Embrace a collaborative, engaging approach to your teaching practice.
8 weeks, excluding
orientation
8–10 hours per week,
entirely online
Weekly modules,
flexible learning
1
The ability to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive learning environment through the application of world-class teaching practices.
2
The confidence to move into and succeed in teaching roles at any level of the higher education teaching spectrum by developing a comprehensive teaching portfolio that acts as a testament to your current experience, goals, and skills as a teacher.
3
Practical strategies for classroom management and lesson-plan design delivered through a fully supported, interactive learning journey.
Robert A. Lue
The Late Richard L. Menschel Faculty Director, Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning
As a professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Lue was responsible for fostering innovative teaching in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and elevating its profile on campus. Lue earned his Ph.D. in biology from Harvard and had taught undergraduate courses since 1988, garnering recognition as one of the University’s foremost leaders in undergraduate education.
Lue had a longstanding commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and research. From 2004 to 2015, he served as the director of life sciences education at Harvard, where he led a complete redesign of the introductory curriculum that created some of the largest and most popular science courses on campus.
In 2012, Lue’s extensive work on using technology to enhance learning took a new direction when he became the faculty director of HarvardX. At HarvardX, the university-wide initiative that includes the edX partnership in online education with MIT, Professor Lue helped shape the University’s engagement in online learning in a way that reinforces its commitment to teaching excellence and works to expand its reach and impact globally. In addition, as the now former faculty director of the Harvard Ed Portal, Lue oversaw the integration of undergraduate education with community outreach on Harvard’s Allston campus. Professor Lue passed away in 2020 and is thanked for his contribution to his academic field.
Over the duration of this online short course, you’ll work through the following modules:
Module 1 How Knowledge is Constructed
Discover how reading and knowledge are understood, constructed, and communicated across disciplines, and how various theories frame how best to support students in becoming proficient in their fields.
Module 2 How Learning Works
Discover how reading and knowledge are understood, constructed, and communicated across disciplines, and how various theories frame how best to support students in becoming proficient in their fields.
Module 3 Building Rapport
Learn how to implement rapport-building techniques in order to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.
Module 4 Lesson Planning and Delivery
Explore how the backward design framework, and traditional and non-traditional organizational teaching strategies (such as storytelling) can be used to plan and deliver an effective lesson.
Module 5 Engaging Students
Learn how best to engage students by incorporating active learning methods in lesson planning.
Module 6 Course and Assignment Design
Discover the principles and tools needed to ensure effective, relevant, and comprehensive assignment and syllabus design.
Module 7 Using Feedback to Improve Your Teaching
Find out how to become a better teacher by incorporating feedback, as well as how to become a reflective practitioner.
Module 8 Teaching Portfolio Preparation
Explore the value of and processes involved in developing a teaching philosophy and creating a teaching portfolio.
Please note that module titles and their contents are subject to change during course development.
“This course strengthened my approach to become a more reflective practitioner who employs the latest evidence-based practices in order to serve diverse learners. It provided much-needed pause and reflection as an integral part of my professional development. I refined my tools as an experienced educator, added new tools to my repertoire as a practitioner, and connected with professionals working in similar fields. We spent countless hours giving each other feedback and offering perspectives on materials presented by the instructors. The platform was easy to navigate and well-designed, utilizing the latest evidence-based principles for teaching and learning in the information age.”
This online short course from Harvard’s Bok Center, in association with HarvardX, is delivered in collaboration with online education provider, GetSmarter. Join a growing community of global professionals who have already benefited from the opportunity to:
Gain verifiable and relevant competencies and earn invaluable recognition from an international selection of universities, entirely online and in your own time
Enjoy a personalized, people-mediated online learning experience created to make you feel supported at every step
Experience a flexible but structured approach to online education as you plan your learning around your life to meet weekly milestones