As the season for teaching, grading, and planning next semester’s courses is upon us, we recognize that preparing for the semester ahead can be a challenging task. To support you in this endeavour, we’ve compiled a schedule of effective tips. Dedicating about an hour daily to these activities will help set you up for success in the upcoming semester.
The following Course Tune-Up Calendar serves as a guide for instructors, focusing on the critical aspects of course preparation and personal well-being. The calendar is flexible, enabling you to adjust it to your schedule and preferences. You may spend more time on some tasks or skip others if they’re already completed.
Course tune-up activities are structured around five key themes:
- Setting Expectations for the Course
- Sharing Course Information
- Measuring Student Success
- Fostering Community in the Classroom and Enhancing Student Engagement
- Adapting throughout the Semester to Meet Student Needs
To get started, select a door on the Course Tune-Up Calendar. Each door reveals a daily task, accompanied by links to supporting resources. Additionally, the entire guiding list is available for download as a PDF.
Want a second set of eyes on your course materials, assessment plans, or teaching strategies? Whether you’ve taught this section many times before or are teaching it for the first time (or for the first time at VIU), it can be invaluable to get some outside ideas and insights to move your planning forward. This can be especially true when you’re just starting to plan—and when you’ve been staring at your plans for days! Colleagues in the Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning are happy to sit down with you one-on-one to work through any aspect of your teaching.