CAL Graduate Certification in College Teaching
CAL Invitation to Enroll RequiredProgram Contact Information
Professional Development
Back to CAL Graduate Certification in College TeachingThe recipient has attended at least 5 professional development workshops during their career, with at least one in each of the five core competency areas identified by the Graduate School as essential for developing competency in College teaching.
- Developing Discipline-Related Teaching Strategies
- Creating Effective Learning Environments
- Incorporating Technology in Your Teaching
- Understanding the University Context
- Assessing Student Learning
For each workshop students will provide attendance information as well as a reflective piece on your portfolio that contains a description of the competency, an artifact showing your development towards this competency and rationale for how you have achieved competency in the area, and a reflection on your own learning in the area.
While it is expected that students will participate in many more workshops than the required number, the Graduate School offers the Certification in College Teaching Institute each year that allows students to gain experience in all of the core competency areas in one workshop. Information can be found about the next event at https://grad.msu.edu/certification-college-teaching-institute
Developing Discipline-Related Teaching Strategies
Select appropriate pedagogical approaches to teaching threshold concepts and research methods specific to a discipline or field.
Topics may include:
- Design and facilitate learning of discipline-specific content
- Instructional design
- Plan course objectives
- Teaching contexts: discussions, small groups, laboratories, lectures, recitations, office hours, tutoring
Creating Effective Learning Environments
Cultivate effective learning environments by promoting student success and engagement and creating inclusive learning spaces.
Topics that may be addressed include:
- Learning Styles
- Diversity
- Motivation
- Communication skills
- Active learning
- Classroom management strategies
Incorporating Technology in Your Teaching
Incorporate digital technologies into teaching practice.
Topics that may be addressed include:
- Multimedia
- Distance learning
- Hybrid courses
- Video technologies
Understanding the University Context
Negotiate the college and/or university institutional environment (e.g., identify partners, resources, governance structures) to maximize their ability to cultivate student learning.
Topics that may be addressed include:
- Faculty rights, roles, and responsibilities
- Teaching as research and professional development
- Developing a professional teaching presence and plan
Assessing Student Learning
Assess student learning outcomes using summative and/or formative approaches.
Topics that may be addressed include:
- Testing
- Grading
- Classroom assessment
- Course Design
- Portfolio assessment