Teaching Tips

Articles on the practice of learning and teaching.

  • A screenshot of a multiple choice quiz question in Canvas LMS

    Use ChatGPT to Generate Question Banks in Canvas

    Generating question pools that can be used for effective assessment or practice can be laborious. This teaching tip demonstrates a sequence of steps you can follow that will allow you to direct ChatGPT to create a large number of questions. These questions can then be placed in your Canvas course.

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  • A diagram of the writing process Starting from an outline, then draft, and a revision and feedback cycle before moving to a final

    Adapting the Essay to Maintain Authenticity in the Era of AI

    Large Language Model Artificial Intelligence technology like ChatGPT is disrupting traditional methods of assessment, especially as it relates to grading via the essay. This teaching tip offers possible solutions, including the incorporation of a revision cycle with reflection.

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  • A diagram of concentric circles that place educators at the center of teaching design, preparation and practice

    Sharpening Critical Thought with ChatGPT

    In this teaching tip, we explore the possibility of using ChatGPT to develop rich question pools with correct and incorrect responses and having students examine each response in a low-stakes manner. The teaching practice is borrowed from a published article from the Journal of Chemical Education.

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  • A screenshot of the UAF Student Code of Conduct

    Dealing with AI generated academic dishonesty from a policy and teaching perspective

    Claiming the work of others, even that which is generated by an AI, as your own, is academic dishonesty. This Teaching Tip will help you face this problem head on and provide solid strategies for helping you and your students navigate an increasingly difficult environment.

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  • An illustration of people helping each other over a landscape of books

    Ways to support your SSS students in/out of the classroom

    Student Support Services (SSS), is a federally funded program for first-gen, low-income, and disabled students, which aims to increase academic achievement. Online and in-person students may face financial difficulties, need accommodations, and struggle with self-advocacy in the college environment.

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  • An illustration of people cultivating a stylized brain as if it were a plant.

    Supporting Students with Mental Health Challenges

    Campuses across the nation are seeing a rise in the frequency and intensity of mental health challenges among college students. This trend is apparent at UAF and many staff and faculty members are left wondering how to best support students experiencing mental health challenges. This teaching tip will describe how the UAF Student Health and…

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Best Practices

Mental health first aid

As we continue through the winter season, the cold and dark becomes an ever-present factor in our daily mental health. The Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) has some helpful tips to keep in mind to prioritize our students’ wellbeing….

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Send feedback to advisors about students with barriers

Instructors can feel isolated in their efforts to support students and their success throughout the semester. This is especially true when they have multiple students who are not responding to their outreach about concerns like low engagement, not attending class,…

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Experience the benefits of in-semester feedback

You’ve finished marking exams, final grades are submitted, and the semester is done. For many instructors, this is the point at which there’s a moment to reflect on the class, open up course evaluations, and learn what the students thought…

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Emerging ideas

Use ChatGPT to Generate Question Banks in Canvas

Generating question pools that can be used for effective assessment or practice can be laborious. This teaching tip demonstrates a sequence of steps you can follow that will allow you to direct ChatGPT to create a large number of questions….

Continue Reading

Sharpening Critical Thought with ChatGPT

In this teaching tip, we explore the possibility of using ChatGPT to develop rich question pools with correct and incorrect responses and having students examine each response in a low-stakes manner. The teaching practice is borrowed from a published article…

Continue Reading
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Pedagogy

Trauma-informed practices for finals

For some of us, the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the deepest experiences of trauma we’ve had. Trauma can be defined as “any experience in which a person’s internal resources are not adequate to cope with external stressors” (Hoch et…

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Building community in a virtual world

There is a common misconception that it’s harder for students to feel connected when they can’t meet in person, or that distance-based learning is inherently less impactful for students. Although this may apply in some cases, it’s up to the…

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We are more than floating heads

Trauma, anxiety, and depression impact us cognitively, emotionally, and physically. Trauma-informed approaches to pedagogy allow us to take a more holistic, embodied approach to the teaching and learning processes. Read more to learn strategies of embodied and trauma-informed pedagogy to…

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How to get students to read your feedback

The type of assessments you give will direct the nature and method of feedback you provide students. Feedback provided throughout the semester can be essential for guiding student learning. However, if students miss seeing your feedback or if they don’t…

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STEAMy ideas for your course

A recent trend in higher education involves integrating arts, humanities, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) curriculum now known as STEAM. Large research studies (1) show that integration can broaden the student experience within highly specialized fields, heighten student engagement,…

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Tools & How to

What I love about PlayPosit

UAF Associate Professor of Art Mareca Guthrie teaches Beginning Drawing, which consistently has close to 100 enrollments. She has been experimenting with interactive video for several years and shares eight things she loves about PlayPosit.

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Reinvigorate online discussions with Hypothesis

Hypothesis is a collaborative annotation tool now available in all UAF Canvas courses. Hypothesis merges the tasks of reading and discussion through the act of annotation, allowing students to hold contextualized discussions and share their reading experience.

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Quick guide to Canvas

UAF begins our transition to Canvas in earnest this semester. This Teaching Tip is a quick reference guide to help you stay oriented as we make the move.

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Building good instructions in Canvas

Clear, easy-to-follow instructions for quizzes, assignments and discussions within your course are key in guiding learners through the assessments you ask them to complete. Find tips for writing good instructions in this Teaching Tip.

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