The written tasks are spread across five tutorials during the semester. In these tutorials students are assigned a question about their assigned reading for that week, and they spend 20 minutes writing a 250 word written response (worth 5% of the total grade). Different tutorial groups engage with the same reading but are given different questions so as to prevent students who have tutorials at different times sharing their answers. Students then submit their response through Turnitin before the end of the tutorial.
Details
- CLASS SIZE
- 100-500
- CLASS LEVEL
- First year
- ASSESSMENT SECURITY
- High security
- TIME REQUIREMENTS
- Low time
- CONDITIONS
- Sequence
- FEATURES
- Online
Advantages
In previous years, students have not attended all tutorials or, when they have, have not come having read the set course materials. The result was a very empty classroom with superficial discussions among those students who did attend. A staff-student partnership explored options for improving attendance and active participation, and an in-class graded task was recommended by the partnership students. This resulting task seeks to ensure that students attend the tutorials in order to secure a 5% grade. The students attend prepared, and the resulting discussion is richer and more engaging- allowing concepts to be discussed and expanded upon. The writing task is a means to compile the students’ resulting thoughts and to enable the provision of grades. An unexpected additional benefit has been to identify limitations in students’ academic writing skills. In response, ad hoc support sessions were set up by the course coordinator to build these skills.
Challenges
This does require extra marking time by tutors. This has been minimised by only providing a grade rather than written feedback. However, overall feedback is collated and shared with all students.
Tips for implementation
Students were provided with an example in the first tutorial.
Learning outcomes
Demonstrate knowledge of the history and evolution of public health issues. Identify and understand the major determinants of health and well-being. Demonstrate skills in written communication.
Authentic learning characteristics
Professional experience
Dr Nina Lansbury
n.lansbury@uq.edu.au
Dr Nina Lansbury (also published as Nina Hall) is a research and teaching academic at The University of Queensland’s School of Public Health. Her current research at UQ examines health aspects for remote Indigenous community residents on both mainland Australia and in the Torres Strait in terms of housing, water and sewerage, and women's health. She is also investigating the impacts of climate change on human health, and this involves a role as lead author on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (WG II, AR6). Within the research sector, she was previously a senior research scientist at CSIRO, manager of the Sustainable Water program at The University of Queensland, and senior research consultant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS. Within the non-government sector, she was previously the director of the Climate Action Network Australia and research coordinator at the Mineral Policy Institute. Find out more