Extra credit assignments are often viewed with disdain by educators as opportunities to earn points for students that lack the study skills to do well on exams and quizzes. However, these assignments can serve as a platform for students to apply the course material to their own lives, optimizing their strengths and creativity, and encouraging them…

Millions of hours are spent on assignments in university education every year. This exploratory paper describes ways in which instructors can create assignments that not only educate students, but also create lasting online contributions for use by scholars and future students. I describe case studies of assignment types I have used effectively:…

This paper discusses the benefits and challenges of video as a tool for supporting and enhancing peer feedback and reflection. The analysis draws on key arguments from relevant literature in combination with the author's own experiences of producing and using video recordings of peer feedback sessions, presentations and personal reflections, and…

This paper considers the factors that impact on student success in first year science mathematics courses at the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUI Maynooth). These factors include previous performance in the subject, attendance at lectures and tutorials, the number of assignments submitted, and attendance at the Mathematics Support…

Background: The BSc Public Health and Health Promotion at University College Cork (UCC) aims to produce graduates who are passionate about their discipline. Teachers need to communicate this "passion" to students, but it can be difficult to know whether this has been achieved. The TFU framework makes such an outcome explicit, through…

Background: This study involved a bicoastal project between four composition classes, two in California and two in Pennsylvania. The focus was on how students read, write, and converse about ethnic and spiritual distinctiveness and the role of writing in identity development. Purpose: The researchers exercised a variety of methods (diverse…

The use of computer-based automated assignment systems in economics has expanded significantly in recent years. The most widely used system is Aplia which was developed by Paul Romer in 2000. Aplia is a computer application designed to replace traditional paper-based assignments in economics. The main features of Aplia are: (1) interactive content…

The ability to predict a student's performance could be useful in a great number of different ways associated with university-level learning. In this paper, a grammar guided genetic programming algorithm, G3P-MI, has been applied to predict if the student will fail or pass a certain course and identifies activities to promote learning in a…

It is generally assumed that students possess the ability to apply abstract reasoning to content material in a variety of disciplines when they enter college. Yet many college students have not reached the level of formal operations defined by Jean Piaget; thus they experience difficulty in coping with their work. A solution to this dilemma can be…

A study used comparison-group methods to examine the effectiveness of dialogic journal writing in a content area classroom. Subjects were students in a sophomore-level course in Chinese literature at the University of California, San Diego. Students were divided into three comparison groups each of which was further divided into sections. Four…

Ethical bases of the informed consent doctrine are explored relative to how much information students need before they take a course. Such information includes content, grading policies, assignments, course goals, teaching philosophy, and techniques. The major justification of informed consent is autonomy; individuals need adequate information to…

In response to curricular changes at Muhlenberg College (Pennsylvania), emphasizing interdisciplinary exploration and a focus on writing, students in an introductory psychology course were assigned a paper examining a "hero" of their own choosing from a psychological perspective, from an ethical perspective, and from a viewpoint…

While the populations of students learning writing in English as a second language (ESL) are diverse and have widely varying needs, three general recommendations to nonspecialist teachers of ESL pupils are to: (1) organize courses according to thematic unity; (2) limit the number of formal, polished essays assigned; and (3) encourage students to…