Teaching + Learning

Nord Center Offerings

Regular Offerings

  • Consultations: These individual or group consultations are an opportunity to get focused support for specific issues. These are typically an hour-long conversation (in person or online) followed by an email that summarizes the issue, offers several resources, and provides ideas. Consultation topics could include course planning, equity practices, classroom management, or any other issues related to teaching and learning.
  • Newsletter: The NCTL sends 3-4 newsletters per semester. They include reflections on current events and issues, resources, programming information, and opportunities for professional development. Past newsletters are available on this page.
  • Workshops: The NCTL offers several workshops each year on a range of topics. Many of the in-person workshop topics will also have an asynchronous video version available. Please see the "Workshops, Opportunities, and Events" page for more information.
  • Learning Communities: These are cross-disciplinary groups that engage in an active and collaborative yearlong program with a curriculum about enhancing teaching and learning. Learning communities offer learning, development, and community building. They are outcome/output-based and often structured around a central topic. Learning community members will be asked to come to regular meetings (1-2 times a month) prepared to discuss topic-based resources, develop intended outcomes/outputs, and take steps toward reaching those outcomes and outputs. Learning community members should see themselves as institutional change agents, prepared to share their learning with others through opportunities such as departmental meetings, Nord Center programming, and written research.  
  • Course and Curriculum Design: The NCTL offers several supports for course and curriculum design, including one-on-one consultations, workshops, and resources. This work can be done with individuals, groups, or departments, and can be done in single sessions or multiple sessions spread out over a prolonged period of time.
  • Canvas Support: Canvas is our learning management system (LMS). The NCTL provides support for setting up and managing your Canvas course, including using our attendance application, Qwickly.
  • Assessment and Evaluation Support: Assessment and evaluation is a key practice of teaching and learning. The NCTL can help you design assessments that align with and promote your learning outcomes, and help you make decisons about utilizing formative or summative assessments. The NCTL also works with our Insitutional Research office to design and evaluate surveys and other assessment tools.
  • Course Observations: A member of the NCTL team can visit your classroom to provide feedback and support on your teaching practices. This can include a student focus group to better understand if your practices are meeting your desired outcomes and experiences. Course observations begin with a short consulation to determine your goals for the feedback and conclude with a post-observation debrief. These can be particularly helpful if you are trying a new teaching method or if you are faced with issues of participation and engagment.