It’s hard to believe, but the last day of class – April 29th- is just around the corner! Have you thought about how you want to end the semester? We typically put a lot of thought in to the first day of class, but sometimes fail to put the same effort into the last day. Below are some ideas to consider when planning for the last day to end on a strong note.
Take care of final announcements and administrative duties. This may include reminders regarding the date and location of the final exam or any final assignments, updated office hours for finals week, or CIFs. You may also want to discuss how you use the feedback from students when planning future courses.
Review course material. It is popular to use the last day of class as a review day to prepare for the final exam. Online polls like surveymonkey.com can be administered to the class ahead of time to determine which material to review. Creating a concept map containing the major topics/themes from the course is another great way to review material.
Review course learning goals. Class time can be used to go over the learning goals established at the beginning of the semester. This is a great way to focus the student’s attention while they prepare for their final exams.
Have students reflect on their learning. Another option is to give students time in class to write about their learning. You can ask them to write about their main takeaway from the course and/or what they think they will remember from the course a year from now or 5 years from now.
For more ideas check out the following resources:
