A part of 4.2: Lightning Talk session.

The Last Class Workshop – A Versatile Tool for Course Evaluation and Evolution
Erin Styles, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Molecular Genetics

Recognizing that the last session of class at the end of the term is often not very materially productive, I have searched for a way to make this last class meaningful and functional for both me and my students. In this session, I will describe a modified workshop first developed by Dr. Elizabeth Bleicher at Ithaca College as a means of obtaining real-time, in-person or virtual course evaluations, and driving course evolution (Bleicher, 2011). This approach generates more honest and useful feedback than standard post-mortem course evaluations, and requires only minimal preparative work on the part of the instructor – the instructor’s role during the workshop is primarily as a facilitator. The “Last Class Workshop” depends on the active metacognitive engagement of students in owning and reflecting upon their learning experiences, and is presented as an empowering opportunity for student activism during which students are asked to contribute to improving future iterations of the course.