Consider a Midterm Check-in on Students

Please consider reaching out to students in your courses using a simple check-in strategy to gauge students’ learning and well-being. In addition, since many courses are being offered online, it can be helpful to learn about whether they are experiencing significant issues around technology or online learning. By listening to students’ concerns, you show you care while upholding your course standards. Above all, students want to be heard. These tools are easy to use and keep students’ anonymity:

• ICON (anonymous survey)
• ACE Survey Tool within ACE Online

Visit this website for ideas about questions to ask and when or how to schedule this feedback:

• Formative Assessment Strategies

Student responses or data, though not added to the end of the semester evaluations, often improve response rates and the quality of students’ feedback on those official forms. The Center for Teaching is happy to help you to create formative assessment strategies.

A student-facing guide was created by students in University Student Government and the Office of Academic Support and Retention and can be found at: https://tutor.uiowa.edu/assets/Uploads/Online-Learning-Guide3.pdf. This guide presents strategies to help students to be successful in the virtual learning environment.

Midterm Grade Reports

• Midterms grades for students earning an F, D-, D, and D+ should be reported from March 10-March 24, 2021.
• Please also consider sending out midterm grades to those earning a C-, C, and C+ to encourage students to work even harder and to attend each class.
• Please submit these grades as soon as possible.

Reporting these low grades is an added strategy to communicate with students, particularly those who are attending class sporadically.

• Academic advisors and staff in my office can also access these midterm grade “alerts,’ and we then reach out to students, offering our help.

• Additionally, if a student has a midterm grade report, we can help the student accept responsibility for the grade while reminding the student to stay informed and communicate with the instructor.

Information about how to submit grades is on this page.

Thank you for helping our students—and please let me know your suggestions. I am always delighted to hear from you.