One of my tasks this week was to develop a tool for getting to know new students (and parents) in an online course. Several of the questions on the survey I put together are ones I've asked my students at the start of a class for quite a few years, but the parameters of the assignment pushed me to ask some new questions of my students that I expect to be valuable, even in a face-to-face environment.
My favorite question from the survey remains "Aside from a specific grade, what are your goals for this course?" My 12th grade physics class is an elective, so I tend to get pretty meaningful responses that give me an idea of what my students value and what they are interested in. My 9th grade physical science course is required for graduation, so its a little tough to get students to provide a meaningful response on their own. I have used that question as a starter for a conversation with students and have been able to get some interesting information about what they are expecting from the course.
Another question I really like is "How can I (the teacher) best help you learn?" Especially in 9th grade, I sometimes get students who say they need me to stay on their case to keep them on task and hold them accountable for things like completing homework. A few weeks later, that same student will be less enthusiastic about my efforts to keep them on track, and pulling out their survey reminds them why I'm doing it. It also sends the message that I did pay attention to their responses and am trying to respond to their needs.
Because this course is focused on online teaching, the survey included some questions about the kind of technology access students have. Since I currently teach in a face-to-face environment, I haven't asked students about that before. Having actual data on how many of my students have a device and what kinds of devices they have gives me more confidence in exploring some very cool things I've seen other teachers trying. For example, Andy Rundquist of Hamline University has his students make their own screencasts instead of taking written assessments or submitting lab reports and high school teacher Ramsey Musallam encourages students to submit videos with demonstrations or real-world examples of their classroom topics. Now that I know how many of my students have easy access to cameras and microphones, I can provide my students with similar opportunities with minimal concerns.
A good introductory survey is a great way to set the expectation for students that their voices and their needs matter while providing the teacher with a wealth of valuable information. Whether I'm teaching face-to-face, in a blended setting, or entirely online, this is a practice I intend to continue and to refine to ensure I know what I need to in order to support my students.
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