Center for Teaching & Learning Andrew Dole (Religion)

RELI 278, Christianity, Philosophy, and History in the 19^th century

What activity(ies) will you employ at the start of the semester [Fall 2020] so that you can:

• get to know your students
• they can get to know you
• they can connect with their peers
  • --Ask students to respond to a series of written questions connecting themselves to the course material, posted to Moodle
  • --Post a series of short videos about the course, my teaching and research, and my background
  • --Set up student peer groups (3-4 students) for regular communication and accountability

What strategies will you embed within your course?

• --Maintain peer group work through the semester
• --Whenever possible, connect course material to self-described student interests and experiences

How will these strategies for community building respond to the potential modes of instruction you may employ this fall (in person/remote/both)?

• --Peer groups will keep students in communication with each other outside of ‘class’; will also provide for peer support and accountability, and also an avenue for communication with the instructor

How do these strategies relate to and support your overarching goals for student learning in your class?

• --Hopefully will eliminate some barriers to engagement, if students can bring frustrations with the course material/logistics to expression with their peers, and these can reach me in some form;  also hopefully will provide opportunities for students to learn from each other regarding best practices for engaging the course material, and also regarding the content of what the class is reading and discussing