Topper Teaching Tour
September 24 – October 10, 2025
Wrap-up Session October 17, 2025
At WKU, we recognize that excellence in teaching is central to student success and faculty development. Yet, opportunities to observe and learn from one another—especially across disciplines—are often limited.
The Topper Teaching Tour offers a unique professional development experience: the chance to observe a colleague’s class. Whether you're looking to refine your own teaching practices, explore new instructional strategies, or gain insight into different learning environments, this initiative fosters a culture of shared learning and pedagogical growth.
During this event, some of WKU’s most accomplished instructors, including recipients of the CITL Teaching Honors Awards, WKU Faculty Award for Teaching and the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Online Teaching and Course Design Award, are opening their classrooms to help us spark conversation on pedagogy and student success at WKU. The CITL will provide observers with a form to guide their observation, provide general feedback to the observed instructor, and help guide the observer in next steps to think about how they might apply what they observe in their own classes.
To conclude the experience, participants are invited to a wrap-up and reflection session on October 17th. During our group time together, we will discuss insights gleaned from the observations as well as talk about what it was like to observe (and be observed!) and how we might continue to foster a culture of open classrooms and conversation around our teaching. Please use this REGISTER link to register for the Wrap-up session after you’ve registered for the class(es) you want to observe.
Registration Information
We’re so glad you’re interested in participating in our classroom observation program! Since spots are limited, please register only if you feel confident you’ll be able to attend. We of course know that schedules can change, so if something comes up and you can’t make it, just send a quick note to Alicia.Pennington@wku.edu and we can remove your registration so another faculty member can take advantage of the opportunity. Thanks for your help and for your interest in the Topper Teaching Tour!
EXS 311 Physiology of Exercise: Thursday, September 25 @ 12:45PM
What to expect: Leasn about how the nervous system impacts our ability to exercise by altering communication to our heart and blood vessels through interactive whiteboards and student-faculty questions.
REC 338 Parks, Recreation, & Quality of Life: Wednesday, September 24 @ 10:20AM
What to expect: We will be discussing The Nature Fix by Florence Williams. Students watch a short video and read a chapter before class. In class, we have small group, then full class discussions.
ACCT 110 Accounting for Decision Makers: Wednesday, October 8 @ 9:10 OR 10:20AM
What to expect: My class is based off Clayton & Crume, a company started by two WKU Alumni. On 10/31, we are reviewing the budgeting process for their company.
ELED 405 Teaching Mathematics in Elementary Education: Wednesday, October 1 @ 8:00AM
What to expect: Lively, hands-on learning where future educators engage with strategies for teaching elementary math. Lessons often involve collaborative problem-solving and manipulatives.
HIST 332 Riots, Rebellions, and Revolutions: Monday, September 29 @ 1:50PM OR Wednesday, October 1 @ 12:40PM
What to expect: This course examines the local and global issues within the context of an increasingly interconnected world. In this class, we will discuss the 1990s and how Gen Xers used protest music.
HIST 241 US History Since 1865: Wednesday, October 8 @ 12:40PM
What to expect: This course surveys the political, social, cultural, and economic phases of American life since the Civil War. The class will focus on how to interpret visual images with a lecture and interactive activity.
PSYS 433 Judgment and Decision Making: Thursday, September 25 @ 9:35AM
What to expect: We will be discussing The Nature Fix by Florence Williams. Students watch a short video and read a chapter before class. In class, we have small group, then full class discussions.
PSYS 350 Social Psychology: Wednesday, October 8 @ 1:50PM
What to expect: Engagement with students in large lecture course; approachable demeanor, and excitement about topic. Will probably be discussing social influence.
SWRK 623 Social Work Clinical Assessment and Intervention: Tuesday, September 30 OR Thursday, October 9 @ 5:30PM
FIN 161 Personal Finance: Wednesday, September 24 @ 12:40PM OR 1:50PM
What to expect: This class focuses on the personal finance needs of students regardless of their major. The day’s discussions will cover "Saving Money While at WKU" and "The High Cost of Parenting".
FIN 331 Applied Investments: Wednesday, October 8 @ 8:00AM OR 9:10AM
What to expect: The course covers the basics of investing. During this class we’ll explore ethics and justice using the Trolley Car scenario and the Fraud Triangle.
CD 495 Clinical Internship: Tuesday, Septmeber 30 @ 11:10AM
What to expect: We will complete a Documentation Module where students are exposed to different ways of documenting. They will critique it, find what they like/dislike, and discuss.
CD 492 Neuroanatomy in Communication Disorders: Thursday, September 25 @ 8:00AM
What to expect: We use an interactive note taking style with fill in the blanks. Videos are used as well with students watching for various signs/symptoms of neurological issues.
CD 492 Neuroanatomy in Communication Disorders: Tuesday, September 30 @ 8:00AM
What to expect: There will be a Kahoot championship that reinforces key concepts and application. Students will then watch real-client videos and apply their knowledge to identify which brain areas are affected.
MGT 210 Introduction to Organizations and Management: Wednesday, October 1 @ 10:20AM
What to expect: MGT 210 uses a simulation program that require students to manage a café as a team, applying content to real-time decisions, navigating group dynamics, and critical thinking through innovative strategy choices.
BIOL 122 Biological Concepts: Evolution, Diversity & Ecology: Wednesday, October 1 @ 9:10AM
What to expect: You’ll see students working together to develop mind hacks to help them remember the taxa names of complex and single-celled organisms they’ll learn about in class.
MATH 237 Multivariable Calculus: Thursday, September 25 @ 9:35AM OR Friday, September 26 @ 10:20AM
What to expect: This class extends student understanding of single-variable calculus to multivariable functions and vector-valued functions. We blend inquiry-based activities with active lectures.
MATH 206 Fundamentals of Geometry for Teachers: Thursday, September 25 @ 12:45PM
What to expect: Preservice elementary and middle grades teachers work together in active-style, discussion-based mathematics for geometry. Students discuss ideas in groups and present their thoughts and solutions.
BIOL 212 Genome Discovery and Exploration: Thursday, September 25 @ 11:10AM OR Tuesday, September 30 @ 12:45PM
What to expect: This is a course-based research experience. Students actively work toward established goals. There is a significant amount of individualized interaction and Socratic questioning.
PSY 509 Foundations of School Psychology: Thursday, October 2 @ 11:10AM
What to expect: A discussion heavy graduate course that provides a foundational introduction to the field of psychology along with hands-on practice. This class will be an introduction to assessment.
PSY 545 Clinical Child Psychology: Theory and Invervention: Thursday, October 9 @ 12:45PM
What to expect: An applied graduate course for beginning therapy skills. Lots of role-playing and hands-on practice. This class meeting will focus on social anxiety disorder and selective mutism.
HON 300 Climate Fictions: Narrative and Climate Change: Wednesday, October 1 @ 1:50PM
What to expect: Our focus will be the North Dakota Access Pipeline movement, specifically the indigenous-led uprising at Standing Rock, ND to fight the construction pipeline. Expect group discussion as well as brief, student-led presentations.
CHEM 342 Organic Chemistry II: Thursday, October 2 @ 11:10AM OR Thursday, October 9 @ 11:10AM
What to expect: This class covers reactions of aromatic compounds, including reaction conditions and mechanisms for electrophilic aromatic substitution. Class is lecture-style with a few slides and me drawing on the projector.
MUS 153 Clarinet Principal: Wednesday, September 24 @ 9:10AM OR 1:50PM
What to expect: This is a private music lesson where students perform and then are critiqued and coached. The focus of each lesson is to delve into and improve the challenges students are having.
FIN 161 Personal Finance: Monday, September 29 @ 11:30AM
What to expect: Expect a Kahoot Trivia Poll to recap prior class and readings and in class hands on activity to apply personal finance knowledge.
LEAD 325 Leading Change: Thursday, October 2 @ 11:10AM
What to expect: You’ll see an engaging, interactive classroom where students work in groups, tackle individual challenges, and use technology to explore real-world leadership problems.
MATH 123 Mathematical Applications in Business: Friday, September 26 @ 9:10AM OR Tuesday, September 30 @ 9:35AM
NURS 432 Medical-Surgical Nursing II: Wednesday, September 24 @ 8:00AM
What to expect: Observers may leave after the first hour. The topic is Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Students will view short videos throughout the lecture and discussion class related to ACS.
Some of the links on this page may require additional software to view.