Effective teaching in higher education goes beyond content delivery. It’s about creating inclusive, engaging, and accessible learning environments that empower students to think critically, collaborate meaningfully, and develop lifelong learning skills.
Inclusive Teaching
Inclusive teaching recognizes and responds to the diverse backgrounds, learning styles, and experiences of all students. It actively works to remove barriers to learning and create a welcoming classroom environment where every student can succeed.
Key Principles
- Acknowledge and validate diverse student identities
- Use diverse examples and perspectives in course materials
- Create multiple pathways for student engagement
- Develop culturally responsive teaching strategies
- Foster a classroom culture of respect and belonging
Practical Strategies
- Use inclusive language
- Design assessments that allow multiple ways of demonstrating knowledge
- Incorporate diverse scholarly works and perspectives
- Create opportunities for student voice and representation
Learn more about inclusive teaching.
Universal Design for Learning
UDL is a framework that guides the development of flexible learning environments and lesson plans to accommodate individual learning differences.
Three Primary Principles
- Multiple Means of Engagement: Motivate learners in different ways
- Multiple Means of Representation: Present information in varied formats
- Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Allow diverse ways of demonstrating learning
Implementation Techniques
- Provide text, video, and audio content
- Offer choice in assignment formats
- Use technology to support different learning needs
- Create flexible assessment methods
Active Learning
Active learning is an instructional approach that engages students in the learning process, encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and deep understanding.
Engagement Strategies
- Collaborative learning activities
- Problem-based learning scenarios
- Classroom discussions and debates
- Peer teaching and review
- Reflective writing assignments
- Interactive technology tools
Benefits
- Increases student motivation
- Improves retention of information
- Develops critical thinking skills
- Prepares students for real-world challenges
Writing Across the Curriculum
Writing Across the Curriculum is an approach that integrates writing as a critical component of learning in all disciplines, not just English courses.
Implementation Approaches
- Writing-to-learn activities
- Discipline-specific writing assignments
- Scaffolded writing projects
- Peer review processes
- Reflective writing assignments
Writing as a Learning Tool
- Develops critical thinking
- Enhances communication skills
- Deepens subject matter understanding
- Promotes metacognitive reflection
Learn more about Writing Across the Curriculum.
Claude, A. (2024). Teaching & Learning in Higher Education [Webpage]. Anthropic.