These massive open online courses (MOOCs) from the CIRTL Network and related efforts are designed to prepare aspiring faculty in STEM fields (natural and social sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to be effective teachers and more confident and prepared early-career academics and professionals. The courses listed below are offered through EdX’s audit track for free, with a letter of completion provided by course instructors.

Jump to:

• Evidence-Based STEM Teaching
• The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project
• The Postdoc Academy

Local Learning Communities

If you’re a Cornellian and interested in organizing or participating in a learning community to discuss the ideas in these courses further while they are running, please contact futurefaculty@cornell.edu. We are pleased to provide learning communities with access to instructor guides with discussion prompts and questions, technical support and communications assistance, and a modest budget for photocopying or refreshments.

Evidence-Based STEM Teaching Courses

These courses can be taken in either order, depending on if you would like an overview of how people learn (in course 1), or to jump right to in-depth strategies for advancing teaching and learning (in course 2).

Course 1: An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching

An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching is a massive open online course designed to prepare aspiring faculty in STEM fields to be more effective teachers through an introduction to evidence-based STEM teaching practices. You will learn about effective teaching strategies and the research that supports them. You’ll then apply your learning to the design of lessons and assignments for use in your future teaching or job application packages. After completing this course, you will be a more informed and confident teacher, equipped for greater success in the classroom.

Topics include: Principles of Learning: Prior Knowledge and Knowledge Organization; Practice, Feedback, and Motivation; Learning Objectives; Assessment of Learning; Active Learning; Inclusive Teaching; Final Project, Peer Review, and Conclusion.

Offered: Summer 2024

Course 2: Advancing Learning through Evidence-Based STEM Teaching

Course 2, Advancing Learning through Evidence-Based STEM Teaching, prepares science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instructors to develop and implement teaching practices that advance the learning experiences and outcomes of both students and teachers. Participants will learn about effective teaching strategies and the research that supports them, including active learning and flipped classroom approaches. While this course builds on Course 1, it is recommended but not required as a prerequisite.

Topics include: Practice and Feedback – Peer Instruction, Problem-Based Learning; Thinking Like a Scientist – Inquiry-Based Labs; Learning Communities – Cooperative Learning, Learning through Diversity; Course Design – The Flipped Classroom;  Principles and Practices – Final Project and Peer Feedback.

Offered: Spring 2024 – Enroll with EdX

These courses draw on the expertise of STEM faculty, educational researchers, and staff from university teaching centers, many of them affiliated with the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL), a network of 42 research universities collaborating in the preparation of graduate students and postdocs as future faculty members. There are opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, both online and locally.