Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching

Cultivating Engaging & Inclusive Learning Environments

What We Do

We support Northwestern University instructors at all levels in utilizing evidence-driven strategies to develop highly effective learning environments and experiences and to foster equity and belonging with inclusive pedagogical practices. We enthusiastically collaborate to build robust partnerships across the student learning ecosystem and serve as an agent of organizational change to advance strategic imperatives around learning and teaching.

Focus Areas

Staying at the forefront of emerging trends in learning and teaching, we have identified seven interconnected areas of focus as top priorities. We center Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in all our work.

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Programs & Services

We engage with Northwestern University educators in all stages of their careers by designing leading-edge programs, interactive workshops, featured events, affinity groups and community gatherings along with tailored services for individuals and departments and carefully curated resources to foster teaching innovation and promote deep student learning.

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Guides & Resources

Whether browsing around to spark new ideas or looking for strategies to address a particular teaching pinch-point, our Learning & Teaching Guides and array of recommended evidence-based resources are available to support instructors whenever the need arises.

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News

Featured Program

Searle Fellows

The Searle Fellows Program is a time-honored Northwestern professional development initiative that recognizes and supports the great promise of early career faculty members who will make significant and long-term contributions to Northwestern University. Since 1999, over 300 faculty have completed the program, cultivating a community of learning & teaching leaders who center equity/excellence through pedagogical experimentation, critical reflection, and joyful celebration.

EXPLORE ALL PROGRAMS

Calendar

There are no upcoming events at this time.

What We're Reading

Recent reads we can’t stop thinking about.

It can be tempting to completely redesign a course when you discover an exciting new teaching approach or realize your current approach isn’t quite working. Education writer James Lang knows this temptation well, but he also knows that faculty rarely have time to completely overhaul a course. Instead, he makes small, powerful tweaks to his course design and teaching approach, which he shares with readers in the revised and updated version of Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning (2021), a practical guide for educators looking to improve their teaching methods and increase student engagement using evidence-based, teacher-tested strategies.

Book cover says: Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning

Read our takeaways

Educator Spotlight

Each quarter, we will feature Northwestern University educators doing innovative work in the classroom. These shorts interviews will showcase their educational journeys, signature styles, and how their teaching has been shaped by their work with the Searle Center.

Students' comfort and the classroom environment are so important for supporting a growth mindset.”

Casey Ankeny
Associate Professor of Instruction

Director of the MS Program in Biomedical Engineering
McCormick School of Engineering

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Stay Connected

Keep up to date with Searle's latest events, resources, and opportunities for ongoing learning.