“Learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Your classroom community is made up of individuals with diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences; the act of learning is intertwined with a variety of socioemotional influences.” When students feel that they are welcomed, respected, and included, they are more likely to engage in their learning and persist in their studies. Promoting a positive learning environment is the responsibility of all of us. Follow the links below for more information:

• Strategies for Promoting Positive Learning Environments;
• Classroom Environment Strategies;
• Shaping a positive learning environment – Ohio State University (video, 3 min).

Engaging students in well-planned and authentic learning activities is key to the effective delivery of any class, whether online or face-to-face, synchronous or asynchronous. Ideally, learning activities should give students a chance to practice something they will eventually be assessed on, as well as provide an opportunity for reflection and feedback. Check out these resources for more information:

• Active learning activities (University of Waterloo);
• Active learning in first year university math (video, 6 min) - UBC;
• Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty (VCC Library, e-book);
• Small Teachings: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning (VCC Library, e-book).

Student assessment is a critical aspect of the teaching and learning process. Assessment of learning can be either formative or summative. Formative assessments happen throughout the learning and give students and instructors valuable feedback about the learning that is taking place. Formative assessments can be graded or ungraded. Summative assessments allow instructors to determine overall student performance. Both types of assessment used together, in alignment with the learning objectives, will best support student outcomes. CTLR can assist you in designing an assessment plan for your class including formative and summative assessments, alternative assessments, and UDL principles.

Additional resources on assessment:

• Formative and Summative Assessment - Yale Center for Teaching and Learning (PDF);
• Best Practices in Alternative Assessments - Toronto Metropolitan University (PDF);
• Grading with Rubrics - Western University;
• Best Practices for Online Assessment (CTLR self-paced course).

Setting up a classroom learning environment that is inclusive, engaging, student centered, and welcoming is the first and most important step in creating an effective learning space.  Your students will represent a group with diverse backgrounds, experiences, learning preferences, language skills, and cultures. At some point, you will need to facilitate a conversation on a controversial topic, navigate student behaviour concerns, or deal with inappropriate language/microaggressions. Use these resources to prepare yourself. 

Additional resources:

• Best practices in classroom management - Toronto Metropolitan University (PDF);
• Conflict Management for Instructors. Tips for prevention and management of classroom conflict - University of Waterloo;
• Navigating controversial topics in the classroom – Iowa State University (Video, 14 min);
• Confronting inappropriate language and microaggressions – Iowa State University.

As with in-person classes, online instruction requires careful planning and execution. Both synchronous and asynchronous online classes should be well-designed to use technology in a way that engages and motivates students, while facilitating their learning and assessment. For example, one important design principle is balancing the three types of engagement in a blended/online environment: instructor to student, student to student, and student to content. Find out more below:

• Principles of Online Learning - Guiding questions and tips to support your course design from VCC’s CTLR (PDF);
• Facilitating Online Learning - CTLR workshop handout;
• Guiding Principles of Blended and Online Course Design - University of Calgary (PDF). 
• Using Microsoft Teams in your class 

Reflective practice is a crucial part of an instructor’s professional development. Regularly examining your own beliefs and teaching practices helps to ensure that the instructional decisions you make are in the best interests of your students. You can also collect formative feedback from students (for example, using the Moodle Feedback tool) early on or mid-term to find out how things are going and to adapt your teaching as the course goes on. Using self-assessment allows you to better serve the needs of your students and continue to develop your skills. 

• Reflective Teaching - Guiding questions and strategies in 5 domains of teaching practice (University of Alberta);
• Best Practices in Evaluating your Teaching - Toronto Metropolitan University (PDF).