Communicating Expectations
One of the things that I continually struggle with is when and how to communicate expectations regarding assessments and learning outcomes to students. On one hand, how can students possibly do what we expect them to do, if you don't tell them what to do? On the other hand, giving too many details too often can be overwhelming and counterproductive.
When I first started teaching, I completely failed to do this in any capacity. I gave students no framing regarding what the learning goal of any given assignment was and just assumed they would figure it out based on what happened in class that day. I now spend a few minutes at the beginning and end of each class telling students what the learning goal of the lesson is, however I don't have them any sort of tangible reference for this.
The reading in Chapter 3 of Conquering the Content (in particular the box on page 61 where it discusses the audiences and functions of a learning guide) made me realize that a learning guide may just be the happy medium when it comes to communicating expectations to students not just in an online setting, but also in face to face courses. As I continue to develop materials for the stats class that I will teach online, I also hope to make time to think about learning guides for my face to face courses. I wonder if all the different aspects of a learning guide discussed in conquering the content will be necessary or if some of them will be superfluous because of the nature of a face to face course. Regardless, I like the idea of giving students an outline of the learning they should be pursuing. I think it will help equip my students to take control of their own learning -- a necessary component of an online course and a desired component of any course.
When I first started teaching, I completely failed to do this in any capacity. I gave students no framing regarding what the learning goal of any given assignment was and just assumed they would figure it out based on what happened in class that day. I now spend a few minutes at the beginning and end of each class telling students what the learning goal of the lesson is, however I don't have them any sort of tangible reference for this.
The reading in Chapter 3 of Conquering the Content (in particular the box on page 61 where it discusses the audiences and functions of a learning guide) made me realize that a learning guide may just be the happy medium when it comes to communicating expectations to students not just in an online setting, but also in face to face courses. As I continue to develop materials for the stats class that I will teach online, I also hope to make time to think about learning guides for my face to face courses. I wonder if all the different aspects of a learning guide discussed in conquering the content will be necessary or if some of them will be superfluous because of the nature of a face to face course. Regardless, I like the idea of giving students an outline of the learning they should be pursuing. I think it will help equip my students to take control of their own learning -- a necessary component of an online course and a desired component of any course.
Melissa,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments; being a first-time full-time teacher I do exactly what you noted. I go over the the learning goals for each class and then at the end. I think this is imperative; but, I have many of my students at the end of class packing their bags and not listening to some of the most important information. I have noted that these learning goals will be assessed via tests, quizzes and writings, yet they look at me with this glazed look at the beginning and end of class.
It's amazing, I need to find a way to stimulate my students so they are engaged in the learning goals at the beginning of class and how the assessments are directly attached to these items.
I fear that an online learning class could actually perpetuate my problem.
Randy, I listened to a podcast (http://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/science-retrieval-practice/) early on this semester about retrieval practice. It has me thinking about how to wrap up class time. I'm thinking in my face to face courses next year about having them answer a question that gets at the main learning outcome of the day instead of just telling them what it is one more time. We should do a lunch and learn next Fall and then we can talk about whether or not it's working!
DeleteMelissa, I can relate to your early hesitancy to outline objectives, as well as your growth towards helping students see learning targets more clearly before you begin. In music rehearsals, most conductors follow a pattern of whole-part-whole: give students a sense of the entire song to be learned through sight-reading or listening to a recording, then dig into the individual parts of the song in detail. We wrap up our process by going back to the whole and putting it all together. A good template to follow, for any sort of learning.
ReplyDeleteI like that analogy, thanks Ryan! I'm going to spend some time thinking about what that whole-part-whole would look like in math class. I think I might end up adapting it to motivating concept - technical details - motivating concept.
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