Weekly Tip: A Reflective Practice to Prepare for Next Semester

Between semesters, a thorough course review can help you consider what aspects of your class worked, didn’t work, and may need to change. This semester, as we all found ourselves in the situation of delivering course content from a distance, we faced an especially unique set of challenges.

This week we will discuss reflective practices that can be used at the end of each term and also implemented throughout future semesters.

• For each major project, assignment, and assessments, ask these questions to reflect and identify improvements.
  • Did each task address a student learning outcome, and was it addressed as you expected?
  • Was there a more effective mechanism for assessing students (ex: would a discussion have been more effective than a quiz)?
  • Were critical thinking skills (pdf) required and did students meet those expectations?
  • Is there a way to make each task more authentic or real-world applicable?
• How did your students perform overall?
  • Were there engaging discussions, rich interactions, and high levels of student involvement in activities?
  • What effect did distance delivery have on student performance? Are there any changes could be made to the online delivery method to be more effective?
  • What reporting tools in Canvas can help gather results easily?
• What were your personal outcomes for the course?
  • Do you feel they were achieved?
  • In what ways could the course be more successful overall?
• How did the students respond to the course?
  • What was the feedback from the students?
  • Was there a common theme in their feedback?
  • What changes could be made to address any issues? What would you want to keep as part of the course?

Now that you have reviewed the course, below are some resources and training opportunities to help you plan for next semester.

AOI Resources to Help Get You Started Next Semester

On-Demand Support

A Learning Innovations team member is available by appointment to help answer question and brainstorm ideas for your upcoming distance delivery course.

Training Opportunities

Live sessions are offered virtually via Zoom throughout the semester. Visit our Workshop Schedule page for available trainings.

Student Resources

The information on the Student Guide for Completing Courses Remotely is for WSU students taking courses that have transitioned to distance learning due to the University’s response to COVID-19.

This page provides resources to help students successfully complete courses delivered remotely through Blackboard Learn and other academic technology.

Students taking courses at a distance need regular access to a desktop or laptop computer with Internet access. Make sure the computer used is up to the task! Check your computer here.