As you plan the final weeks of the fall semester, we hope that you and your students can pause to reflect on your time together in the course. Here are three ways to gather their reflections:
Fulfilling course objectives activity
Show the course objectives listed in your syllabus. Then, ask students (individually or in groups) to rate how well they fulfilled each objective and why. This exercise can help students review the objectives (and inform the objectives for the next time you teach the course).
Success strategies for future students' activity
Ask your students to write a short letter (or record a brief video) with 3-5 strategies for success for a student taking this course next semester. A great first-day activity would be to show your new class a selection of anonymous answers from the previous semester so they can hear feedback from their peers.
Final exam or project
Consider including a reflection question in your final assessment, such as one of these:
- What will you remember most about this course ten years from now?
- What would you do if you could do this course over again differently?
- What [subject-matter] ideas are you curious to know more about because of this class?
As you begin collecting these student reflections, you will be able to find small ways to improve the class and your teaching experience year after year.
With a joy for teaching,
Sara Marcketti, Assistant Provost and Executive Director
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
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