Tips for Faculty, from Faculty

Are you looking for expert advice on creating exceptional courses? Say goodbye to course envy and hello to ‘Tips for Faculty, from Faculty’ – the ultimate video series by the Center for Distributed Learning at UCF. Our comprehensive resources cover a wide range of topics, from designing engaging online courses to promoting accessibility for all students.

With contributions from our esteemed faculty members, you can rest assured that you’re receiving the best tips and tricks from those who know best. So, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a new faculty member, our ‘Tips for Faculty, from Faculty’ video series is the perfect resource to elevate your course design skills. Be sure to check back regularly for our latest releases and stay ahead of the game!

Share Your Tips!

Have a tip you’d like to share? Email us at idev@ucf.edu

Video Feedback Comments

Using video feedback comments creates a personal connection with students.
Michael Strawser, Ph.D., Assitant Professor, Nicholson School of Communiczation and Media

    Communication Strategies

    One of the major challenges to online learning is communication.
    Ashley Taylor, MFA, Lecturer, School of Visual Arts & Design

    Zoom Timers

    Having the timers is a way to help us  all manage our time and our bandwidth in Zoom.
    Dr. Christine Hanlon, Associate Lecturer, Communication
    Kris Hestad, Multimedia Specialist, FCTL
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    Lightboard

    With the Lightboard, I can draw arrows, I can draw circles around the model. I could just illustrate right on the spot in ways that I couldn’t have otherwise.
    Dr. Ann Miller, Professor, Communication
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    Think, Pair, Share

    It gives them an opportunity to hear what their peers are thinking to see if their ideasare in alignment with their peers ideas.
    Dr. Julie Donnelly, Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
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    Materia

    The benefit of using Materia in your classes is it’s a really easy and engaging way for students to interact with your course material.
    Dr. Jessica Waesche, Lecturer, Psychology
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    Reflection

    I don’t really force them [students] to do anything, but that reflective moment makes a huge difference in their growth throughout the class.
    Matt Dombrowski, Assistant Professor, School of Visual Arts and Design
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    OER Implementation

    If you find a good open access textbook the quality is as good if not better than the commercially-available ones because the people who are writing them are actually very dedicated to doing this.
    Dr. Bruce Wilson, Professor, Political Science
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    Discussion Strategies

    Be open-minded and innovative in your use of discussion prompts. There are two strategies that I’ve used in my classes that have been really effective with getting the students both engaged and thinking critically.
    Dr. Beatriz Reyes-Foster, Associate Professor, Anthropology
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    Syllabus Tool

    I post in that tool the top half of my syllabus. So, it’s the contact information, technology requirements, and other key pieces of information that they [students] need to know before they register.
    Dr. Beth Nettles, Adjunct Instructor, College of Engineering and Computer Science
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    Question Banks

    I heard it from a colleague of mine. She was showing me her test banks and I was like, that’s awesome, I’m stealing it. And now, I’ve applied it to all of my classes and it’s really helpful.
    Dr. Sandra Wheeler, Associate Lecturer of Anthropology
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    Video Captions

    The biggest tip I can give to people is to have a transcript already produced. Usually, when I do this, I write the transcript before I record my lecture. Then, I make edits to that transcript after I’ve already recorded and that way you already have it done.
    Dr. Amanda Groff, Associate Lecturer of Anthropology
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    Check back later!

    We will have more tips coming soon!