Last Day of Class
Why does this matter?
“First and last class sessions are the bookends that hold a course together” (Weimar, 2016).
The last day of class can be just as valuable as the first day of class when you engage your students in reflective activities that require deep thinking. The activity you choose could prepare students for the final exam or could be used to help students think about how what they learned in your course relates to their personal lives, their prior or upcoming courses, or the curriculum of their major.
What does this look like in practice?
Reflection
Boucquey (2014) offers suggestions for last-day-of-class activities based on the 2009 study by Dietz-Uhler & Lanter’s in which the authors encourage students to engage in a four-part reflection where the students “analyze, reflect, relate and question” (p. 38):
- Can you identify one important concept, research finding, theory, or idea that you learned while taking this class?
- Why do you believe that this concept, research finding, theory, or idea is important?
- Apply what you have learned from this class to some aspect of your life.
- What question(s) has the class raised for you? What are you still wondering about?
Other activities you may consider
- Students write letters to the next groups of students who will be taking your course. What can they expect to learn? What advice or tips for success can they share?
- Students work in pairs to create a concept map of a particular topic. Pairs then join their classmates to create one large, integrated concept map showing how these individualized topics relate to the overall course concepts.
- Ask students to write a reflection on how what they have learned in this course will relate to a course or courses that they have enrolled in for the next semester.
- Ask students to reflect on how they might use something they learned to change the world.
- Ask students to write a reflective essay directed by a set of questions that will help them and you understand what material was helpful to them and why; what they learned about themselves as a learner, etc.
Expressing gratitude
From positive psychology, we have learned that practicing gratitude increases well-being. Simple expressions of gratitude from students about rewarding experiences in your course are certain to end class on a high note.
- What are students glad to have learned?
- What did they appreciate about someone else in the class?
- What authors of course materials would they like to thank for their work?
If time is a concern, it’s not necessary to read students’ ideas aloud for the gratitude effect to take place; it’s the moment of being grateful that seems to have the impact (Creative Commons licensed from Melissa Himelein, Director for Teaching and Learning, UNC Asheville).
References
- Boucquey, N. C. (November 9, 2014). School’s Out! Strategies for the Last Day of Class. Stanford Teaching Commons.
- Dietz-Uhler, B., & Lanter, J. R. (2009). Using the Four-Questions Technique to Enhance Learning. Teaching of Psychology, 36(1), 38–41.https://doi.org/10.1080/00986280802529327
- Himelein, M. (2019) Activities for the Last Day of Class. BYU Center for Teaching and Learning. https://teachanywhere.byu.edu/activities-for-the-last-day-of-class
- Weimar, M. (April 13, 2016). The last class session: How to make it count. The Teaching Professor. https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/for-those-who-teach/the-last-class-session-how-to-make-it-count/
Share your strategies
How do you wrap up your course? The CTSE would love to showcase your activity. Contact us to share an end-of-semester activity that encourages students to reflect on their learning in a way that encourages deeper learning.
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