NEXUS

Have you ever asked your students a question, only to be met with a long awkward silence? Fostering deep discussions can be a real challenge in an online class! Luckily, you can structure your discussions to draw out more student engagement and deeper social learning connections in class. Why are students quiet? Low willingness to communicate can come from general shyness, lack of confidence in ideas or opinions, lack of confidence in language skills or the general dislocat

Teaching in a new modality (e.g., online asynchronous, HyFlex) requires rethinking how to plan and deliver your class. But there’s good news! Online in Zoom or live in-person, the fundamentals of student-centered teaching are the same. We still want to center learner voices, draw on their experiences and opinions, and facilitate interaction and connection among learners. The challenge online is figuring how to leverage technologies to best support students’ education. Best

Image: Aviavlad, Pixabay, 2026 I remember my favorite project from third grade. We were asked to demonstrate a 'how-to' procedural writing piece as a presentation. "Think of what you like to make," was our teacher's guidance. Growing up in hot Florida, I chose to model the steps to make fresh, ice-cold lemonade. I poured my heart and soul into my project. And I still remember one of my classmates, Alexandria, presenting how to make food sculptures with found objects at home:

Zoom often serves as a virtual classroom in higher education. Building a warm and inviting class culture may seem challenging when separated into boxes on a computer screen, but it’s possible—even fun! I have grown to love teaching online using a few simple strategies: Opening “Do Now” Question: Before students sign into your Zoom room, begin screensharing a slide with an opening question related to class session content. Invite students to share their responses in the chat (

At NYU SPS, group projects (NYU login required) set up students for professional success by learning to work in teams, applying knowledge and skills, and benefiting from peer-to-peer feedback. Asking students to work together and provide each other feedback can be sensitive. Set clear expectations for group assignments, and plan for how students will reflect on the process and on their peers’ contributions. Check with your NYU SPS Academic Leadership to learn about department

In this sample Publishing, Writing and Media assignment, students practice creating a cover brief for a book. Through this process, students generate various styles of images with AI, explore editorial feel and tone, draft a brief, and justify their choices and processes. AI Tool Google Gemini - Nanobanana Summary Students use AI to draft potential cover art for a book, then submit a brief with their best images and an analysis of the quality and fit of the images and the us