Certified Course
Effective Teaching Strategies
This introductory course covers the essential roles of a teacher and the competencies required to be a successful instructor in an educational institution. Proven techniques and strategies for planning and preparation are presented and discussed. In addition, the course offers effective methods for conducting the first class meeting and delivering course content. This course provides a solid foundation for new instructors and serves as an excellent refresher for more experienced instructors.
In conjunction with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, MaxKnowledge has been honored by the 1EdTech Consortium as a Learning Impact Award Finalist for scaling pedagogical knowledge and practice through evidence-based technology.
MaxKnowledge Founder & CEO, Dr. Amir Moghadam, has been named as one of Career College Central's top 12 innovators leaping forward with ideas that have influenced the career education realm.
MaxKnowledge Chief Learning Officer, Tarlon Moghadam, has been named as one of Career Education Review's top 20 leaders changing career education.
In collaboration with the Universal Technical Institute, an independent evaluation study by the ROI Institute® proved the ROI of MaxKnowledge employee training on student retention to be over 500%.
MaxKnowledge leadership development courses are sponsored by Harvard Business Publishing and feature content from Harvard ManageMentor®.
Performance Group
This course provides you with a lifelong peer-to-peer learning opportunity through a specific Performance Group created within the Career Ed Lounge, a learning community of career education professionals. This allows you to learn and share with your peers at any time you want, even after you complete the course.
Course Disclaimer
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Course Testimonials
"All instructors should go through this course. It focuses on many points that are potentially vital for a good teacher."
"This course was fantastic!!! It far surpassed what I had anticipated. I have already utilized and incorporated some of the course "pointers" in my professional setting. I can't wait to learn more and am anxious to enroll in another MaxKnowledge course!"
"I would like to commend you for putting such a wonderful tool for teaching improvement online. It really helps me a lot in strengthening my ability to teach proficiently."
"I have learned so much from this course. I have recognized the mistakes that I have made in the past as an instructor and the long list of assumptions that I had made about student abilities. I applied each of the techniques mentioned in this course and I saw the huge difference in student perception and enthusiasm. I would insist that every institution recommend this course to every instructor that joins. In fact this would be the perfect course for both newcomers as well as old timers. Thank you so much for opening my mind to different possibilities and how I shall continue to enjoy teaching as much as the students will continue to enjoy learning."
"I loved it! Reinforced what I do; expanded what I do and provided support and re-excitement for the wonderful, fulfilling world of education!"
"Wow, I gained an appreciation for online teaching and learning. I really learned from others as well and appreciated having a chance to put my "2 cents" in as well."
"I enjoyed the course and it will definitely help me to improve on my lecture style and to connect with my students."
"The course provided me with many excellent suggestions and tips to improve my teaching methods. "
"I am very much impressed with the content of the course. I can certainly use many of the principles and techniques I learned here."
"The material provided in the course helped to reinforce some of my previous methodologies and highlighted some important aspects of first day class room techniques."
"I loved this entire course! Given that this is the first one I can only imagine how good the rest of them are! I have learned so many valuable bits of information that I will carry with me in my toolbox of knowledge and performance as an instructor!"
"After taking ED101, I can tell you that I learned a lot as a relatively new instructor! I thought that I was doing everything right until I completed this course. I have a lot of improvement to make. Thank you for this course!"
"This course helped me to evaluate my performance and gave me much thought for how I can always improve my delivery."
"The course clarified and gave great direction on the standards of teaching."
"This course was very straight-forward and interesting. It stimulated my thinking and it spoke directly to concerns I had. I will be putting everything I learned in this course to practice."
"I felt that the course focused on very pertinent content for both new instructors and seasoned instructors. The modules were well-organized and provided excellent examples of how to create better experiences for my students."
"I truly enjoyed this course. I found it to be very interactive and it provided detailed examples in each module. I will take with me the knowledge of instructional components, the preparation of teaching, to do list, instruction & handout, overview requirements, goal setting and instructional objectives. I will take what I have learned and implement it into the classroom setting."
"This course offers a very good fundamental outline of what to have organized before attempting to teach a didactic course. It was interesting and helpful for my possible future career moves."
"I learned a lot from this course about different teaching styles and instructional development. I also got reassurance about my lecture times. I will implement new methods I learned in this course to enhance my instructional ability."
"Great course. Lots of info provided in a succinct way. I appreciate the opportunity to take this course. It really helped me to re-evaluate some of my teaching practices and habits (both good and bad)."
"This course is a great starting point for a new instructor like myself. It reminds me that I need to be just as prepared for class as my students and that even the most knowledgeable instructors need to have a foundational structure of the course they are teaching to ensure student success."
"I learned a lot from this course about different teaching styles and instructional development. I will implement new methods I learned in this course to enhance my instructional ability."
"As someone new to the field of academic teaching, this course helps me to understand what is expected in delivering success and hope to any students I am fortunate enough to teach. I tip my hat to those who have a passion for teaching and instructing. It isn't easy, but can be very rewarding. I plan to take the information given in this course and apply it to become a better instructor everyday. It is a challenge to teach, but I have so far found it to be an awesome responsibility and rewarding in ways that are not easily measured. Continuing education is a must for me and I will seek out as many opportunities as humanly possible."
"I am a new instructor and am nervous but very excited to start my first class. This course has provided ways to stay organized and confident with my course. I plan to implement what I have learned here with my small group first and work my way up to my larger classes. After this term is over I believe I will have a better understanding of successful instructing. Then I believe I can take another course and continue to learn how to improve my new career for myself and for my students. "
"I absolutely love the material covered in this course! Very informative with a variety of great new methods to incorporate into teaching! "
"Being new to the teaching industry, this course definitely helped me in seeing new ways to approach a new class. It also helped me to see different ways that I can start a class and different teaching methods that I can use when entering the room. I enjoyed learning this course! It helped me get another insight in how everyone learns in different ways. The Harvard learning videos were very helpful!"
"I am new faculty and this course has given me a lot of information needed to help make my first class and teaching career a success. I look forward to using this new knowledge in the classroom. "
"Course is really a good guideline in setting up classroom positive environment."
"Certainly an effective tool for not only first time instructors but those with experience in the classroom as well. It is a great course set up."
"As a brand new instructor, this course gave me great ideas as to how to prepare for lecturing and actually lecturing. I am now, even more excited to start lecturing than I was before."
"This is such a great tool, this is what I've needed and so happy this was offered to me. I want to be the best at what I do, this for sure will lead me in that direction."
"After taking ED101, I feel more prepared to teach my upcoming course. Tips like developing a lesson plan, instructional delivery techniques, and ways to better engage students are methods that I will employ. "
"I have learned a lot from this online course. I hope to implement various strategies to improve my teaching abilities. Examples include creating an outline for lectures, providing in-class activities where students can collaborate and apply what they have been taught. "
"With the knowledge I learned today, I am inspired to apply it in my classroom. This makes my lab projects more engaging by using the participatory technique."
"This was a great reinforcement of effective teaching strategies. I will definitely use the mini-lessons concept to break down complex procedures in medical billing and coding. 10 - 15 minute instructions, explain, demonstrate and monitor group activities. Thank you!"
"The course has improved my thoughts on how to manage my course outline and it improved the way I approach my students. My planning on my course outline has really improved since taking the course."
"I learned valuable information that will be applied to students learning, first impressions and to feel comfortable with asking questions. identifying learning styles to maximize positive outcomes"
"It was very Educational and informative, it gave tips and recommendations that any one that is a provider, a mentor in teaching others is very helpful for guidance . "
"Great format and easy to follow content. The videos from Harvard business school were very informative."
"This is an excellent course. Information is perfect for all instructors to know in order to be an excellent resource for their students!"
"Great information was provided. I love how it gives me examples to deliver daily class lectures and Lab."
"I enjoyed the option to listen to the content versus reading it. I also enjoyed the HBR videos that were embedded into the content. Very comprehensive, detailed, and practical educational strategies that will allow me to immediately implement in my practice as an instructor."
"Great training tool and excellent material. Very good learning experience."
"Very Helpful, I learned a lot on how to manage classrooms in a more effective way!"
"I appreciated the brevity in highlighting the main components of adult learning theory. I can tell that this was a synthesis of much research that I was familiar with prior to taking this course. Well presented!"
"Great videos! Love the ability to read, view and hear the content. "
"I liked that this online course was very informative. It had great ideas to implement into the classroom."
"The information provided additional tools to assist in the creation of lesson plans, I have learned the scope of a solid first-day meeting of the classroom setting and will make some modifications. The actual experience was enlightening, great job!"
"This course was very helpful. Having different methods for receiving the material was very helpful. I plan to print some of the information for me to easily refer back to. "
"I liked the quizzes/games after each section, it allowed for more interaction and made the content more interesting and interactive. "
"I appreciate the items regarding learning styles, I had not thought of this concept prior to this segment. Thank you for including this."
"Good course with some outstanding information."
"The course was very clear and gave good direction for a person who is new to the instructor field. A lot of information on how to conduct yourself in front of students. The information of preparation will help as the first classes occur. "
"I recommend this to any starting or new educator."
"The information was concise and relatable. I liked the videos as well as the games in the course."
"I really liked the forum that involved posting your learning throughout the course."
"I liked the information presented especially the Harvard videos that gave insight for effective teaching."
"My favorite part about his course is the option to have to lecture read to you. I really feels like you are in an actual classroom setting and it helped to keep my attention. I also enjoyed the videos."
"This is a great course for new instructors to learn about entering into the realm of teaching. I enjoyed the modules and took notes to assist me later. Thanks!!"
"This online Course is a great help for teachers. It helps teachers organize, prepare and be flexible."
"Excellent course for new instructors and refresher for experienced instructors. The youtube video examples were great!"
"I liked the material that was covered - it will help me become a more effective instructor and provided many great tips/strategies."
"Love the options given to navigate this course. I am an auditory learner, therefore having the video/ reading aloud options really helped. "
"Thank you once again for refreshing my level of training and knowledge of an Instructor"
"I thought the material was presented clearly. The periodic quizzes, as opposed to just one test at the end, helped me to stay focused and pick out the most important points."
"I loved this course. I feel that is really helps me become a better instructor. This is so valuable to me."
"Excellent course. Helps to be a better educator, as I always look for room for improvement to be teach better"
"Great information can be used to improve upon teaching format. "
"As a new instructor, this course has given me tools to use when I teach my first lecture. The information was great and there were a lot of ideas I will be using."
"I really enjoyed this course and its content and truly feel that it is applicable as a first time instructor!"
"I am a first time instructor; this was so helpful!!!!"
"I enjoyed this course. It taught me about things to do the first day of class that I do not typically do now. It taught me the different learning styles. I enjoyed the quick videos that gave me a different way of receiving the information other than reading. It also provided me with a clear understanding of the difference in a curriculum, course outline, and syllabus which no one had ever explained before. "
"The videos from Harvard Business School were especially helpful. I liked the pacing, the interactivity, and the delivery format of this course. I would absolutely take a course like this again!"
"One of the most effective and organized online program that I've taken to date."
"I love to to get a refresher of what I need to do and consider when I teach especially when talking about how I can best guide my students by looking into their learning style and improving my instructional style to gain productive classroom settings."
"Excellent course, direct and easy to follow"
"I thought that the content was extremely well delivered and had a great impact on how I think about teaching, especially when I have no classroom teaching experience. Excellent material. "
"This course was well explained and I can use it for my teachings
"
"Great preparation for new instructor teaching. Course was not too lengthy or short, but spot on for intended purpose."
"I liked the Interactive tests to monitor our progress. As a new instructor I never knew these were things that I had to consider, so I appreciate that. I like the step by step progress tracker."
"I appreciated the option to read, listen and view content. The thinking break questions were a good way to break up the lesson and confirm I was understanding the content."
"I like the discussions in between to keep us interactive"
"Thank you for the opportunity and for keeping me in mind for this course. I truly hate online classes, BUT this one definitely was an exception. It was easy to follow and learned new things I didn't know."
"Best learning platform those who want to learn through online."
"I appreciated having the option to select how I would like to learn this content."
"Thank you for presenting Harvard Business Course mini lectures!. They are wonderful!"
"LOVED the content in this course. Great information that I can implement right away!"
"I was glad to see the quizzes at the end of each topic. This helped me reinforce what I learned. "
"Really appreciate that you have transcripts of the videos - reading is my preferred method of learning. "
"Good valuable content that was relevant to the improvement of my teaching."
"Thank you so much for this course and excellent content presented. It was a great reminder for strategies of effective teaching that I have learned before but needed to remember again for a new semester. "
"This is an amazing course that I will refer back to."
"Great class on helping new instructors develop plans, get prepared, and succeed in front of their students."
"Very informative. I learned a lot of ways to prepare for a class as a novice clinical instructor. Very helpful."
"I really enjoyed the video snippets from Harvard. They were real and relevant. "
"great course necessary for new instructors and provide broad information over topics that would help instructors be better at their jobs "
"these are great tools to learn as a new instructor and i have learned to apply every day i picked something up"
"Very well structured and helpful reminder of teaching strategies."
"great course! job specific"
"I appreciate having the option to watch the video vice reading the material. I was much more engaged and focused on the lesson plan."
"The course outline was exceptional, and I plan to take what I have learned to increase value in my current role."
"I wish I had been given this course as part of my onboarding. As a new instructor this was very informational and I am excited to put what I have learned to use when I begin my new class on Monday!!"
"I really learned a lot from this training. I will be using the pretest, handing out note cards to have students write any questions on, greeting students each at the door as they walk in, and remembering that my syllabus should include an exciting tone. The short videos throughout the modules added a deeper understanding for me. It allowed me to connect what I was learning into a real instructional example. "
"I liked the different options, you could print and read, listen or watch the video as we all have different learning styles."
"I learned some useful tips in this course. Staying organized and getting toknow students needs and learning preferences will create a conducive learning environment."
"I loved and enjoyed the topic. The videos presented were captivating. Very insightful and provided me crucial information to help me improve my teaching skills. "
"I love the videos from Harvard Business. It helps put things in perspective."
"I enjoyed the videos of the experts explaining successful teaching methods."
"Excellent, Direct, and Applicable. I actually enjoyed taking this course: even after 22 years, I always learn something new and helpful. This was straightforward and right to the point and can help me be a better instructor."
"I appreciate the on your own time approach to the learning format. The content was relatable and easy to understand. I am excited to transition this learning into my practice."
"This was a great course. I'm going to use what I learned in training new instructors and review for seasoned instructors!"
"This is a very helpful course even for the experienced college instructor. The course puts the information together very nicely, with a clear organization and delivery of the ideas presented. It reflects very accurately what a good instructor should aim for. Thank you very much."
"These professional training programs are thoroughly rich in content and application related to the currently needed educational and technological advancement of students and instructors at this age of human development. The new ideas I was able to acquire have rendered my earlier learning more meaningful and relevant to the contemporary educational issues of our time. Surely, this approach will be the solution to our future."
"This course was well organized and provided great information on teaching. The topic on the students involvement in their education and learning styles was accurate and important to understand. I have been teaching students in higher learning for many years and this was a refreshing module of topics I was very familiar with. I really enjoyed the video's provided through out the module. "
"I loved the Harvard videos. They were very inspirational. "
"I think the content within this course is extremely relevant and useful. Teaching is SO much more than just delivering content and lecturing, etc. The vast majority of the content in this course comes very natural to some, but I can see how this would be very helpful for any instructor!"
"This course has helped me to settle my nerves in realizing that just because I am an instructor, does not mean that I am not human. I still am human, am going to make mistakes, and my instruction will only get better with time and practice, lots of it! "
"I appreciate the broad base of knowledge covered. The clips from the Harvard Business school provided specific insight and the video medium was interesting."
"The videos of Harvard Business school were excellent"
"I really liked the excerpts from instructors and professors at Harvard Business School. I liked how the quiz questions along the way sufficiently prepared me for the final quiz. The material was easy to follow and understand."
"Great introduction course to build a strong foundation for new and existing instructors."
"I was pleasantly surprised at how much insight this course gave me in teaching career education. I honestly am going to take more of these courses. They were very informative!"
"Although it took several days to complete (during breaks, lunchtime, etc.), this course is every bit as valuable as shadowing other instructors! Plus, by combining the lessons learned throughout the course and shadowing other instructors, I've got a clear plan on what to do (and what NOT to do). Excellent course!"
"The information breakdown is great for new instructors. I was not aware of the amount of psychology that goes into teaching."
"This was great. Coming from the field of study into the teaching role has been a culture shock and this has helped bring to light some of the things that I may not have done and should be doing, has highlighted techniques I can use, and provided feedback on things that I believe I am doing and will continue to do."
"This was a very helpful refresher course into the teaching profession and the information covered was enlightening and motivating. I am very interested in trying some of these strategies in my classroom. "
"I loved this course! As a first time instructor this course gave me great tips, ideas and examples of how to better conduct my class. I will defiantly come back to reference the material."
"Good Class! Gave me ideas and recommendations on how to improve as an instructor."
"This course was filled with very valuable information for a first-time instructor. I will be referring to the content of this course often. Thank you. "
"This first course was a great introduction to the layout and process of taking the courses. I look forward to utilizing the platform. "
"I feel this course was more effective than a classroom environment would have been. The fact that I was able to choose different methods of absorbing the information, either by reading, listening, or watching videos of the content was very helpful. "
"I love the self-paced nature of the course, and that there were multiple modes of instruction included. The content was clear, direct, and reasonably rigorous for students who are balancing this with full time work. "
"this course was a great tool to help mem get adjusted to North American Trade Schools curriculum and expectations. i really enjoyed it."
"I really enjoyed the subject matter and will definitely incorporate many thing into my classroom"
"I gained new knowledge of how to interact with my students. In addition how to make the classroom/courses less intimaditing to students"
"This course should be required or highly suggested for new instructors!"
"Great course, especially for new instructors or those who have never instructed"
"Thought this was an extremely informative training. I can personally say I am walking away with new skills and ideas that I will incorporate into my teaching. I hope my peers found it as informative as I did, so we can grow as teachers together. "
"This was great. I learned a lot of what it takes to be an instructor "
"This course was exceptionally well-structured, with thoughtful organization and pacing that allowed ample time to absorb and reflect on each concept. One of the most impactful elements was the inclusion of video examples featuring various professors engaging with their students—these real-world demonstrations brought the material to life and offered invaluable insights into effective teaching practices.
The course also provided a wealth of actionable tips and techniques that I can immediately apply to enhance my own lectures. Beyond that, it has equipped me with the tools to critically evaluate and improve the courses offered throughout our program.
What stood out most was the emphasis on the instructor’s mindset and work ethic as key drivers of student empowerment—highlighting that teaching effectiveness stems not just from subject matter expertise, but from the energy and intention an instructor brings to the classroom.
I genuinely wish this course had been available when I first began teaching. It’s an outstanding resource, and I fully intend to share its value with all of my colleagues."
"I really liked how the course allowed you to watch, listen, read or print the material. I am an auditory learner and being able to watch the short movies was very helpful. "
Course Objectives
Module 1: Developing as an Instructor
- Recognize the different roles instructors' play in the educational process.
- Identify competencies needed for instructor success.
- Describe different instructional styles and their impact on learning.
- Form a professional image of an instructor.
- Create a professional development plan.
Module 2: Planning and Preparation
- Describe commonly used instructional terms.
- Utilize different instructional tools for delivery of course content.
- Create strategies for preparing for the first class meeting.
- Recognize ways of selecting supportive instructional material.
- Write goals and objectives for courses.
- Develop a course syllabus.
- Analyze learning environments.
Module 3: Meeting the Class for the First Time
- Explain the role of the instructor during the first class meeting.
- Identify strategies for a successful first class meeting.
- Recognize ways of introducing class requirements to students.
- Create a to do list for instructional planning.
- Select content and activities for starting a new class.
- Decide on instructional supports to improve student motivation.
Module 4: Delivering Course Content
- Utilize different methods of organizing and presenting class content.
- Select appropriate content delivery options.
- Recognize categories of learning styles.
- Identify different lecture formats.
- Select lecture format appropriate for class being taught.
- Plan ways to use demonstrations to deliver content.
Course Structure
Course Format
- Can Start Anytime
- Self-paced (within course enrollment timeframe)
- 4 Hours of Activities
Completion Requirements
- Study Course Content
- Pass ALL Required Quizzes
Digital Badge & Certificate of Completion
- 4 Hours of Continuing Education
- Awarded upon successful completion of course
Course Rating
Certification Credits
- This course provides a Certificate of Completion with 4 hours of continuing education credits.
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This course provides credit toward the Certified Higher Education Professional (CHEP) credential in the following specialization area(s):
- CHEP in Teaching
- This course provides credit toward the continuing education requirements for CHEPs in all areas of specialization.