Designing effective courses means creating intentional learning experiences. These resources share core frameworks for strong design foundations and faculty examples that bring those ideas to life in practice.

GETTING STARTED:

• Course Design Essentials — Columbia University CTL

This playlist on Course Design Essentials features four narrated videos that guide you through the fundamentals of course design—from setting goals and writing objectives to planning activities and assessing student learning.

• Backward Design Guide — NYU CTL

Understand the three stages of backward design—outcomes, assessments, and activities—and access guides, slides, and worksheets to support cohesive, student-centered course planning.

• Learning Outcomes Guide — NYU CTL

Learn how to craft effective, student-centered outcomes using Bloom’s Taxonomy and Fink’s Taxonomy, with practical examples and guides to align objectives with assessments and instruction.

FACULTY IN ACTION:

• 3 Tips for Revisiting a Course You Haven’t Taught in Years — Harvard Business Impact

• Give Your Brain a Break—Course Design Tips to Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed — Harvard Business Impact

• How to Make Your Teaching Memorable (According to Science) — Harvard Business Impact

Student engagement is key to creating meaningful and lasting learning experiences. These resources introduce frameworks and strategies for building meaningful engagement, alongside real faculty examples you can adapt to your own courses.

GETTING STARTED:

• The 3Cs of Student Engagement — NYU CTL

Learn how to apply the 3Cs framework—connect, communicate, and collaborate—to foster meaningful student engagement across synchronous and asynchronous courses.

• Engagement in Synchronous and Asynchronous Environments — NC State University

Explore three dimensions of student engagement—emotional, behavioral, and cognitive—and discover teaching practices that foster connection, clarity, and community.

• Getting Started with Active Learning Techniques — CTI at Cornell University

Find practical strategies and activities, both in class and beyond, that bring active learning to life, keep student engagement, and reinforce key concepts.

FACULTY IN ACTION:

• TeachTalks: Fostering Student Engagement in the Post-Pandemic Era — NYU CTL

• TeachTalks: Engaging Students with Reading in the Age of AI (hosted by NYU Shanghai) — NYU CTL

• How to Start Strong—and Authentically—with Your Students — Harvard Business Impact

• How to Get Students Excited About Group Work — Harvard Business Impact

• Still Lecturing? Here’s How to Do It Better — Harvard Business Impact

Case teaching brings theory to life by connecting it with real-world challenges. These resources share strategies for choosing cases, leading discussions, and helping students think critically together.

GETTING STARTED:

• Teaching with Cases — Harvard Business Impact

Discover key strategies and practical advice for engaging students using the case method.

• • Getting Started with Case Teaching 

  • Selecting Cases to Use in Your Classes 

  • Facilitating a Case Discussion

  • Assessing Learning Outcomes in Case Classrooms

FACULTY IN ACTION:

• 4 Ways to Ensure All Students Engage in Case Discussions — Harvard Business Impact

• Elevate Your Case Prep with ChatGPT — Harvard Business Impact

• Adapting Case Teaching for Multilingual Classrooms — Harvard Business Impact

Simulations immerse students in realistic scenarios where they can apply concepts, practice decision-making, and build confidence. These resources show how to design, run, and debrief simulations that enhance learning.

GETTING STARTED:

• Teaching with Simulations — Harvard Business Impact

Explore key strategies and practical advice for engaging students in experiential learning using simulations.

• • Getting Started with Simulations 

  • Preparing for Simulations 

  • Running Simulations

  • Debriefing Simulations

FACULTY IN ACTION:

• Never Taught with a Simulation? Start Here.  — Harvard Business Impact

• A Simple Approach to Using Simulations in Any Classroom — Harvard Business Impact

• When Students Make the Tough Decisions — Harvard Business Impact

Assessments and feedback are powerful tools for guiding learning. Explore frameworks, examples, and strategies to design assessments that effectively measure student learning and provide feedback they can use to grow.

GETTING STARTED:

• Alignment of Your Assessments and Learning Objectives — University of Michigan

Learn how to design assessments that accurately measure what students should know and be able to do.

• Formative & Summative Assessments — Poorvu Center at Yale

Explore the differences between formative and summative assessments, with benefits, examples, and tips for effective use in your teaching.

• Feedback for Learning — Columbia University CTL

Find strategies and tools to make your feedback more effective, meaningful, and easier to implement across different course formats.

FACULTY IN ACTION:

• TeachTalks: Focus on Learning Through Authentic Assessment — NYU CTL

• Scrap the Final Paper or Presentation—Lead a Simulated Meeting Instead — Harvard Business Impact  

• To Develop Career-Ready Graduates, Make Sure They’re Fluent in Feedback— Harvard Business Impact  

• When Students Critique Each Other’s Work, Learning Happens— Harvard Business Impact  

Creating an inclusive and supportive classroom helps all students feel respected, valued, and able to succeed. These resources share strategies for fostering accessibility, belonging, and community—so every student has the opportunity to thrive.

GETTING STARTED:

• Inclusive and Accessible Teaching — University of Washington

Explore common myths about inclusion and accessibility, and learn practical strategies for creating learning environments where all students feel welcome, supported, and able to thrive.

• Building Inclusive Classrooms — Cornell University

Find strategies to foster classrooms where all students feel valued and respected, creating a foundation for deeper learning and diverse perspectives—whether in person or online.

• Building a Learning Community — Harvard Business Impact  

Learn practical tips for setting clear, inclusive norms that foster safety, trust, and collaboration, helping every student feel confident to contribute.

FACULTY IN ACTION:

• TeachTalks: Planning for Unexpected Sensitive Conversations in the Classroom — NYU CTL

• TeachTalks: Starting Here, Starting Now with Accessibility: Making the First Steps Count — NYU CTL

• Start the Semester Inclusively — Harvard Business Impact  

• Stop Assuming Introverted Students Aren’t Passionate About Your Class — Harvard Business Impact  

• What Happens When You Assign a Case in a Different Language — Harvard Business Impact  

Generative AI is still new, and no one has all the answers. What faculty need most is a basic understanding of how it works and some hands-on experience to explore its possibilities, risks, and limitations. By engaging with AI in your own discipline, you’ll also be better prepared to understand how students are using it and to have informed conversations with them. Explore the resources below to get started.

GETTING STARTED:

• Innovating with AI — Teaching & Learning at NYU Wagner

This page brings together everything Wagner faculty need to know about AI at NYU—from university policies and school-supported tools to Wagner leadership guidance and more. It’s a one-stop starting point for exploring AI in your teaching.

• AI Pedagogy Project — metaLAB at Harvard University

This AI beginner’s guide for educators is a curated collection of resources and sample assignments to help you thoughtfully explore the use of large language models (LLMs) in teaching.

• Teaching AI Fluency — Anthropic

This online course guides educators in applying the 4D Framework to enhance course design, create authentic assessments, and model responsible AI collaboration.

FACULTY IN ACTION:

• TeachTalks: Leveraging GenAI for Role-Play and Critical Thinking — NYU CTL

• TeachTalks: Exploring More Use Cases for NYU's Private Gen AI Pilot in Teaching — NYU CTL

• TeachTalks: Exploring Teaching and Learning Use Cases from NYU’s Private Gen AI Pilot — NYU CTL

• Inspiring Minds: Teaching with AI — Harvard Business Impact  

• The Global Faculty AI Project  — OpenAI