One of the largest challenges in my “Introduction to Fiction” course was showing students how skills like close reading would serve them outside the classroom. I know many of my students will enter careers where their employers would never dream of having them analyze the works of Louise Erdrich, but I also know that their… Read more »
Assessment
Grading Strategies for Final Exams/Essays
As final exams and final essays begin to peak out from their lurking places, I wanted to provide some strategies for efficient grading to assuage some of our anxieties surrounding late exam days this semester. (My students and I were unlucky enough to book a December 20th final exam day.) Here are some quick ideas… Read more »
Improving Teaching (and OCQs!) with Mid-Semester Feedback
For both instructors and students, there are a lot of good reasons to administer a mid-semester feedback survey. It gives you as the instructor an opportunity to show that you value students’ feedback and want to improve your teaching and their learning. It also enhances students’ metacognitive skills, which can benefit their learning throughout their… Read more »
What’s going on in my classes? A mid-semester survey can give you some clues
Is it time for a check-in with your students? Are you wondering how your students are feeling about your class, its climate, your teaching practices, and their learning? Using a well-crafted mid-semester survey can help you answer some of these questions. Mid-semester surveys are a great way for students to tell you what is working… Read more »
Implementing the innovative grading practice of Specs Grading into your course
Are you interested in grading methods that take the unnecessary stress out of the process, saving you considerable time and mental energy without sacrificing rigor? If so, you might be interested in innovative or alternative grading, a broader umbrella term for assessment practices which eliminate or greatly reduce the usage of assigned points and letter… Read more »
Canvas New Quizzes Overview and How Spaced Practice is Supported
New Quizzes is Canvas’ latest quiz engine that offers instructors four new question types and several features and improvements that instructors have requested for years. New question types and examples Categorization: Place the following organisms into five kingdoms based on their characteristics: Amoeba, Mushroom, Fern, E. coli, Dog The instructor would provide the category names… Read more »