December 12, 2024
Emerging Technologies, Instructional Innovation Fellowship, Teaching and Learning
3rd Meeting of the IIF

Faculty often find challenges balancing their own workload with the desire to support student success. At a recent meeting of the Instructional Innovation Fellowship (IIF), two fellows offered fresh perspectives and actionable strategies to tackle this challenge. Shirley Shmerling, an instructor in the Department of Operations and Information Management at the Isenberg School of Management, explored how flexible yet structured course policies can enhance student learning and well-being. Meanwhile, Adam Grimmitt, from the Department of Kinesiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, shared approaches to handling the often-overwhelming nature of email communication in large classrooms.

Their practical strategies offer valuable lessons for enhancing learning environments where both students and instructors can thrive.


Key takeaways:

  • Providing flexible, yet structured, course policies teaches students to be accountable for their learning.
  • Creating email templates improves teacher-student communication.

Select a section title below to find out more about these innovative teaching strategies.


Lesson Learned

Shirley and Adam’s approaches demonstrate that small, intentional changes can profoundly impact teaching and learning, and innovative solutions often lie in thoughtful design and a willingness to adapt. Shirley’s effort in creating flexible course policies reduced stress for her students but also streamlined her own workload. Adam’s focus on improving email communication highlighted the importance of aligning tools and strategies with the realities of large classrooms and current student habits.

Stay tuned for more updates from this year’s Fellows as they continue to break new ground in teaching and learning! Read past IIF fellows' innovative teaching practices.