Strategies from McGill instructors
How can you design assignments that enhance students’ learning and motivation to learn? Take a look at these examples from McGill instructors for inspiration. Note that the strategies can be adapted for implementation in courses taught on campus, in a blended manner, and fully online.
10 questions, 10 answers
Instructor: William Archambault
Course: Pharmacology for Nursing 1 & 2 (NUR1 300 & 301)
Department and Faculty: Ingram School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine
Summary: Students read 4–7 assigned scientific articles to find answers to 10 questions.
Admission ticket assignment
Instructor: Laura Madokoro
Course: Canada Since 1867 (HIST 203)
Department and Faculty: History and Classical Studies, Faculty of Arts
Summary: In preparation for class discussion, students write thought-provoking questions (max. 150 words) about assigned readings and submit them at the beginning of class as “admission tickets.” The instructor selects questions from exemplary admission tickets to include in the midterm and final exams.
Brief communication
Instructor: Gigi Luk
Course: Theories of Human Development (EDPE 502)
Department and Faculty: Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education
Summary: In 400–500 words, students summarize a course reading for a target audience of their choice and add their own interpretation of the main ideas.
Collaborative quizzes
Instructor: David Titley-Peloquin
Course: Physics 1 (AEPH 113) and Physics 2 (AEPH 115)
Department and Faculty: Bioresource Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Summary: Collaborative quizzes are an exam preparation activity with an opportunity for immediate feedback. Students attempt a quiz independently and then work in groups of 2-3 students to re-attempt the same quiz. This process allows students to check their understanding with peers.
Fake news assignment
Instructor: Elena Obukhova
Course: Managing Globalization (MGPO 469)
Department and Faculty: Strategy and Organization, Desautels Faculty of Management
Summary: This assignment addresses the concept of “fake news,” a term that refers to bias in the media and the purposeful misleading of media consumers. Using one actual news article, students write a biased news story from a specific stakeholder perspective that illustrates the bias in their story. The focus on bias teaches students to interrogate their sources.
Group term project (with detailed instructions and rubrics)
Instructor: Sébastien Jodoin
Course: Sustainable Development 3.0 (LAWG 502)
Department and Faculty: Faculty of Law
Summary: In this course, students complete a Group Term Project (3-5 students per group). They choose one of three options for the project: (1) create a business plan or model for a new social enterprise; (2) draft an innovative policy proposal; or (3) draft a memo outlining a new avenue of strategic public interest litigation in the field of sustainable development. The course outline contains specific instructions and unique grading rubrics for each project option. Groups submit a 1-page brief early in the term and receive feedback from the instructor before moving forward with their projects.
Hands-on creative project
Instructor: Catherine Bradley
Course: Special Topics in Theatre History: History of Costume from 1800 to 1970 (ENGL 486)
Department and Faculty: Department of English, Faculty of Arts
Summary: Students have the option to do either a creative project or write an academic paper that expands upon and further explores an aspect of course content. The creative project illustrates a concept or thesis through various physical media that may be technology-based, craft-based, or graphic, and includes a 3–5 page written report.
In-class debate
Instructor: Sergio Burgos
Course: Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism (ANSC 551)
Department and Faculty: Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Summary: In teams, students prepare arguments, supported by evidence, for and against a controversial topic. The position students argue is decided by a coin toss. Audience members participate in polling, discussion, and evaluation.
In-class simulation
Instructor: Pierre Forest
Course: Total Compensation and Rewards (CORG 562)
Department and Faculty: Career and Professional Development, School of Continuing Studies
Summary: This in-class activity simulates a common work situation: asking for a raise or responding to an employee’s request for a raise. Students work in teams to prepare for both roles in the simulation, as they don’t know in advance which role they will assume. In a post-activity debrief, the class reflects on the instructor’s feedback and makes connections between the activity and course content.
Lay translation assignment
Instructor: Terry Hébert
Course: Research Topics in Pharmacology (PHAR 508)
Department and Faculty: Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine
Summary: Students read a piece of scientific scholarship and write a one-page essay in the style of a New York Times article that makes the content understandable to lay readers. A panel of lay readers provides students with feedback on the effectiveness of their communication. Students revise their work based on this feedback and then submit their revised writing to the instructor.
Letter to stakeholders
Instructor: Kellina L. Higgins
Course: Ecosystem Management (ENVB 415)
Department and Faculty: Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Summary: In groups of two or three, students draft letters to members of government to persuade them to adopt a policy. Students write from different stakeholder perspectives (e.g., economic, social, environmental).
Mineralogy paper
Instructor: George McCourt
Course: Geosystems (SOIL 300)
Department and Faculty: Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Summary: Students complete a written assignment about a mineral or rock of their choice. This assignment can take any written form that the student wishes: research paper, narrative essay, newspaper opinion piece, or poem. The instructor provides students with three specific points that they must address, regardless of the form of the written assignment, along with detailed instructions and assessment criteria.
Multi-stage assignments: The “Explainer Article”
Instructor: Diane Dechief
Course: Communicating Science (CCOM 314)
Department and Faculty: McGill Writing Centre, School of Continuing Studies
Summary: Students develop their writing and critical thinking skills through multiple stages of feedback. As the first step of the “Explainer article” assignment, each student chooses a peer-reviewed journal article in their area of interest. The student then “translates” key aspects of this article into a 500-600-word newspaper-style explainer article, targeted for a general audience. Students submit their writing in four stages and receive feedback at each stage either from peers or the instructor.
Peer assessment
Instructor: Lawrence Chen
Course: Introduction to the Engineering Profession (FACC 100)
Department and Faculty: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Summary: Using software that supports peer assessment, students submit their writing, review peers’ work, receive feedback from peers, and use the feedback to revise their writing. In addition, students provide feedback on the feedback they received (known as “back evaluation”).
Performance-based assessment (PBA)
Instructor: Claire Trottier
Course: Laboratory in Immunology (MIMM 385)
Department and Faculty: Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science
Summary: Performance-based Assessment (PBA) promotes the development of discipline-specific “soft skills,” such as properly using equipment and communicating respectfully with peers. In this course, students have multiple opportunities to practice skills that are relevant to both the course and future work environments. Students complete three PBAs throughout the term, receiving detailed feedback and comments on each one.
Poster presentation assignment
Instructors: John Stix and John Gyakum
Course: Natural Disasters (ATOC 185/EPSC 185)
Department and Faculty: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences/Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Faculty of Science
Summary: Students summarize and communicate scientific information in a setting that simulates a research conference. In groups of 6, students prepare scientific posters to present at scheduled sessions throughout the semester. Students receive feedback from peers and from the TA, who also assigns a grade.
Presenting papers conference-style
Instructor: Stephen Peters
Courses: Critical Discourse Studies in Education (EDEC 627)
Department and Faculty: Department of Integrated Studies in Education, Faculty of Education
Summary: During an in-class mock conference, students present the content of their final paper prior to the due date. They receive feedback from the instructor and peers that they can use to further organize their thoughts and refine their work.
Review and reading journal
Instructor: Sarah Turner
Courses: Development and Livelihoods (GEOG 310), Geographies of Developing Asia (GEOG 409), and Urban Field Studies (GEOG 494)
Department and Faculty: Department of Geography, Faculty of Science
Summary: In journal entries for a selection of classes, students review class materials and assigned readings, and critique and reflect on their takeaways.
Scientific source evaluation: Short written assignment
Instructors: Sarah Woolley and Tamara Western
Course: Essential Biology (BIOL 115)
Department and Faculty: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Summary: Students choose recent, biology-related news articles. In 200 words, they evaluate the reliability of the media source and content.
Back to top
Video assignments
Instructors: Sun-Young Kim and Alejandra Barriales-Bouche
Course: German Language - Intermediate (GERM 307); Spanish Language - Intermediate (HISP 219)
Department and Faculty: Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Faculty of Arts
Summary: Students video record themselves giving oral presentations that are 1-3 minutes long. They share the videos in myCourses. Instructors view the presentations and provide feedback directly in the video. Students view peers’ videos and record 1-1.5 minute commentaries on selected videos, which they also share in myCourses.
Video demo showcase
Instructor: Eve Lee
Course: Physics of Fluids (PHYS 432)
Department and Faculty: Department of Physics, Faculty of Science
Summary: Students work in pairs to create an educational video that demos a topic related to the course.