Preparing for Finals and First Friday Coffee & Conversation

Congrats on making it to the end of the week and (almost) to the end of the term! As we wrap up the semester and prepare for Finals, Clemson Online would like to make you aware of the resources available and anything you may have missed. Today, faculty gathered for our final First Friday Coffee & Conversation (FFC&C) of Fall 2021 to discuss the topic of Preparing for Finals and Grade Submission. Here is what came up:

Summary from FFC&C:

• Incorporate reflective elements in your finals
  • Asking learners to reflect on what they learned and how they think it will impact their chosen career or field of study while requiring they utilize course content to express their reflections can be an effective pedagogical strategy for engaging with higher-order thinking.
  • There may be limitations on the effectiveness if one is teaching a general education class.
  • However, it can also be a tool for gathering unique insight that you may not otherwise have access to.

• Noticing a difference in learner engagement with group projects from this fall compared to Fall 2020.
  • It seems that at least some learners have adjusted to education in the pandemic and are able to embrace online or hybrid modeled classes, even with dynamic final projects such as a group project or uploading video assignments.

• Teaching without being able to make the face-to-name connection can be tough, and what exactly is lost in the teaching moment is still an open question, however, what is gained is perhaps an easier way to apply grading rubrics without as much implicit bias about who the learner is.
  • While getting to know one’s learners can be one of the more rewarding elements of teaching,  grading without bias is paramount for effective and ethical teaching.
  • Creating assignments that automatically set grading to be anonymous can be another effective tool for delivering quality education.
  • Already have your final ready and waiting for submissions in Canvas but would like to make your grading anonymous? Check out this article on how to enable anonymous grading in Speedgrader on Canvas.

In Case You Missed It:

• 11/29 – Monday Blog Post
  • Contains links on how to maintain academic integrity
  • How to make finals easy
• This week’s Teaching Tip on using Canvas discussion boards to foster learner interaction and brainstorming!

Reminder:

Did you miss this week’s FFC&C and would like to make sure you catch the next one? You can preview our Spring Faculty Development Schedule for next semester for FF&C, development on Canvas tools, and effective pedagogy for online learning. Take a look and start planning now!

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