The image shows 12 USC Upstate students walking down outdoor stairs in campus.

What Students Want

At the start of each semester, CAIFS hosts a very short and optional Blackboard Ultra Quick Start course for incoming students. The goal of the course is to invite students to explore the LMS and try out the discussion board, assignment submission, and Yuja video quiz so they have some level of familiarity and comfort with the learning environment before classes begin. The discussion board prompts students to discuss how comfortable they are … Continue reading What Students Want

image shows breakdown of grades and unsubmitted work, incomplete work, absences, and drafts.

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 … Continue reading Contract Grading Increases Student Engagement and Reduces Anxiety

Formative Assessment Cycle: Gather evidence in quizzes, observations, self-assessments; Evaluate Progress and interpret growth; Provide Feedback that is timely, specific, and meaningful; Adjust Process to update activities, add/remove checkpoints to improve the quality of evidence of progress

Formative Assessment and Success-Oriented Feedback

Formative assessment is often discussed in K-12 settings as a standard and expected part of curriculum delivery. In higher education, however, conversations about formative assessment have been somewhat more elusive. Traditionally, we rely on the high-stakes midterm, project, paper, final model which leaves little room for formative assessment that can foster growth. Using formative assessments … Continue reading Formative Assessment and Success-Oriented Feedback