Nominations sought for CII's Innovative Teaching Showcase

The Center for Instructional Innovation at Western Washington University is accepting nominations for this year's Innovative Teaching Showcase through Dec. 1.

Each year, the CII works with selected WWU instructors to document and publish their innovative instruction online. This year’s Showcase theme, “Effective Teaching in Large Classes,” seeks to honor faculty members who take on this sometimes daunting task.

Teaching a large class effectively is hard work, but it's possible to do it even if you're not a big-league entertainer. If you make the necessary logistical arrangements far enough in advance… large classes can come close to being as educationally rewarding as small classes. The instructor's satisfaction may be even greater in the large classes: after all, many professors can teach 15 students effectively, but when you do it with 100 or more you know you've really accomplished something.

—Richard M. Felder, Ph.D.

North Carolina State University

Higher education instructors are facing burgeoning course enrollments, all the while keeping an eye on student learning outcomes, course evaluations and retention. Some instructors rise not only to meet the external demands, but to hone in on the intensity—and specific character—of the large class experience. These instructors work to engage students by any and all means necessary, and the pay-off is simple: Every quarter, thousands of students enthusiastically learn disciplinary essentials, gain profound philosophical or scientific reasoning and become, even en masse, better future citizens.

Western faculty members, staff members and students are encouraged to nominate an instructor whose course work reflects the showcase theme. To fill out the nomination form online and see previous showcases, go to http://acadweb.admcs.wwu.edu/cii/_showcaseforms/. For more information, contact Karen Casto at (360) 650-4943, send an e-mail message to karen.casto@wwu.edu or stop by the CII in College Hall Room 310.