Making the Most of the Final Weeks
Somehow there are only two weeks of regular classes remaining in the term. When we feel time running short, we may be tempted to speed up in a scramble to fit in as much content as possible before we part ways with our students. But this time of year, students are inundated with projects and exams, so their capacity for processing loads of new material is limited.
At any point in the semester, we know that the more content we try to race through, the less students actually learn. To learn deeply, they need opportunities to think, to analyze, to apply concepts, and to develop skills through practice and feedback.
So instead, when we feel time running short, we can prioritize. What are the most important learning goals? How did you hope students would grow intellectually, professionally, and personally because they took your course? What is most important to talk about, to do, and to work on in the final weeks, so that students have the best chance of accomplishing those goals?
In addition to spending the last few class meetings focused on the highest priorities, we can plan a final class session that brings the course to a meaningful close. We can help students consolidate and strengthen their memories with wrap-up activities that prompt them to reflect on and make meaning of their learning. An effective closing activity will help students recognize how much they’ve learned this fall and consider what they want to keep on learning; it can reinforce the value and relevance of the material they’ve studied. It can also acknowledge the sense of loss they (and we) may feel when our time together comes to an end.
The closing of a course is a good time for synthesis. Since learning must build upon prior knowledge, students need to solidify the connections they’ve made between old ideas and new. August probably seems like a lifetime ago to most of our students, so it may be useful to revisit the syllabus, asking them to evaluate their attainment of the learning goals, or summarize the central concepts of the course. You might also encourage them to think about how they might use what they’ve learned in the future, in their coursework, their careers, or in civic life.
The end of a course can also present an opportunity to self-assess, which can be good preparation for final exams. When students are reflecting on what they’ve learned, they can also identify a few areas they still want to practice, clarify, or review in preparation for finals week. An activity in which they take inventory of what they know well and what they still want to study can be followed by a reminder that some study strategies work much better than others.
As Boettcher points out, “a well-designed ending of a course provides opportunities for reflection and integration of useful knowledge. It is also a time to wrap up positive social and cognitive experiences.” To emphasize the social element of class closure, some faculty thank their students for their effort and openness in the course; some shake hands with each student. Some classes make mementos of their learning or their community, or end the term with a celebration where they share their work. Some colleagues ask students to compose letters of advice to future students of the class, reflecting on the course, what they did to succeed in it, and the effectiveness of their methods. Some faculty actually share these letters with the next semester’s students.
If you’d like support as you plan for the end of the semester, please email us at pro-teaching@fsu.edu. We look forward to working with you.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Provost’s Showcase of Scholarly Teaching
Friday, April 4th | 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Location TBA | More details on our website
We’re delighted to announce that CAT and FSU Libraries will host the second annual Provost’s Showcase of Scholarly Teaching on April 4th, 2025. This event is an opportunity for you to share your teaching expertise and innovations with the larger campus community. Even if you’ve never thought about presenting at a pedagogical conference before, you likely have strategies and insights that could be of benefit to colleagues. We invite you to apply to host a roundtable discussion or present a poster.
If you would like to submit a proposal, please fill out our Application Form. The application due date is January 31, 2025. We look forward to working with you!