End of Semester Checklist

07 Dec End of Semester Checklist

The semester is winding down and holiday break is just around the corner. I’m sure your plane ticket to Hawaii is booked and your bags are packed. But before you go, make sure you have squared away all your campus business. To assist you, I put together an end of semester checklist for faculty. Originally developed for online faculty as part of our Online Certification Program, I have modified the list (and added a few fun items) to suit all faculty members. So, before you go away on your much needed vacation, you may want to:

• Archive all your course-related materials. That should include any Blackboard web component or course if needed. (Reminder: Blackboard CE8 will no longer be available after December 10^th.)
• Submit students’ grades in Ramlink.
• Print and file copies of your final grade sheet and any additional course documentation.
• For any students who failed or dropped/withdrew from your course, download, save, and print all of the student’s work. In Blackboard, this should include test scores, discussion board posts, and assignments. Also save the student’s email messages or any other communications that those students had with you.
• Collect all formative and summative feedback from students and make notes for the next time the class is offered (If this is the first time you have taught the course, use this time to reflect on your experience while it is still fresh in your mind.)
• Clean out your on-campus faculty mailbox (i.e. throw away all the junk mail that you will never read).
• Update and set your email “out of office” message (if you are going to Hawaii, rub it in by including “soaking in the sun” as a reason for not being available).
• Tidy up your office (always a good idea right before the break so when you get back, your desk is nice and neat).
• If you are using Blackboard 9 next semester, take a look at the new Blackboard or briefly review the navigation tutorials.
• Say “goodbye” to your colleagues, if they haven’t skipped out already.
• Say “thank you” to your dedicated department staff for a smooth and successful semester. (They will appreciate it.)

Have I missed anything? I wish you a peaceful and relaxing holiday break. Enjoy your time off and don’t forget to read the other 12 days of CETL blog posts.

Photo from FlickrCC user Krug6