Design & Teach a CourseMake the Most of the First Day of Class(Loosely based on Lyons et al. 2003) Show
The first day of class always creates some nervousness, even for seasoned instructors. It helps to have a mental checklist of objectives to accomplish so that you and your students come away with the impression that the course is off to a good start. The first class meeting should serve at least two basic purposes:
These two basic purposes expand into a set of eight concrete objectives:
1. Orchestrate positive first impressionsFirst impressions can be long-lasting, and they are usually based on a thin slice of behavior. Before you even start teaching, your students will have already made some decisions about you, so it is important to understand what those impressions are based on and how to manage them.
2. Introduce yourself effectivelyYour introduction should be succinct, but make sure to cover certain key areas. These questions should help you decide what to say:
3. Clarify learning objectives and your expectationsThis is probably the most important objective. Cleary laying out expectations starts to orient students toward the kind of effort, learning, performance and classroom behaviors you expect from them, and it helps them use their time productively. It will also help those students who are shopping around in deciding whether to take your course or not.
4. Help students learn about each otherThe classroom is a social environment, so it is helpful to start the social dynamics in a productive way.
5. Set the tone for the courseThe way you engage students on the first day sends powerful messages about the level of involvement and interaction you expect from them. Inexperienced instructors sometimes make the mistake of lecturing at the students for a few weeks, then try to have a discussion when the first big unit of the course is finished, only to be surprised at the lack of student participation. This is because students have already been socialized to just listen in the course. The following strategies will help you set a productive tone:
6. Collect baseline data on students’ knowledge and motivationThis objective stems directly from the second overarching goal for the first day of class.
7. Whet students’ appetites for course contentSome instructors simply hand out the syllabus and dismiss class figuring that the enrollment has not yet stabilized and it does not make sense to cover material. While there is truth to that argument, the first day of class is a great chance to stimulate interest about the course and to activate relevant prior knowledge students have about the material. Here are some suggestions for activities that orient students to the content:
This activity gets students talking to each other, makes them realize they bring relevant knowledge to bear, and it makes them think about a possible overarching structure for that knowledge. If that structure is appropriate, you can capitalize on that, otherwise this exercise will expose some of the misconceptions students possess, giving you a chance to correct them. The activity typically takes about half an hour.
8. Inform students of logisticsStudents are also looking for answers to questions such as:
You might want to provide information about the following categories:
While this may seem like a lot of information to consider for one class, remember that the first day of class sets the tone for the entire course. Time upfront will pay off in the long run. ReferencesLyons, R., McIntosh, M., & Kysilka, M. (2003). Teaching college in an age of accountability. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Provitera McGlynn, A. (2001.) Successful beginnings for college teaching: Engaging students from the first day. Madison, WI: Atwood Publishing. Morris, T., Gorham, J., Cohen, S., & Huffman, D. (1996). "Fashion in the classroom: Effects of attire on student perceptions of instructors in college classes." Communication Education, 45, 135-148. Nilson, L. (2003). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (2nd ed.). Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing. Raiscot, J. (1986). Silent sales. Minneapolis, MN: AB Publications. Which one of the following is the best example of intrinsic motivation?An example of intrinsic motivation would be reading a book because you enjoy reading and have an interest in the story or subject, rather than reading because you have to write a report on it to pass a class.
Which one of the following is the best example of extrinsic motivation?Being paid to do a job is an example of extrinsic motivation. You may enjoy spending your day doing something other than work, but you're motivated to go to work because you need a paycheck to pay your bills.
Which one of the following common expressions best reflects the idea of distributed cognition?Which one of the following common expressions best reflects the idea of distributed cognition? "Two heads are better than one."
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