Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
type: channel
description: The Journal on Excellence in College Teaching is a peer-reviewed journal published at Miami University by and for faculty at universities and two- and four-year colleges to increase student learning through effective teaching, interest in and enthusiasm for the profession of teaching, and communication among faculty about their classroom experiences. The Journal is published four times a year.
publisher: Miami University
language: en
publication name: Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
issn: 1945-2993
copyright: Access Agreement Journal on Excellence in College Teaching Before proceeding you must agree to the terms and conditions of usage as outlined below by clicking on the Accept button and/or by both parties’ signatures below. You will have to do this only once. After agreement, you will be redirected back to the main Journal page. A pdf copy of the terms is available for download. This Access Agreement (the "Agreement") is effective upon processing of payment ("Effective Date") and is entered into by and between the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching (“JECT”) and the Customer (“Customer"). This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes and voids all prior communications, understandings, and agreements relating to the Product(s), including any terms of use displayed to Authorized Users via the online site of the Product(s). Alterations to the Agreement and to any Addendum to the Agreement are only valid and binding if they are recorded in writing and signed by both parties . I. Definitions "Authorized Users" shall mean individuals who are authorized by the Customer (which shall include those individuals authorized by the Institutions hereunder) to access the Customer's information services whether on-site or off-site via secure authentication and who are affiliated with the Customer as a student (undergraduates and postgraduates), employee (whether on a permanent or temporary basis), or a contractor of the Customer. Individuals who are not a current student, employee, or a contractor of the Customer, but who are permitted to access the Customer's information services from computer terminals within the physical premises of the Customer ("Walk-In Users"), are also deemed to be Authorized Users, but only for the time they are within the physical premises of the Customer. Walk-In Users may not be given means to access the Product(s) when they are not within the physical premises of the Customer. "Commercial Use" shall mean use for the purpose of moneta…
items: Using Advocacy Exercises to Promote Academic Identity and Ownership
items: College Program for Academic Success: A Case Study on the Experiences of Students
items: Inspiring Students to Seek the Meaning of Global Citizenship in Their Lives: Lessons From Personal Pedagogy and Research
items: “When They Are Real With Us”: Student Perceptions of Inclusive Teaching and Learning Practices
items: Is All Active Learning the Same? Exploring Mathematically Derived Inquiry-Based Learning
items: A Collaborative Self-Study to Explore Assessment and Feedback in Online/Hybrid Courses
items: Who is Not Passing Statistics? Trends in an Undergraduate Statistics Course
items: A Study of the Effectiveness of Using Team-Based Learning in College Courses
items: Building Connections With First-Year Students Through Peer Mentorship and Teachable Moments
items: Critical Discourse Analysis of Disability Disclosure Statements in Academic Syllabi
items: The Limits of Understanding: Lacanian Pedagogy in the Composition Classroom
items: Exploring Student and Faculty Experiences in a HyFlex Learning Environment
items: Developing Culturally Relevant Continuous Case Studies for Child & Adult Advocacy: A Curriculum Development Project
items: A Union of Collaborative Learning and Cooperative Learning: An Overview of This Issue
items: Two Cheers for Peer Review: Problems of Definition, Interpretation, and Appropriate Function
items: Learning Logs: A Tool for Coaching Students to Assess and Regulate Their Own Learning
items: The Cultural Climate of Effective Groups in Online Courses
items: Perceptions of Student Learning Effectiveness: Exploring Active Versus Passive Learning
items: STEM for Social Justice: Using Critical Pedagogy to Help Students Read and Write Their World
items: P-CURE: A Progressive, Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience
items: Student Engagement in a Collegiate Science and Technology Program for Underrepresented STEM Students
items: Implementing Anti-Racist Pedagogy: A Workshop About Integrating Theory Across the Curriculum
items: Teaching for Intellectual Humility: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Tenured Faculty Pedagogy
items: College Students’ Views of Teaching Practices for Early Morning and Evening Classes: An Analysis of Ratemyprofessors.com
items: Pedagogy and Stress: How Undergraduates Respond to Different Teaching Methods
items: Pedagogical Practices and Students' Sense of Belonging: An Examination of Contributing Factors and Outcomes
items: An Examination of Virtual Reality in Criminal Justice: The Role of Presence and Immersion
items: Benefits and Challenges of Developing and Teaching Popular Culture-Themed Courses
items: Psychosocial Well-Being of Western Faculty in International Higher Education: A Review of Literature
items: Faculty as Social Justice Change Agents: Reviewing Motivators, Barriers, and Approaches

Using Advocacy Exercises to Promote Academic Identity and Ownership
type: item
description: Many science students leave their discipline before graduation. To combat this trend, educators use laboratory experiences and independent research to foster positive scientific attitudes. A non-laboratory Neuroscience pilot course was structured around advocacy to determine if advocacy-themed exercises would also enhance student attitudes. At the end of the semester, students in the advocacy course, but not a comparable control course, scored higher on the Persistence in the Sciences (PITS) questionnaire. This result suggests that advocacy efforts can enhance students’ academic identity and ownership. Further studies within and across disciplines are needed to determine the full extent of these effects.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Advocacy Exercises
  topic: keywords
subject: Academic Identity
  topic: keywords
subject: STEM
  topic: keywords
creator: Timothy J. Schoenfeld
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-20
publication date: 2025-10-20

College Program for Academic Success: A Case Study on the Experiences of Students
type: item
description: This study examines the experiences of participants in a student success program at a midwestern U.S. university, focusing on the 2021 cohort. The program predominantly serves first-generation, non-traditional students and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds and marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Through a case study approach, three core themes emerged regarding the barriers these students face in college: personal investment, self-doubt, and confusion. The findings highlight a disconnect between the services offered by the program and the students’ perceived needs, suggesting areas for improvement to better support student success.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: Student success
  topic: keywords
subject: Qualitative
  topic: keywords
subject: Narrative inquiry
  topic: keywords
subject: Student experience
  topic: keywords
subject: Student perceptions
  topic: keywords
creator: Nicholas P. Burkhart
creator: Youn Seon Lim
creator: Lori Foote
creator: Stephen Kroeger
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2026-01-05
publication date: 2026-01-05

Inspiring Students to Seek the Meaning of Global Citizenship in Their Lives: Lessons From Personal Pedagogy and Research
type: item
description: Inspiring students to seek the meaning of global citizenship in their personal lives is a critical responsibility of a higher education curriculum that aims to provide students with indispensable knowledge and skills to participate successfully in an increasingly pluralistic and interconnected global society. This article relates personal reflections from teaching and research to offer a view that higher education should provide all learners with a holistic global citizenship education. Both curricula and extra- curricular activities are needed that intentionally cultivate the requisite knowledge and skills associated with global awareness, social responsibility, and engaged civic action.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: Application
  topic: category
subject: global citizenship education;
  topic: keywords
subject: integrated curriculum
  topic: keywords
subject: inspired meaning
  topic: keywords
creator: Paul Sherman
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-12-05
publication date: 2025-12-05

“When They Are Real With Us”: Student Perceptions of Inclusive Teaching and Learning Practices
type: item
description: Instructors are encouraged to use inclusive learning strategies, but few studies examine student perceptions of these approaches (Cook-Sather et al., 2021). In this mixed-methods study, participants completed a 14-question survey assessing their perceptions of inclusive learning, including which strategies they consider inclusive and supportive of learning processes and which they consider exclusionary. Overall, participants noted that positive reinforcement, clear communication, and group-based learning support inclusivity, while instructor bias and poor communication make students feel excluded. Based on the findings, the authors recommend promoting inclusivity by being transparent, building clear expectations, recognizing personal biases, and facilitating a culture of grace.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: inclusive pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: learning climate
  topic: keywords
subject: bias
  topic: keywords
creator: Pamela Lewis-Kipkulei
creator: Kelly Fulkerson Dikuua
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2026-01-06
publication date: 2026-01-06

Is All Active Learning the Same? Exploring Mathematically Derived Inquiry-Based Learning
type: item
description: This article explores inquiry-based learning (IBL) pedagogy, particularly in mathematics education, examining how it differs from problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL). IBL is defined as a student-centered approach involving sequenced problems or tasks that build engagement and understanding through group work. While IBL, PBL, and CBL share characteristics like problem solving and self-directed learning, each has distinct practices. The article presents a mathematics education community definition of IBL and provides detailed comparisons and examples to help readers understand IBL’s potential for broad application in scholarship beyond mathematics education.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: inquiry-based learning
  topic: keywords
subject: active learning
  topic: keywords
subject: problem-based learning
  topic: keywords
subject: case-based learning
  topic: keywords
subject: mathematics
  topic: keywords
creator: Angie Hodge-Zickerman
creator: Cindy S. York
creator: Max C. Anderson
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-23
publication date: 2025-10-23

A Collaborative Self-Study to Explore Assessment and Feedback in Online/Hybrid Courses
type: item
description: This collaborative self-study explored the teaching experiences of five faculty members who focused on elevating student experiences in their online/hybrid courses. The researchers were interested in assessment and feedback mechanisms to center students’ learning, de-emphasize grading, and engage in equitable practices. A basic qualitative approach uncovered themes throughout the semester of learning and grappling; stressors, uncertainty, and support/advice; and reflections on pedagogy and value of the approach. This work demonstrates the value of making small changes to pedagogical practices in online/hybrid courses and the value of a supportive cross-disciplinary reflective community of practice when making those changes.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: self-study, online/hybrid teaching, Community of Practice, feedback
  topic: keywords
creator: Paris Prestridge
creator: Ingrid Carter
creator: Michele Trujillo
creator: Tina J. Herring
creator: Letitia Pleis
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-23
publication date: 2025-10-23

Who is Not Passing Statistics? Trends in an Undergraduate Statistics Course
type: item
description: A behavioral science statistics course is required for a number of majors at the author’s institution. Due to the challenging nature of the course, almost every semester there are students who do not earn a passing grade, which means that they must either retake it or find a new major that does not require it. The study found that students with lower SAT scores, lower class participation grades, and who are non-white did not pass statistics. The findings should aid colleges and universities in identifying and assisting students who are at risk of failure.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Pedagogy, Regression Analysis, Statistics
  topic: keywords
creator: PJ Verrecchia
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-12-09
publication date: 2025-12-09

A Study of the Effectiveness of Using Team-Based Learning in College Courses
type: item
description: Building on previous research, the authors introduced formal team-based learning (TBL) to their classrooms and measured the quality of students’ team learning, professional development, and team satisfaction. They assessed students’ perceived fairness of work distribution and analyzed its effect on these outcomes and found that TBL resulted in increases in quality of team learning, professional development, and team satisfaction. Perceived fairness did not affect team learning or professional development. Team satisfaction was significantly related to perceived fairness, with students who perceived themselves as doing more work being more dissatisfied with the team experience. The authors provide suggestions for future research.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Application
  topic: category
subject: Team Based Learning, Professional Development, Team Satisfaction, Teamwork Skills
  topic: keywords
creator: Allison Seitchik
creator: Jane Parent
creator: Kathi Lovelace
creator: Christina Hardway
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

Building Connections With First-Year Students Through Peer Mentorship and Teachable Moments
type: item
description: To build connections among students studying education, the researchers implemented a First-Year Experiences (FYE) peer mentorship program with embedded professional development workshops called Teachable Moments for first-year students. This innovative approach to meeting the needs of first-year students was measured through a mixed-methods project using an open-ended survey and the coding of qualitative data from communication logs. Data revealed that the programmatic and curricular guidance and support provided to the first-year students led to the establishment of vital connections and positively impacted retention from their first to their second year.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: Application
  topic: category
subject: First-year Experience, mentoring, mentees, mentors, professional development, connection, relationship, postsecondary outcomes, transitions
  topic: keywords
creator: Megan Reister
creator: Ann Dulany
creator: Rebecca Rook
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-23
publication date: 2025-10-23

Critical Discourse Analysis of Disability Disclosure Statements in Academic Syllabi
type: item
description: This study used critical discourse analysis (CDA) to explore how course syllabi may impact disability disclosure in higher education. By examining 15 syllabi from across three disciplines at a public university, the analysis reveals the use of neutral but bureaucratic disability terminology and impersonal tones that may fail to foster an inclusive climate. These patterns may discourage disability disclosure by creating a distance between faculty and students. The study’s findings suggest that inclusive syllabi language affirming disability could encourage disclosure. Limitations include a small sample size and a lack of data triangulation. Further research incorporating faculty perspectives is recommended.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Disability discourse
  topic: keywords
subject: college teaching
  topic: keywords
subject: ; academic syllabi
  topic: keywords
subject: critical discourse analysis
  topic: keywords
subject: inclusive education
  topic: keywords
subject: disability accommodations
  topic: keywords
creator: Neria Sebastien
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

The Limits of Understanding: Lacanian Pedagogy in the Composition Classroom
type: item
description: This article presents a challenge to notions of clarity—and its relation to understanding—within the college composition classroom by relying on Lacanian pedagogical theory. While the field of composition has issued criticisms against clarity in student writing, there has been less emphasis on interrogating clarity in instruction. By delineating Lacanian pedagogy, the article provides a theoretical and pedagogical framework for integrating Lacanian non-sense into the composition classroom. Through this integration of Lacanian non-sense through metaphor, the author argues that a procedural knowledge that exceeds conventional notions of understanding and provokes thought can emerge.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: Lacan
  topic: keywords
subject: Pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: Clarity
  topic: keywords
subject: Composition
  topic: keywords
subject: academic writing
  topic: keywords
creator: Teddy Duncan, Jr.
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

Exploring Student and Faculty Experiences in a HyFlex Learning Environment
type: item
description: Almost five years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, the higher education learning environment has been transformed, and research on this transformation is just starting to emerge. This article contributes to this effort by reporting the results of a study comparing two-course delivery formats: hybrid in-person and HyFlex. Results found no significant differences in student performance, attendance, or course ratings across formats. Results also revealed that students rate the HyFlex format favorably compared to other delivery formats. The authors examine the lessons learned and their implications for designing learning environments that are engaging, effective, and accessible.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: hybrid
  topic: keywords
subject: hyflex
  topic: keywords
subject: learning environments
  topic: keywords
subject: student success
  topic: keywords
creator: Kimberly Buch
creator: Jules Keith-Le
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

Developing Culturally Relevant Continuous Case Studies for Child & Adult Advocacy: A Curriculum Development Project
type: item
description: Preparing mandatory reporters—those responsible for identifying and reporting abuse and neglect—requires innovative approaches. One effective method is the continuous case study. This article discusses the creation and implementation of culturally relevant continuous case studies within a multidisciplinary child and adult advocacy certificate program. Professionals from midwestern child welfare agencies created five case studies aligned with program learning objectives. Cases were used for student learning through multidisciplinary discussions, applying course content, and a virtual simulation for mandatory reporting and suicide prevention. The approach received positive feedback for its realism and contextual accuracy, fostering multi-system collaboration and trauma-informed care.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: Application
  topic: category
subject: continuous case study, interprofessional, mandatory reporter training
  topic: keywords
creator: Shana Cerny
creator: Kelly Bass
creator: Carrie Sanderson
creator: Tracy Bird
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

A Union of Collaborative Learning and Cooperative Learning: An Overview of This Issue
type: item
description: Although the idea of collaboration and cooperation in education is hardly new, the use of two specific pedagogies, collaborative learning and cooperative learning, has rapidly grown in prominence during this decade. These two approaches to teaching are often confused because of the similarities in their names. Collaborative learning is the broader con- cept and may encompass any kind of collaboration between students as well as various other forms of collaboration, such as team-taught cours- es, learning community models, and other interactions between faculty and students. Many regard cooperative learning as a more structured, and hence more focused, form of collaborative learning. Others view collaborative learning and cooperative learning as lying on a continu- um, with collaborative learning being the least structured and cooperative learning the most structured.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Integration
  topic: category
subject: Collaborative Learning; Cooperative Learning
  topic: keywords
creator: Philip Cottell
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2024-10-15
publication date: 2024-10-15

Two Cheers for Peer Review: Problems of Definition, Interpretation, and Appropriate Function
type: item
description: The term peer review masks various expectations when used uncritically. Some beliefs are mutually exclusive; not all are benign. This analysis focuses on summative evaluation, exposing the conflicting interests and mixed metaphors of faculty evaluation that obscure the process and the principles at stake. Seven desirable characteristics of peer review (Chubin, 1994) are adapted as fundamental distinctions for clarifying discussion about five different kinds of faculty evaluation: judging, critiquing, assessing, appraising, and rating (Riegle & Rhodes, 1986). Peers can contribute uniquely to faculty evaluation of teaching, and therefore most effectively, in two ways: interpreting colleagues’ teaching portfolios and interpreting students’ testimony about colleagues.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Peer Review
  topic: keywords
creator: Ellen Strenski
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2024-10-14
publication date: 2024-10-14

Learning Logs: A Tool for Coaching Students to Assess and Regulate Their Own Learning
type: item
description: This article describes the implementation and evaluation of a novel assessment tool, called a Learning Log (LL), in a pharmacy curriculum. LLs were designed to provide the framework and guidance necessary for students to gain skills in self-regulated learning (SRL). The weekly LLs included student self-assessment of progress toward learning outcomes, reflection, planning with task-selection guidance, and targeted practice. Both perception and usage data confirm that LLs effectively train students to assess and regulate their own learning. Reflection comments show that SRL habits cultivated by LLs were useful in other coursework, improved student performance, and promoted time management skills.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: self-regulated learning
  topic: keywords
subject: reflective learning
  topic: keywords
subject: self-assessment
  topic: keywords
creator: Laura Fox
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2026-01-05
publication date: 2026-01-05

The Cultural Climate of Effective Groups in Online Courses
type: item
description: This study examines the cultural climate of successful groups in online undergraduate sociology courses that developed social contracts aimed at fostering positive group work experiences and academic achievement. An analysis of participants’ group assessment papers investigated the most important attributes of group cultures with congenial work environments. Qualitative findings revealed that the hallmarks of effective groups included strong leadership, a commitment to ongoing contact, a sharing of the workload, a strong work ethic, respect among members, and increased knowledge of course content.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: online
  topic: keywords
subject: engagement
  topic: keywords
subject: group work
  topic: keywords
creator: Janice Proctor
creator: Brad A. Cecil
creator: Ethan Leach
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-23
publication date: 2025-10-23

Perceptions of Student Learning Effectiveness: Exploring Active Versus Passive Learning
type: item
description: Inspired by Deslauriers et al. (2019), this study investigates the link between perceived and actual learning outcomes in college psychology courses. The authors evaluated active vs. passive learning methods’ effectiveness in developmental and introductory psychology classes over two semesters. Participants experienced either group discussions and lectures (active) or lectures only (passive). A repeated measures ANOVA showed significant exam performance improvements for the active group but not the passive group. Despite performance improvement, the active group felt they learned less, echoing Deslauriers et al. (2019). These findings suggest, despite student perceptions, that active learning improves outcomes if implemented thoughtfully.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Application
  topic: category
subject: Active learning; pedagogical research; student perceptions
  topic: keywords
creator: Seungyeon Lee
creator: James E. Wages III
creator: Yeseul Nam
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-23
publication date: 2025-10-23

STEM for Social Justice: Using Critical Pedagogy to Help Students Read and Write Their World
type: item
description: This study details the development and implementation of a critical STEM for Social Justice framework as applied to a senior year capstone project. This study spanned three years and was conducted at a private midwestern university. Teacher candidates were required to create a content unit that used a socioscientific issue to facilitate relationships between scientific, mathematical, and engineering content; and their world. This critical STEMSJ framework helped candidates focus on how the words of one discipline inform the words of another, and how the words associated with STEM disciplines can influence the way students read their world.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Social Justice
  topic: keywords
subject: STEM Education
  topic: keywords
subject: mathematics Education
  topic: keywords
subject: Science Education
  topic: keywords
subject: Critical Pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: engineering education
  topic: keywords
creator: Kenneth Butler
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-12-05
publication date: 2025-12-05

P-CURE: A Progressive, Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience
type: item
description: Health Science fields have unique needs, resources, priorities, and barriers when considering how to integrate research into the undergraduate experience. Many undergraduate research experiences (UREs) in science disciplines are course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) or apprenticeship experiences, but these may not be suitable for health science fields. This article presents the progressive, course-based undergraduate research experience (P-CURE), an innovative model for UREs in health sciences guided by the principles of inclusion, support, and efficiency. The authors discuss implementation of the model in a health sciences program at Oakland University as well as future directions and the potential for application in other departments.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: Undergraduate Research Experiences
  topic: keywords
subject: Mentoring
  topic: keywords
subject: Curriculum
  topic: keywords
creator: Rachel Bondy
creator: Emily Van Wasshenova
creator: Amanda Lynch
creator: Jennifer Lucarelli
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-23
publication date: 2025-10-23

Student Engagement in a Collegiate Science and Technology Program for Underrepresented STEM Students
type: item
description: Supporting underrepresented students in STEM majors is critical for student retention. The Collegiate Science and Technology Program (CSTEP) grant has the purpose to build community among participants, help them feel connected, provide supportive programming, and retain them both in college and within STEM majors. This study used a mixed-methods approach with quantitative and qualitative data collection to determine student perceptions of the efficacy of the program. Results indicated that students expressed high levels of satisfaction with the programming. Implications are that targeted programming has the potential to build community and provide students with positive experiences outside of the classroom.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: STEM education; STEM careers; programming support
  topic: keywords
creator: Elmer-Rico E. Mojica
creator: Brian R. Evans
creator: Matthew Marcello
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-10-23
publication date: 2025-10-23

Implementing Anti-Racist Pedagogy: A Workshop About Integrating Theory Across the Curriculum
type: item
description: Doing anti-racist pedagogy presents many challenges. This is especially the case for faculty at small liberal arts colleges (SLACs). The authors argue that through teaching theory related to anti-racism and social justice in the classroom, faculty across disciplines can come together to access other worldviews and ways of being in their teaching. This article describes a successful model to aid in the implementation of anti-racist pedagogy in a format applicable across disciplines.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Application
  topic: category
subject: Anti-racist pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: interdisciplinarity
  topic: keywords
subject: workshop
  topic: keywords
subject: theory
  topic: keywords
subject: humanities
  topic: keywords
subject: curricula
  topic: keywords
creator: Gwendolyn Gillson
creator: Kacie Wills
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

Teaching for Intellectual Humility: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Tenured Faculty Pedagogy
type: item
description: Intellectual humility, an awareness and ownership of one’s intellectual limitations, is argued as a fundamental component of undergraduate education that influences how individuals process new information, remain open to new experiences, and admit the fallibility of their thinking. This study presents a grounded theory analysis of intellectual humility as described by tenured faculty in the liberal arts and sciences. The author analyzed 33 interviews from arts and humanities, sciences, and business professors to empirically investigate how faculty teach for intellectual humility. A process for the facilitation of intellectual growth in undergraduates emerged consisting of: (a) an ownership of intellectual limitations, (b) an acceptance of discomfort, and (c) a love of learning. An empirically based model of growth via intellectual humility is presented and its implications for pedagogy discussed.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Intellectual Humility
  topic: keywords
subject: Faculty
  topic: keywords
subject: Pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: Grounded Theory
  topic: keywords
creator: Johann Ducharme
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

College Students’ Views of Teaching Practices for Early Morning and Evening Classes: An Analysis of Ratemyprofessors.com
type: item
description: This study explored the ratemyprofessors.com (RMP) site for student comments about what is valued and not valued about teaching practices unique to early morning and evening classes. A total of 412 student comments regarding 153 instructors from a variety of academic disciplines were systematically retrieved from RMP and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five positive themes emerged from the data: (1) Interesting, (2) Humorous, (3) Easygoing, (4) Enthusiastic, and (5) Interactive. There were also two negative themes: (1) Boring, and (2) Attendance-oriented. The findings reflect previous studies and have several practical implications for instructors who teach classes early in the morning and in the evening.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: college
  topic: keywords
subject: teaching
  topic: keywords
subject: ratemyprofessors
  topic: keywords
creator: Christopher M. Seitz
creator: Muhsin Michael Orsini
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-04-30
publication date: 2025-04-30

Pedagogy and Stress: How Undergraduates Respond to Different Teaching Methods
type: item
description: Undergraduates reported the impact of pedagogical practices on their perceived stress. Overall, clustered deadlines, unclear instructions, pop quizzes, high-stakes assignments, and cold calling created the most stress. Policies that allow grade recovery, clear instructions, feeling known by the professor, and flexible deadlines alleviated the most stress. Female and underrepresented ethnic minority (URM) students reacted either more positively or more negatively to many pedagogical practices when compared to male and non-URM students. Merit scholars reported greater stress reduction from clear instructions, low-stakes assignments, and flexible deadlines than non-merit-scholars. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for equitable and effective education.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: Application
  topic: category
subject: stress; pedagogical practices; undergraduate students; group differences
  topic: keywords
creator: Abbie Wrights
creator: Karen Singer-Freeman
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-04-30
publication date: 2025-04-30

Pedagogical Practices and Students' Sense of Belonging: An Examination of Contributing Factors and Outcomes
type: item
description: Sense of belonging is a social construct encompassing feelings of being integral to a system. A positive sense of belonging is associated with better social and academic engagement and retention. Traditionally, belongingness has been examined in terms of helping students integrate into existing systems; however, this study instead examines the impact of instructional practices and processes on belongingness. Quantitative and qualitative data indicate that intentional pedagogical efforts aimed at community building and student agency lead to improved perceptions of sense of belonging, but they also highlight an ongoing need to address systemic barriers to resources needed for holistic student support.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: student belonging
  topic: keywords
subject: inclusive pedagogy
  topic: keywords
subject: student retention
  topic: keywords
creator: Sara Donaldson
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-07-03
publication date: 2025-07-03

An Examination of Virtual Reality in Criminal Justice: The Role of Presence and Immersion
type: item
description: Experiential learning is an important component of a criminal justice education. To date, the use of virtual technologies as a form of experiential learning has not been tested. To address this gap, a virtual tour detailing mental illness occurring in prison was provided to undergraduate students in five criminal justice courses taught in two U.S. states between 2019-2020. The virtual reality tenets of presence and immersion demonstrated efficacy in criminal justice, particularly because virtual forms of experiential learning can maximize educational outcomes while minimizing risk for students, instructors, and the institution.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Experiential Learning
  topic: keywords
subject: Virtual Reality
  topic: keywords
subject: Criminal Justice
  topic: keywords
subject: Emotions
  topic: keywords
subject: Pedagogy
  topic: keywords
creator: Alicia Sitren
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2024-09-03
publication date: 2024-09-03

Benefits and Challenges of Developing and Teaching Popular Culture-Themed Courses
type: item
description: This study examined the use of popular culture-themed (PCT) courses in higher education. The goal was to define PCT courses operationally as well as qualitatively to explore benefits and challenges associated with teaching these courses. Instructors from a wide range of disciplines who have taught or are currently teaching a PCT course were asked about their experiences. A thematic analysis revealed seven benefits (for instance, they are fun) and seven challenges (for instance, it is difficult to find materials) to guide instructors in developing PCT courses. Strategies to mitigate these challenges are also discussed.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Innovation
  topic: category
subject: themed courses
  topic: keywords
subject: faculty engagement
  topic: keywords
subject: popular culture
  topic: keywords
creator: Jill M. Swirsky
creator: Susan Geffen
creator: Kathy Doody
creator: Pamela Schuetze
creator: Emily Coyle
creator: Lisa Timmons
creator: Erica Weisgram
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2025-04-30
publication date: 2025-04-30

Psychosocial Well-Being of Western Faculty in International Higher Education: A Review of Literature
type: item
description: Internationalization is reflected in higher education in many ways, including the increasing global mobility of faculty. Many faculty members serve in short- to long-term international positions. Many faculty report their international experiences to be positive; however, many have also reported negative psychosocial impacts. The term psychosocial well-being encompasses emotional, psychological, and social dimensions of wellness. This study presents a review of literature relevant to the psychosocial well-being of Western faculty who work in higher education outside of their home countries and offers theoretical and practical recommendations for higher education institutions as they prepare to support international scholars.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Western Faculty
  topic: keywords
subject: International Psychosocial Well Being
  topic: keywords
subject: Higher Education
  topic: keywords
subject: Systematic Review
  topic: keywords
creator: Faith Fitt
creator: Young Kim
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2024-09-03
publication date: 2024-09-03

Faculty as Social Justice Change Agents: Reviewing Motivators, Barriers, and Approaches
type: item
description: Access to higher education in the U.S. has often been limited to those with privileged identities, perpetuating privilege and oppression. Learners need exposure to social justice ideas to promote equity. Faculty can be change agents, creating conditions for social justice education. This literature review examines barriers to social justice pedagogy in higher education and approaches to overcome them. The authors outline the history and motivators for social justice education, faculty barriers, and interventions.
subject: Articles
  topic: section
subject: Research
  topic: category
subject: College Teaching
  topic: keywords
subject: Higher Education
  topic: keywords
subject: Social Justice
  topic: keywords
creator: Kelly Fallon
creator: Kayla Ritter Rickels
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal on Excellence in College Teaching
date: 2024-09-03
publication date: 2024-09-03