As promised, this is the reflection on the changes made this past semester.
Here is my reflection on the changes I implemented and things I will tweak for this semester:
Observations:
- This class usually doesn’t have a varied range of grades, but there were a lot more B, C, and D grades this time.
- Grades go up and down very quickly
- Resubmit comments – check the notification emails to make sure none are missed
- Get frustrated redoing — emphasize doing it right the first time, encourage questions before instead of redoing afterward
Reflections on Changes:
Create Portfolio Website in Week #1 – This was a huge leap, but it turned out much better than when they did the portfolio structure at midterm. I think I might include an “ask me anything” session to help those who struggle. Doing things to place in the portfolio each week had the portfolio done with the last assignment. This was a huge plus for students!
Weekly Blog Posts:
This was great! Some really embraced this, and some wrote a short paragraph. The sharing did not occur, so I think I’m going to try to encourage this more this year.
New Grading System: – explain the grading system and its effects. I don’t want you to redo it. I don’t want to regrade it. But you can and I will. Much easier to grade – faster feedback. I wanted to grade instead of procrastinating!
Frustrations:
Some students still wait until Sunday to start their week – only hours before assignments are due.
I was the only one posting in the discussion area. If you don’t grade it, they don’t do it. I posted recaps, helpful info, and weekly shoutouts—no student response.
Conclusion:
Student response to the class was very positive once they understood the Meeting Outcomes (Specification) grading. Minor tweaks and better instructions will continue to improve the course for both teachers and students.