As we approach the end of another term, faculty members are laying out their to-do lists to wrap up fall courses and prepare for spring. Explore a few tips from Cengage faculty partners to make the transition between terms easier and more intentional, from creating improvement plans to checking in with students.
Choose what works for your course, and you’ll be on your way to enjoying a well-deserved holiday break.
Set up your spring courses now, while ideas are fresh
From Jack Ryan, Math Instructor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
As the Course Coordinator for a course with many instructors and students, I create a “master course” with WebAssign assignments for every instructor to use. They can create a copy of my WebAssign course and make edits for their sections.
One of the things I do to ease the transition between fall and spring is to make the master course for spring at the end of the fall semester. This has two main benefits: (1) The content is fresher in my mind, and I’m better able to remember things I want to change for the next semester. (2) The WebAssign course is set up and ready to go as soon as I start working after the holidays, so it’s not hanging over my head during break.
Keep a running list during your term of ideas and changes for your next course
From Donna Sue Shellman, Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Computer Information Systems, Appalachian State University
I create a Word document in fall for course content issues, edits, and changes as they come to mind. Otherwise, I may forget an issue I discovered in August that I can’t address until December or January. I populate my running list when the issue occurs rather than relying on my memory months later, so I can address them all in the spring. This process is easily duplicated every semester.
Use downtime during final exams to prep your spring courses in your learning platform
From Melinda Doty, Senior Teaching Instructor in Technology Systems, East Carolina University
I do a lot of “pre-loading” prior to the end of the fall semester for spring. I utilize time when giving final exams to prepare for the next semester by creating the new course in MindTap and adjusting the dates and assignments. I then create and link the courses to my LMS. This way, when I return in the spring, I simply need to teach, and I feel much more relaxed over the holiday break.
Create an improvement plan and build changes into your next course
From Sandy Keeter, Computing Instructor, Seminole State College
We go through program reviews where we look at past enrollments, completions, and trends, along with student perceptions of instruction. As soon as we complete these and have our improvement plan ready to go, I make a copy of our Canvas/MindTap Masters and build in the changes along with spring dates.
I also provide a checklist for my faculty to follow so they can have their courses ready to go before leaving for holiday break.
Below is a bulleted list of what I provide:
- Review fall enrollments, completions, and multi‑year trends
- Analyze student perceptions of instruction to identify strengths and improvement areas
- Develop the program review improvement plan based on findings
- Once the plan is finalized, copy Canvas and MindTap Master courses
- Build in all updates, improvements, and alignment changes identified during review
- Update spring semester dates and verify all links, assignments, and tools
Give students early access to preliminary course assignments
From Belle Kimmel, Math Instructor, Oakland Community College
I use Inclusive Access and integrate content through our learning management system. This way, students get access to their homework on WebAssign one week prior to courses starting. They can get started on some preliminary materials.
Something else I do is have WebAssign grant 10% extra credit for any part of the assignment submitted correctly at least 48 hours before the due date. This helps encourage students to avoid procrastination.
Take time to reflect with your students on what they’ve learned and where they’re going
From Audrey Wick, English Instructor, Blinn College
Though the end of a semester can get very busy, one of my favorite parts of this time of year is affirming the one-on-one connections I’ve made with students. The end of the semester is the perfect time to visit with students in my office, ask them about their future plans, and check in with them about coursework that’s in the rearview mirror. It’s a reflective time as much as it is a time to celebrate moving forward. I’d encourage other instructors to remember that and to lean into the joy of those connections made and the lives impacted by what we do in the classroom.
Eager to have a stress-free holiday break? Make a plan now to wrap up your fall courses, reflect, and get a head start on the spring term.