The Faculty Resource Center supports Newlane faculty in carrying out their instructional and, especially, assessment responsibilities in alignment with the University’s mission: to provide accessible, flexible, and rigorous higher education grounded in demonstrated learning rather than time spent in class.
The resources collected here are intended to deepen faculty understanding of the theories, standards, and practices that shape Newlane’s competency-based, online model—particularly as they relate to assessment, academic judgment, and student learning outcomes.
The Basics: Projects & Course Hearings
Course Hearing Additional Update
Differentiating Instruction and Assessment at the AA and BA levels.
Learning/Instructional Design Theories:
Note: these theories are also discussed in more detail in the Curriculum Development Manual.
Competency-Based Learning
Competency-based education is an approach to learning in which students progress by demonstrating mastery of clearly defined competencies, with assessment focused on what students know and can do rather than on time spent in instruction.
- US DOE page on Competency-Based Programs
- MIT Teaching Systems Lab video introduction to Competency-Based Education
Backward Design
Backward design is an approach to curriculum and assessment development that begins by clearly defining the intended learning outcomes or competencies, then designs assessments to measure those outcomes, and finally aligns learning activities and resources to support students in achieving them.
- https://www.instructionaldesign.org/models/backward_design/
- What is Backward Design introductory lecture by MSU professor Cori Fata-Harley
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Bloom’s taxonomy is a framework for categorizing levels of cognitive learning, commonly used to describe the progression from foundational knowledge and understanding to higher-order skills such as application, analysis, evaluation, and creation, and to guide the design and assessment of learning outcomes.
Universal Design for Learning
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing learning experiences and assessments that proactively accommodate learner variability by providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression, with the goal of making learning accessible and effective for all students.
- CAST, Inc. resource on UDL
- Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) video on UDL
Moore’s Theory of Transactional Distance
Moore’s Theory of Transactional Distance is a framework for understanding distance education that explains how psychological and communication gaps between learners and instructors are shaped by the interplay of course structure, dialogue, and learner autonomy, rather than by physical distance alone.
- Instructionaldesign.org overview of Moore’s Theory of Transactional Distance
- Brigham Young University Hawaii video on Closing Transactional Distance in Remote Learning
Resources and Research in Online Education
These resources focus on how learning takes place in online and asynchronous environments, providing context for faculty assessment and student support in distance education settings.
- Article: Bichronous Online Learning: Perspectives, Best Practices, Benefits, and Challenges from AwardWinning Online Instructors
- Trends and Challenges of Online Education
- The Era of Online Learning (TEDx Talk)
Resources and Research in Online Assessments
Assessment is central to the Newlane model. This section gathers research and practical guidance related to evaluating student learning online in ways that are fair, transparent, and aligned with stated competencies.
- Article: The validity, reliability, academic integrity and integration of oral assessments in higher education: A systematic review
- SUNY Online Teaching video on authentic assessments in online teaching
Standards and Best Practices for Online and Distance Education
This section includes recognized standards and quality frameworks that inform Newlane’s academic practices and accreditation alignment, with particular relevance to assessment and faculty roles in distance education.
- Article on the AECT Instructional Design Standards for Distance Learning
- Higher Learning Commission Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education
Current Trends and Developments in Philosophy Education
These resources highlight contemporary approaches to teaching and assessing philosophy.
- Article: Teaching Philosophy vs Teaching to Philosophise
- American Philosophical Association Good Practices Guide
Current Trends and Developments in Liberal Arts Education
This section explores how liberal arts education is evolving in modern higher education, with attention to transferable skills, interdisciplinary learning, and assessment of broad learning outcomes.
- Article: Best Practices of Liberal Arts Education: Curricula in Liberal Arts Colleges
- The LEAP (Liberal Education & America’s Promise) Vision for Learning
Faculty Manuals and Reference Materials
Core documents that define academic expectations, curriculum design principles and practices, assessment practices, and faculty responsibilities at Newlane are housed here.
Professional Development and Faculty Surveys
This section includes resources to help faculty stay current with professional development, and faculty surveys to take.
- Professional Development Survey
- Professional Development Resources
- Professional Development Request Form
- Faculty Survey
- Faculty Self-Evaluation Form
Faculty are encouraged to return to the Faculty Resource Center regularly as resources are added and updated to reflect evolving practices at Newlane University. These materials support both meaningful student learning and the ongoing development of faculty expertise by deepening familiarity with the instructional theories, principles, and assessment practices that animate Newlane’s model, enabling consistent, fair, and mission-aligned academic judgment.