Have you ever wondered what students look for when they read a course outline? What do they think about the assignments they’ll be asked to do? This 3-part blog series describes one student’s reaction when reading a course outline for the first time and their subsequent conversation with the prof about concerns regarding the outline. In this third and final post in the series, we learn how Prof. Lambert addresses Dominique’s concerns about the group work assignment and the overwhelming reading list.
If you missed the earlier posts in this series, you can read them now:
Students are strategic: A student has concerns about assignments
Students are strategic: A student talks to a prof about assignments
A couple of days after our conversation, my prof sent an email to the whole class:
So, the conversation made a difference! It feels great that student feedback was taken int
o consideration and validated by the prof. A three-hour block of in-class time to work on the project will make it much easier to work together because we won’t have to spend time coordinating schedules. I’m not sure how much of a time-saver the shortened reading list will be given that we now have to submit a take-away and a question about the readings, but at least we have a clear purpose for reading and understand exactly how we can earn participation marks. These changes will help me focus my studying and manage my time so that I can do well in the course. Looks like the semester is off to a better start than I’d originally thought!
Simone Tissenbaum is a second-year grad student in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education at McGill University and a current Graduate Student Assistant with Teaching and Learning Services. Outside of the world of academia, Simone is a dancer. She has blended these two worlds together in her research, which uses dance to explore the topic of safe and healthy relationships with youth.
Simone Tissenbaum is a second-year grad student in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education at McGill University and a current Graduate Student Assistant with Teaching and Learning Services. Outside of the world of academia, Simone is a dancer. She has blended these two worlds together in her research, which uses dance to explore the topic of safe and healthy relationships with youth.
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