Designing assignments
Determine student activities that support learning
The best student assignments engage students in specific skills and practices that instructors want students to develop. In addition to traditional writing assignments, there are alternative activities that will exercise students’ minds, and create opportunities for them to practice the real world skills of a professional in a particular field of study. Think about the work a physicist, historian, artist, business person, lawyer, physician, biologist, linguist, mathematician, computer scientist, geographer, or writer would do, then imagine activities that students could do that involve some of the skills needed to do that work. Design course activities that incorporate those skills for your students.
Locate example assignments
Begin thinking about what assignments to use for a course by browsing through assignments others have used. Look at syllabus archives, ask a professor you admire to see a syllabus for what they consider to be the best course they teach, discuss assignments with colleagues in and outside your field of study. Really think about what you want students to know and be able to do when they complete your course. Having examples in front of you will stimulate some thinking about what your students may benefit from engaging with and completing.
Think about time, resource and space limitations
There are many resources available to students, but they are not endless. Think about efficiency to some degree as you design course activities. Since time is finite, both for instructors and students, new faculty members need to be thoughtful about how they ask students to spend their time. Some departments or colleges determine page limits for course readings, others standardize the number of assignments across sections of the same course. Most leave it up to faculty to determine the best balance of learning against the cost in time and materials of completing the assignment. If the physical bulk of a project is a limitation, think about images of projects students might turn in as alternatives. Be frugal about available time, resources and space, but do not allow these limitations to limit creativity when you know student learning will benefit.
Ask students for feedback
In addition to our colleagues, students are a wonderful resource for determining how well our assignments have supported learning outcomes. As you assess assignments, consider the caliber of the responses you receive from students, and revise assignments to refine the student responses. In addition, be thoughtful about asking students for feedback on the time, resources and skills needed to complete the assignment, adjusting accordingly for the next time you teach the course. Some feedback comes from formal course evaluations, but accomplished faculty often ask for informal interim feedback in order to change while a semester is in progress to better meet the learning needs of students. High expectations are very important, and with well crafted assignments students will rise to the occasion.
General Resources for Designing Assignments
Learning Activities
The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning, Brown University
This webpage describes various types of learning activities and provides links to resources for each type of activity.
Designing Assignments
Writing at Case, Case Western Reserve University
This site explores three key questions as the foundation of writing assignment design.
Creating Assignments and Exams
Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University
This site includes tips, resources and examples to support development of assignments.
Unique Assignments to Promote Inquiry and Learning Strategies
Student observation network, NASA
This site explores the use of jigsaw, journals, predictions, reflections, and peer review as tools that enhance learning for students.
Designing Assignments for University Seminars
Case Western Reserve University
This site explores five principles to consider when designing seminar assignments.
General Guidelines for Designing Assignments
UMBC, an Honors University of Maryland
This site, developed by the campus library, considers objectives, resources, strategies, incremental student improvement, critical thinking and variety when designing assignments.
Tools and Support for Conflict Studies Instructors
Warters, W., Wayne State University
This site offers a comprehensive collection of materials for teaching conflict studies, including planning and design aids, syllabi collections, interactive strategies, multimedia teaching tools, and more.
Information Literacy
Skidmore College Library
Recommendations are made for preparing well-designed assignments that address the development of student research skills, critical thinking, and subject knowledge.
Perceptions of Reading Assignments: A Comparison of Business Students and Professors
Braguglia, K.H. (2006). Journal of College Teaching & Learning, March
In this study undergraduate business students and business professors were surveyed about the importance of reading assignments to learning. The findings have some implications for teaching methods.
Getting Students to Do the Readings
Nilson, L.B., Clemson University
This article offers strategies for enhancing the number of students who completed assigned readings.
Annotated List of Resources for Designing Online Assignments and Activities
The Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning, Brown University
This webpage lists resources for thinking about online assignment design.
Writing Assignments
Designing Effective Writing Assignments
Effective Writing Center, University of Maryland, University College
The site addresses four areas of assignment creation: creating effective assignments, checking the assignment, sequencing writing assignments, and selecting an effective writing assignment format.
Designing Writing Assignments
Case Western Reserve University
There are three basic elements addressed: purpose, context and form. Numerous other references round out this helpful site.
Journalism Assignments
FAU Multimedia Journalism Course
Journalism 4342-001, Florida Atlantic University
This site offers a sample assignment for this course, including blogs, and creation of a Google mashup map.
Engineering Assignments
Students Show Creativity, Innovation through Design Projects
College of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Colorado, Boulder
These examples of first year design projects offer numerous ideas for student projects.
Library Assignments
Best Practices for Creating Effective Library Assignments
Psychology & Communication Studies, University Library, Califronia State University Long Beach
This site offers best practices, pitfalls to avoid, how to structure a library assignment, and has links to many example university assignments.
Physics Assignments
Alternative Homework Assignment: Roller Coaster
Physics Education Research Group, University of Maryland
This assignment on roller coaster design has students consider maximizing ride excitement without endangering passengers.
Case Study Assignments
The Case for Case Study Assignments in Undergraduate Operating Systems Courses
Gaspar, A. & Langevin, S.(2006). University of South Florida
This article makes the case that undergraduate operating systems courses can benefit from a plethora of pedagogical activities and approaches.
