For anyone wishing to pursue a student-directed seminar at UBC, here are a few thoughts I put together after coordinating ASTU 400H. Although I set out to grow intellectually, what I found most challenging and rewarding from this experience was the facilitation process. Learning to think of and plan for the minds of thirteen peers was a constant exercise in empathy, creativity, and strategic decision-making. I hope the following resources are useful to you in your own seminar experience.

 

Setting learning objectives

Together, learning objectives answer the question, “What will this course be about?” In the planning process, I realized my learning objectives also acted as a source of motivation for me, an important framework for my syllabus, and a structure against which proposed content could be evaluated. As new content emerged throughout the term, I used my learning objectives to assess whether or not it was relevant and how much time to set aside for it. I also built the objectives into student rubrics so that the class was incentivized to move in the same direction, ignoring tempting tangents or shortcuts. Finally, my learning objectives helped remind me to stay grounded and accept the limits of what could be done in the classroom.

Further reading: Setting Learning Outcomes and Creating Learning Outcomes

 

Building a syllabus

Constructing a course syllabus meant ordering my thoughts, prioritizing some ideas over others, evaluating how much my class would know already, and estimating the time requirements of every bit of content. I found several examples of syllabi I had enjoyed as a student to build upon. I spoke to as many peers as possible to obtain constructive feedback throughout the process, rather than at the end.

Alignment is key. I found it easiest to brainstorm content ideas, come up with a module structure, identify assignments, and then dig into each class. Assignments should test expected learnings. Every class must be in line with the learning objectives, module structure, and previous classes. If possible, some leeway should be built into the syllabus for emergencies or administrative purposes. The question of depth over breadth should be considered when choosing class topics and length. If you choose to prioritize a range of topics over thorough inquiry, you should still build opportunities for students to deepen acquired learning. I also wish I had better considered statutory holidays, the pressure of other events in the university term, and assignment preparation more in my course structure.

Further reading: Creating a Course Syllabus

 

Contacting guest speakers

The right guest speaker is someone who is knowledgeable about the class topic, brings a meaningful perspective to the class, is a fascinating storyteller and has an interest in sharing some of their time with your class. Researching potential candidates and contacting them well in advance will help you finalize your syllabus without making last-minute changes. I sent out one-month and two-day reminders to check in with my guests, share my contact information, set expectations, and ensure they wouldn’t miss the date. Make sure to cross-check all of your emails with your syllabus and statutory holidays, as needed.

 

The question of authority

Holding authority among students who were older and, for the most part, far more knowledgeable than me was intimidating. I thought of various professors I had loved and despised over the years. Who was I to teach? It was helpful for me to constantly reframe my thinking from “teaching” to “facilitating”. I planned to share content among peers rather than lecture in a top-down authoritarian way, and I told myself so. I focused on building opportunities and positive frameworks for participation. I was open about my flaws and my insecurities with my class from the get-go, deliberately lowering expectations vis-a-vis expertise I would not have. I put effort into projecting a calm, confident demeanour, and improving my public speaking. I did my best to present my approach to various issues and stick to what I had said, loosening expectations for the class as needed over the term. Authority became something I could choose to project or not depending on the moment.

In retrospect, I would have lowered expectations for myself further, as I gave myself unrealistic timeframes for grading and class management. I would have set more time aside to build rubrics in advance of the course and review them with the class as needed. I also would have spent more time reflecting on how I wanted to manage unexpected issues, missed deadlines, and poor work quality to create a coherent approach. Finally, I would have been more explicit with my personal boundaries e.g., responsiveness so that I could remain consistent throughout the term.

Further reading: Leading Outside Your Authority by Harvard School of Public Health and 7 Tips for Leading Your Peers

 

Using online tools

I found the need to use various online tools throughout my seminar experience. Some facilitated class learning, others helped me structure the class content, and some were helpful to preserve student anonymity for feedback. I spent time familiarizing myself with all tools before introducing them to the classroom. If you find yourself hesitating between various options that are similar to each other, it is best to pick one and always use that one. While I correctly assumed a certain familiarity with the digital world in my classroom, I wish I had been better prepared to assist the few students who struggled with the interfaces. Setting expectations for class filing in a shared drive is not sufficient; follow-ups, built-in class time and incentives can help ensure you stay on top of your collective file organization. In addition, I wish I had worked my way through Canvas guidebooks previous to the course, especially regarding assignment pages, surveys and quizzes, peer grading, and site settings. I also wish I had chosen a simple, coherent design for all the content I would present from the get-go.

Suggested tools: Slido, Mentimeter, Kahoot, Google Jamboard

Further reading: How do I use peer review assignments in a course? and How to Create a Rubric in 6 Steps

 

The moment of learning

Throughout this experience, I struggled with defining what learning looks like. I knew I wanted to prioritize active learning in the course, in line with expectations towards all student-directed seminars. This meant creating space and time for group discussion as well as engaging activities. However, that also meant cutting out lecture time and making difficult decisions about what content to cover. Building opportunities for students to connect their personal experiences to class teachings made them more engaging but could move the classroom away from the deep discussion I craved. Meanwhile, the fine print of applied environmental history and writing craft could earn me yawns and the bleary looks of Monday morning moodiness. As I got to know my students, I understood that at any given point, some were chafing for more complexity while others struggled to make sense of unfamiliar concepts. I weighed the opportunity cost of the discussions that I encouraged to engage as many students as possible, accepting that some would take away more than others.

Over time, I began to recognize what intellectual learning looked like — nods, uh-huh, squinted eyes and frowns. I also learned to identify a rarer, more embodied learning — awe, curiosity and focus written plainly across open faces, an intangible emotion leaking through the room. Those moments where things clicked and took meaning for my peers became a source of motivation for me. I strove to create meaningful, emotionally resonant experiences. I aimed for discussions where as many perspectives as possible were shared. I looked for sticky moments that would linger in people’s memories for a long time.

Further reading: Active Learning and Adult Learners

 

Absorbing feedback

Facilitating a student-directed seminar was a lesson in humility and the cure for my perfectionism. Things simply can’t be perfect in a collaborative effort between fourteen individuals. Throughout the term, I built in several opportunities for anonymous student feedback, including early on, at the midpoint, and at the end of the course. I quickly appreciated that my peers were able to give insightful, meaningful, and constructive feedback to me and to each other. Unfortunately, they all disagreed with each other. It was difficult for me to make sense of what could reasonably be improved about the seminar without frustrating a new set of students. When a question or concern came up for several individuals, I looked for the root cause, brainstormed solutions I could test out, and settled on the best alternative long-term. Ultimately, I had to accept that my limited resources would lead to small kinks in the seminar every week, and there was not much to do about it.

Further reading: Perfectionism and Commitment to Teaching and Getting Feedback on Teaching