The Knowledge Network for Innovations in Learning and Teaching (KNILT)
Welcome to KNILT, an open online knowledge space where educators can find, share, and develop new ideas to improve education for the 21st century contexts, with over 600 mini-courses for teacher learning, more than 10,000 users each week, 1.2 million users in the last 3 years.
Join the KNILT group on Facebook for updates and networking with fellow educators.
Announcements and updates (May. 2, 2023) — The University at Albany, State University of New York honored Dr. Jianwei Zhang with the 2023 Distinguished Public Engagement Award, recognizing his work on the KNILT project and collaborative classroom innovations with partner schools. Special thanks to our collaborating teachers, students, and school partners (more news... Archived announcements)
Overview of KNILT
KNILT is a long-term, ongoing project situated in the graduate courses and research projects led by Dr. Jianwei Zhang at the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY) (see Zhang Research Lab). Students enrolled in these classes (e.g. instructional design and learning technology in the MS CDIT program) carry diverse expertise as PreK-12 teachers, college instructors, technologists, instructional designers, curriculum coordinators, online education specialists, and other professionals. Their expertise is brought to bear in an authentic, semester-long project. Each class member goes through the systematic processes of learning design to create an online mini-course targeting teacher learning of a high-need topic, which may focus on a new pedagogical approach, a subject-specific teaching/assessment strategy, or a new technology tool. See University at Albany news release: ETAP Students Create Mini-Courses to Empower 21st Century Educators.
Since its inception in September 2007, KNILT has accumulated more than 600 mini-courses; this number grows each semester. The mini-courses are continually used by students for peer learning within each class and across different cohort groups. The mini-courses are further made freely available to educators from all around the world, who search for new ideas, strategies, and tools to renovate their teaching. During the pandemic from January 2020 to August 2023, 1.2 million users from 230+ countries/regions have accessed the mini-courses. See KNILT:About for more information about the history, development, and outreach of the KNILT site.
Featured Mini-Courses
Below are a few examples. Check out the Repository of Mini-Courses and Instructional Cases for many more mini-courses and cases.
Safe and productive education during the COVID 19 Pandemic
- Mark Gillmeister: Reaching and Teaching Learners in a Hybrid School Model
- Allison McElheran: How can students work together while being 6 ft apart?
- Sarah Sweazy: Hands on Learning Benefits Through Virtual Science Labs
- Alivia Clark: Incorporating Virtual Field Trips within Elementary Science Instruction
- Max Burman: Utilizing Microsoft Teams to Design Instruction
- Dorla Grant: Using Google Classroom as a collaborative tool in the classroom
- Adam Langworthy: Promoting Student Metacognition in the Classroom
- Joy Stephenson: Incorporating Virtual Field Trips
- Ryann Conlan: Integrating Google Classroom in the Classroom
- Kirby Simone: Designing Google Classroom to support Student Learning in a Pandemic
- Stephanie DeMolfetto: Google Drive Add-Ons for Education
- Devyn Fairbairn: Instilling Resilient Mindsets Within Students
- Heather Hoff: Quick and Effective Parent/Teacher Communication
- Sarah Garber: Blended Learning (the MATH model)
Improve STEM learning and teaching
- Joseph Russo: Designing a Culturally Responsive Geometry Curriculum (Recommended by American Mathematical Society)
- Donna Alese Cooke: Garden-Based Learning Across the Curriculum (recommended by the Ag Center of Louisiana State University as a resource for school garden curriculum
- Sarah Stolberg: Taking a Strengths-Based Approach to Teaching STEM in Rural Schools
- Stephanie Cambrea: Hands-On Manipulatives in Mathematics
- Mai Alawamleh: Writing-to-learn in Teaching STEM for Understanding
- Ashley Wellington: Teaching Science using Phenomena
- Gemelli Briceno: Adding the "A" in STEM Education
- Makala Foley: Incorporating the Workshop Model in Math (K-2)
- Jamie J Woodcock: Models: an Instructional Tool
- Katie Matthews: Integrating Student Response Systems in Mathematics Instruction
- Catherine Strattner: Integrating Metacognitive Development in Mathematics Instruction
- Scott Beiter: Teaching for Conceptual Change
- Nicole Gallo: Formative Assessment in PBL Math
Improve literacy, language, and arts classrooms
- Alicia Mari: Keeping Imaginative Play In the Kindergarten Classroom (used by the Colorado Department of Education - Office of Standards and Instructional Support [1] and [2].)
- Mikayla McGarry: Supporting ELLs: Where to Start
- Chelsea Thompson: Teaching Dialectal Variation in the Spanish as a Foreign Language Classroom
- Simona Borkina: Integrating Movement into the Curriculum
- Alicia Esposito: Game-Based Learning in the Music Classroom
- Sumaiyah Islam: The Science of Reading
- Erica Riekert: Reimagining Language Arts Instruction
- Devindi Samarakkody: Task-based Language Teaching
- Jocelyn Testa: Inclusive Phonics Instruction
- Chris Plantone: Searching for Sources
- Alexandra Mazza: The Essential Question Approach to ELA Teaching
- Lara Kelley: Art Integration In Every Classroom
- Eric Rodrigues: Understanding & Increasing Visual Art Engagement
- Melinda Phillips: Choreography Structures Mini Course
- Ali Marshall : Project-Based Learning in the Music Classroom
- Anna Maria Wing: Writing Instruction using Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
- Cheyenne Whirley: Digital Storytelling Course
- Melissa Filotas: Promoting Reading Comprehension in the Early Grades
- Diane Hamilton: Developing Phonemic Awareness in Kindergarten Children
- Deborah Byrne: Teaching with Primary Source Documents
Social studies and civic education
- Gordon Gottlieb: Sourcing and Applying Finite Local History Content
- Olivia Mules: Strategies for Teaching News Literacy Skills
- Brandon Hillier: Inquiry Design Model for Social Studies
- Vanessia Wilkins: Reading Like A Historian
- Michael Flynn: Teaching Socials Studies for Understanding
- Thomas Stolz: How to Handle Controversial Issues Inside Your Classroom
Support social and emotional learning
- Catherine Sadowski: Teaching Children Affected by Family Violence (Recommended by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on its Child Welfare Information Gateway [3])
- Emily Marold: Understanding and Implementing Restorative Justice In Schools
- Jie Zhao: Social-emotional learning practice in L2
- Laura Morris: The Importance of SEL In Academic Areas.
- Lan Lan: Teacher's Self-Care Journey
- Shenea Villaronga: Combining Cognitive Learning with Growth Mindset for Middle School Students
- Erin Wentworth: Making a Classroom Community using SEL
- Josiah Yarger: Preventing Plagiarism in the Classroom
- Sue Rappazzo: Understanding Dyslexia and Severe Reading Disabilities
- Elise Nash Weiss: Understanding Learning Disabilities and the Learning Disabled
- Christopher Poulopoulos: Creating a Bully Free Environment
- Krystal Nugent: Creating an Anti-Racist Classroom
- Heather Hoff: Quick and Effective Parent/Teacher Communication
- Erica_Hamilton: Increasing Parental Involvement and Student Achievement
How to learn/teach online
- Heather Hoff: An Overview of Mini-Courses on Online/Blended Learning
- Stephanie Timpe: Clobbering Procrastination
- Laura Shrader: Handbook for Building Instructor Presence
- Terri Burke: Exploring Open Educational Resources
- Anne Canale Stalnecker: Facilitating Effective Online Discourse
- Mary Huffman: Assessing for Understanding in Online Courses
- Suzanne Hayes: Developing Learning Communities Through Blended Learning Activities
- Jennifer Boisvet: E-portfolios for Post-Secondary Educators
- Katherine Watson: Multimedia in Online Courses
- Jennifer Weingarten: Effectively Incorporating Group Work in an Online Course
- Celia Marhefka: Creating Instructional Videos to Support Student Learning
New learning technologies, competencies and environments
- Abigail Dudek: Teaching for Creativity
- Amita Verma: Augmented Reality (AR) in Higher Education
- Shiana Brown: Technology Tools for the Classroom
- Sarah Garber: Blended Learning (the MATH model)
- Rawan Abdelaal: Integrating Educational Video Games
- Joy Stephenson: Incorporating Virtual Field Trips
- Ryann Conlan: Integrating Google Classroom in the Classroom
- Laura Bartlett: Understanding and Integrating Interactive Student Notebooks in the Secondary Classroom
- Abigail Moskovits: Effective Questioning in the Classroom
- Kelly Geddes: Concept Mapping Across The Curriculum
- Elise N. Weiss: Teaching and Learning with Wikis
- Nick Ferrelli: Demystifying Scholarly Journals
New approaches to assessment and evaluation
- Brian Spina | Formative Assessment in a Mathematics Classroom
- Brandon Payne | Competency-Based Education
- Mary Beth Rock: Assess for Success
- Allison Hubbs: Creating Authentic Assessment
- Brandon West: Reflective Teaching: Evaluating Your Own Instruction
- Theresa.Cetnar: Differentiation in the form of Choice Boards within any discipline
- Jessica Zmiyarch's Mini-Course: Formative Assessment in the Math Classroom (recommended by Ohio Resident Educator program's Mentor Toolkit as a mentor resource, 2020, see [4]
Special education & diverse learners
- Emily McAlpine: Teaching Middle School Mathematics Intervention (AIS)
- Karla Matos: Maximizing Student Achievement Through Planning With Co-Teaching Models
- Shannon Gallagher: Flexible Path and Pace in the Special Education Classroom
- Megan Proper: Students with Schizophrenia and Supporting them in the Classroom and at Home
- Crystal Velez: Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism
- Kaylee Fallat: Understanding and Applying Basic Behavior Components
- Michael VanDoren: Understanding and Using Learning Modalities
- Chelsea Brandimarte: Special Education in the Secondary Setting
- Caroline Carros : Universal Design for Learning
- Nancy Bauter : Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities and Supporting them in the Classroom
- Libby Wideman : Creating Safe and Healthy Classroom Environments that Respect Diversity
- Amber Ho: Supporting Visual-Spatial Processing Needs in a Mathematics Classroom
- Roger Wistar: Effective Use of Self-paced Learning in the Classroom Environment (National Dropout Prevention Center recommended this mini-course as a resource on how to engage at-risk students. [5])
- Anthony Traina: Utilizing Graphic Organizers (Recommended by the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR), a central “Hub” of information and products serving families of children with disabilities [[6]]
This network is designed and coordinated by Dr. Jianwei Zhang who directs the Technology-Augmented Co-Creativity Lab (TaCCL) at the University at Albany's School of Education. Special thanks to the technology team at UAlbany's Academic and Research Computing Center (ARCC) and Information Technology Service for their strong ongoing support.