Teaching large-enrollment courses can be a challenge for faculty members. Through the efforts of the Top 40 Academy, coordinated by the Center for Teaching and Learning, instructors have a new resource to promote students’ achievement.
“Students’ Pathway to Success: A Faculty Guide” is available online, and it contains a wealth of information aimed at promoting engaging, challenging and interactive conditions on how to structure gateway courses to maximize learning outcomes for undergraduate students, said Garvey Pyke, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning.
Thirty-four faculty members representing the University’s colleges comprised the Top 40 Academy; the group spent months conducting research on best practices, combined with their own personal knowledge and experience, to author the faculty guide. Seven multidisciplinary teams worked collaboratively to write the guide’s chapters.
Honoré Missihoun, professor of romance languages and comparative literature and lecturer of Africana studies, has taught students from kindergarten to college across continents, languages and cultures. He said, “It had never crossed my mind that such a dense and relevant document on school management, curriculum and pedagogy could be produced in such a short span of time to address issues inherent in today's dynamic, pluralistic and constantly changing collegiate environment. Credit is clearly due to the leaders who envisioned this project and who recruited a dedicated faculty team, guided them and made an important dream come true.”
The guide is divided into two sections “Expectations” and “Opportunities.” The chapters in “Expectations” discuss the practices and policies that students in Top 40 courses should experience. These chapters focus on the new student induction goals of commitment to success and resources.
The chapters in the” Opportunities” section reflect the three new student induction goals of inquiry, cultural awareness and community.
John Smail, dean of University College, congratulated members of the Top 40 Academy on the guide. He said the work was an important accomplishment that would help shape students' expectations regarding introductory courses. He added that all faculty members could benefit from the guide’s resources.