Skip to content

Instructional Design

In the Classroom

Technology in the classroom includes everything from the projector or display, to the room design, to using clickers for student engagement. In TEAL teaching labs, computer labs, active learning spaces, lecture halls, and more typical classrooms, technology and how it is used to support learning has a huge impact on the student experience.

AET Technologists are available to help faculty design research-based pedagogical teaching methods that support student success.  Find more information on our consultation page in the Service Catalog.


Outside of the Classroom

The online or digital environment has many instructional tools that support teaching. On our campus, these include:

  • CatCourses where students can upload assignments and take quizzes electronically
  • e-portfolios to showcase student work
  • Kaltura, a video-streaming service that allows faculty to flip courses or create supplemental course materials for students
  • Zoom, a video / communication platform that can be used for everything from collaborating with colleagues on research to conducting online review sessions

These are just a few examples of the tools we provide and how they might be used for instruction. All are available to faculty, along with training and support from technologists who are knowledgeable in best practices and the ins-and-outs of using them. For an extensive list of instructional tools available, please see our Instructional Tools section.


Emerging Technologies

AET is constantly researching and exploring new technologies for instructional purposes. We hear about new tools from many directions including faculty, colleagues in industry and across the UC, and a variety of professional organizations we all belong to.

Typically, a new instructional technology is deployed to campus when a faculty member makes a request or when AET technologists act to respond to a technology industry change. From there, AET works to understand the technology and its impacts to pedagogical best practice and the student experience, how it will interact with our current campus infrastructure, its sustainability and support requirements, and any associated security concerns. This careful evaluation allows us to make recommendations that support student success and allow faculty flexibility in how they deliver course materials and design course content.