How to Make the First Day of Class Set the Stage for Success
--08/19/2011
Ever feel like your first day of class is full of dreaded administrative tasks and boring syllabus review? In the ELIXR First Day of Class digital case story (by Joe Grimes and Cynthia Desrochers), you will see exemplar first day of class sessions and hear the rationale from faculty about their class session designs.
In addition, you will see activities, and learn strategies for, addressing first day of class goals including:
- Motivating students about the course and its outcomes
- Framing course content within a larger curriculum
- Developing expectations about workload and work processes
- Determining students’ prior experiences and capabilities
- Creating a comfortable and respectful working environment
- Completing essential administrative tasks
Goals for First Day of Class:
http://elixr.merlot.org/case-stories/course-preparation—design/first-day-of-class/goals-for-first-day-of-class7
Don’t let your first day of class be a day that students dread. Rather, visit http://elixr.merlot.org/ and gain some useful strategies on enhancing a foundational day for your courses.
Written by: Tasha Souza, Humboldt State University, ELIXR Faculty Development Lead
Tip References
Center for Instructional Development and Research. (n.d.). First Day of Class. Retrieved May 9, 2009, from University of Washington CIDR Web site: http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/Bulletin/FirstDayofClass.html
Center for Instructional Development and Research. (1998). Preparing for the First Day of Class. Teaching and Learning Bulletin, 1(3). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from University of Washington CIDR Web site: http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/Bulletin/FirstDayofClass.html
Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning. (2004). Preparing for the First Lecture/Class. National University of Singapore CDTL Brief 7(6). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from NUS CDTL Web site: “http:// http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/brief/Pdf/v7n6.pdf”:http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/brief/Pdf/v7n6.pdf
Grimes, J. & Desrochers, C. (n.d.) Making your 1st class session really first class. Retrieved May 9, 2009, from MERLOT ELIXR Web site: http://pachyderm.cdl.edu/elixr-stories/1stday-slo/
Davis, B.G. (1993). The First Day of Class. Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved May 9, 2009, from UC Berkeley Web site: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/firstday.html
Fink, L.D. (1999). First Day of Class: What Can/Should We Do? University of Oklahoma Instructional Development Program, July 19, 1999. Retrieved May 9, 2009, from Honolulu Community College Faculty Development Web page: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/finks5.htm
Teaching Resource Center. (n.d.) Teaching at the University of Virginia: A Handbook for Faculty and Teaching Assistants. Retrieved May 9, 2009, from University of Virginia TRC Publications Web site: http://trc.virginia.edu/Publications/Teaching_UVA/I_First_Day.htm