Assignment Heuristic
This document prompts faculty to articulate the types of things they would like their students to do in the assignments, and tries to help the faculty get at the reasons why.
What is the name of the assignment, when is it due and how does the assignment fit in with the goals and objectives of your course?
What is the main purpose of the assignment?
To demonstrate:
- Critical Thinking skills,
- Innovative or creative thinking,
- Content knowledge
- An understanding of disciplinary conventions
- Other
What types of student perspectives or opinions can be incorporated into this assignment?
- None
- Changes since starting course
- Personal values
- Values synthesized with facts and sources
How pervasive should student opinion be in this assignment?
- It should not be included
- It should frame the assignment
- It should be present only as an addition to other perspectives
What kinds of perspectives and positions might be integrated into the analysis of the issue?
- Expert perspectives in the field of study
- Popular opinion
- other
How do you want the student to integrate perspectives and positions into the analysis of the issue or problem solution?
- Not at all
- Through referencing
- As examined through a predetermined structure
- As examined through a student-determined structure
- As examined through one or more overt theoretical frameworks
What kinds of assumptions do you want students to recognize with regard to this issue or in their approach to the problem?
- None needed
- Student's personal bias
- Predominant Cultural biases
- Awareness of views of different sub-groups
- Awareness of evidence
- Different theoretical frameworks
- Limits or constraints to the observation of the problem or issue
- Awareness of credibility of sources