What you'll learn

Tailor learning experiences to account for the backgrounds, abilities, and levels of students knowledge
Use alternative teaching strategies, such as storytelling, as a method of teaching to engage students and deliver educational content effectively
Implement active learning techniques and effective classroom design to promote student learning and engagement
Incorporate active learning techniques within your disciplinary context to address identified learning objectives
Design a comprehensive curriculum or syllabus, specific to your disciplinary context

Course description

Recognizing that your method of teaching is as important as your subject matter is essential. The way you teach has a strong influence on how the content is understood, engaged with, and enjoyed by students.

In this Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with, and reflect on your teaching practices, philosophies, and journey.

With a focus on pedagogy, design, professional communication, and language and culture, this course will challenge you to analyze your teaching practices to ensure better alignment with your discipline, personality, and context.

This eight-week course will encourage you to continually improve your teaching practices through sound methodologies, tools, and constant reflection.

Course outline

The construction and communication of knowledge
How learning works
Creating an inclusive learning environment
Lesson planning and delivery
Engaging students
Course and assignment design
Using feedback to improve your teaching
Teaching portfolio preparation

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Instructors

Robert A. Lue
Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University
Adam Beaver
Director of Pedagogy and Practice, The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University
Pamela Pollock
Associate Director for Professional and Scholarly Development, The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University
David Levari
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Harvard Business School