Core Competency #2: Creating Effective Learning Environments

​*This core competency is satisfied by participating in a professional development workshop or seminar, such as those offered by the Graduate School, your college or department, another unit on-campus or an organization or off-campus

Description of Core Competency

The second core competency—arguably the second most important competency to master as a developing educator—can be expressed through a person’s ability and desire to create a comfortable learning environment for all students, in which that person is aware of, and excited about, the diversity of his or her students and their motivations, learning styles and academic needs, and misconceptions. This competency requires an educator to possess a good working knowledge of students’ strengths and weaknesses, so that he or she can facilitate more collaborative interactions among students. Mastering this competency can be possible by creating a more positive and inclusive learning environment, in which students feel comfortable to communicate with each other, ask questions, and express their own opinions without fear of being judged or embarrassment about being wrong.

Relevant topics to this area of competency include: diversity, motivation, effective communication, and classroom context and management.

​Workshop and Seminar List

"Certification in College Teaching Institute: Creating Effective Learning Environments"

• Date(s): May 12, 2016
• Course Instructor(s): Bennett Goldberg, Ph.D.
• Offered By​: Michigan State University

"Promoting Student Success in the Classroom"

• Date(s): March 24, 2016
• Course Instructor(s): Vincent Tinto, Ph.D.
• Offered By​: Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty, Michigan State University

"Moving Forward Using Backwards Course Design: Alignment of Goals, Instruction, and Assessment"

• Date(s): November 19, 2015
• Course Instructor(s): Cori Fata-Hartley, Ph.D.
• Offered By​: Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty, Michigan State University

"Structuring Successful Undergraduate Research Experiences"

• Date(s): November 12, 2014
• Course Instructor(s): Korine Wawrzynski, Ph.D. and Justin Micomonaco, Ph.D.
• Offered By​: Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty, Michigan State University

"What Ideas Should We Be Teaching, and How Can We Assess Whether Students Have Learned Them?"

• Date(s): October 7, 2014
• Course Instructor(s): Melanie Cooper, Ph.D.
• Offered By​: Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty, Michigan State University

Artifact(s) and Artifact Rationale(s)

"Certification in College Teaching Institute: Creating Effective Learning Environments"

• This is the agenda for the two-day Certification in College Teaching Institute, hosted by the Graduate School at Michigan State University.
• This handout represents a series of activities I participated in during the “Creating Effective Learning Environments” session of the Certification in College Teaching Institute. I participated in activities focused on using peer-instruction and “bloomifying” learning objectives. 
• This reflective worksheet includes notes on my lessons learned, thoughts, and questions after participating in the “Creating Effective Learning Environments” session of the Certification in College Teaching Institute. 
• These are the notes I took during the “Creating Effective Learning Environments” session of the Certification in College Teaching Institute.

"Promoting Student Success in the Classroom"

• This document includes information about the “Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty” workshop. This document also includes my workshop notes.

"Moving Forward Using Backwards Course Design: Alignment of Goals, Instruction, and Assessment"

• This document includes information about the “Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty” workshop. This document also includes my workshop notes.

"Structuring Successful Undergraduate Research Experiences"

• This document includes information about the “Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty” workshop. This document also includes my workshop notes.

"What Ideas Should We Be Teaching, and How Can We Assess Whether Students Have Learned Them?"

• This document includes information about the “Teaching Essentials for MSU STEM Faculty” workshop. This document also includes my workshop notes.

Interpretation/Reflection

Available here