Educational Development

Cultivating engaged pedagogy

In collaboration with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, we have articulated five pedagogical principles for successful general education experiences at UNI:

UNIFI courses build from OUTCOMES, starting with the end in mind and designing experiences and activities to that end.

UNIFI courses foreground RELEVANCE, activating prior knowledge and motivating students through learning with intrinsic urgency, asking from the beginning the vital question, “So what?”

UNIFI courses ensure ACCESS, making certain that learning spaces are characterized by honor and clarity and providing inclusive content, climate, assessment, and pedagogy. 

UNIFI courses sustain CONNECTIONS, understanding that relationships of all kinds are key to learning, cultivating social and emotional learning, and connecting to current and future challenges and opportunities. 

UNIFI courses instill HABITS OF MIND, instilling critical and creative thinking, informing the important skills and bases of knowledge students gain.