Teaching Styles This collection introduces a range of teaching methods—like flipped classrooms, storytelling, and active learning—that can help you engage students in new ways. Whether you're looking to refresh a course or explore a different approach, these strategies offer flexible, research-informed options to support effective teaching. Digital Storytelling Digital Storytelling is the art of turning a personal story into a multimedia experience. One can combine images, sound, and their creative voice to quickly and painlessly create their own story. What is Digital Storytelling? Participating in an online learning environment has many challenges, and one is overcoming the barriers between instructor and student. The physical distance that exists often creates social and communication barriers, leading to a sense of distance between students and their instructor. One way to bridge this gap is through digital storytelling. This technology can help you get to know your students as well as let them know a little more about you, the class they are enrolled in, and what you expect from them. Digital Storytelling is the art of turning a personal story into a multimedia experience. One can combine images, sound, and their creative voice to quickly and painlessly create their own story. What results is a work that is original and often powerful.  The idea is that professors make their own digital story for students to view, and in turn, assign students to do the same. What you request from them is up to you, but a few examples are career goals, hobbies and interests, and what they hope to learn while in your class. This practice can also help you tailor your class to the needs of your students. Digital Storytelling can be used in many different ways For example, it can be used to explain historical or artistic materials when pictures with a voice over can be more powerful than the written word. While the images are scrolling across the screen, you can narrate using your own words. It has also been used to highlight departments, programs, and events. One example of Digital Storytelling being used in this manner is on the College of Communications Home page. Just click on the picture of the students. The music in this Digital Story was taken from the Media Services catalog of songs. Media Services Catalog of Songs If you are considering using digital storytelling in your classes, a valuable asset that you may want to consider using is the Back Traxx- Music Library found in the Library's Audio CD collection. This catalog contains various songs that you can use in your digital stories. Other music Each of these sites has its own copyright and free use information available for your reference. American Rhetoric (Famous Speeches) Please review their  Fair Use Notice . FreePlay Music. Please see their Terms of Use 2(d) . 180° Teaching Tips "Tips to Turn Your Class Around" A video series for Teachers by Teachers Technical Journalism - Dr. Jacob Caton The Study Cycle - Kelli Listenbee On Call System - Dr. Jacob Caton Hybrid or Flipped Classrooms Concepts and activities to enrich teaching in a dynamic and engaging way. This helps to find and apply research-based concepts that change traditional methods of teaching. In other words, learn how to “turn your traditional classroom on its head". Flipped Classroom Have you heard people talking about new classroom strategies like the "flipped classroom" and would like to learn more? There are two Magna Lectures on the Topic that you can access through our Magna Campus course in Canvas. Teaching Strategies and Assignments for Blended and Flipped Classrooms (Length:1:01:26) The Flipped Classroom: Strategies to Overcome Student Resistance and Increase Student Engagement (Length:48:23) Just Search for Flipped Classroom in our Magna Digital Library. Please Note: You must be logged into Canvas to access this course. Example of a Flipped Class Professors can use this technique to create a successful class. Dr. Alyson Gill, former Associate Professor of Art History and Director of Center for Digital Initiatives is a great example who have created a blog that gives some good ideas about flipping a course and along with some resources. Click Here to find out more about the flipped Art History classroom. Summer Institute 2020 Reading Group Browse these documents, arranged by category, such as "Asynchronous Learning," "Blended/Hybrid/Web-Assisted Teaching and Learning", "Mindfulness, Mental Health, and Self-Care" and many more. Teaching resources from the 2020 Summer Institute Reading Group (Dropbox) Summer Institute: Using iPad to Create Digital Course Materials (videos) Using Garageband to Record Audio Podcasts Using iMovie to create digital course materials Using Keynote to create digital course materials Using Numbers to create digital course materials Using Pages to Create ePubs LinkedIn Learning Software Training These courses require a LinkedIn Learning account. Adobe Spark (Includes Spark Post, Spark Video, and Spark Page) Interactive PDFs and Forms with Adobe DC Podcasting for Instruction Podcasting offers faculty a dynamic and flexible way to enhance instruction, foster engagement, and extend learning beyond the classroom. By creating audio content tailored to their courses, instructors can provide students with accessible, on-demand learning experiences that support diverse learning styles and busy schedules. Podcasts can be used to deliver mini-lectures, share expert interviews, reflect on course topics, or provide supplemental material that deepens understanding. This format encourages a more personal connection with students and can help build a sense of community, especially in online or hybrid environments. What Is a Podcast? A podcast is a series of digital audio episodes that can be streamed or downloaded from the internet. Podcasts are typically hosted on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or institutional systems, and can be subscribed to using apps or RSS feeds for automatic updates. In an educational context, podcasts allow instructors to share course-related content in a format that students can access anytime, anywhere. What Is a Podcast Channel? A podcast channel serves as the central hub for all episodes related to a specific course or theme. Think of it like a playlist or series where each episode builds on the last, and students can subscribe to the channel to receive new content automatically. Your channel might be named after your course title or a recurring topic you explore throughout the semester. Practical Uses for Faculty Faculty can use podcasting in a variety of ways: Weekly summaries to reinforce key concepts Guest interviews with experts in the field Audio feedback on student work Supplemental content for flipped or hybrid classrooms Choosing the Right Tool for Podcasting Faculty have a variety of tools available to record, edit, and publish podcasts. The best choice depends on your comfort level with technology and the complexity of your content. Recording Tools Smartphones or Tablets : Great for quick recordings using built-in apps like Voice Memos (iOS) or Easy Voice Recorder (Android) USB Microphones : Improve audio quality when recording on a computer Digital Recorders : Useful for live lectures or field recordings Whichever tool you choose, it’s best to keep episodes short, around 15 minutes, to match typical attention spans. Breaking content into segments helps students absorb information more effectively. Editing Software Audacity (Free) : A popular open-source tool for basic editing, trimming, and noise reduction GarageBand (Mac only) : User-friendly and ideal for beginners Adobe Audition (Professional, included in Creative Cloud) : A robust audio editing suite with advanced features for mixing, mastering, and cleaning up recordings. Recommended for faculty producing polished or multi-track episodes Sharing Your Podcast Once your recording is complete, you can share it with students using one of A-State’s supported platforms. Accessibility Note: All podcast content must include a transcript or summary to meet ADA compliance. Kaltura can automatically generate captions, making it a preferred option for accessibility Podcast Manager and Canvas uploads require instructors to manually create and provide transcript Using the A-State Podcast Manager The A-State Podcast Manager allows faculty to upload audio files and organize them into channels that students can subscribe to. Here's how to get started: Logging In Go to the A-State Podcast Manager login page. Use the first part of your A-State email address (everything before @astate.edu ) and your campus password to sign in. Creating or Managing a Channel After logging in, you'll land on the Channels list page. To create a new channel: Enter a Channel Title and Description in the provided fields. Click Create to add the new channel. To manage an existing channel: Click Manage next to the channel name. You can update the channel’s title and description at any time. Sharing Your Channel On the Manage page, you'll find the Channel Link . This link can be added to Canvas as an External Link so students can access all uploaded episodes in one place. Students will automatically receive new episodes through this link as they’re added, no need to manually download each one. Uploading Episodes On the Manage page, scroll to the Episode Listing section. Click Browse to select an audio file from your computer. Click Upload to add the file to your channel. Managing Episodes Once episodes are uploaded, you’ll see several options in the Episode Listing: Delete the file. Update the episode’s title and description. Convert the file to a 48kb/s mono MP3 format for optimized playback. Get a shortcut link for the episode: One version allows the file to be downloaded. The other streams the episode without download access. Using Kaltura Kaltura supports both audio and video content and integrates directly with Canvas. Upload your podcast file to Kaltura through My Media Use the Embed Kaltura Media tool in Canvas to place episodes inside modules, pages, or announcements Kaltura also supports captions and transcripts for accessibility See the Kaltura Knowledge Base Page for further guidance. Sharing via Canvas Canvas makes it easy to distribute podcast episodes to students: Embed Kaltura-hosted episodes directly into course content Post links to your Podcast Manager channel in announcements or modules Use the Rich Content Editor to add audio files or external links to your podcast episodes See the Canvas Basics Guides for further support How do I record media using the Rich Content Editor? How do I add captions to new or uploaded videos in the Rich Content Editor in Canvas? Support and Resources Need help getting started? The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) can assist with podcast setup, recording tools, and best practices. Location: Dean B. Ellis Library Suite 301 Email:  cetl@astate.edu Phone: 870-972-2334 Mid-Term Course Feedback Using student feedback early in the semester to improve teaching and learning outcomes. Why Mid-Term Feedback Matters Mid-term feedback is a proactive strategy that allows instructors to identify and address issues while there’s still time to make meaningful changes. Unlike end-of-term evaluations, which are summative and often too late to benefit current students, mid-term feedback can: Provide insight into what’s happening in the classroom right now Allow instructors to make timely adjustments to teaching strategies Show students that their input is valued and impactful Increase the likelihood of positive final evaluations (e.g., PRT outcomes) Support student retention and success Best Practices for Timing The ideal window for mid-term feedback is between weeks 5–8 of a regular semester. This timing allows students to experience enough of the course to provide meaningful input, while still leaving time for instructors to adjust their teaching strategies. Consider aligning feedback collection with major assignments or exams to give students context for their responses. Designing Effective Feedback Prompts Keep surveys short and focused—3 to 5 questions is usually enough. Use open-ended prompts that encourage thoughtful responses: What’s helping you learn in this course? What could be improved? Do you feel supported in your learning? Is the pace of the course appropriate? Anonymous responses often yield more honest feedback. If using Canvas, consider ungraded surveys or low-stakes participation points to encourage completion. Common Formats for Collecting Feedback Instructors can choose from a variety of formats depending on their goals and teaching context: Pre-determined questions or rating scales Open-ended questions (e.g., written reflections or discussion board prompts) Mid-semester conferences or informal check-ins Anonymous written feedback collected in class or online Recommended Tools Several platforms are available to A-State faculty for collecting mid-term feedback: Qualtrics – Advanced survey platform with analytics and branching logic (campus license) Microsoft Forms – Simple survey tool integrated with M365 Google Forms – Easy-to-use and shareable survey tool Canvas Quizzes – Can be used for informal feedback collection Watermark CES – Used for official course evaluations (not mid-term, but useful for comparison) Analyzing Course Feedback Once feedback is collected, take a thoughtful and balanced approach to analysis: Look for patterns and repeated themes Avoid placing undue importance on outliers (positive or negative) Focus on feedback that supports ongoing development Consider both the tone and content of responses Responding to Feedback Transparency and responsiveness are key to making feedback meaningful: Discuss results openly with students Explain changes you plan to make—and why Clarify limitations if certain suggestions can’t be implemented Reinforce that feedback is valued and acted upon This builds trust and encourages future participation. Mid-Term Feedback in the Course Design Lifecycle Mid-term feedback plays a critical role in the Evaluation phase of the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate). It provides formative data that can inform: Immediate instructional adjustments Long-term course redesign for future terms Reflection on teaching practices and student needs Instructors using Backward Design or Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can also use mid-term feedback to ensure that learning goals are being met and that materials are accessible and inclusive.