Learn about an opportunity to present at the Ball State University 2026 Teaching and Technology Summit and join the teaching and technology conversation. The 2026 Teaching and Technology Summit is now accepting presentation proposals. Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20 8:30 a.m. – Noon Eastern (both days) Free and virtual via Zoom What […]
At the Ball State University Teaching Innovation Blog, we focus on providing our readers at Ball State University (and beyond) with research, thoughtful reflections, and innovative ideas about all things teaching. Still, our work isn’t confined to the webpage. The Division of Online and Strategic Learning offers a variety of workshops and seminars throughout the […]
Seeing vacant stares 30 minutes into your lecture? Hit the reset button. Learn how a 10-minute active learning break can re-energize your classroom and provide you with instant feedback—no prep required. It’s a universal experience for instructors: the mid-lecture glance reveals a sea of disengaged students, lost to phones, screens, or the middle distance. This […]
Learn about what social presence is and why it matters for your in-person, hybrid, or virtual classroom. Most instructors would say that they want their learners to have positive, collegial relationships with one another, but did you know that there are actually tangible benefits to fostering positive social presence in your course? What is Social […]
Remember that moment right before hitting “Start Recording” for your first lecture? That flutter in your stomach, the sudden awareness of every “um” and “uh,” the nagging thought that you should have worn something different? Congratulations! You’ve just experienced what musicians call performance anxiety. And you’re not alone. Teaching is Performance (Whether We Like It […]
In this blog, senior lecturer Mary Moore advocates for the inclusion of speaking assignments in the classroom, providing suggestions for authentic and effective versions of these assignments. Communication is not a “soft skill.” Rather, it is a core competency, essential in careers, civic life, and relationships. In fact, it’s hard to imagine we can […]
Caleb and Leilani examine the data and stories behind student exhaustion and offer practical strategies for instructors to make a difference. In our previous post, we outlined the top five challenges from the Ball State Student Satisfaction Survey. This post kicks off a series that will dive deep into the top five challenges students face. […]
In this entry in the Canvas Magic Series, learn about three Canvas quiz features for securing exams and combating academic dishonesty. For some students, cheating has never been easier. Artificial Intelligence (AI), online computation software, and the ability to “Chegg it” are only a few of the ways students may practice academic dishonesty. While no […]
Every fall and spring semester, the Division of Online and Strategic Learning administers the Student Satisfaction Survey to learners at Ball State. We use this data to understand the biggest challenges our students report. In the past few years, the top five challenges have remained consistent. This blog explores those five student challenges and how […]
For the inaugural blog in my Canvas Magic series, I introduce faculty to simple ways to restore deleted Canvas content. Recently, I received a call from a stressed faculty member. She was reviewing her course’s content and accidentally deleted all its exams—the same exams she was planning to import into her next iteration of the […]
