How We Teach

Explore The Categories

Click on a category to learn more about the different pedagogies that are included.

The use of categories is for search purposes only, acknowledging the permeability and flexibility of faculty usage, and the absence of clear standards. There are multiple examples where a pedagogy could fit in multiple categories, so we have tried to place it in its primary category.

Learner-Centered

Learner-Centered practices tend to have the student doing the bulk of the work, usually with a high degree of independence. As with all activities, there is a balance between the learner and the instructor, as in a homework assignment, for example, which may be developed and assigned by the instructor, but the actual work to complete the task is centered on the student’s effort to complete that assignment.

"Learner-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Interdisciplinary

Arts

Management

One-on-one Consultations
Faculty met with students one-on-one (in or out of class).

Homework
Faculty asked students to work outside of class on homework, reading, research, or to practice recent lessons or to prepare for upcoming classes.

Student Presentations
Faculty asked students to present to the whole class (including recitations or demonstrations).

Independent Study
Faculty provided opportunities for students to independently study or analyze a topic of their own choosing.

Student-led Discussions
Faculty asked individual students to prepare for and lead a class discussion.

Teaching-Centered

Teaching-Centered practices tend to involve the instructor doing the bulk of the work. As with all activities, there is a balance between the learner and the instructor, so with a lecture, for example, though students might be listening, taking notes, or asking questions, the actual work in preparing and delivering that lecture is centered on the instructor’s efforts.

"Teaching-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Humanities

Management

Arts

Lecture
Faculty provided extended verbal explanations and clarifications to the whole class.

Slide-based Presentation
Faculty projected slides, images, web-pages, or other visual media while providing narration.

Socratic Dialogue
Faculty called on students to answer a series of pointed questions.

Team-Teaching
Faculty had a co-teacher or guest lecturer join the class, either live or online.

Model Critical Thinking
Faculty modeled a critical thinking process.

Group-Centered

Group-Centered practices are ones that put students in small groups to work on a task or project. That project can be small or large, short or lengthy, and may even involve the entire class as a group, but the effort to complete the task is centered on the group’s work.

"Group-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Humanities

Management

Engineering

Democratic Decisions
Faculty invited students to share democratically in decisions about the course goals, processes or products.

Think-pair-share
Faculty asked students to talk briefly in pairs to discuss each other’s understanding of an idea or problem.

Small Groups
Faculty had students work in groups of 3-5 students to solve problems, discuss, or complete assignments.

Team Projects
Faculty had students work in teams on a significant or lengthy project.

Class Discussion
Faculty began a whole class discussion.

Writing-Centered

Writing-Centered practices involve the use of writing as a means for the student to learn, share, critique, integrate, or discuss academic material. This can be done solo, in pairs or groups, or as a whole class, but engaging with the writing is central to the learning.

"Writing-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Interdisciplinary

Arts

Humanities

Minute papers
Faculty asked students to write short informal responses in class to capture or frame their thinking.

Journaling
Faculty asked students to write in a journal, blog, wiki, and/or discussion board.

Writing as Process
Faculty used processes to improve writing (pre-writing, research, thesis development, multiple drafts, revisions, conferences, etc.).

Peer Editing
Faculty asked students to edit or comment on each other’s work in class.

Primary Sources
Faculty required the finding of primary sources to support arguments.

Problem-Centered

Problem-Centered practices tend to use real-world examples to connect students with the complexities of experience. Though this can range from word-problems in math, field trips, or working with a local non-profit, there is an authentic problem at the heart of these practices that students must wrestle with solving.

"Problem-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Management

Engineering

Social Sciences

Open-ended Problems
Faculty asked students to solve or brainstorm about problems that have more than one answer.

Experiential Learning
Faculty constructed environments (like labs or fields trips) where students learn by working with real world scenarios.

Service Learning
Faculty had the class work with not-for-profit agencies, either directly or using their data.

Case Studies
Faculty used real world cases or examples to ground student learning.

Technology-Centered

Technology-Centered practices tend to use tools or techniques that require technology. For example, flipping a class usually requires that students watch recorded lectures as homework prior to discussing and working on applications of that video in class. Without the tool of the video recording, it would not be in this category. The tool can also be low-tech, like a form or worksheet, and other examples include Clickers & Polling, Flipping Class, Culminating Projects, and Worksheets (P.O.G.I.L.).

"Technology-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Engineering

Math and Science

Humanities

Clickers & Polling
Faculty used in-class polling either manually or electronically to check for understanding or opinion.

Flipping Class
Faculty recorded lectures for students to view outside of class to prepare for in-class discussion or problem solving.

Culminating Projects
Faculty had students create non-written projects as a culminating experience (physical representations, videos, web-pages, performances, programs, etc. (might include some writing)).

P.O.G.I.L. (Worksheets)
Faculty used worksheets to guide students through a learning process.

Assessment-Centered

Assessment-Centered practices is the traditional category of tests and quizzes, but also includes Just-in-time Teaching, Essential Questions, and Test-wrappers.

"Assessment-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Engineering

Social Sciences

Math and Science

Quizzes or ConcepTests
Faculty gave short graded quizzes or concept tests.

Just-in-time Teaching
Faculty used student homework to adjust your lesson, lecture, or activities just before class.

Essential Questions
Faculty used an essential question, prompt or challenge to start class.

Tests
Faculty gave tests or exams.

Test-wrappers
Faculty discussed test questions beforehand, and reviewed answers afterwards.

Inclusivity-Centered

Inclusivity-Centered practices can both focus on creating a welcoming class environment by reducing traditional barriers, but also asks students to view material through the lenses they might have directly experienced such as race, gender, class, orientation, or cultural identity. Because it asks students to use their own experience to frame material, it is an important part of developing strong group dynamics in pedagogies such as Collaborative Learning.

"Inclusivity-Centered" pedagogies are most often used in:

Humanities

Interdisciplinary

Arts

Inclusive Pedagogy
Faculty offered activities intended to build an inclusive and welcoming classroom.

Identity Development
Faculty used texts or data that deal with race, gender, class, orientation, or identity issues.

Collaborative Learning
Faculty used role play, fishbowl, facilitated dialogues, or other collaborative learning techniques.

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How We Teach

Learn about the 36 commonly used teaching practices at Bucknell.

Welcome to the "How We Teach" website, which contains information about and resources for further study of 36 commonly used college teaching practices.

If you know the practice you want to reference, you can navigate to it from "Go Direct" in the navigation bar or by using the search engine in the top right corner. If you have suggestions or additions, visit the feedback form at the bottom of the page.

About This Study

Explore The Categories

Click on a category to learn more about the different pedagogies that are included.

The use of categories is for search purposes only, acknowledging the permeability and flexibility of faculty usage, and the absence of clear standards. There are multiple examples where a pedagogy could fit in multiple categories, so we have tried to place it in its primary category.