As colleges and universities are nearing the end of the semester, do you ever wonder how you should wrap up the end of the semester on the last day of class? Do you just have your students complete the school-wide end-of-the-semester questionnaire and hope that they rate you well?
We all know that this is not a true instrument to assess your teaching abilities, and often they don’t provide the feedback that you need that tells you what students found useful in your class, or things that they did not, or things that they learned. Instead, you want your students to provide feedback that you could utilize to help improve your teaching practice, but also have your students leave your class on a positive note.
Instructors need to create an alternative end-of-the-semester activity that is directly tied to a set of teaching and learning values which provide professors with useful information (Snare, 2000). How do you extract that information? The following are some tips on how to utilize the last day of class so that your students remember you and your class:
- Create a short video clip of all of the pictures of the activities the students did throughout the semester. I use iMovie on my phone because it has a trailer option to create a short video that is accompanied by music. All you need to do is input words and pictures/videos. This is a great way for students to view everything that they did for the semester in an entertaining way! (Directions on how to use iMovie)
- Thank your students for taking your class. Yes, thank them using those exact words! Even if they were required to take your class. They will appreciate hearing you thank them. And if you want to include providing coffee and donuts (for the smaller classes), this would show them even more appreciation.
- Provide a link to a Google form which students complete before they leave. On the form are questions you ask them about what they liked/disliked about your class, what activities/lectures helped them learn, and anything else they might want to share. This always provides me more rich information than any formal school-wide questionnaire can. Students usually take their time filling out this survey instead of just checking off boxes in the other formal survey. (Example copy of Google form end of the semester reflection)
- Have students write a letter to future students on what they should expect when they take your class. They can write about their favorite activities or how the information learned in your class is relevant and useful in their field of study immediately. Future students appreciate reading honest information from previous students and what they can expect.
- To extend the information from number 4 above, have students create a short video of what they wrote about the class. I have done this several semesters using the free app Flipgrid. Students use this app to create a short video of what future students need to do in order to be successful in my class. One underlying statement in all of them, which was not planned, was that my future students need to ask lots of questions!
- Have students write an exit ticket of the one great take-away from your class. I use Twitter for my student to post their exit tickets using a class hashtag. I often find a picture of the topic of the class session and then have them retweet it with their response. Check out #harcumedu202 to see some to the responses to their exit tickets!
- I’ll finish with this tip that needs to be started in the beginning of your semester. I have my students write a letter to their future self during the first or second class. They are asked to write a few things that would congratulate themselves on finishing the class successfully (hopefully they do!), or reflect on things that they think they will have learned. I ask the students to seal and address the envelopes to themselves. Then at the end of the semester, I distribute the letters that I saved and have them read them. Then I ask them to respond to their letters in the Google form mentioned above.
References: Snare, C. (2000). An alternative end-of-semester questionnaire. PS: Political Science & Politics, 33(4), 823-825. doi:10.2307/420922
Dr. Joanne Ricevuto is the Assistant Vice President for Instructional Success and is responsible for the faculty programming at her institution, which includes providing and presenting a multitude of professional workshops to the faculty on various current topics in higher education. She has been in higher education for 20+ years and a professor of early childhood education.