Clarity.
It is the quality or state of being clear.
Have you ever tried to do something but felt confused about what to do or how to do it?
As a result, frustration, despair, and even anger may have ensued.
Imagine how your students may feel when they read assignment instructions, but still do not quite understand what they should do or how they might meet your expectations.
After teaching online for almost 16 years, I have learned how to make assignments clearer for college students. In this post, I share five ways or five elements of an assignment that are proven to keep your inbox free of multiple inquiries and allow your students to master the intended learning outcomes
1. Detailed Instructions
Provide step-by-step instructions for before, during, and after the assignment has been completed.
- Preparatory steps may include reading a textbook chapter or watching a video that builds background knowledge.
- Instructional tips should guide the students through each phase of the task.
- Instructions for “after” the assignment may include encouraging students to use the rubric to evaluate their work, getting a friend to review and critique the assignment before they submit it or even including a voluntary or mandatory peer review process.
2. Assignment Specific Rubric
Instead of a generic rubric that applies to all or most assignments, create an assignment specific rubric that aligns with the instructions and helps students assess the quality of their work before they submit it.
3. Student Sample
Showcase a student sample that proves that the assignment is doable and can be done in excellence.
4. Instructional Video
Create and publish an instructional video in which you screenshare the instructions and break them down in layman’s terms. Offer suggestions, share helpful tips and emphasize what should not be done based on what students have done in the past. Be sure to go over the rubric and explain how you will assess the assignment. ( I have even shared a student sample that earned a B or C and talked through the assessment process so that students can see how the rubric is used.)
5. Helpful Resources
Include helpful resources within the assignment folder such as videos, webinars, articles, websites, software, and services that the university provides (i.e. writing studio, tutors). The resources should support students with some aspect of the assignment.
Implementing these steps is time-consuming, but they will save you time in the long run. You will rarely have a lot of questions about what to do and how to do it and when questions arise, you will be able to refer students to the resources you have provided under the assignment folder. If the same questions come up from multiple students, you will know what you will need to clarify even more and in what ways you can provide additional support.
Be clear about what you want students to do and create a win-win for everyone.