CENTER FOR TRANSFORMATIVE TEACHING

PROMOTING INCLUSIVE, INNOVATIVE, RESEARCH-INFORMED, & EFFECTIVE TEACHING

Center for Transformative Teaching

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Timely Tools for Student Success: Mid-Term

Debrief first major summative assessment

Use assessments as a learning opportunity by discussing what was missed and why. Talk about how students might have approached it differently. Whether the assessment was a multiple-choice exam, open-ended problems or short answers, or an essay, be explicit about effective study strategies for this type of assessment.

Conduct a mid-term student feedback survey

There is no reason to wait until the end of the term to get some feedback from students about the course. A common approach is the "Start, Stop, Continue" survey that consists of three questions:

  1. What would you like me to start doing?
  2. What would you like me to stop doing?
  3. What would you like me to continue doing?

To make it easier for instructors to conduct this survey, Instructional Designer Eyde Olson has created a survey module in Canvas Commons that may be imported into a course. This version contains four questions:

  1. What is one thing you like about our class that you would like to see continue?
  2. What is one thing about our class that you think could use improvement?
  3. What aspect of our class has been most difficult for you? Why do you think it has been so difficult?
  4. What are you going to do differently before the next assignment to make sure you succeed?

To find out how to import this module from the commons, visit Canvas Commons: Modules for Instructors.

Make sure grades are updated before pass/no pass deadline

Check the academic calendar for the pass/no pass deadline. Please make sure grades are updated in time for students to make thoughtful decisions. Using the Canvas grade book can make sharing this information with students simpler. In fact, grades can be uploaded to Canvas.

Message Students Who...

Throughout the term, instructors may use the "message students who" feature embedded in Canvas Messages, Grades, and New Analytics to communicate with students based on various criteria. Student-Instructor interaction is an important part of conveying a sense of care and offers opportunities to reinforce a growth mindset among students, even in large-enrollment courses. Contact an instructional designer to discuss what criteria might be most useful in your course.

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An instructional designer can assist you in many areas of teaching.