Innovation Abstracts, NISOD’s flagship teaching strategies publication, provides an excellent opportunity for community and technical college educators to learn about and share best ideas about programs, projects, and strategies that improve students’ higher education experiences.

24 May, 2018

Using the PMI+Q Method to Promote Critical Thinking in Online Discussion Forums

2022-10-31T16:37:59-05:00

Volume XL, No. 19 | May 24, 2018 Using the PMI+Q Method to Promote Critical Thinking in Online Discussion Forums High school students now entering college are often referred to as digital natives. Digital natives are accustomed to a faster pace and more dynamic experiences than static textbooks can provide (Doll 2012). [...]

Using the PMI+Q Method to Promote Critical Thinking in Online Discussion Forums2022-10-31T16:37:59-05:00
17 May, 2018

Launching a Collegewide Online Course Quality Review Initiative

2022-10-31T16:37:58-05:00

Volume XL, No. 18| May 17, 2018 Launching a Collegewide Online Course Quality Review Initiative Online learning is growing rapidly in higher education. However, student success metrics in online courses often lags behind face-to-face sections of the same courses. The same is true at Harper College (HC), a community college that serves [...]

Launching a Collegewide Online Course Quality Review Initiative2022-10-31T16:37:58-05:00
10 May, 2018

Get Students Moving

2022-10-31T16:37:58-05:00

Volume XL, No. 17| May 10, 2018 Get Students Moving   Most instructors have moved away from the “sage on the stage” teaching style in favor of the “guide on the side” approach. It is rare today for instructors to lecture for an entire class period. For example, I always seek new ways [...]

Get Students Moving2022-10-31T16:37:58-05:00
3 May, 2018

Fostering Belonging in Community College Classrooms

2022-10-31T16:37:57-05:00

Volume XL, No. 16| May 3, 2018 Fostering Belonging in Community College Classrooms Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) indicates that there are 22.7 million students enrolled in the country’s massive higher education system, which is comprised of over 4,300 colleges and universities. The system’s size and capacity to [...]

Fostering Belonging in Community College Classrooms2022-10-31T16:37:57-05:00
2 May, 2018

Teaching Community College Students the Soft Skills Demanded by Employers

2022-10-31T16:37:57-05:00

Volume XXXIX, No. 16 | May 4, 2017 Teaching Community College Students the Soft Skills Demanded by Employers Many of us in community colleges work with employers and students. Therefore, we seek to understand what employers need in future employees, then we prepare students to fill those roles. This process is relatively straight [...]

Teaching Community College Students the Soft Skills Demanded by Employers2022-10-31T16:37:57-05:00
26 Apr, 2018

Nurturing Classroom Engagement

2022-10-31T16:37:58-05:00

Volume XL, No. 15| April 26, 2018 Nurturing Classroom Engagement A student’s involvement in classroom discussions is largely based on his or her experiences during the first class of the semester. It is during this crucial period that a classroom’s culture begins to develop. Students analyze verbal and nonverbal cues from their [...]

Nurturing Classroom Engagement2022-10-31T16:37:58-05:00
19 Apr, 2018

The Retention Divide: Building New Cultural Bridges

2022-10-31T16:37:56-05:00

Volume XL, No. 14| April 19, 2018 The Retention Divide: Building New Cultural Bridges Do you find it challenging to connect with students? If so, you are not alone. As an instructor, I have grappled with the same challenge. The sea of faces in our courses can quickly become a melting pot [...]

The Retention Divide: Building New Cultural Bridges2022-10-31T16:37:56-05:00
12 Apr, 2018

To Go Over a Test or Not to Go Over a Test?

2022-10-31T16:37:56-05:00

Volume XL, No. 13| April 12, 2018 To Go Over a Test or Not to Go Over a Test? Testing is primarily used for assessment purposes. It is a way for a teacher to determine if students have mastered the required material. After exams are graded, they are often returned to students [...]

To Go Over a Test or Not to Go Over a Test?2022-10-31T16:37:56-05:00
5 Apr, 2018

Low-Stakes Exams: Example of Strategy Assessment

2022-10-31T16:37:55-05:00

Volume XL, No. 12| April 5, 2018 Low-Stakes Exams: Example of Strategy Assessment Student engagement and retention go hand in hand. Administrators often make faculty aware of retention statistics and emphasize how faculty must do their part to help students graduate. Faculty are also frequently informed about the correlation between student engagement [...]

Low-Stakes Exams: Example of Strategy Assessment2022-10-31T16:37:55-05:00
29 Mar, 2018

Learning Through Engagement

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Volume XL, No. 11| March 29, 2018 Learning Through Engagement As the division chair for arts, social sciences, and public services at Randolph Community College (RCC), I have the opportunity to work with and observe individuals who teach a variety of disciplines. Our division houses Early Childhood Education, Criminal Justice Technology, Human [...]

Learning Through Engagement2022-10-31T16:37:55-05:00