Document Actions
Communication with Students
- How do I use office hours most effectively?
- Should I impose boundaries on email communication?
- What information is useful to include in a section website or a course management system?
- How should I deal with difficult students?
- How should I handle requests for homework and exam solutions and re-grading?
Professor:
Aside from your section syllabus, a class discussion board will help with many housekeeping issues. Many professors and TAs ask students to pose questions they have about the material and/or assignments on the discussion board so that they only need to respond to a question one time. Also, a weekly 2-3 item quiz that students complete a day or two before the section meeting will help you gauge your students’ understanding of the material and guide your section preparation.
Student:
I like that I can go to the web and look up the section syllabus, assignments, and sometimes answer keys to exams or homework. I also like that I can go to the discussion board and read my TA’s responses to my classmates’ questions. Sometimes they ask questions that I hadn’t even thought to ask! It is great that we can post our questions anonymously if we want to.
TA:
The use of websites and course management systems varies greatly and I recommend that you speak with someone in your department about specifics. In general, students appreciate it if all important information is always available such as:
- Your contact information
- All test dates, assignments due dates, etc.
- Actual homework assigned with any needed references
- Solutions to homework or exams
- Any last minute changes or announcements
I always think that if someone had to miss class, they should be able to know what they must do to catch up by visiting the website. If you are unfamiliar with the CMS your department is using, the Teaching Enhancement Center offers frequent workshops on how to use various tools.
