Call it a "coffee break": about 20 minutes into the class do something different, such as have students put down their pens, tell an anecdote, refer to a current event, or switch media. Giving students this break will help them pay better attention to the material you're presenting the rest of the class.

Midterm Check

A Quick Reminder of the Big Picture

Good teacher practice in undergraduate education:
1. Encourages student-faculty contact.
2. Develops cooperation among students.
3. Uses active learning techniques.
4. Gives prompt feedback.
5. Emphasizes time on task.
6. Communicates high expectations.
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

LINK: http://aahebulletin.com/public/archive/sevenprinciples1987.asp

Assess Group Work for Learning

Group work can be difficult to assess, so try this idea to get useful feedback. The first three points measure group dynamics; the last three measure specific learning. Decide what you need to assess, and then use part or all as needed.

Use a 1-5 rating scale ("not at all" to "extremely well") for the first three questions:
1. Overall, how effectively did your group work together on this assignment?
2. How many of the five group members participated actively most of the time?
3. How many of you were fully prepared for the group work most of the time?

Provide room for written answers for these three points:
4. Give one specific example of something you learned from the group
5. Give one specific example of something the group members learned from you.
6. Suggest one specific change the group could make to improve learning.

Adapted from Angelo, Thomas. "Finding Out How Well Students Are Learning What We’re Teaching." Handout. Lawrence, KS: Center for Teaching Excellence, February 1998.

Have Students Give You Feedback, Too

One-Minute Teaching Feedback. Adapt the Angelo format for a short, useful midterm teaching assessment. Ask your students to give honest, legible, and anonymous responses.

1. What is one thing your teacher does that helps you to learn?

2. What is one thing your teacher does that interferes with your learning?

3. Give one specific, practical suggestion that would help improve your learning.

Suggestions for use:

• Only ask if you want to know.

• Only collect feedback if you have time to respond to it.

• If you’re concerned about recognizing handwriting, have a colleague type up the responses. Let students know that’s what you’ll do.

• Pay attention to positive and negative feedback.

• Think through your response carefully.

• Ask a colleague or teaching mentor for guidance.

• Do this early enough in the semester to allow time for changes.

• Follow-up with a similar feedback format to see if changes made a difference.

More at the CTE:
"Closed Response," "Open Response." These forms target classroom climate, content delivery, course structure, evaluation, and learning objectives. Each lists a limited number of clear questions and a feedback form. These are easy to copy and implement for all teaching settings. Stop in and look through the file to find forms that work for you.

"Classroom Observation Report." This one-page sheet has fourteen questions about perceptions of your teaching. Although originally intended for tenure and promotion observations, the items can be adapted for other teaching situations, such as labs, studios, and discussions. For instance, it asks for feedback on presentation, communication, organization, and explanations. We can help you personalize it to fit your needs.