colleges Are Planning Active Learning Classrooms by 2020

    Students are changing—which means courses must start changing too

  11. 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…

  12. 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…

  13. 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…

  14. 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…

  15. 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…

  16. 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

  17. 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…

  18. 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 that…

  19. How To Motivate Students: Some Different Approaches

    It’s an age-old problem faced by teachers: how to motivate students. While research has found a correlation between motivation and…

  20. Reflective Teaching: Some Tips To Get Started

    Some days, students respond well to your lesson; other days you can’t seem to get through. That’s where reflective teaching can help. As…