Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning

Level 1 Teaching Essentials

This series of 4 one-hour workshops is ideal for new and continuing faculty and graduate students who serve as instructors of record who want to establish foundational knowledge about teaching.  

The Level 1 Teaching Essentials Credential requires: 

Required Workshop: Fundamentals of Effective Teaching

Fundamentals of Effective Teaching introduces instructors to expectations for contemporary teaching, including active learning strategies that increase student engagement, multiple modalities supplemented by educational technology, transparent assignment design and all-inclusive teaching strategies to enhance student learning.  

Thematic Series

CPD offers thematic series of workshops that count for the Level 1 Teaching Essentials Credential, including: 

High Impact Practices (HIPs) Cluster, which includes 

  • Fundamentals of Effective Teaching (required) 
  • HIPs and Applied Learning (Design) 
  • Implementing HIPs (Engage) 
  • Grading HIPs (Assess)

Foundational Practices in STEM Education Cluster, which includes 

  • Fundamentals of Effective Teaching (required) 
  • Reading as Active Learning in STEM (Design) 
  • Motivating students in STEM courses (Engage)
  • Reflective Assessments for STEM Faculty and Students (Assess)

Scalable STEM Instruction Cluster, which includes (coming soon!)

  • Fundamentals of Effective Teaching (required) 
  • AI in STEM Education (Design)
  • Engaging Students in Large STEM Classes (Engage)
  • Alternative Assessments in STEM Courses (Assess)

Standalone Workshops

CPD also offers standalone workshops can be combined to meet the criteria for the Level 1 Credential, including 

  • Fundamentals of Effective Teaching (required) 
  • Hands-on Syllabus Workshop: (Re-)Designing Syllabi for Inclusive Classrooms that Support Learners and Instructors (Design) 
  • Introduction to the Writing Intensive Course (Design) 
  • Transforming Assignments (Design, Engage or Assess) 
  • Fostering Engagement and Belonging with Inclusive Classroom Techniques (Engage) 
  • Providing Effective Feedback (Assess) 

Consult the Stearns Center Event Calendar for this semester’s offerings.