Time Management Tips for Instructors

1.Establishing Priorities

2.Classroom Time-Wasters and How to Address them

In what modality do you typically teach?

A.Face-to-face on campus

B.Online courses

C.Blended courses that combine online and face-to face in a single course

D. I teach in multiple modalities

Poll Question

Which of the following “timewasters” do you have to deal with regularly? Select all that apply.

A. Unproductive meetings

B. Seemingly useless paperwork

C. Things designed only for compliance that add no value to the student

D. I never waste time

Poll Question

Institutional Goals

Program-Specific Goals

Course Goals

Class Meeting Goals

Setting Priorities

• Tardiness

• Absenteeism

• Renting rather than Owning

• Not paying attention

• Not understanding

• Not taking responsibility

• Not on the same level as classmates

Student Challenges

Which of the these student behaviors present the biggest challenge to you? (Select One)

•Tardiness

•Absenteeism

•Unpreparedness

•Not paying attention

•Not understanding

•Not taking responsibility

•Not on the same level as classmates

Poll Question

The most effective way to ensure the time you have with students is valuable is organize the educational experience effectively.

Develop a strategy for each potential “time bandit” before you need use the strategy.

Organization is Key

Rewarding the behaviors you want! Review activities for that day’s test Review activities and handouts for next week’s test Graded participation activities Treats / Raffle Tickets / Fun Stuff

These strategies also apply at the end of the class to reward those who stay.

Tardiness

Sometime students want the class to stop so they can catch up.

• Rewarding promptness

• Greeting and Seating

• Alternative exercises

Preplan what you will have them do.

Tardiness

Modifying behavior you do not want! The “evil eye” (sort of)

Limited make-up opportunities (points off?)

Proactive advising

Don’t stop the lesson

Stay after / Come early

Tardiness

Absenteeism

Sometimes have good reasons for missing class.

Sometimes they do not.

Absent students should be expected to keep up! Make it easy for them to know what to do.

Achieve a Balance!

“Too tough or too easy?”

We do not want to make it impossible for students who miss for legitimate reasons to make up work.

We do not want to make it too easy for students who just skip to make up work.

Absenteeism

Achieve a Balance!

Phone call or email from the student on day of absence

Email assignments to instructor

Drop off assignments to Dean or Registrar

Absenteeism

Achieve a Balance!

Point reduction scale

Test make-up schedule

Alternative course assignments to earn back participation points

Drop the lowest quiz score(s)

Absenteeism

Renters

How can we get students to take responsibility for their learning?

• Be sure they know what you expect from them

• Provide pathways to success

Renters

How can we get students to take responsibility for their learning?

•Be sure they are aware of all the tools available to them

•Consider “second chances”

•Ask questions How did you prepare? Did you try ….? What else can I do to help you?

Give ChoicesGive Choices

Allow students input into decisions about what they will do to master the objectives.

Decisions can be collective or individual, though individual decisions impact motivation more strongly.

Renters

Give ChoicesGive Choices

Which assignments to do?

Oral or written reports?

Individual or group projects?

More or fewer tests or test items?

Essay or objective tests?

Renters

Provide OptionsProvide Options

Students are far more likely to take ownership and responsibility if they have:

Choices

A sense of control

Personal participation

Chat Time

What is the single most important thing you would like your students to learn?

(Please send responses to All Panelists)

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More Thoughts

• Everything does not have to be graded

• Build reusable instructional materials• Handouts• Lesson Plans• Tests• Discussion Questions

23

More Thoughts

• Leverage Technology• Gradebooks• Ancillary Resources• Develop standard conventions• Test generators• Publisher resources

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More Thoughts

• Develop Self-Service Strategies• Turning in assignments• Make-up work• Absentee notifications• Webpages

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Time Savings with Aplia

Founded by an Instructor

Auto-graded Assignments

Additional Review

Analytics

Course Care