Planning Class Sessions for Engaged Learning and Teaching

Typically the course calendar and syllabus narrative are constructed to serve as an accounting of topics, tasks, readings and due dates. However, by preparing these documents to make visible the links between course objectives and major assessments, and to create a framework – a scaffold – to support the day-to-day learning, you will provide for your students a valuable learning tool and for yourself a guide for mapping class sessions across the full semester. This segment of the Integrated Aligned Course Design Tutorial makes visible the processes for planning mindfully those key components that support the practice of Class Session Planning for Engaged Learning and Teaching.

STEP ONE: Review and Scaffold Course Assessments

• List the Major Assessments (assignments, projects, tests, presentations, for example) you plan for the course, and briefly describe how you envision the Assessments will work to guide, provoke and evaluate student learning. Section 1 of the Working Guide is designed to support generative, detailed thinking for this stage of the process.
• Scaffold the assignments into “chunks” – setting out expectations, specific steps, feedback processes, potential difficulties and resources available in addition to class resources. As a next step, link this scaffold to your course calendar in order to become aware of assignment pacing, feedback timing, and occasions when homework and peer work for assessment become in-class activities. Section 2 of the Working Guide is designed to provoke thinking about what’s due and who’s doing what and where/when the work is being done.

STEP TWO: Set Out Learning and Teaching Activities via Course Calendar

• Using Section 3 of the Working Guide, draft a full term course calendar to (1) link overall learning objectives to weekly course concepts and content you will address, (2) plan work students will complete (readings, problems/cases, drafts, tutorials, labs, small group discussions online or in person, peer responding) as homework or in class, and (3) note potential teaching strategies that support targeted learning goals.
• Think through two key questions regarding use of class time: What concepts central to this course are difficult for students to work through? What can I have students do in class so that we work through the difficulties together? Next, consider how you might use homework/outside class activities to engage students in their “first exposure” to a key concept, then how you can make use of interactive lecture and active processing and classroom assessment to work through those central and difficult points during class time. To consider ways of using class time to engage deep, high level learning see the resources listed under the In Class Learning resources below.

STEP THREE: Developing Class Session Plans

• Consult the Classroom Patterns resource to begin constructing a general plan for class sessions. To maximize learning from outside class activities and to focus on aspects of mastery in class, consider which 2-3 ideas from the In Class Learning resources below you could incorporate as you conduct class sessions to support student learning and mastery of course objectives, concepts, and content.
• Based on decisions made, begin to plot plans for upcoming Class Sessions. Section 4 of the Working Guide is designed to provide guidance in this process. For new and redesigned classes, take time to “front load” class session planning by plotting sessions from Day 1 through the first major assessment before the course begins. Adapt and extend the rest of the semester as you observe student progress and gather feedback on learning/teaching from students. 

Resources

In-Class Learning

• Rethinking Use of Class Time
• Overview, Classroom Assessment Techniques
• Detailed Examples, Classroom Assessment Techniques
• Classroom Patterns Chart

Supports for Learning and Teaching

• Recommended Teaching and Learning Tools (pdf): Determine whether and which Technologies you will use to support student preparation for – and your teaching during – class sessions
• Advancing Access for Everyone: Learn how to provide course materials and class session plans that are accessible to all learners in your class