Tip Sheets

A practical guide to designing clear, purposeful, and student-centered assignments that align with your course goals.

Explore assignment sequences that progressively develop students’ skills and understanding, creating a more cohesive course experience.

A structured process to designing integrated, learner-centered courses by aligning context, teaching philosophy, and course components.

Ensure your in-person presentations are accessible to all learners with this practical guide covering content, delivery, and environment.

Design PowerPoint presentations that are accessible to all learners with this guide focused on layout, visuals, text, and assistive technology compatibility.

Create Word documents that are accessible to all users with this guide focused on structure, formatting, and compatibility with assistive technologies.

Explore a variety of engaging strategies that promote student participation, critical thinking, and deeper learning through active involvement in the classroom.

Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) and Flexible Classrooms (FCs) promote collaboration, engagement, and technology-enabled learning. These spaces encourage peer and team-based learning, shifting students from passive recipients to active co-creators. Effective use involves fostering group work, accountability, and adaptable instructional strategies that enhance participation and deepen learning outcomes.

Explore adaptable strategies to foster engagement, interaction, and active learning in large classroom settings.

Learn how to create cohesive course designs by aligning learning outcomes, assessments and instructional strategies.

Enhance classroom dialogue and critical thinking by using six distinct types of questions.

Learn how to design and facilitate online discussions in asynchronous formats.

Enhance student participation and real-time feedback with backchannel tools that support inclusive, low-barrier communication during class sessions.

Prepare for success as a TA in an online course with practical strategies for effective communication, student engagement, and managing digital course responsibilities.

Navigate cultural expectations and enhance your teaching confidence with tips tailored to support international TAs in Canadian post-secondary classrooms.

Learn to design effective blended learning experiences by integrating online and in-person elements with intention, flexibility, and a focus on student engagement.

Design and facilitate effective online lab experiences with strategies that support hands-on learning, collaboration, and skill development in virtual environments.

Use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a framework to articulate learning outcomes and design assessments and activities based on three domains (cognitive, affective, psychomotor).

Translate Bloom’s Taxonomy into practical classroom strategies with examples of learning activities and assessments aligned to each level of the hierarchy.

Evidence‑based strategies to enhance instructor presence and foster student community through structured interactions designed specifically for large undergraduate classes.

Help students strengthen their academic success with practical strategies for effective note-taking, studying, and information retention.

Support student learning with strategies to improve reading comprehension, retention, and critical engagement with academic texts.

Gather meaningful midterm feedback to enhance teaching effectiveness, address student needs, and improve the learning experience in real time.

Foster a supportive and effective learning environment with strategies for clear, respectful, and inclusive communication across various teaching contexts.

Explore how campus partners can collaborate with instructors to create learning experiences that benefit both students and the broader community.

Visualize and organize complex ideas using concept mapping tools that highlight relationships and connections between key course concepts.

Navigate classroom and interpersonal challenges with confidence using strategies for recognizing, addressing, and resolving conflicts constructively.

Support student well-being and autonomy by using content warnings to prepare learners for potentially sensitive or distressing material.

Build confidence and manage anxiety with practical techniques to reduce nervousness and enhance your effectiveness in teaching and presentation settings.

Encourage thoughtful dialogue and set clear expectations around the use of generative AI tools in academic work, with strategies to support transparency, integrity, and student learning.

Design engaging flipped classroom experiences with strategies for structuring pre-class preparation, in-class activities, and assessment.

Enhance your course planning by focusing on essential questions related to Intended Learning Outcomes, Context, Content, Teaching Methods, and Assessment Strategies.

Showcase your teaching effectiveness with a well-crafted dossier that highlights your philosophy, practices, and impact through reflective narratives and supporting evidence.

Make your video content more inclusive with tips for creating accurate, accessible transcripts and captions that support diverse learners and meet accessibility standards.

Develop clear course outlines with guidance on articulating learning outcomes, assessment methods, and course policies to support student success and transparency.

Integrate critical reflection into your course by having students examine their experiences, challenge assumptions, and foster continuous growth and improvement.

Streamline grading and feedback with Crowdmark, a collaborative online assessment platform that supports efficient, flexible evaluation of student work.

Communicate complex information clearly and effectively by applying principles and techniques of data visualization.

General strategies for creating effective multiple-choice questions, including tips for writing clear stems and plausible distractors.

Enhance your presentations with visual aids that support student learning through intentional design and meaningful integration.

Design and deliver effective online learning experiences with strategies for organizing content and fostering interaction.

Design online components for blended courses with strategies that promote active learning, complement in-person instruction, and enhance student engagement across modalities.

Foster student motivation and connection from the start with quick, practical strategies to build rapport, set expectations, and create a welcoming learning environment.

Improve your teaching and collaboration by identifying common communication barriers and applying strategies to foster clarity, understanding, and inclusive dialogue.

Plan and deliver impactful online tutorials with strategies to foster interaction and support student learning.

Support students in making the most of your feedback with strategies that build feedback literacy, promote reflection, and encourage active engagement in the learning process.

Promote a culture of academic integrity with proactive strategies that support student accountability, transparency, and ethical learning practices.

Support reflective learning and showcase student growth with ePortfolios.

Tips for designing effective exams, including an overview of common question types, their strengths and limitations, and how to align assessments with learning outcomes.

Help students prepare for exams with a collaborative review activity that reinforces key concepts, encourages peer learning, and builds confidence through active engagement.

Exam wrappers are activities that “wrap around” an exam to enhance students' meta-cognition and their reflection on their assessments.

Articulate your teaching philosophy with reflective exercises that help you examine your values, beliefs, and teaching practices.

Lead classroom discussions with strategies to encourage participation, deepen understanding, and create a respectful environment for diverse perspectives.

Support professional growth and collegial connection through faculty mentoring, with strategies for building meaningful relationships, setting goals, and fostering mutual development.

Grade efficiently and fairly with strategies that balance timeliness and consistency, and reduce grading bias.

Boost student motivation and with strategies that create a supportive learning environment, recognize effort, and build confidence through encouragement and constructive feedback.

Deliver engaging lectures with strategies for adapting content to your audience, using visuals purposefully, and fostering active learning through thoughtful presentation techniques.

Games can introduce goals, interaction, feedback, problem solving, competition, narrative, and fun learning environments, elements that can increase learner engagement and sustain motivation.

Foster an inclusive and respectful learning environment by understanding the importance of gender pronouns and incorporating practices that affirm students’ identities in your teaching.

Maximize your teaching experience as a graduate student by setting clear goals, seeking feedback, and reflecting on your development to support both your teaching and academic growth.

Enhance group collaboration by using strategies for  decision making that promote participation, manage conflict, and lead to more thoughtful outcomes.

Design effective small-group tasks that promote collaboration and accountability by aligning activities with clear objectives and structured support.

Choose the right type of small group for your learning goals by exploring various formats that support collaboration, engagement, and effective classroom dynamics.

Improve group effectiveness and accountability by assigning roles that clarify responsibilities, support collaboration, and help students develop key teamwork skills.

Make office hours more accessible and impactful by using strategies that encourage student attendance, foster meaningful interactions, and support academic success.

Create accessible virtual office hours by using strategies that support student connection, encourage participation, and maintain flexibility in online learning environments.

Guidance for graduate students, new faculty, and others in delivering effective guest lectures. 

Build community and encourage participation in online courses with icebreakers that help students connect, feel comfortable, and engage meaningfully from the start.

Implement effective group work by setting clear expectations, designing purposeful tasks, and supporting student collaboration throughout the process.

Recognize and address imposter feelings in yourself and your students by exploring strategies that build confidence, normalize self-doubt, and foster a supportive learning environment.

Strengthen your academic CV with strategies for organizing content, highlighting teaching and research experience, and tailoring it to reflect your evolving professional goals.

Design effective flipped classroom experiences by aligning in-class activities and assessments with pre-class preparation to promote active learning.

Create a more inclusive classroom by using engagement strategies that recognize diverse student needs, encourage equitable participation, and foster a sense of belonging.

Enrich student learning and community engagement by integrating service-learning projects that connect course content with real world experiences.

Questions to consider when involving students in the creation of an independent study course. Including students in this process fosters collaboration, reflection, and deeper learning. 

Help students prepare for an independent study by assessing their readiness, setting clear goals, and developing self-directed learning skills needed for meaningful academic exploration. 

Advance the success of non-native English speakers by applying inclusive instructional strategies that improve comprehension, lower language barriers, and ensure equal opportunities for participation.

As Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) reshapes higher education, instructors must rethink their assessment approaches. This teaching tip presents a modified AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) as a framework for integrating GenAI into assessment design.

Enhance focus and energy in your classroom by incorporating movement breaks that support student well-being, boost engagement, and create a more dynamic learning environment.

Design effective online assignments by aligning them with course outcomes, leveraging digital tools, and promoting student engagement through clear expectations and meaningful feedback.

Lead engaging and impactful tutorials by using strategies that promote active learning, clarify course content, and create an inclusive environment for student participation.

Improve student understanding and performance by using clear, inclusive, and purposeful language when communicating assignment expectations, criteria, and instructions.

Manage large classes effectively by using strategies that support student engagement, streamline communication, and create a structured, inclusive learning environment.

Design assessments that prioritize student learning by aligning with course outcomes, offering meaningful feedback, and encouraging reflection, growth, and active engagement.

Maximize the impact of learning activities and assignments by aligning them with course outcomes, promoting active engagement, and providing opportunities for meaningful feedback and reflection.

Enhance lecture effectiveness by organizing content clearly, using visuals strategically, and incorporating active learning techniques to maintain student attention and deepen understanding.

Foster research skills and critical thinking by designing library-based assignments that encourage exploration of scholarly resources, scaffold the research process, and align with students’ academic levels and course goals.

Lightboard (learning technology) can clairfy complex ideas and boost student engagement. It allows the instructor to visually demonstrate key concepts to students, maintain eye contact and create dynamic, instructor-led video content.

Low-stakes writing tasks support student learning by encouraging idea development, reinforcing course concepts, and providing a safe space for practice without the pressure of formal graded assessment. 

Promote accountability and collaboration in group work by guiding students to co-create group contracts that clarify expectations, define roles, and establish processes for communication and conflict resolution.

Ensure a smooth transition to online exams by aligning exam formats with learning outcomes, leveraging appropriate technologies and preparing students through clear communication and practice opportunities.

Design effective take-home exams by emphasizing higher-order thinking, setting clear expectations, and promoting academic integrity through smart question design and open communication.

Create a focused and respectful learning environment by setting clear expectations for technology use, encouraging purposeful engagement, and fostering dialogue about digital distractions and academic responsibility.

Support student success by creating assignments that match their learning level, offer the right mix of challenge and skill-building, and scaffold their critical thinking and disciplinary expertise.

Strengthen group collaboration by incorporating structured meeting strategies that promote accountability, streamline communication, and help students manage tasks, roles, and timelines effectively.

Assess group work effectively by providing clear grading expectations, using both individual and group evaluations, and building accountability and reflection through self and peer review.

Inspire student motivation by fostering a supportive learning environment, connecting course content to real-world relevance, and offering autonomy, clear goals, and timely, constructive feedback.

Diversify your teaching approach by incorporating interactive strategies—such as case studies, discussions, and problem-based learning—that foster deeper engagement, critical thinking, and active participation.

Maximize the flipped classroom model by designing online activities and assessments that prepare students for in-class engagement, reinforce key concepts, and promote self-directed, active learning.

Help students succeed in online discussions by encouraging thoughtful contributions, respectful engagement, and consistent participation, while providing guidance on netiquette, critical thinking, and time management.

These digital tools can support student organization and comprehension. By visualizing relationships and scaffolding complex tasks like writing, studying, and project planning, students can better structure their ideas.

Enhance collaboration and critical engagement by using online tools that support co-creation and annotation, which enables students to interact with content, share insights, and build knowledge collectively in real time.

Improve student navigation and engagement by organizing your LEARN site with clear structure, consistent formatting, and accessible resources that support learning, reduce cognitive load, and enhance usability.

Encourage interactive learning and idea sharing by using Padlet to create collaborative spaces where students can post, organize, and respond to content in real time, fostering creativity and engagement.

Deepen conceptual understanding and promote active learning by using peer instruction to engage students in discussion, reveal misconceptions, and reinforce key ideas through immediate feedback.

Enhance teaching effectiveness and professional growth by engaging in peer review processes that foster constructive feedback, encourage reflective practice, and support a culture of continuous improvement.

Boost student engagement and real-time understanding by using personal response systems to pose questions, gather instant feedback, and stimulate peer discussion during class sessions.

Facilitate collaborative learning and timely support by using Piazza to create an interactive Q&A platform where students can ask questions, share insights, and engage with peers and instructors in a structured, searchable format.

Design effective lessons by aligning objectives, activities, and assessments; structuring content for clarity and flow; and incorporating strategies that actively engage students and support diverse learning needs.

Strengthen your classroom presence by refining delivery skills such as voice, pacing, body language, and eye contact to communicate clearly, maintain student attention, and foster an engaging learning environment.

Create impactful presentations by designing PowerPoint slides that are visually clear, well-organized, and aligned with your teaching goals.

Explore how to foster inclusive teaching practices through the creation of empathy maps, learner personas, and learner journey maps. This allows instructors to better understand students' perspectives, anticipate challenges, and adapt their approaches to support diverse needs. 

Enhance the effectiveness of test and exams by aligning questions with learning outcomes, balancing question types and difficulty, and providing clear instructions.

Presentations should engage listeners from start to finish. To deliver a clear and engaging presentation, presenters should explore how to plan their content strategically, organize ideas logically, and leverage visuals and storytelling techniques to support audience understanding and retention. 

Boost presentation impact by using Prezi software to create dynamic, non-linear visuals that emphasize relationships between concepts, maintain audience interest, and support deeper learning through spatial organization.

Explore how to foster critical thinking in our learners by designing activities that challenge assumptions, encourage analysis and synthesis, and incorporate assessment strategies that make students’ reasoning visible and open to feedback.

Encourage meaningful classroom participation by creating an inclusive environment, setting clear expectations, and using diverse strategies that invite all students to contribute thoughtfully and confidently.

Strengthen student learning by using purposeful questioning techniques that stimulate curiosity, promote deeper thinking, and create opportunities for dialogue, reflection, and active engagement.

Through timely, specific, and constructive feedback, instructors can enhance student learning. This tip provides guidance on how to provide feedback as well as supports to guide students to seek, interpret, and apply feedback to improve their performance and understanding.

Support inclusive learning by proactively addressing accessibility and accommodation needs, designing flexible course materials, and fostering a classroom culture that values equity, empathy, and diverse ways of learning.

How to design resilient courses by building flexibility into content delivery, assessment, and communication, enabling learning to continue effectively during disruptions while supporting student success and well-being.

This tip explores how to respond efficiently to student writing assessments by setting clear expectations, using focused feedback strategies, and balancing formative and summative comments to support learning while managing your workload.

Use student course feedback as a tool for growth by identifying patterns, reflecting on teaching practices, and setting actionable goals that enhance learning experiences and demonstrate responsiveness to student input.

method of assessing concept maps, proposed by Novak and Gowin, is based on the components and structure of the map

Rubrics are a helpful tool to increase clarity and consistency in the grading process. This tip outlines how to articulate expectations, and provide targeted feedback to support student learning and self-assessment.

Explore how screencasts can enhance student learning by delivering content in a flexible, engaging format that supports varied learning paces, reinforces key concepts, and fosters accessibility beyond the classroom.

Strengthen the overall flow of your course by thoughtfully selecting and sequencing material that builds on prior knowledge and helps learners develop a clear and connected understanding.

Promote self-directed learning by guiding students through goal setting, resource identification, strategy implementation, and reflection. This will empower them to take ownership of their learning and adapt to new challenges.

The tip sheet emphasizes the value of learning contracts in fostering student autonomy by prompting reflection, defining clear goals, and establishing accountability through collaborative planning. It also addresses their potential limitations and provides practical guidance for both learners and instructors.

Enrich collaborative learning by integrating social bookmarking tools that help students curate, organize, and share resources, fostering critical engagement with course content and peer contributions.

Foster global perspectives by integrating international content, inclusive teaching practices, and intercultural learning opportunities that prepare students to engage thoughtfully in a diverse and interconnected world.

Promote respectful and effective online communication by setting clear expectations, modeling professional tone, and guiding students in developing digital etiquette that supports constructive dialogue.

Cultivate effective supervisory relationships by establishing clear expectations, maintaining open communication, and fostering mutual respect to support student growth, autonomy, and academic success.

Promote student mental well-being by designing courses that balance challenge with support, offer flexibility and clarity, and create a learning environment that fosters connection, compassion, and a sense of belonging.

Advance student well-being through instructional practices that build trust, foster inclusion, and offer flexibility, while modeling empathy and creating space for connection and support.

Start strong on the first day of class by setting a welcoming tone, outlining expectations, and building rapport to create a positive learning environment that supports student engagement from the outset.

Prepare for a successful TA experience by asking key questions about course expectations, communication protocols, and responsibilities, ensuring clarity, confidence, and effective support for student learning.

Enhance teaching effectiveness by using student course perception surveys as a reflective tool to identify strengths, uncover areas for growth, and inform intentional improvements in course design and delivery.

Empower students to become self-aware learners by teaching metacognitive strategies that help them plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning.

Develop students’ problem-solving abilities by modeling effective strategies, encouraging persistence, and designing tasks that require analysis, creativity, and reflection to build confidence and transferable skills.

Strengthen group work by helping students develop teamwork skills such as communication, accountability, and collaboration, fostering positive dynamics and shared responsibility for collective success.

Design effective blended courses by asking key questions that clarify learning goals, align online and in-person components, and ensure meaningful integration that supports student engagement and success.

Improve research writing by focusing on clarity, structure, and argumentation, while using evidence effectively and revising purposefully to communicate ideas with precision and academic integrity.

Support student learning and project planning by integrating timeline tools that clarify expectations, visualize progress, and encourage time management through structured milestones and deadlines.

Promote fair and consistent assessment by developing clear rubrics, calibrating expectations among assessors, and fostering open communication to ensure reliability and transparency in grading.

Foster continuous improvement in your teaching by using reflection tools that surface insights, track progress, and guide intentional changes aligned with your goals and student needs.

Ensure a smooth shift to online teaching by adapting content for digital delivery, fostering student engagement through interactive tools, and maintaining clarity and presence in virtual environments.

Twitter allows you to share and find brief, text-based updates about things that are of interest to you. Users who follow you on Twitter are automatically sent your updates or “tweets".

Diversify student learning and evaluation by incorporating a range of assignment types that align with learning outcomes, support skill development, and offer multiple ways to demonstrate understanding.

Learning style preferences refer to the “characteristic strengths and preferences in the ways [people] take in and process information” (Felder, 1996). This teaching tip reviews important considerations when understanding and applying learning styles and the Soloman-Felder model of learning styles. 

Good course design involves considering the strengths and needs of all learners. 

Good teaching involves considering the strengths and needs of all learners.

Peer review, also called peer editing, peer feedback, and formative peer assessment, allows students to provide and receive feedback on an assignment before submitting it to the instructor

Turnitin is a text-matching tool for encouraging academic integrity

As learning tools, writing exercises are valuable because they help students think critically about course material while encouraging them to grasp, organize, and integrate prior knowledge with new concepts.

Virtual reality (VR) involves the use of technology to enter an alternate, three-dimensional view of the real world, a fantasy world,

The term universal design (UD) originated in the mid-1980s from the architect Ronald Mace, who is internationally recognized for advancing the concept and design of barrier-free buildings for people with disabilities

Handling problems during in-class group work

According to recent advances in neuroscience research, there is no such thing as an “average learner” (Rose & Meyer, 2002; Rose et al., 2013; Rose, 2016)

Instructors often focus on content when embarking on course design, but it's equally important to think about the net result of a course: student learning. It is helpful to consider essential requirements when creating your ILOs.