Graduate students play an important role in supporting UF’s teaching mission. Research has shown that when graduate students teach there are benefits to both the graduate students and their students. But ensuring those graduate student instructors have the support and resources they need to be successful in the classroom is no small feat. When Dr. Barbara A. Zsembik, the department chair of Sociology and Criminology & Law, reached out to find ways to support graduate students teaching SYG 2000 we were excited to help.

University of Florida faculty now have access to a brand-new service! Course development cohorts offer many of the benefits of instructional design, providing unique and customized learning opportunities about educational technologies and services available at UF, while also connecting faculty with colleagues across the UF community.

This week I’m presenting with my colleagues Rodney Gammons, Joel Parker, and Deborah Mayhew at the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) about the impact of flipped advising at our institution. Flipped advising is a model similar to the flipped learning course format that leverages the learning management system to deliver asynchronous materials and assessments to enhance the in-person or synchronous session. With increased access to resources and support, students have more opportunities for preparation, reflection, and decision-making. Advisors not only have more avenues for reaching students, but they are able to promote more inclusive and appreciative advising methods into their sessions.

Zoom alone is not enough to keep students engaged in class, especially with everything that’s going on in our world today and all its distractions. Students are used to getting information quickly and in a thrilling fashion. The challenge for instructors now is creating this engaging environment, oftentimes with limited time and resources.

Minimize barriers and improve learning for a diverse population of students with these five quick tips for improving the accessibility of course material.