Teaching Support

Contact Us

Megan Redfearn

m-redfearn@northwestern.edu
Director, Faculty Services and Doctoral Student Affairs  
ph 847/467-6519

Getting Teaching Support

In SESP, support for instruction is provided at the program level. If you have questions about your teaching, contact the administrator responsible for instructional support in the program offering the course. This will be the Office of Student Affairs for undergraduate teaching and the program coordinators for Human Development and Social Policy and Learning Sciences for graduate courses. The master's programs also have an identified person in each program to support teaching. If you have any questions about whom to contact, Megan Redfearn can direct you.

Canvas at Northwestern

Canvas allows Northwestern instructors and students to deliver course materials, submit assignments and tests, view grades, and create learning activities.

Visit the Canvas Resources hub to find extensive documentation on Canvas's various features and request support.

For Northwestern NetID-related issues, contact the Northwestern IT Support Center at 847-491-4357 (1-HELP) or consultant@northwestern.edu. 

For all other Canvas issues, contact Canvas Support by Instructure (available 24/7/365) via phone, live chat, or email: 

Course Reserves in Canvas: Journal Articles, Book Chapters, Streaming Audio, Streaming Video 

Northwestern Library staff will procure items and obtain copyright clearance for journal articles, book chapters, and streaming audio and video that is requested through the Course Reserves tool available in each Canvas site.

• Navigate to the course site.
• Click on Course Reserves in the course navigation menu.
• The first time the Course Reserves page is opened, please choose the quarter in which the course will be active and click "Create Course."
• You will see the Course Reserves tool where you can request and view materials for your course.
• Click on "Add Reserve Items" under Instructor Class Tools..
• Select the reserve item type from the menu. Your choices are: "Book or DVD", "Book Chapter", "Article", "Streaming Audio" and "Streaming Video". (If you have items from a previous course you would like to import, see instructions for copying from previous quarters. If you are copying from a course you didn’t teach, complete steps 1-3 and then e-mail e-reserve@northwestern.edu to request that the reserves from the most recent version of the course be copied into your site.)
• Fill out the form for the Reserve Item choice you have selected. Pay special attention to the date format, which requires MM-DD-YY. Date needed should be a few days before the item is required for the course. Library staff triage requests based on this date.
• Click the submit item button once the form is filled out with all of the relevant information.

Links to library materials should not be used in online classes. Additional information is available at the Course Reserves site and the Main Library Reserve Team is available for assistance at e-reserve@northwestern.edu or 847-491-7681.If you are teaching a course you didn’t design, please use the following process:

• Click on Course Reserves in your course site.
• Click the “Create Course” button.
• E-mail e-reserve@northwestern.edu and request that the reserves from the most recent version of the course be copied.

Text Books

The program assistant can also help faculty purchase individual books for research using the expense portal. Faculty can order books for research and courses using the NU bookstore.  Faculty can request course materials for student purchase at the bookstore through the steps below. 

• Go to Barnes & Noble College FacultyEnlight website.
• On the FacultyEnlight website click Sign In or Create account in the top right corner of the page.
• Enter your username or email address and password to sign in. If creating an account, complete the form. After completing the form, you’ll be taken to the homepage.
• If you already know what textbook you want, click Adopt.
• Use the Find Your School menus to select your course and check the box next to your section, then click Continue.
• Add materials using one of the 8 options.
• Add the Evanston bookstore link to your syllabus and direct the students to purchase the textbook. 

Harvard Business Review Materials 

If the required reading materials are HBR articles, not premium content, students can read up to 6 articles per month for free with a registered account. This should be noted in the course site. However, a course pack should still be made available to students so that if students prefer to use their free articles elsewhere, they can purchase the course materials with the education discount. For premium content (typically case studies), a course pack should always be created.

• Go to the Harvard Business Publishing registration website.
• If you already have an educator account, skip to step 5.
• On the registration website, choose “Educator.”
• Complete the form.
• In the University Affiliation Section of the form, enter directory.northwestern.edu in the “Faculty Directory URL” field.
• Log in to your account.
• Search for the item you’d like to add to your course.
• Click the “Add To” button on the item description page.
• Click “Coursepacks.”
• Complete the information for a new course pack.
• Repeat steps 7 and 8 for any additional items you’d like to add to the coursepack.
• When you are done adding items, click “Activate Coursepack.”
• Select “Student Pay” as the payment type.
• The activation process will create a Coursepack Link. Copy and paste this link to distribute it to your students. 

Here is standard syllabus text for courses that use HBR articles, where students can read for free or purchase:

[Number] articles in this course are from HBR.org. Students who register for an account with HBR can read up to six articles per month for free. A course pack has been created for those students who wish to use their free articles elsewhere and would like to purchase course materials with the education discount. From the course pack page, you may purchase any individual article or all of them together.

Access the course pack here: [insert link]

Creating and Scheduling Courses

Courses are typically planned by April preceding the start of an academic year.  The undergraduate programs committee and respective graduate committees meet to discuss required and elective courses to be offered. Shortly after these meetings (usually every April), the dean, departmental program assistants and directors meet to solidify the course plan for the upcoming year. Program assistants then contact individual faculty members to confirm dates and times of classes. For questions about course load and scheduling contact: Megan Redfearn

TA Assignments

Courses that reach a minimum enrollment of 35 students are allowed the assistance of one teaching assistant, courses with an enrollment of 55 students are allowed two TAs. Doctoral students whose funding is distributed through Graduate School TAships are assigned the first TA slots. Once this pool of students is exhausted, available slots are offered to doctoral students for compensation. All requests for TAs must go through Megan Redfearn in the Dean’s Office.

Grading and Change of Grades

Instructors log in to CAESAR to post grades. The Office of the Registrar offers grading information for faculty.

Instructors may grant proxy access to online grading. Granting proxies allow the instructor to designate another person (such as a TA) to enter grades for a particular class selection. A grading proxy must have a NetID and be a faculty, staff or graduate student member of the NU community. The Office of the Registrar offers tips for granting proxy access to online grading.

As of Fall 2011, the change of grade process is completely online. The instructor/grading proxy opens the grade roster in CAESAR and clicks on the “request grade change” arrow corresponding to the student in need of a grade change. The instructor must choose a “reason for the request” from the drop-down menu, and will be able to add a free-text “comment.” Once the request is submitted, workflow will send it to the appropriate dean. The dean can approve or deny, and make a “comment” if desired. If approved, the grade will immediately be changed on the student’s official record. Whether the dean approves or denies, an e-mail will be sent to the instructor and the student informing them of the dean’s decision. The Office of the Registrar provides further explanation of the online change of grade process.

Online Grade Change – Faculty Tip Sheet

Deadlines/Academic Calendar

• Registrar's Office academic calendar
• The Graduate School calendar

Syllabi

It is extremely helpful to students if you provide a detailed syllabus. Please send an electronic copy of the syllabus to Megan Redfearn prior to the start of each quarter. For further guidance on course syllabi, visit the Syllabi Statements page created by the Office of the Registrar.

Please include the following statements about accommodations and academic integrity in every syllabus:

Academic Integrity

Students in this course are required to comply with the policies found in the booklet, "Academic Integrity at Northwestern University: A Basic guide".  All papers submitted for credit in this course must be submitted electronically unless otherwise instructed by the professor.  Your written work may be tested for plagiarized content.  For details regarding academic integrity at Northwestern or to download the guide, visit the Office of the Provost's Academic Integrity hub.

Optional statement regarding AI-generated content

Any form of cheating, including improper use of content generated by artificial intelligence, constitutes a violation of Northwestern’s academic integrity policy. Turnitin, which is already in use at Northwestern, is expanding its system to include artificial intelligence detection.

Accommodations for students with disabilities

Northwestern University is committed to providing the most accessible learning environment as possible for students with disabilities. Should you anticipate or experience disability-related barriers in the academic setting, please contact AccessibleNU to move forward with the university’s established accommodation process (e: accessiblenu@northwestern.edu; p: 847-467-5530). If you already have established accommodations with AccessibleNU, please let me know as soon as possible, preferably within the first two weeks of the term, so we can work together to implement your disability accommodations. Disability information, including academic accommodations, is confidential under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Instructors are encouraged to consider including a statement about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their course syllabi. By including a DEI statement, instructors can help establish a welcoming tone and demonstrate what they value in the learning environment. For more information and examples, go to the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching’s resources on creating inclusive learning environments.

Prohibition of Recording of Class Sessions by Students

Unauthorized student recording of classroom or other academic activities (including advising sessions or office hours) is prohibited. Unauthorized recording is unethical and may also be a violation of University policy and state law. Students requesting the use of assistive technology as an accommodation should contact AccessibleNU. Unauthorized use of classroom recordings – including distributing or posting them – is also prohibited. Under the University’s Copyright Policy, faculty own the copyright to instructional materials – including those resources created specifically for the purposes of instruction, such as syllabi, lectures and lecture notes, and presentations. Students cannot copy, reproduce, display, or distribute these materials. Students who engage in unauthorized recording, unauthorized use of a recording, or unauthorized distribution of instructional materials will be referred to the appropriate University office for follow-up.

Support for Wellness and Mental Health

Northwestern University is committed to supporting the wellness of our students. Student Affairs has multiple resources to support student wellness and mental health.  If you are feeling distressed or overwhelmed, please reach out for help. Students can access confidential resources through the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL) and the Center for Awareness, Response and Education (CARE). Additional information on all of the resources mentioned above can be found here:

• Counseling
• Religious Life
• Care

Instructors who are recording any part of their classes should include the following statement:

Guidance on Class Recordings

This class or portions of this class will be recorded by the instructor for educational purposes. Your instructor will communicate how members of the class can access the recordings. Portions of the course that contain images, questions or commentary/discussion by students will be edited out of any recordings that are saved beyond the current term.

COVID-19 Classroom Expectations Statement

Students, faculty and staff must comply with University expectations regarding appropriate classroom behavior, including those outlined below and in the COVID-19 Expectations for Students. With respect to classroom procedures, this includes:

• Policies regarding masking, social distancing and other public health measures evolve as the situation changes. Students are responsible for understanding and complying with current University, state and city requirement.
• In some classes, masking and/or social distancing may be required as a result of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation for the instructor or a student in the class even when not generally required on campus. In such cases, the instructor will notify the class.

If a student fails to comply with the COVID-19 Expectations for Students or other University expectations related to COVID-19, the instructor may ask the student to leave the class. The instructor is asked to report the incident to the Office of Community Standards for additional follow-up.

Exceptions to Class Modality

This statement should be included on syllabi for in person or hybrid sections.

Class sessions for this course will occur in person. Individual students will not be granted permission to attend remotely except as the result of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation as determined by AccessibleNU.

Faculty may choose to include this additional statement:

Maintaining the health of the community remains our priority. If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID do not attend class. Follow the steps outlined on this site for testing, isolation and reporting a positive case. Next, contact your instructor as soon as possible to arrange to complete coursework.

Students who experience other personal emergencies should contact the instructor as soon as possible to arrange to complete coursework.

Should public health recommendations prevent in-person class from being held on a given day, the instructor or the university will notify students.

Generative AI Tools and the Impact on Teaching and Learning

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become increasingly accessible and will impact teaching and learning in numerous ways.

Northwestern is committed to providing instructors with teaching and learning support related to generative AI as these technologies evolve. To learn more, visit Northwestern's resource page on generative AI tools.

Teaching Resources

The Searle Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning offers a variety of services to Northwestern Faculty and Graduate students and Post Docs on such topics as workshops for new faculty,  Inclusive Learning Environments, and a variety of programs that support members of the Northwestern community develop their teaching skills and enhance student learning.

The Graduate School at Northwestern has also curated this page of inclusive teaching resources for faculty and teaching assistants.