As the end of spring semester approaches, many faculty begin turning their attention to preparing for Maymester or the summer sessions. Converting 15 week courses into 8 week or 4 week format, however, presents a unique challenge. How can faculty nurture student understanding and provide meaningful feedback at such an accelerated pace?
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Get Started with the ACUE Learning Lab Today!
What is the ACUE Learning Lab? USC Upstate’s year-long partnership with the ACUE Learning Lab provides faculty with access to 11 evidence-based Quick Study Courses, offering best-practice guidance to enhance student success and engagement.
What are Quick Study Courses? Quick Study Courses are comprised of short, effective videos and implementation guides collaboratively developed with subject-matter experts. Once faculty have engaged with the content, they are prompted to complete a short reflection.
How long does it take to complete a Quick Study Course? The courses are self-paced, and can be completed in 1-2 hours.
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Contract Grading Increases Student Engagement and Reduces Anxiety
Have you ever had a student approach you and ask, “Dr. Reeves, what do I need to do to get an A in your course?” I have. I often suggest reviewing the syllabus and the percentage points associated with each grade category. I suggest reviewing the rubrics, planning ahead for upcoming due dates, and working with a partner to stay motivated and in conversation about course topics. While these are useful suggestions, they don’t necessarily address the quality or quantity of work students must create or give them the autonomy and choice they crave to build the knowledge and skills necessary to take their thinking to the next level. One way to better answer this familiar question and increase student motivation, autonomy, and responsibility (Hiller and Heitapelto, 2001; Strong et al. 2004; Danielewicz and Elbow, 2009; Bonner 2016; Litterio 2018) may be to adopt contract grading. Though many of the contract grading studies have been designed for and implemented in courses with a writing component, the models are easily adapted for other types of courses, as well. If you’re interested in exploring some examples of contract grading, check out the 3 models below.
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Winter Break Wellness: You Deserve It
After an equally rewarding and challenging semester, unexpectedly interrupted by a hurricane that many in our communities are still suffering from, we hope you’ll find some downtime for yourselves over the winter break. Whether you’re traveling or staying local, check out the resources below if you’re looking for the perfect, lowkey escape to unwind and relax.
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Motivation After the Midterm
When students feel motivated to learn (University of Buffalo, UW-Whitewater, Kennesaw State), we’re likely to see increases in effort, energy, curiosity, and creativity. We might notice they come to class more, are better prepared, and generally seem open to tackling challenging content or leading a group project. Sometimes, though, even the most motivated students can show a dip in their engagement after midterms, and everyone can use a pick me up to push through the second part of the semester. If you’ve noticed this happening in your classes, try these evidence-based practices to reenergize yourself and your students for the next part of the semester!
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LibGuides are Now Linked to Blackboard Ultra
If you’ve been looking for ways to encourage students to know about and to use the well-designed and impeccably curated content from the Library, look no further. There are several new features in Blackboard Ultra that will bring library resources right to your course.
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