The course draws on the expertise of a variety of STEM faculty, educational researchers, and staff from university teaching centers, many of them affiliated with the CIRTL Network. Topics include key learning principles, such as the role of mental models in learning and the importance of practice and feedback; fundamental elements of course design, including the development of learning objectives and assessments of learning aligned with those objectives; and teaching strategies for fostering active learning and inclusive classroom environments. Formats include video content and transcripts, readings, discussion forums, quizzes, and peer-graded assignments where participants will plan teaching and learning activities relevant to their disciplines. 

This 8-week course is entirely asynchronous, meaning there are no regularly scheduled weekly meetings. Each week instructors will release new materials for students to access via the EdX platform.

An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching is a massive open, online course (MOOC) designed to provide graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and other aspiring faculty in STEM disciplines with an overview of effective college teaching strategies and the research that supports them. This course is also suitable for other interested university staff, faculty, and administrators. The goal of the eight-week course is to equip the next generation of faculty to be effective teachers, thus improving the learning experience for the thousands of students they will teach. Past participants are overwhelmingly satisfied with the course (nearly 90% of Summer 2019 students were satisfied or extremely satisfied).