To open and close this bar, use alt+/

Methods, Pedagogy, and Technology

Teaching methods are strategies or approaches faculty and instructors use to facilitate learning. They shape how information is presented, how students engage with content, and how assessments are conducted. Faculty can choose or combine methods based on course goals and student dynamics. Teaching methods should align to course learning objectives. 

There are four main approaches of teaching methods and it is helpful to let your students know at the beginning of the semester which approach(es) you subscribe to and why.

  1. Teacher-centered methods
  2. Learner-centered methods
  3. Content-focused methods
  4. Interactive/participative methods
  5. Experiential and Community-based learning

Educational technology can then be woven into your approach to support individualized learning, and learner engagement. Faculty can choose when and how technology is deployed in the course on a spectrum.

Teaching Methodology Syllabus Language

Detailing your teaching methods on your syllabus clearly outlines what students can expect regarding how the course will be taught and assessed. This section of your syllabus helps students understand how your teaching methods align with the course goals.

Sample Teaching Methods

Type One — Discussion Seminar Teaching Methodology

  • The professor will support student-led learning using the critical pedagogy approach to co-construct knowledge together.
  • This course is Student-centered, which emphasizes in-class activities, and teamwork skill development, and peer-to-peer learning.
  • Guest speakers will bring in ideas from the real world, and connect our readings together with examples.
  • We will use an asynchronous discussion forum to deepen our conversations outside of live discussion. The Professor will monitor and comment in the forum each week.
  • We will participate in dedicated workshops led by library staff to familiarize oursevles with research tools, databases, and resources available for your projects.

Type Two — Sample Lab-based course Teaching Methods

  • The course will consist of traditional lectures, where the instructor will present key concepts, theories, and problem-solving techniques that are then applied in the lab.
  • Each lab session will involve hands-on experiments and activities that encourage active participation. You will work in pairs or small groups to foster collaboration and critical thinking.
  • Inquiry-Based Learning: Students will engage in inquiry-driven labs where you will formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and analyze data.
  • Peer Learning: You will share findings and techniques with your team classmates through group discussions and presentations.
  • Regular feedback will be provided through quizzes, lab reports, practical assessments, and peer reviews will provide regular feedback. This is ongoing evaluation to help you track your progress and improve your skills throughout the course.
  • Teaching is also supported by educational technology. We will utilize the class Brightspace page and the platform [XXX] for data collection and analysis, as well as online resources for research.

Type Three — Sample Arts Studio Teaching Methods

  • Experiential learning guides our approach, whereby students will engage in hands-on projects that encourage exploration of different mediums and techniques. 
  • Lectures will include demonstrations of various techniques and tools, offering guided practice to build foundational skills.
  • Group work will be conducted through regular critique sessions that provide opportunities for students to present their work and receive constructive feedback from peers and instructors.
  • We will host guest speakers from diverse artistic backgrounds to share their insights and expertise, deepening our interdisciplinary understanding of the art world.
  • Announcements and online discussions will be managed through the course website on Brightspace

Type Four — Lecture-Based Methods

  • The course will primarily consist of lectures in which the instructor presents essential [xxx] theories, models, and real-world applications, allowing for thorough coverage of key concepts and facilitating a structured understanding of economic principles and their implications.
  • The course will include regular problem sets designed to reinforce the material covered in lectures. 
  • The course will incorporate case studies that analyze real-world [xxx] situations and decisions. By examining these cases in recitations and in the online discussion board, students will explore the application of [xxx] theories in practice, evaluate the outcomes of various [xxx] policies, and engage in critical discussions that enhance their understanding of complex economic issues.

Embedding Educational Technology and Blended Learning in Your Teaching Methods

As new technologies emerge, we often embed them in our teaching methods to get at pedagogical needs. It is helpful to students that you outline how educational technology will be used in the classroom in your teaching methods section on your syllabus.

Example 1 — Brightspace Tools

It is great to use the Brightspace Discussion Forum to illicit asychnronious sharing of ideas and the development of critical thinking as a teaching method. The teaching method to describe this work on your syllabus could be:

Engage in structured online discussion forums to analyze course readings, share insights, and debate key concepts, promoting critical thinking and encouraging diverse perspectives.

Perhaps your course Brightspace page has additional study materials provided for students or you regularly include documentary film, movies, and recorded tutorials to supplement class material to help students achieve the course learning outcomes.

This course utilizes online platforms including [xxx] to offer additional resources, including video tutorials and practice problem sets that enable students to reinforce their learning outside of class and at their own pace.

Example 2 — Annoto

Annoto is an in-video commenting tool that allows students to have interactive conversations within your course video. It provides a visual representation of your viewers' discussions. Get instructions on how to enable Annoto on your Brightspace page.

Below are two examples of Teaching Methods statements for your syllabus that include the use of Annoto.

  • Utilizing Annoto, students will engage with video content in real-time, adding comments, questions, and feedback directly within the video.
  • Students will engage asychroniously with pre-recorded lectures and comment on them using Annoto. In this way, students will interact with the lecture outside of class and at their own pace. Students can participate in contextual discussions which will deepen discussions during our live sessions. Through Annoto’s analytics, student interaction with video content will be tracked and assessed, allowing for tailored feedback and enhanced content effectiveness.

Immersive Learning Teaching Methods

Visual and Spatial Pedgagy involves the use of Augement Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology. NYU officers VR/AR services for teaching. Learn more on NYU's Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality page.

VR allows students to enter fully immersive environments, making abstract concepts more tangible. For example, instead of just reading about ancient civilizations, students can take virtual tours of historical sites or explore a human cell from the inside.

AR overlays digital information in the real world, helping students visualize complex data, such as dissecting a 3D model of the human body in real-time while studying anatomy.

A corresponding Teaching Method statement for your syllabus could be:

  • AR and VR technologies will be integrated to create immersive and interactive learning experiences and simulate real-world environments and scenarios in which we can explore course concepts.

The curricular structure developed in the syllabus needs to be put into action through deliberate pedagogy, methods of teaching, and the integration of technology where appropriate. This is as important for interdisciplinary electives as it is for structured prerequisite courses that have threshold concepts that must be learned to advance in the program. The construction of teachable units, whereby faculty develop instructional materials with goals and evaluation in mind are created by combining the teaching method with the pedagogical strategies inside that approach. When used appropriately, technology can help students to interact with the content of the course, give them opportunities to practice, as well as engage with each other.

Classroom Strategies

Facilitating learning through discussion, inclusivity, and technology.

Trauma-Informed Teaching

Find out how to help students under stress inducing situations which can affect their academic performance.