Help me salvage a terrible module?

[medb22]

Hello. I am hoping for some advice from those of you who may have been in a similar position. Sorry, this might be long. I was on mat leave last year, and returned in July. While I was away, my teaching was changed (and substantially increased, actually), and I was assigned a number of new modules that I had no hand in designing. One of them is going very, very badly. There are only four weeks left in term, so I don't think it can be rescued, but I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to salvage it so that the students don't end up with dreadful grades, and frankly that I don't end up with awful evaluations (though I think that's inevitable).

Here are the issues:

• It's a new module, and I was dropped into it at the last minute so ended up scrabbling to fill it with content that wasn't too far out of my field as I have a very heavy load this semester. So as well as the teething issues with all new modules, it doesn't hang together as well as it should.
• The students just didn't get on board with the idea behind it at all, from the very first class. Totally disengaged, never do the reading (they openly admit this in a quick hands-up-if-you've-read-the-text: usually about 10% of the students have). Attendance is dreadful - lucky to get half of them in any given week. Lots of talking amongst themselves, giggling, phone use, etc.

Things I have done:

• From the start, I've stressed that this is a less-conventional module. They have a lot on their plates in other modules this semester, so I've tried to choose less 'weighty' texts. They don't have to read theory or even any critical scholarship to prepare for class. Usually, I assign a short extract from a novel, a few poems, or a few short films. They don't even do that small bit of preparation.
• I give them a 'preparation guide' every week, literally posting the questions that I will ask the class to discuss in advance so that they can prepare. I ask those questions, and get nothing. It's like pulling teeth. It's painful.
• I've given them a few pep talks about preparation, expectation at college-level etc. Nothing changes, I just get far fewer in class the next week.

I've just marked the first assignment, and the submissions were almost uniformly terrible. It wasn't a difficult assignment, but they really missed the mark. Even the students who have been attending regularly didn't perform particularly well. It feels like no care at all was put into it, if you know what I mean. I just don't know what to do now. The final assignment is a group project, and having met with them over the last few weeks to check on their progress, it's clear that most of them are just not taking it seriously (one group had not even read the text that they were doing their project on, and had no idea where to even find it, and were working from a summary they found online).

I accept that I'm partially responsible for this disaster, for the reasons posted above. I've marked the first assignment very generously, to make up for some of my own shortcomings. But I just feel so depressed every time I go into this class. I can't sleep the night before. I feel like just cancelling the remaining classes, but obviously I can't do that. There are two content classes left, and then the last two weeks are group presentations. I've got topics scheduled, but I'm considering throwing those out and asking them to vote on a few other topics that might be more 'fun' or interesting to them. But would that make things worse - I feel like the module lacks direction as it is, and would this not just confirm that it's a bit meaningless?

I would be hugely grateful for any advice, or even solidarity.

I didn't see this post before. I would not change the topics now and ask them what to do- that will make it really clear you are directionless. Second little tweak is that I would get them into groups to discuss the questions before they feedback to you, asking them directly will be like pulling teeth.

Fundamentally even if they think the class is rubbish, it is their degree and their marks. I find it hard to believe that they all want to get bad marks and aren't even going to bother doing the group presentations/task properly- perhaps have a 15 min session on 'how to do well in the group task' setting out your expectations such as a) attending all meetings of the group and taking a list of who attends b) each person has a specified contribution and the group has to agree what everyone contributed in a written submission c) everyone has a copy of the key text not a summary (can you put these online?) and so on. I think the lack of clarity of the purpose, plus lack of clear direction around the assignments is causing the confusion. Ultimately , though, if you are marking generously they may not care- why should they if they are not turning up, doing badly and you are still giving them ok marks. I'd work on setting clearer expectations around assignments rather than changing the direction of travel at this time (e.g. tell them what their presentations should be like in a detailed specific way).

Briefly - I'm sorry it's so awful.

Try and think about from the outside - the institution has a module which doesn't quite work but just needs to be covered this year. It's just part of the horrible part of your job to keep it going while it's restructured longer-term. They couldn't have scrapped it and asked you to start from scratch in September. The suite of modules is full of modules which are brilliant but optional and still nevertheless unpopular; badly-designed but compulsory; etc etc.

It generally evens out, and you're just taking a turn at taking one for the team. Make sure you let the director of UG teaching know that this is the case, in an assertive and calm way, so you're not in the same position next year - it actually sounds as if you're doing a good job. It's not a personal reflection on you if the module isn't working, or if the students are unmotivated.

And don't give them choices - you could end up having to prepare different material for each different seminar. And they'll never find it 'fun'!

I would email the group to say that you are worried about the committment from students and that so far the group coursework looks like marks will be no higher than (insert bad mark here). Open up one of the last sessions or an office hour or two for further support. This would buck up their ideas but also means you look supportive and will manage expectations of they all do badly.

I agree with those who've said that changing the topics now or giving the students a choice of what you cover is going to a) massively increase your workload and b) worry them - I find that they get quite nervous and sometimes angry if they think you don't know what you are doing with the course. Even if the original plan is bad, at least there is a plan - they often don't really want to be the ones having to plan their own course, or feeling like they are just wandering without a map! (Especially if they are, as this group sounds, not massively committed to their own independent learning.)

I'd therefore also agree with those posters who've suggested focusing on how they can do as well as possible in the remaining assessments - you obviously can't change the task or fix the outcomes, but you can perhaps offer extra workshop time or give some time in a lecture/seminar to focus on clearly explaining what they need to be doing to do well.

In terms of the seminars, yes, getting them to discuss the material amongst themselves can help to increase contributions. Sometimes giving them some specific thing to discuss is also quite useful - when I've had reluctant or unprepared groups in the past I either focus on one piece of the reading and bring copies to class so that they have it in front of them to discuss & analyse or, sometimes, put a particular viewpoint on the board (e.g. a possible reading/interpretation they might have of the material, or one possible answer to a question) and ask them to provide support for or disagree with that specific view. Sometimes splitting them into groups and asking the groups to support/disagree (with 5-10 mins time to discuss a position) can help give them extra confidence in this. I also find that with groups who are really struggling (including with willingness), making sessions very predictable is helpful - if they know exactly what's coming and what order you usually address things with (even if it gets boring for you) they sometimes start to anticipate what you expect more quickly.

Thank you everybody for such thoughtful and considered responses. It seems the consensus is not to change anything for the final two weeks, so I will follow your advice. It's a brand new module, in a brand new programme, so I think some kind of wandering without a map is inevitable. The module outline was written to be as vague as possible as the person who designed it had no idea who would be teaching it, so it's all a bit vague. I can see how I might be able to improve it next year, but the thoughts of doing it again makes me feel a bit ill. I guess I am also concerned that there will be some kind of formal complaint from them as a group - they have done this before, though not about a module (and not about me).

Thank you for the suggestions on how to get them talking. I do already split them up into groups, but they are still really reticent, and since most of them haven't done the preparation, they often have nothing much to say, nothing informed anyway. I really like the idea of putting a possible interpretation on a slide and having them respond to that - I will definitely try that, thanks deianira.

Responding to a few points - to be fair to myself, the assignments are not really badly designed or unclear in terms of directions/guidelines. I marked the first assignment generously because I do think, in hindsight, that the question was a little too abstract. But I guess that is normal in the first iteration of the course. It doesn't really change how badly they responded to it, but I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. The group presentation is scaffolded and we spend time on it at the end of each class. I've been pretty clear about what is expected, and the guidelines I've given were designed by our teaching innovation committee, so I feel ok about that side. They just don't seem interested, and I think they see it as an assignment that's easy to slide through without too much effort.

I know that on some level I have to just let it go - it's one bad module, and this is my eighth year teaching, so I'm not sure why I am letting it shake me so much. I am apparently not the only one who has had difficulties with this cohort of students, so that helps, but I do feel bad that I haven't given them the best experience they could have. But then also, I can't really be responsible for their poor behaviour in class, I suppose.

My lovely mum always says to me 'when you are working harder than the students, something is wrong'. It is up to them to do the readings, engage, turn up, have something to say, even if the structure of the course isn't ideal. It sounds like this has shaken your confidence, perhaps this group have a difficult dynamic, or one or two really quite challenging students, or for whatever reason, it just isn't flowing,

I'd pitch this to management as the first iteration of the course, that you have lots of ideas for improvement, and ideally don't do it next year! If the marks are fair to generous then its unlikely they will all complain. I think it's more about you and your feelings, shaking your sense you are a good teacher, than really a course that is a disaster as it doesn't sound that bad.

Thanks nearly. Yes, I had the same thoughts as your mum when I was marking the first assignment - I was definitely spending longer writing comments and feedback than some students spent thinking about their essay!

I’m meeting with the programme director after Christmas and I think I will just be upfront about the problems I’ve had with the module, and say that I think it needs a lot more thought. And hopefully extricate myself.

So, I thought it would be useful to come back and give an update. As expected, the evaluations were dire - only 8 out of 40 responded, but all 8 trashed the module. And the comments about me were bruising - apparently, I’m a terrible teacher, rude, unapproachable, boring and monotone, etc etc. I was expecting bad feedback but I am taken aback by how bad it is, and how personal. The final assignment was a creative one, and actually the last two sessions of class with project presentations were enjoyable, and I had some good conversations with students who seemed to have enjoyed the assignment. So it’s a blow.

I think at least 50% of the problems are structural and programme-level, and certainly can be fixed with better planning. They were a poor group as well, and just not engaged at all. I do accept though that I didn’t perform well. Anyway, I’m hopeful that I won’t have to do this again next year, and even if I do, I’ll be able to redesign it totally. But for now, I have to deal with the personal and professional humiliation of those evaluation comments. I’ve scheduled an appointment with my head of school to discuss - they’ve pulled my averages way down, and it looks really bad.

Onwards, I suppose.

Ironically, one of the particularly vicious comments was about the small group work to set questions, which I did to try to encourage them to respond to the material. The complaint was that I shouldn’t expect them to do the work for me, and that if I wanted them to engage I should make it more interesting myself 🤷‍♀️