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Tuesday Tips
Meet Dr. Ann McCoy!
The creative mind behind our weekly Tuesday Tips!
With a career in education spanning more than four decades, Ann brings a wealth of
experience as a classroom teacher, mathematics educator, faculty member, and academic
leader. Since joining UCM in 2006, she has served in a variety of roles, including
Chair of the School of Teaching and Learning, Associate Dean, Dean of the College
of Education, and currently Interim Vice Provost of Academic Programs & Graduate Studies.
Each week, Ann draws on her years of teaching and leadership experience to share a
practical Tuesday Tip designed to support UCM faculty. Whether it’s a simple teaching
strategy, a fresh way to engage students, or a reminder that small changes can make
a big difference, her goal is to offer ideas that are easy to use and meaningful for
both faculty and students.
We hope you’ll make Tuesday Tips part of your week and find a few ideas along the
way that inspire your teaching!
October 6, 2026
Good morning!
Last week we shared ideas for implementing assessment of prior knowledge in your classes. Results of this preassessment likely revealed your students enter your class with very differing levels of prior knowledge gained during high school and other university courses. Here are a few ideas from the Cornell University Center for Teaching Innovation you may choose to implement to provide support to help address learning gaps.
- Provide extra readings or videos on topics where some students may have a learning gap.
- Share your own experiences of feeling challenged and how you overcame the challenge.
- Remind students that making mistakes is acceptable, and struggles are an essential part of learning.
- Break complex tasks into smaller, guided steps with feedback provided.
- Provide resources for additional help including office hours, review sessions, virtual questions and answer forums, etc.
- Facilitate peer support to allow students the opportunity to learn from each other.
- Encourage and facilitate the creation of study groups.
- Provide opportunities for assessment throughout the semester to allow students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning.
- Check in with students often in class or through classroom polls
Have a great week!
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