Class activities

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  • Welcome Message for Students

    An inviting welcome message, right at the start of the document, establishes an early connection between you and your students. This welcoming tone can… Read more>

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  • Purpose and Relevance of Coursework

    A strong emphasis on the purpose of coursework and its relevance to students’ careers, interests, and lives improves student motivation and engagement. This could… Read more>

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  • Clear Tasks and Goals of Assessments

    Explicitly stating what students will need to do to complete the assessments, the learning goals, and how they connect to the assessments help clarify… Read more>

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  • Clear Expectations and Criteria for Grading

    Clear communication about expectations and grading criteria can help guide students’ learning by preventing confusion about expectations or frustration about their grades. Grading criteria… Read more>

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  • Built-in Flexibility for Late/Missed Coursework

    Students benefit from both clear structure (e.g., a course schedule or calendar with due dates; clear policies for late work or missed assignments) and… Read more>

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  • Peer Collaboration

    Students are encouraged to collaborate and work in teams in many classes at MIT to practice explaining concepts and learn from one another. However,… Read more>

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  • Valuing Different Viewpoints

    Your syllabus can explicitly communicate your commitment to creating a learning environment in which all students can learn and whose varied perspectives matter in… Read more>

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  • Norms and Expectations for the Classroom Community

    Students benefit from having a positive classroom community, but they don’t always know what participation should look like. The syllabus can clearly communicate expectations… Read more>

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  • Additional Resources for Students

    Clearly describes actionable tips and concrete strategies on how to succeed in the course, which may also include external tools and campus resources to… Read more>

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  • Rationale for Subject Policies

    By clearly articulating course policies and the reasons underlying them, students recognize when policies are designed to support their learning and gain insight into… Read more>

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