Just the Right Amount of Workload
In the story of Goldilocks, the main character tries bowls of porridge that are too hot and too cold. Finally, Goldilocks settles on a porridge that is just the right temperature. Figuring out the right, or adequate, amount of work for students is a Goldilocks opportunity – tweaking and adjusting to find the right mix, amount, consistency, and taste.
The video below summarizes how we can reflect and plan for an appropriate amount of student workload. We were inspired by conversations in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.
How much work are we asking students to do in the remote context? More/less than in face-to-face, more/less engagement, more/less synchronous, asynchronous, etc.
Do students know where to easily find information in your course? Canvas, BBlearn, email, syllabus, course modules, course files, etc.
What are students consuming to learn? Lectures, videos, readings, discussion boards, recordings etc.
What are they producing to show learning? Discussion boards, assignments, group work, projects, quizzes, tests, etc.
This tool from Wake Forest University can help generate a value in terms of hours spent consuming/producing learning. However, we encourage you to also have conversations with your colleagues about what the common expectations might be across your college, department, or school. https://cat.wfu.edu/resources/tools/estimator2/
