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Thriving in Academe
Best Practices

Examples of Basic Course Format Adjustments

E.W.’s students were not completing homework assignments. She has changed the assignments’ format and now has each assignment divided into four or five segments. Individual students (or groups in larger classes) are assigned individual segments. They develop and report on an outline of the key ideas and articulate two to three questions they have about the content.

In order for his students to see the “relevance” of assignments, S.M. has students create a brief outline (“plan”) of steps they perceive as necessary to completing the assignment successfully. Each student compares his/her plan with one classmate, then the class, with S.M. as facilitator, brainstorms several suggested approaches. Total activity time: 20 minutes well spent.

Whenever possible, math instructor G.A. asks his students to do one of two things: either suggest one scenario in which a specific topic can or has been a factor in real life, or create a new word problem for a concept just covered.

J.K. pairs up students in his English class: one non-traditional student with one traditional student, or working/non-working pairs, depending on class makeup. For each unit of instruction, he provides pairs with an opportunity to assess a key issue, approach, or idea, in light of the “real world.” Pairs report to the class.

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