Semester Start Roadmap

Use AI to generate rubrics. To create a rubric for just about anything, I find Chat GPT to be very useful. I use iterations of the following prompts, with specifics for each rubric I need to generate: "In table form create a rubric with four cut-points ranging from "Not Present" to "Exemplary." There should be XXX number of categories: Category 1, Category 2, Category 3, etc... Leave a column on the left for notes or comments. Typically, using that prompt as a starting point will lead Chat GPT to creating a workable first draft of a rubric. ChatGPT provided some other things to consider as you prepare your prompt or modify the results: "1. Define Clear Objectives: Start by providing the AI with specific objectives or outcomes that the rubric is intended to measure. This could include skills, knowledge, behaviors, or attitudes relevant to the task or subject matter. 2. Input Criteria and Levels of Performance: Give the AI detailed descriptions of the criteria you want to assess, along with different levels of performance (e.g., Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor). Ensure that these descriptions are clear and distinct to guide the AI in creating nuanced and differentiated levels. 3. Incorporate Examples and Standards: To enhance the rubric, include examples of exemplary work or specific standards you expect. This helps the AI to understand the context and quality you're seeking, allowing it to generate more accurate and useful content. 4. Refine and Customize: Once the AI provides a draft, review and refine it to ensure it aligns with your educational goals and standards. Personalize the rubric to the specific needs of your course or assignment, making adjustments based on your expertise and experience."

Messaging your students early in the semester is essential. For initial communication use the "email student in a class" tool on the RO site to ensure you're contacting 100% of your students via their preferred contact information. It's especially important that you communicate A) where class will convene, B) when class will convene, C) what your expectations for the first 3 weeks of class are, and 4) a brief introduction of yourself. It is also wise to attach a copy of your syllabus to this note, if you see fit.

This tool provides the highest level of certainty that you will be communicating with the most accurate roster of your students, and that the message will be delivered to their preferred email address. Once you meet as a class and have time to establish communication norms you can communicate using whatever tool is best for your class.

The tool can be found in Instructor Systems on the registrar's site (reg.msu.edu). You'll need to login with your MSU ID to access the tool.

 

Pre-Class Survey It's helpful to survey your students before class begins to learn about their accessibility and/or technology needs. This contributes to students feeling welcome in your course and gives you practical information about both learners' needs and whether to follow-up with specific resources. There is a template accessibility survey (titled "[COURSE#] Accessibility pre-start Survey") within the CTLI's library of surveys that you can copy and adapt to your own course; instructions on how to access and make your own version are here: https://iteach.msu.edu/iteachmsu/groups/iteachmsu/stories/2810

Religious Observance at MSU All members of the MSU community, including educators and students, are eligible to observe their religious beliefs. Designing your course schedule to avoid conflicts with major days of religious observance will reduce the need to resolve individual conflicts and will better reflect and serve MSU's diverse and multicultural community. The Office of the Provost website maintains a religious observance calendar and FAQ page (https://provost.msu.edu/academic-resources/religious-observance-calendar with dates through 2026) for educators and students. Educators are encouraged to consult this calendar before scheduling exams, tests, and major assignments. The full policy on religious observance, including instructors' responsibilities to accommodate students' religious observance as well as students' responsibility to inform instructors about potential conflicts, can be found https://reg.msu.edu/roinfo/notices/religiouspolicy.aspx here.

Final exam info for courses offering an exam You may offer a final exam in your course during the semester's exam period, which is held following the last week of classes. Final exams are typically scheduled for the same day, time period, and room as the scheduled course, if possible. According to the MSU Code of Teaching Responsibility, course instructors must include the date and location of any final examination in the syllabus. You can locate your course's final exam details on the MSU Office of the Registrar website https://reg.msu.edu, either under "Final Exams" within the Instructor Systems menu of the Faculty & Staff section or in the Schedule of Classes entry under the Enrollment & Registration section. Once logged in to Instructor Systems, you can select the semester and course to see your final exam details, as well as a link to correct any errors. The Instructor Systems will also show you the names of any students with an exam conflict and/or who have three or more exams on the same day. You can encourage students in either situation to contact the Academic Student Affairs Office in their college for help managing conflicts or arranging for an alternate time; the MSU exam policy states that a student can't be required to take more than two exams in one day. The full MSU final exam policy can be found here, with further details for scheduling exams in classes with different modalities, requesting a different room, the expectation that instructors will be accessible to students via office hours, and other aspects of exam week. https://reg.msu.edu/roinfo/calendar/finalexam.aspx

Research shows that diversity makes us smarter. Designing an inclusive classroom that allows students to share differing opinions in a brave space where people are treated with dignity can result in good learning outcomes for all. Conflict is a natural part of learning, and differences of opinion expressed in appropriate ways allow everyone to grow. An inclusive classroom allows the instructor to manage conflict in a way that harnesses differences so that they serve as learning opportunities for all. Click the attachment below for some key elements to consider when designing an inclusive classroom. SOURCE: MSU Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives