As you near the end of the term, you might be thinking about how you can wrap up your course successfully. In 7 Ideas to Perk Up Your Last Day of Class, Kristi Rudenga, director of the Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Notre Dame, notes that despite best intentions and due to many competing factors, courses often end “with a frantic scramble, a jarring halt, or an uninspiring sputter.”
To ensure a more fulfilling and impactful end to the term, we propose two key strategies:
- Do Some Strategic Planning for Course Conclusion: How can you support your students so they can manage end-of-the-term stress? What key insights do you want your students to take with them after they leave your course? How might you recognize their accomplishments?
- Reflect Deliberately on Teaching and Learning: What went well and what would you like to do differently the next time you teach the course? What are 1-2 specific goals you could set to enhance your teaching, and what resources could help you achieve them?
Strategic Planning for Course Conclusion
Plan for the ending you want to achieve to ensure a smooth and supportive conclusion for your students.
- Closure Communication: Clear communication is critical as the end of the term approaches. Students should be reminded about impending deadlines, final assessments, and any remaining course expectations. Utilize multiple channels such as Canvas announcements and in-class reminders to ensure students are well informed.
- Support Student Wellbeing: Just as you are likely experiencing increased stress due to the end-of-term responsibilities, your students may also be experiencing increased stress due to the multiple final exams, papers, and end-of-term projects they juggle in their courses. Emphasize the availability of resources to help students manage end-of-term stress, including those available at Dartmouth’s Student Wellness Center.
- Reflect on the Learning Journey: Create space on the last day of class for students to engage in reflective practices, prompting them to think about their learning journey throughout the term. This could involve journaling exercises, group discussions, or structured reflection assignments. Review the course’s learning objectives with students and have them revisit the topics covered, discussing how these align with the course’s overarching goals. Content mapping can help students visualize their learning trajectory, gain insights into their progress, strengths, and areas for improvement, and understand the relevance of each lesson in the broader context of their education. Visit the University of Oregon’s Teaching Engagement Program’s tips for Powerful Endings and ideas on incorporating these impactful moments of reflection into your last day of class.
- Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your students’ accomplishments. Whether they have reached milestones, overcome challenges, or demonstrated exceptional effort, recognizing their achievements fosters a sense of validation and motivation. Express gratitude for their participation, dedication, and contributions to the learning environment. Celebrating their achievements does not mean you have to create an elaborate ceremony or party; it can be as simple as taking a few moments at the end of class to share your sincere gratitude for their participation and engagement throughout the term.
By incorporating these elements into your strategic planning for course conclusion, you can create a meaningful and memorable experience for your students while bringing a sense of closure and achievement to the end of the term.
Deliberate Reflection on Teaching and Learning
The end of the term is an ideal time to reflect on and evaluate your teaching methods, strategies, and classroom management techniques because recent experiences and feedback are still fresh in your mind. This allows you to set actionable goals for improvement and adjust and refine your teaching methods before the next course begins. Regular end-of-term reflections foster continuous growth, enhancing your teaching effectiveness and creating a more engaging learning environment for your students.
- Self-Assessment: Reflecting on your teaching methods, instructional strategies, and classroom management techniques is crucial for professional growth, continuous improvement, and student learning outcomes. Analyze what worked well during the term and areas where you encountered challenges. Consider factors such as student engagement, comprehension of material, and classroom dynamics. Reflect on the effectiveness of various teaching tools and techniques you employed, including lectures, discussions, multimedia resources, and experiential learning activities. Identify specific times when your instructional methods resonated with your students and times when adjustments may have enhanced their learning experience.
- Reviewing Student Feedback: Student feedback can be a valuable source of information for identifying strengths and areas for improvement in your teaching approach. Before reviewing your course evaluations, check out the End of Term Evaluation guide from the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL) on what to consider before reading your evaluations and what to look for in student comments. Consider scheduling a consultation with DCAL to receive one-on-one guidance on interpreting and implementing feedback effectively.
- Goal Setting: Based on your self-assessment and analysis of student feedback, establish 1-2 goals to guide your professional development as an educator. For example, you may set a goal to improve student engagement in class discussions or enhance the accessibility of your instructional materials. Develop action plans outlining steps to achieve these goals, such as attending relevant workshops, experimenting with new teaching strategies, leveraging DCAL and Learning Design & Innovation (LDI) resources, or talking with experienced colleagues.
Finally, explore and take advantage of LDI’s services to support your teaching goals. You can schedule a one-on-one consultation with an LDI Learning Designer to receive personalized support tailored to your needs and goals. We can help you think about how to end your term successfully and consult on the teaching goals you identified through your reflection on teaching and learning.