Individualized Instructional Support

The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning offers a variety of individualized support for teaching and incorporating technology into teaching. Individual consultations are available for NIU faculty, instructors, graduate teaching assistants, and staff.

Teaching Consultations

The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) will assist faculty who voluntarily seek to improve their teaching and those faculty who are directed by their academic units to seek teaching-related assistance from CITL. The assistance provided by CITL can be in the form of individualized consultations, classroom observation, or both.

Consultations can be provided on a one-time or continuing basis as needed, for an individual or for a group (such as a department). The consultation process is a partnership and a discovery process that evolves over time to accomplish the desired goals of faculty who seek assistance. Faculty who seek assistance can decide on the type and depth of consultation needed, and CITL staff will provide the available support and resources. 

The success and desired outcomes of teaching improvement consultations and classroom observations will depend on the time and effort committed to the process by the faculty who seek assistance or are referred by their academic units. 

Potential topics for teaching consultation include but are not limited to:

  • Active learning strategies and active learning classrooms
  • Engaging students in the classroom
  • Collaborative learning, team-based learning
  • Problem-based learning
  • Designing your syllabus
  • Culturally responsive teaching
  • Universal design for learning 
  • Authentic assessment strategies
  • Grading strategies
  • Program and curricular assessment
  • Providing meaningful feedback to students
  • Blended course design
  • Online teaching

All teaching improvement consultations arranged with CITL are considered to be confidential as permissible under NIU's guidelines. CITL staff will not disclose the names of those who seek assistance and will endeavor to respect the privacy of all concerned. CITL staff may report the progress or training of a faculty to the referring academic unit or disclose information for the protection of the University and/or its faculty, staff and students. 

Technology Consultations

The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) offers individual and group consultations on integrating technology into teaching. Teaching effectiveness is always the primary focus of consultations and other technology-related services offered by CITL. Often, a technology consultation starts by examining the underlying pedagogical need to ensure the technology addresses that need.

Potential topics for technology consultations include but are not limited to:

  • creating an accessible syllabus 
  • using PowerPoint effectively in the classroom
  • implementing and conducting online discussions
  • integrating multimedia into teaching
  • creating and sharing videos for teaching
  • testing and grading online
  • planning and managing a course using NIU's Blackboard Course Management System
  • adapting course materials for the online environment
  • using student response systems (clickers)
  • identifying additional campus resources for teaching with technology

To arrange individual or group consultations, contact center staff or send your request to citl@niu.edu. Questions related to Blackboard can also be submitted via the Ask a Question form.

The Center does not offer consultations on productivity tools such as word processing software, databases, email, web design, etc. Faculty who need such services are recommended to review training resources made available by the Division of Information Technology. Similarly, faculty who need production of media and other materials are recommended to contact the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications for production services.

Contact Us

Center for Innovative
Teaching and Learning

Phone: 815-753-0595
Email: citl@niu.edu

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