Resources

Long-term content aimed at supporting course design and teaching. 

Examples of effective online teaching strategies

This collection of online teaching examples shows how research-based instructional strategies have been implemented at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Small things, big impacts

During the pivot to online in 2020, Professor Roland Vegso prioritized small organizational features that ended up making a big difference for his students.

Scaffold final projects to improve learning

Learned from featured instructor Leah Sandall about how to use the scaffolding technique in teaching

Providing Essential Student Resources in a Robust Orientation Module

Center for Transformative Teaching Instructional Designer, Eyde Olson, explains the creation of an orientation module to help with courses.

Humanizing Your Course: Creating an Inclusive Classroom with a "Liquid Syllabus"

The liquid syllabus is designed to "tell" students, that I, as their instructor, am excited to be a partner with them in their learning.

Impacts of Cognitive Load on Student Learning

This video explains aspects of course design that can contribute to cognitive overload as well as simple things instructors can do to reduce the cognitive load of their students.

Using Accessibility Checker in Canvas and Office

This presentation focuses on making course materials more accessible and working towards Universal Design for a biology course.

We are TRIO

TRIO is a college access and success program that helps first-generation students earn their college degree.

Implementing Student Choice within an Assignment

Potential benefits of offering student choice include enhancing student engagement and encouraging students to approach assignments as a process of discovery.

Using Movie Analysis to Promote Inclusive Learning

Learn how to assign movies along with academic texts/readings to promote inclusive learning

Motivations For Learning: A Culturally Relevant Approach

Articulate two culturally-informed kinds of motivations students have for learning.

Exercising Empathy and Social Research Practices

Exercising Empathy helps students do away with the self-centric bias” that often creates a pre-set rhetorical agenda.

How to Help Your First-Generation Students Succeed

First-generation students often lack the parental guidance and prior knowledge about how to succeed in college that many of their peers enjoy.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources

These resources will help faculty build courses that are more inclusive of the diverse student body at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

What is SoTL?

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a scholarly tradition that involves instructors systematically investigating their own teaching

Getting a SoTL Project Underway

As with other types of research, a SoTL project should begin with a good question

Before You Begin a Project

If you are thinking of starting – or perhaps are already working on – a SoTL project, then consider scheduling a consultation with the Center for Transformative Teaching.

What is formative assessment and feedback?

Formative assessments are typically low- or no-stakes assessments used with the intent of informing the instructor about how well their instructional approach is working.

Proctoring Decision Tree

Considering proctoring exams? Use this helpful decision tree to find the best method to use with your class.

Planning for the first week of classes

This resource page aims to help faculty prepare for the first week of classes.

A Guide to Learning Online

This guide is designed to give students best-practices for approaching their fully or partially online courses.

The CTT Guide for Online & Flexible Hybrid Teaching

Welcome to the Center for Transformative Teaching’s guide to getting started with online instruction

Keep Learning

Thoroughly reading this guide will be a great first step towards finishing this semester the best you possibly can.

Hands-On Learning and Assessment

There is no way to replace the valuable experience that students get in a hands-on course environment, but there are alternatives

Instructional Design Resources

The Center for Transformative has created a variety of resources to support teaching and learning at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Teaching@UNL: A Comprehensive Resource

The Teaching@UNL course in Canvas is designed as a resource for all instructors with teaching resources and updates

Integrating Technology

Knute Broady Collection: Ideas for Integrating Technology.

Additional Materials

Visualize ways to deal with large enrollment courses with video options

Active Learning

Information and techniques to include students in the learning process and increase students' attention and retention. (Knute Broady Collection)

Additional Materials for Active Learning

TEDx Talks can be an excellent way to see how others make use of active learning techniques. 

Remote Teaching Assessment Guide

Moving to remote teaching provides you an opportunity to rethink some of your assessments. This guide will discuss various ways that you can assess students in an online environment.

Classroom Assessment

Assessment is how an instructor learns what a student does or does not know about the course material.

Assessment Techniques

Knute Broady Collection: Ideas for Assessment Techniques.

Fresh Voices on Active Learning

The Fresh Voices sections of the Knute Broady Collection aim to highlight recent publications and the work of emerging scholars.

Large Enrollment Courses

Instructors of large enrollment courses face challenges of scale such as student engagement, authentic assessment, and providing personalized feedback.

Summative Assessment Ideas

Knute Broady Collection: Ideas for summative assessment.

Fresh Voices on Assessment

Highlighting recent publications, the Fresh Voices section of the Knute Broady Collection aims to showcase the work of emerging scholars. 

Student Engagement

Engaging students increases students' psychological investment in their own learning and retention leading to increased learning outcomes

Formative Assessment Ideas

Knute Broady Collection: Ideas for Formative Assessment.

Fresh Voices on Course Design

The Fresh Voices sections of the Knute Broady Collection aim to highlight recent publications and the work of emerging scholars

Instructional Materials

In an online environment, carefully planned material is how you will keep your students engaged and on task to meet your learning outcomes.

Course Design

Course design is the careful planning of a course such that the learning goals are aligned with assessments and learning activities.

Grading Tips

Grading can be an essential tool for evaluating student performance and this resource has tips to get you started.

Fresh Voices on Student Engagement

The Fresh Voices sections of the Knute Broady Collection aim to highlight recent publications and the work of emerging scholars

Getting Started

Learn where to start with some basics of an online classroom.

Why Practice SoTL?

Contributing to SoTL, scholars are sharing norms, expectations, previous practices, and new ideas in a unifying platform

Additional Materials - Assessment

Need a new read? Check out the Center for Transformative Teaching's library and recommended readings.

Fresh Voices on Inclusive Teaching

Highlighting emerging scholars, Fresh Voices promotes inclusive, innovative, and effective teaching methods.

Course Structure and Organization

Learn the basics of Canvas such as organizing lesson plans and communicating with students

Examples of SoTL at UNL

SoTL is most valuable as it is built over time and answers important questions and challenges facing academia. Here is how UNL faculty are contributing to this conversation.