3 Steps to Better Course Planning

Today's Learner

Reading Time: 3 minutesAs an instructor, you work hard to empower your students and help them succeed. When it comes to prepping for your courses, however, it can be an overwhelming—albeit exciting—process. To help you take back your time while optimizing your impact on students, we asked your peers for their take on course planning. Read on for […]

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5 Easy Steps to Building a Personal Brand as an Instructor

Professional Development

Reading Time: 4 minutesAs we explored in our first post in this series, the importance of a personal brand for educators and students cannot be understated. In it, we discussed the role personal brands can play in establishing and boosting careers, increasing class signups, building positive reputations and more. Today, actively managing your reputation in person and across […]

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Tips to Manage and Prevent Student Stress During Exams

Teaching Trends

Reading Time: 4 minutesTension related to exams can lead to some seriously overwhelmed students. Stress and anxiety are some of the biggest—and most common—obstacles that stand in the way of academic success. According to author Richard Driscoll at the American Test Anxieties Association, about 16 percent of college and high school students have high test anxiety and 18 […]

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Undervalued & Overworked: A Study on the Experiences of Adjunct Educators

Career Readiness

Reading Time: < 1 minuteAdjuncts, contingent or part-time faculty represent a large portion of the academic workforce in higher education. At all US institutions combined, about 73% of instructional positions are “off the tenure track.” What motivates this specific group of educators? What challenges do they face? To find out, we surveyed more than 400 adjuncts at 2- and […]

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I’m a Nontraditional Student: What I Wish My Professors Knew

Nontraditional Learning

Reading Time: 4 minutesBetween 2005 and 2015, colleges and universities saw a 35% increase in the number of nontraditional students aged 25 to 34. By 2020, that figure is predicted to increase to 46%. Motivated by the lasting pangs of the recent recession—which impacted those without college degrees particularly hard—people across the country are going back to school. […]

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Creating an Effective Syllabus + Free Template

Graphic of various employees working together in front of a large computer screen with lists and graphs on it

Reading Time: 5 minutesWhether you’re offering a new course, reworking an existing one or just getting started in your higher education instruction, the college syllabus is an invaluable tool that helps both you and your students have a successful semester. With a comprehensive syllabus, you can provide all the necessary information students need to for your class—while making […]

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Getting Real About Real-World Experience

Teaching Trends

Reading Time: 3 minutesKatie Montgomery is the former executive manager of Marketing Content at Cengage. She’s got a passion for animal rescue and loves providing content to help make teaching life a little easier for faculty.   According to research, only 41% of traditional degree graduates believe their college degree signals that they have the skills employers need, […]

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I’m A Recent Grad: Here’s What I Wish I Had Known as a Student

I'm a Recent Grad

Reading Time: 5 minutesWe know that when it comes to preparing students for the challenges they face after graduation, instructors are constantly on the lookout for new perspectives that can help empower their lessons. Considering fewer than half of college seniors feel ready to graduate, we set out to explore the unique experiences and challenges when they were […]

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