Faculty Resources

GREAT IDEAS!

The following is a list of suggestions from current/past FYS instructors:

1.  Ask you Peer Leader to develop a Facebook page for your class.  Students are much more likely to use Facbook than D2L.

2.  Have your students make name tents the first day of class.  Ask them to draw a picture or use one word to describe themselves.  Make it a goal for you to learn all of their names and, also, for them to know every other student's name by mid-term.  (Collect the name tents at the end of each class, or you will never see them again!)

3.  Require an on-going writing project (Facebook posts, discussion boards on D2L, journals, etc.)

4.  Have your students check out The Scale of the Universe at http://htwins.net/scale2/.  It's very cool!

5.  Create a "low-cost failure" atmosphere in your classroom.  Evaluate early and often, and make failure a learning tool.

6.  Balance course content with real-world discussion.  Tangents are sometimes the best way to engage young students.

7.  Develop note taking skillls by requiring students to take notes on a lecture and then collecting and grading the notes.  On the next day, begin lecturing, but don't mention note taking.  On the third day, give a quiz on the material from the second day.

8.  Make sure your students know why they are taking an FYS.  Explain the importance of learning to learn and acclimating to their new educational setting.  Discuss the General Education Model and the importance of a liberal arts education. Dr. Karen Guenther was kind enough to share her General Education Power Point presentation:  VIEW THIS FILE

9.  Use Plato's Allegory of the Cave:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2afuTvUzBQ

10. Create a classroom community.  Promote group activities outside of class.  Start each class with open announcements--allow their peers to share information about campus, community, and/or current events.

11.  Use a plagiarism tool, and allow the students to see their results.  Many of them have no idea what plagiarism is. Information about MU's Turnitin Plagiarism Checker is available at:  http://mansfield.edu/desire2learn/media/files/Turnitin%20Instructions%20D2L.pdf

12.  Make attendance an expectation and enforce it with grades.

13.  Stress a life-long pursuit of improved literacy to your students.  Check out the PA Forward Literacy Intitiatives at http://www.paforward.org/Home.aspx

14.  Show the film, "The Economics of Happiness", which provides an interesting perspective on the effects of globalization on local communites and quality of life.  It will stimulate discussion about life choices and desired careers and communities.  The library has a copy of the video for your use.  For more information, visit http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/about-the-film.

Climbing Wall activities, Team Building Activities (we are getting a low challenge course this August), Fitness Information,Fitness Center Tours: Contact is Amy DeLozier, Director, Kelcher Fitness Center, 662-4865, adelozier@mansfield.edu