importance of giving assignment to students

A survey conducted by the Associated Press has revealed that around 58% of parents feel that their child has been given the right amount of assignments. Educators are thrilled that the majority has supported the thought of allocating assignments, and they think that it is just right.

However, the question arises when students question the importance of giving assignments for better growth. Studies have shown that students often get unsuccessful in understanding the importance of assignments.

What key purpose does an assignment have? They often question how an assignment could be beneficial. Let us explain why a teacher thinks it is best to allot assignments. The essential functions of assigning tasks or giving assignments come from many intentions. 

What is the Importance of Assignment- For Students 

The importance of the assignment is not a new concept. The principle of allocating assignments stems from students’ learning process. It helps teachers to evaluate the student’s understanding of the subject. Assignments develop different practical skills and increase their knowledge base significantly. As per educational experts, mastering a topic is not an impossible task to achieve if they learn and develop these skills.  

Cognitive enhancement 

While doing assignments, students learn how to conduct research on subjects and comprise the data for using the information in the given tasks. Working on your assignment helps you learn diverse subjects, compare facts, and understand related concepts. It assists your brain in processing information and memorizing the required one. This exercise enhances your brain activity and directly impacts cognitive growth. 

Ensured knowledge gain   

When your teacher gives you an assignment, they intend to let you know the importance of the assignment. Working on it helps students to develop their thoughts on particular subjects. The idea supports students to get deep insights and also enriches their learning. Continuous learning opens up the window for knowledge on diverse topics. The learning horizon expanded, and students gained expertise in subjects over time.      

Improve students’ writing pattern 

Experts have revealed in a study that most students find it challenging to complete assignments as they are not good at writing. With proper assistance or teacher guidance, students can practice writing repetitively.

It encourages them to try their hands at different writing styles, and gradually they will improve their own writing pattern and increase their writing speed. It contributes to their writing improvement and makes it certain that students get a confidence boost. 

Increased focus on studies 

When your teachers allocate a task to complete assignments, it is somehow linked to your academic growth, especially for the university and grad school students. Therefore, it demands ultimate concentration to establish your insights regarding the topics of your assignments.

This process assists you in achieving good growth in your academic career and aids students in learning concepts quickly with better focus. It ensures that you stay focused while doing work and deliver better results.         

Build planning & organization tactics

Planning and task organization are as necessary as writing the assignment. As per educational experts, when you work on assignments, you start planning to structurize the content and what type of information you will use and then organize your workflow accordingly. This process supports you in building your skill to plan things beforehand and organize them to get them done without hassles.   

Adopt advanced research technique

Assignments expand the horizon of research skills among students. Learners explore different topics, gather diverse knowledge on different aspects of a particular topic, and use useful information on their tasks. Students adopt advanced research techniques to search for relevant information from diversified sources and identify correct facts and stats through these steps.  

Augmenting reasoning & analytical skills 

Crafting an assignment has one more sign that we overlook. Experts have enough proof that doing an assignment augments students’ reasoning abilities. They started thinking logically and used their analytical skills while writing their assignments. It offers clarity of the assignment subject, and they gradually develop their own perspective about the subject and offer that through assignments.     

Boost your time management skills 

Time management is one of the key skills that develop through assignments. It makes them disciplined and conscious of the value of time during their study years. However, students often delay as they get enough time. Set deadlines help students manage their time. Therefore, students understand that they need to invest their time wisely and also it’s necessary to complete assignments on time or before the deadline.  

What is the Importance of Assignment- Other Functions From Teacher’s Perspective: 

Develop an understanding between teacher and students  .

Teachers ensure that students get clear instructions from their end through the assignment as it is necessary. They also get a glimpse of how much students have understood the subject. The clarity regarding the topic ensures that whether students have mastered the topic or need further clarification to eliminate doubts and confusion. It creates an understanding between the teaching faculty and learners. 

Clarity- what is the reason for choosing the assignment 

The Reason for the assignment allocated to students should be clear. The transparency of why teachers have assigned the task enables learners to understand why it is essential for their knowledge growth. With understanding, the students try to fulfill the objective. Overall, it fuels their thoughts that successfully evoke their insights. 

Building a strong relationship- Showing how to complete tasks 

When a teacher shows students how to complete tasks, it builds a strong student-teacher relationship. Firstly, students understand the teacher’s perspective and why they are entrusted with assignments. Secondly, it also encourages them to handle problems intelligently. This single activity also offers them the right direction in completing their tasks within the shortest period without sacrificing quality. 

Get a view of what students have understood and their perspective 

Assigning a task brings forth the students’ understanding of a particular subject. Moreover, when they attempt an assignment, it reflects their perspective on the specific subject. The process is related to the integration of appreciative learning principles. In this principle, teachers see how students interpret the subject. Students master the subject effectively, whereas teachers find the evaluation process relatively easy when done correctly. 

Chance to clear doubts or confusion regarding the assignment  

Mastering a subject needs practice and deep understanding from a teacher’s perspective. It could be possible only if students dedicate their time to assignments. While doing assignments, students could face conceptual difficulties, or some parts could confuse them. Through the task, teachers can clear their doubts and confusion and ensure that they fully understand what they are learning.   

Offering individualistic provisions to complete an assignment 

Students are divergent, and their thoughts are diverse in intelligence, temperaments, and aptitudes. Their differences reflect in their assignments and the insight they present. This process gives them a fair understanding of students’ future and their scope to grow. It also helps teachers to understand their differences and recognize their individualistic approaches.  

Conclusion:

You have already become acquainted with the factors that translate what is the importance of assignments in academics. It plays a vital role in increasing the students’ growth multifold. 

TutorBin is one of the best assignment help for students. Our experts connect students to improve their learning opportunities. Therefore, it creates scopes of effective education for all, irrespective of location, race, and education system. We have a strong team of tutors, and our team offers diverse services, including lab work, project reports, writing services, and presentations.

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How Do I Create Meaningful and Effective Assignments?

Prepared by allison boye, ph.d. teaching, learning, and professional development center.

Assessment is a necessary part of the teaching and learning process, helping us measure whether our students have really learned what we want them to learn. While exams and quizzes are certainly favorite and useful methods of assessment, out of class assignments (written or otherwise) can offer similar insights into our students' learning.  And just as creating a reliable test takes thoughtfulness and skill, so does creating meaningful and effective assignments. Undoubtedly, many instructors have been on the receiving end of disappointing student work, left wondering what went wrong… and often, those problems can be remedied in the future by some simple fine-tuning of the original assignment.  This paper will take a look at some important elements to consider when developing assignments, and offer some easy approaches to creating a valuable assessment experience for all involved.

First Things First…

Before assigning any major tasks to students, it is imperative that you first define a few things for yourself as the instructor:

• Your goals for the assignment . Why are you assigning this project, and what do you hope your students will gain from completing it? What knowledge, skills, and abilities do you aim to measure with this assignment?  Creating assignments is a major part of overall course design, and every project you assign should clearly align with your goals for the course in general.  For instance, if you want your students to demonstrate critical thinking, perhaps asking them to simply summarize an article is not the best match for that goal; a more appropriate option might be to ask for an analysis of a controversial issue in the discipline. Ultimately, the connection between the assignment and its purpose should be clear to both you and your students to ensure that it is fulfilling the desired goals and doesn't seem like “busy work.” For some ideas about what kinds of assignments match certain learning goals, take a look at this page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons.
• Have they experienced “socialization” in the culture of your discipline (Flaxman, 2005)? Are they familiar with any conventions you might want them to know? In other words, do they know the “language” of your discipline, generally accepted style guidelines, or research protocols?
• Do they know how to conduct research?  Do they know the proper style format, documentation style, acceptable resources, etc.? Do they know how to use the library (Fitzpatrick, 1989) or evaluate resources?
• What kinds of writing or work have they previously engaged in?  For instance, have they completed long, formal writing assignments or research projects before? Have they ever engaged in analysis, reflection, or argumentation? Have they completed group assignments before?  Do they know how to write a literature review or scientific report?

In his book Engaging Ideas (1996), John Bean provides a great list of questions to help instructors focus on their main teaching goals when creating an assignment (p.78):

1. What are the main units/modules in my course?

2. What are my main learning objectives for each module and for the course?

3. What thinking skills am I trying to develop within each unit and throughout the course?

4. What are the most difficult aspects of my course for students?

5. If I could change my students' study habits, what would I most like to change?

6. What difference do I want my course to make in my students' lives?

What your students need to know

Once you have determined your own goals for the assignment and the levels of your students, you can begin creating your assignment.  However, when introducing your assignment to your students, there are several things you will need to clearly outline for them in order to ensure the most successful assignments possible.

• First, you will need to articulate the purpose of the assignment . Even though you know why the assignment is important and what it is meant to accomplish, you cannot assume that your students will intuit that purpose. Your students will appreciate an understanding of how the assignment fits into the larger goals of the course and what they will learn from the process (Hass & Osborn, 2007). Being transparent with your students and explaining why you are asking them to complete a given assignment can ultimately help motivate them to complete the assignment more thoughtfully.
• If you are asking your students to complete a writing assignment, you should define for them the “rhetorical or cognitive mode/s” you want them to employ in their writing (Flaxman, 2005). In other words, use precise verbs that communicate whether you are asking them to analyze, argue, describe, inform, etc.  (Verbs like “explore” or “comment on” can be too vague and cause confusion.) Provide them with a specific task to complete, such as a problem to solve, a question to answer, or an argument to support.  For those who want assignments to lead to top-down, thesis-driven writing, John Bean (1996) suggests presenting a proposition that students must defend or refute, or a problem that demands a thesis answer.
• It is also a good idea to define the audience you want your students to address with their assignment, if possible – especially with writing assignments.  Otherwise, students will address only the instructor, often assuming little requires explanation or development (Hedengren, 2004; MIT, 1999). Further, asking students to address the instructor, who typically knows more about the topic than the student, places the student in an unnatural rhetorical position.  Instead, you might consider asking your students to prepare their assignments for alternative audiences such as other students who missed last week's classes, a group that opposes their position, or people reading a popular magazine or newspaper.  In fact, a study by Bean (1996) indicated the students often appreciate and enjoy assignments that vary elements such as audience or rhetorical context, so don't be afraid to get creative!
• Obviously, you will also need to articulate clearly the logistics or “business aspects” of the assignment . In other words, be explicit with your students about required elements such as the format, length, documentation style, writing style (formal or informal?), and deadlines.  One caveat, however: do not allow the logistics of the paper take precedence over the content in your assignment description; if you spend all of your time describing these things, students might suspect that is all you care about in their execution of the assignment.
• Finally, you should clarify your evaluation criteria for the assignment. What elements of content are most important? Will you grade holistically or weight features separately? How much weight will be given to individual elements, etc?  Another precaution to take when defining requirements for your students is to take care that your instructions and rubric also do not overshadow the content; prescribing too rigidly each element of an assignment can limit students' freedom to explore and discover. According to Beth Finch Hedengren, “A good assignment provides the purpose and guidelines… without dictating exactly what to say” (2004, p. 27).  If you decide to utilize a grading rubric, be sure to provide that to the students along with the assignment description, prior to their completion of the assignment.

A great way to get students engaged with an assignment and build buy-in is to encourage their collaboration on its design and/or on the grading criteria (Hudd, 2003). In his article “Conducting Writing Assignments,” Richard Leahy (2002) offers a few ideas for building in said collaboration:

• Ask the students to develop the grading scale themselves from scratch, starting with choosing the categories.

• Set the grading categories yourself, but ask the students to help write the descriptions.

• Draft the complete grading scale yourself, then give it to your students for review and suggestions.

A Few Do's and Don'ts…

Determining your goals for the assignment and its essential logistics is a good start to creating an effective assignment. However, there are a few more simple factors to consider in your final design. First, here are a few things you should do :

• Do provide detail in your assignment description . Research has shown that students frequently prefer some guiding constraints when completing assignments (Bean, 1996), and that more detail (within reason) can lead to more successful student responses.  One idea is to provide students with physical assignment handouts , in addition to or instead of a simple description in a syllabus.  This can meet the needs of concrete learners and give them something tangible to refer to.  Likewise, it is often beneficial to make explicit for students the process or steps necessary to complete an assignment, given that students – especially younger ones – might need guidance in planning and time management (MIT, 1999).
• Do use open-ended questions.  The most effective and challenging assignments focus on questions that lead students to thinking and explaining, rather than simple yes or no answers, whether explicitly part of the assignment description or in the  brainstorming heuristics (Gardner, 2005).
• Do direct students to appropriate available resources . Giving students pointers about other venues for assistance can help them get started on the right track independently. These kinds of suggestions might include information about campus resources such as the University Writing Center or discipline-specific librarians, suggesting specific journals or books, or even sections of their textbook, or providing them with lists of research ideas or links to acceptable websites.
• Do consider providing models – both successful and unsuccessful models (Miller, 2007). These models could be provided by past students, or models you have created yourself.  You could even ask students to evaluate the models themselves using the determined evaluation criteria, helping them to visualize the final product, think critically about how to complete the assignment, and ideally, recognize success in their own work.
• Do consider including a way for students to make the assignment their own. In their study, Hass and Osborn (2007) confirmed the importance of personal engagement for students when completing an assignment.  Indeed, students will be more engaged in an assignment if it is personally meaningful, practical, or purposeful beyond the classroom.  You might think of ways to encourage students to tap into their own experiences or curiosities, to solve or explore a real problem, or connect to the larger community.  Offering variety in assignment selection can also help students feel more individualized, creative, and in control.
• If your assignment is substantial or long, do consider sequencing it. Far too often, assignments are given as one-shot final products that receive grades at the end of the semester, eternally abandoned by the student.  By sequencing a large assignment, or essentially breaking it down into a systematic approach consisting of interconnected smaller elements (such as a project proposal, an annotated bibliography, or a rough draft, or a series of mini-assignments related to the longer assignment), you can encourage thoughtfulness, complexity, and thoroughness in your students, as well as emphasize process over final product.

Next are a few elements to avoid in your assignments:

• Do not ask too many questions in your assignment.  In an effort to challenge students, instructors often err in the other direction, asking more questions than students can reasonably address in a single assignment without losing focus. Offering an overly specific “checklist” prompt often leads to externally organized papers, in which inexperienced students “slavishly follow the checklist instead of integrating their ideas into more organically-discovered structure” (Flaxman, 2005).
• Do not expect or suggest that there is an “ideal” response to the assignment. A common error for instructors is to dictate content of an assignment too rigidly, or to imply that there is a single correct response or a specific conclusion to reach, either explicitly or implicitly (Flaxman, 2005). Undoubtedly, students do not appreciate feeling as if they must read an instructor's mind to complete an assignment successfully, or that their own ideas have nowhere to go, and can lose motivation as a result. Similarly, avoid assignments that simply ask for regurgitation (Miller, 2007). Again, the best assignments invite students to engage in critical thinking, not just reproduce lectures or readings.
• Do not provide vague or confusing commands . Do students know what you mean when they are asked to “examine” or “discuss” a topic? Return to what you determined about your students' experiences and levels to help you decide what directions will make the most sense to them and what will require more explanation or guidance, and avoid verbiage that might confound them.
• Do not impose impossible time restraints or require the use of insufficient resources for completion of the assignment.  For instance, if you are asking all of your students to use the same resource, ensure that there are enough copies available for all students to access – or at least put one copy on reserve in the library. Likewise, make sure that you are providing your students with ample time to locate resources and effectively complete the assignment (Fitzpatrick, 1989).

The assignments we give to students don't simply have to be research papers or reports. There are many options for effective yet creative ways to assess your students' learning! Here are just a few:

Journals, Posters, Portfolios, Letters, Brochures, Management plans, Editorials, Instruction Manuals, Imitations of a text, Case studies, Debates, News release, Dialogues, Videos, Collages, Plays, Power Point presentations

Ultimately, the success of student responses to an assignment often rests on the instructor's deliberate design of the assignment. By being purposeful and thoughtful from the beginning, you can ensure that your assignments will not only serve as effective assessment methods, but also engage and delight your students. If you would like further help in constructing or revising an assignment, the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center is glad to offer individual consultations. In addition, look into some of the resources provided below.

Online Resources

“Creating Effective Assignments” http://www.unh.edu/teaching-excellence/resources/Assignments.htm This site, from the University of New Hampshire's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,  provides a brief overview of effective assignment design, with a focus on determining and communicating goals and expectations.

Gardner, T.  (2005, June 12). Ten Tips for Designing Writing Assignments. Traci's Lists of Ten. http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/034.shtml This is a brief yet useful list of tips for assignment design, prepared by a writing teacher and curriculum developer for the National Council of Teachers of English .  The website will also link you to several other lists of “ten tips” related to literacy pedagogy.

“How to Create Effective Assignments for College Students.”  http:// tilt.colostate.edu/retreat/2011/zimmerman.pdf     This PDF is a simplified bulleted list, prepared by Dr. Toni Zimmerman from Colorado State University, offering some helpful ideas for coming up with creative assignments.

“Learner-Centered Assessment” http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/tips/learner_centered_assessment.html From the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, this is a short list of suggestions for the process of designing an assessment with your students' interests in mind. “Matching Learning Goals to Assignment Types.” http://teachingcommons.depaul.edu/How_to/design_assignments/assignments_learning_goals.html This is a great page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons, providing a chart that helps instructors match assignments with learning goals.

Additional References Bean, J.C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fitzpatrick, R. (1989). Research and writing assignments that reduce fear lead to better papers and more confident students. Writing Across the Curriculum , 3.2, pp. 15 – 24.

Flaxman, R. (2005). Creating meaningful writing assignments. The Teaching Exchange .  Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008 from http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Sheridan_Center/pubs/teachingExchange/jan2005/01_flaxman.pdf

Hass, M. & Osborn, J. (2007, August 13). An emic view of student writing and the writing process. Across the Disciplines, 4. 

Hedengren, B.F. (2004). A TA's guide to teaching writing in all disciplines . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Hudd, S. S. (2003, April). Syllabus under construction: Involving students in the creation of class assignments.  Teaching Sociology , 31, pp. 195 – 202.

Leahy, R. (2002). Conducting writing assignments. College Teaching , 50.2, pp. 50 – 54.

Miller, H. (2007). Designing effective writing assignments.  Teaching with writing .  University of Minnesota Center for Writing. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008, from http://writing.umn.edu/tww/assignments/designing.html

MIT Online Writing and Communication Center (1999). Creating Writing Assignments. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://web.mit.edu/writing/Faculty/createeffective.html .

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Classroom Assignments Matter. Here’s Why.

As a former classroom teacher, coach, and literacy specialist, I know the beginning of the school year demands that educators pay attention to a number of competing interests. Let me suggest one thing for teachers to focus on that, above all else, can close the student achievement gap: the rigor and quality of classroom assignments.

Digging into classroom assignments is revealing. It tells a story about curricula, instruction, achievement, and education equity. In the process, it uncovers what teachers believe about their students, what they know and understand about their standards and curricula, and what they are willing to do to advance student learning and achievement. So, when educators critically examine their own assignments (and the work students produce), they have an opportunity to gain powerful insight about teaching and learning — the kind of insight that can move the needle on student achievement. This type of analysis can identify trends across content areas such as English/language arts, science, social studies, and math.

At Ed Trust, we undertook such an analysis of 4,000 classroom assignments and found that students are being given in-school and out-of-school assignments that don’t align with grade-level standards, lack sufficient opportunities and time for writing, and include tasks that require low-level thinking and work production. We’ve seen assignments with little-to-no meaningful discussion and those with teachers over-supporting students, which effectively rob students of the kind of challenging thinking that leads to academic growth. And we’ve seen assignments where the reading looked like stop-and-go traffic, overrun with prescribed note-taking, breaking down students’ ability to build reading flow and deep learning.

These findings served as the basis for our second Equity in Motion convening. For three days this summer, educators from across the country explored the importance of regular and thoughtful assignment analysis. They found that carefully developed assignments have the power to make a curriculum last in students’ minds. They saw how assignments reveal whether students are grasping curricula, and if not, how teachers can adapt instruction. They also saw how assignments give clues into their own beliefs about students, which carry serious equity implications for all students, especially those who have been traditionally under-served. Throughout the convening, educators talked about the implications of their assignments and how assignments can affect overall achievement and address issues of equity. If assignments fall short of what standards demand, students will be ill-equipped to achieve at high levels.

The main take-away from this convening was simple but powerful: Assignments matter!

I encourage all teachers to take that message to heart. This school year, aim to make sure your assignments are more rigorous, standards-aligned, and authentically relevant to your students. Use our Literacy Analysis Assignment Guide to examine your assignments — alone, or better yet, with colleagues — to ensure you’re delivering assignments that propel your students to reach higher and achieve more. Doing this will provide a more complete picture of where your students are in their learning and how you can move them toward skill and concept mastery.

Remember this: Students can do no better than the assignments they receive.

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Differentiating by Offering Choices

Elementary students have a better chance of showing what they’ve learned when they have a choice about how to show it.

Most classrooms are filled with students of varying academic abilities. Even within a gifted and talented classroom like mine, the ability levels can range drastically. As teachers strive to meet each student’s individual needs, differentiation is key because it’s about giving more opportunities for students to grow to their highest potential, and it is beneficial for all students .

In the digital era, we can provide all of our students with technological ways to enhance their learning, no matter their academic label. Every student is different and needs to be offered a variety of ways to show what they’ve learned in a way that reflects their individuality.

One way to differentiate within the curriculum is to provide students with choices for completing an assignment. Students learn in various ways, and we can let them show their learning in various ways. When I give my students a choice on how they’ll complete a project, they have to meet certain criteria, but I allow them to find an outlet they find most enjoyable, such as creating a Google Slides presentation, a trifold board, or a pamphlet. Giving students a choice allows them to take ownership of their learning as well as create a product that feels authentic to them. They work on something that they’re good at creating, or try something they want to get better at.

An excellent way to ensure differentiation is to have each student create an e-portfolio—a technology-based assessment tool that collects a student’s authentic work samples, providing a quick way for a teacher to assess growth and skills. In a sense, the e-portfolio is a window into a student’s learning, one that allows the student to choose what to include.

An e-portfolio can follow the student across grades, too. And once the time is spent creating one, the process of adding content becomes easier and quicker as the student adds to it in later grades. Since e-portfolios offer a way for students to show authentic learning , they allow students to exhibit their individual growth through their academic experiences.

Differentiating by Giving Choices

The best way to differentiate instruction is to give students a choice in how they show their learning. All students learn in their own way, and they need to be able to show their individual skills and interests. As long as they’re able to demonstrate a certain skill, assessment should be more about the process than the product.

Giving choices may seem like more work for the teacher, and it can be, but it’s also worthwhile because it encourages more students to take more ownership of their learning.

Adding a technology component to an assignment can drastically increase student engagement, especially if they haven’t been given such options in the past. Using a novel app, such as Flipgrid, adds an element of fun while also giving students practice with tech skills.

But technology is not the only way to provide choice—try using choice boards, which provide students with many options for presenting content. Students may present the water cycle stages in a song, for example, or create a comic that lays out those stages. Such choices can be fun for the students, and can show teachers hidden talents their students possess that they wouldn’t see otherwise.

Differentiating With Portfolios

Few applications offer the opportunity for students to reflect on their learning, but pushing students to do that is important in getting them to think about how they learn best and take an active role in their own learning. Quick assessment applications such as Flipgrid and Kahoot allow for student reflection, but the e-portfolio—which showcases an individual student’s personality—is even better.

With e-portfolios, students reflect on their learning while putting their own mark on their assignments. Students are able to showcase their learning and the process they used to create their final product while individualizing it with their likes and interests.

A teacher may require some items to be present—such as name, class section, pictures of hobbies, or content-related materials—but seeing the ways that students make the e-portfolio their own is what a teacher wants. The e-portfolio is a tool that students can use to express their thinking in a way that is unique to them.

Teachers can assess e-portfolios to measure growth and skills instead of just knowledge of course content. Students are able to take ownership of what they have learned , choose how they present the content, and take control of their learning.

Differentiating allows students to have their voice heard, which can lead them to become self-motivated learners. And that in turn can help increase both their learning growth and their self-awareness of that growth.

Assignments Matter: Making the Connections That Help Students Meet Standards

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What exactly is an "assignment" and why does it matter? How can educators ensure that their teaching meets the rigorous demands of the Common Core State Standards, so that all students are well prepared for college or careers?

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Why Assignments Matter

Part 2: In the Classroom

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Designing Assignments for Learning

The rapid shift to remote teaching and learning meant that many instructors reimagined their assessment practices. Whether adapting existing assignments or creatively designing new opportunities for their students to learn, instructors focused on helping students make meaning and demonstrate their learning outside of the traditional, face-to-face classroom setting. This resource distills the elements of assignment design that are important to carry forward as we continue to seek better ways of assessing learning and build on our innovative assignment designs.

On this page:

Rethinking traditional tests, quizzes, and exams.

• Examples from the Columbia University Classroom
• Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

Reflect On Your Assignment Design

Connect with the ctl.

• Resources and References

Cite this resource: Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (2021). Designing Assignments for Learning. Columbia University. Retrieved [today’s date] from https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/designing-assignments/

Traditional assessments tend to reveal whether students can recognize, recall, or replicate what was learned out of context, and tend to focus on students providing correct responses (Wiggins, 1990). In contrast, authentic assignments, which are course assessments, engage students in higher order thinking, as they grapple with real or simulated challenges that help them prepare for their professional lives, and draw on the course knowledge learned and the skills acquired to create justifiable answers, performances or products (Wiggins, 1990). An authentic assessment provides opportunities for students to practice, consult resources, learn from feedback, and refine their performances and products accordingly (Wiggins 1990, 1998, 2014). 

Authentic assignments ask students to “do” the subject with an audience in mind and apply their learning in a new situation. Examples of authentic assignments include asking students to: 

• Write for a real audience (e.g., a memo, a policy brief, letter to the editor, a grant proposal, reports, building a website) and/or publication;
• Solve problem sets that have real world application; 
• Design projects that address a real world problem; 
• Engage in a community-partnered research project;
• Create an exhibit, performance, or conference presentation ;
• Compile and reflect on their work through a portfolio/e-portfolio.

Noteworthy elements of authentic designs are that instructors scaffold the assignment, and play an active role in preparing students for the tasks assigned, while students are intentionally asked to reflect on the process and product of their work thus building their metacognitive skills (Herrington and Oliver, 2000; Ashford-Rowe, Herrington and Brown, 2013; Frey, Schmitt, and Allen, 2012). 

It’s worth noting here that authentic assessments can initially be time consuming to design, implement, and grade. They are critiqued for being challenging to use across course contexts and for grading reliability issues (Maclellan, 2004). Despite these challenges, authentic assessments are recognized as beneficial to student learning (Svinicki, 2004) as they are learner-centered (Weimer, 2013), promote academic integrity (McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, 2021; Sotiriadou et al., 2019; Schroeder, 2021) and motivate students to learn (Ambrose et al., 2010). The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning is always available to consult with faculty who are considering authentic assessment designs and to discuss challenges and affordances.   

Examples from the Columbia University Classroom 

Columbia instructors have experimented with alternative ways of assessing student learning from oral exams to technology-enhanced assignments. Below are a few examples of authentic assignments in various teaching contexts across Columbia University. 

• E-portfolios: Statia Cook shares her experiences with an ePorfolio assignment in her co-taught Frontiers of Science course (a submission to the Voices of Hybrid and Online Teaching and Learning initiative); CUIMC use of ePortfolios ;
• Case studies: Columbia instructors have engaged their students in authentic ways through case studies drawing on the Case Consortium at Columbia University. Read and watch a faculty spotlight to learn how Professor Mary Ann Price uses the case method to place pre-med students in real-life scenarios;
• Simulations: students at CUIMC engage in simulations to develop their professional skills in The Mary & Michael Jaharis Simulation Center in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center in the Columbia School of Nursing; 
• Experiential learning: instructors have drawn on New York City as a learning laboratory such as Barnard’s NYC as Lab webpage which highlights courses that engage students in NYC;
• Design projects that address real world problems: Yevgeniy Yesilevskiy on the Engineering design projects completed using lab kits during remote learning. Watch Dr. Yesilevskiy talk about his teaching and read the Columbia News article . 
• Writing assignments: Lia Marshall and her teaching associate Aparna Balasundaram reflect on their “non-disposable or renewable assignments” to prepare social work students for their professional lives as they write for a real audience; and Hannah Weaver spoke about a sandbox assignment used in her Core Literature Humanities course at the 2021 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium . Watch Dr. Weaver share her experiences.  

​Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

While designing an effective authentic assignment may seem like a daunting task, the following tips can be used as a starting point. See the Resources section for frameworks and tools that may be useful in this effort.  

Align the assignment with your course learning objectives 

Identify the kind of thinking that is important in your course, the knowledge students will apply, and the skills they will practice using through the assignment. What kind of thinking will students be asked to do for the assignment? What will students learn by completing this assignment? How will the assignment help students achieve the desired course learning outcomes? For more information on course learning objectives, see the CTL’s Course Design Essentials self-paced course and watch the video on Articulating Learning Objectives .  

Identify an authentic meaning-making task

For meaning-making to occur, students need to understand the relevance of the assignment to the course and beyond (Ambrose et al., 2010). To Bean (2011) a “meaning-making” or “meaning-constructing” task has two dimensions: 1) it presents students with an authentic disciplinary problem or asks students to formulate their own problems, both of which engage them in active critical thinking, and 2) the problem is placed in “a context that gives students a role or purpose, a targeted audience, and a genre.” (Bean, 2011: 97-98). 

An authentic task gives students a realistic challenge to grapple with, a role to take on that allows them to “rehearse for the complex ambiguities” of life, provides resources and supports to draw on, and requires students to justify their work and the process they used to inform their solution (Wiggins, 1990). Note that if students find an assignment interesting or relevant, they will see value in completing it. 

Consider the kind of activities in the real world that use the knowledge and skills that are the focus of your course. How is this knowledge and these skills applied to answer real-world questions to solve real-world problems? (Herrington et al., 2010: 22). What do professionals or academics in your discipline do on a regular basis? What does it mean to think like a biologist, statistician, historian, social scientist? How might your assignment ask students to draw on current events, issues, or problems that relate to the course and are of interest to them? How might your assignment tap into student motivation and engage them in the kinds of thinking they can apply to better understand the world around them? (Ambrose et al., 2010). 

Determine the evaluation criteria and create a rubric

To ensure equitable and consistent grading of assignments across students, make transparent the criteria you will use to evaluate student work. The criteria should focus on the knowledge and skills that are central to the assignment. Build on the criteria identified, create a rubric that makes explicit the expectations of deliverables and share this rubric with your students so they can use it as they work on the assignment. For more information on rubrics, see the CTL’s resource Incorporating Rubrics into Your Grading and Feedback Practices , and explore the Association of American Colleges & Universities VALUE Rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). 

Build in metacognition

Ask students to reflect on what and how they learned from the assignment. Help students uncover personal relevance of the assignment, find intrinsic value in their work, and deepen their motivation by asking them to reflect on their process and their assignment deliverable. Sample prompts might include: what did you learn from this assignment? How might you draw on the knowledge and skills you used on this assignment in the future? See Ambrose et al., 2010 for more strategies that support motivation and the CTL’s resource on Metacognition ). 

Provide students with opportunities to practice

Design your assignment to be a learning experience and prepare students for success on the assignment. If students can reasonably expect to be successful on an assignment when they put in the required effort ,with the support and guidance of the instructor, they are more likely to engage in the behaviors necessary for learning (Ambrose et al., 2010). Ensure student success by actively teaching the knowledge and skills of the course (e.g., how to problem solve, how to write for a particular audience), modeling the desired thinking, and creating learning activities that build up to a graded assignment. Provide opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills they will need for the assignment, whether through low-stakes in-class activities or homework activities that include opportunities to receive and incorporate formative feedback. For more information on providing feedback, see the CTL resource Feedback for Learning . 

Communicate about the assignment 

Share the purpose, task, audience, expectations, and criteria for the assignment. Students may have expectations about assessments and how they will be graded that is informed by their prior experiences completing high-stakes assessments, so be transparent. Tell your students why you are asking them to do this assignment, what skills they will be using, how it aligns with the course learning outcomes, and why it is relevant to their learning and their professional lives (i.e., how practitioners / professionals use the knowledge and skills in your course in real world contexts and for what purposes). Finally, verify that students understand what they need to do to complete the assignment. This can be done by asking students to respond to poll questions about different parts of the assignment, a “scavenger hunt” of the assignment instructions–giving students questions to answer about the assignment and having them work in small groups to answer the questions, or by having students share back what they think is expected of them.

Plan to iterate and to keep the focus on learning 

Draw on multiple sources of data to help make decisions about what changes are needed to the assignment, the assignment instructions, and/or rubric to ensure that it contributes to student learning. Explore assignment performance data. As Deandra Little reminds us: “a really good assignment, which is a really good assessment, also teaches you something or tells the instructor something. As much as it tells you what students are learning, it’s also telling you what they aren’t learning.” ( Teaching in Higher Ed podcast episode 337 ). Assignment bottlenecks–where students get stuck or struggle–can be good indicators that students need further support or opportunities to practice prior to completing an assignment. This awareness can inform teaching decisions. 

Triangulate the performance data by collecting student feedback, and noting your own reflections about what worked well and what did not. Revise the assignment instructions, rubric, and teaching practices accordingly. Consider how you might better align your assignment with your course objectives and/or provide more opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills that they will rely on for the assignment. Additionally, keep in mind societal, disciplinary, and technological changes as you tweak your assignments for future use. 

Now is a great time to reflect on your practices and experiences with assignment design and think critically about your approach. Take a closer look at an existing assignment. Questions to consider include: What is this assignment meant to do? What purpose does it serve? Why do you ask students to do this assignment? How are they prepared to complete the assignment? Does the assignment assess the kind of learning that you really want? What would help students learn from this assignment? 

Using the tips in the previous section: How can the assignment be tweaked to be more authentic and meaningful to students? 

As you plan forward for post-pandemic teaching and reflect on your practices and reimagine your course design, you may find the following CTL resources helpful: Reflecting On Your Experiences with Remote Teaching , Transition to In-Person Teaching , and Course Design Support .

The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is here to help!

For assistance with assignment design, rubric design, or any other teaching and learning need, please request a consultation by emailing [email protected] . 

Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework for assignments. The TILT Examples and Resources page ( https://tilthighered.com/tiltexamplesandresources ) includes example assignments from across disciplines, as well as a transparent assignment template and a checklist for designing transparent assignments . Each emphasizes the importance of articulating to students the purpose of the assignment or activity, the what and how of the task, and specifying the criteria that will be used to assess students. 

Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) offers VALUE ADD (Assignment Design and Diagnostic) tools ( https://www.aacu.org/value-add-tools ) to help with the creation of clear and effective assignments that align with the desired learning outcomes and associated VALUE rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). VALUE ADD encourages instructors to explicitly state assignment information such as the purpose of the assignment, what skills students will be using, how it aligns with course learning outcomes, the assignment type, the audience and context for the assignment, clear evaluation criteria, desired formatting, and expectations for completion whether individual or in a group.

Villarroel et al. (2017) propose a blueprint for building authentic assessments which includes four steps: 1) consider the workplace context, 2) design the authentic assessment; 3) learn and apply standards for judgement; and 4) give feedback. 

References 

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., & DiPietro, M. (2010). Chapter 3: What Factors Motivate Students to Learn? In How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching . Jossey-Bass. 

Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J., and Brown, C. (2013). Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 39(2), 205-222, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2013.819566 .  

Bean, J.C. (2011). Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom . Second Edition. Jossey-Bass. 

Frey, B. B, Schmitt, V. L., and Allen, J. P. (2012). Defining Authentic Classroom Assessment. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. 17(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7275/sxbs-0829  

Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., and Oliver, R. (2010). A Guide to Authentic e-Learning . Routledge. 

Herrington, J. and Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48. 

Litchfield, B. C. and Dempsey, J. V. (2015). Authentic Assessment of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 142 (Summer 2015), 65-80. 

Maclellan, E. (2004). How convincing is alternative assessment for use in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 29(3), June 2004. DOI: 10.1080/0260293042000188267

McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, J. (2021). Assessments in a Virtual Environment: You Won’t Need that Lockdown Browser! Faculty Focus. June 2, 2021. 

Mueller, J. (2005). The Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Enhancing Student Learning through Online Faculty Development . MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. 1(1). July 2005. Mueller’s Authentic Assessment Toolbox is available online. 

Schroeder, R. (2021). Vaccinate Against Cheating With Authentic Assessment . Inside Higher Ed. (February 26, 2021).  

Sotiriadou, P., Logan, D., Daly, A., and Guest, R. (2019). The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic integrity and promote skills development and employability. Studies in Higher Education. 45(111), 2132-2148. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1582015    

Stachowiak, B. (Host). (November 25, 2020). Authentic Assignments with Deandra Little. (Episode 337). In Teaching in Higher Ed . https://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/authentic-assignments/  

Svinicki, M. D. (2004). Authentic Assessment: Testing in Reality. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 100 (Winter 2004): 23-29. 

Villarroel, V., Bloxham, S, Bruna, D., Bruna, C., and Herrera-Seda, C. (2017). Authentic assessment: creating a blueprint for course design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 43(5), 840-854. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2017.1412396    

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice . Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 

Wiggins, G. (2014). Authenticity in assessment, (re-)defined and explained. Retrieved from https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/authenticity-in-assessment-re-defined-and-explained/

Wiggins, G. (1998). Teaching to the (Authentic) Test. Educational Leadership . April 1989. 41-47. 

Wiggins, Grant (1990). The Case for Authentic Assessment . Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation , 2(2). 

Wondering how AI tools might play a role in your course assignments?

See the CTL’s resource “Considerations for AI Tools in the Classroom.”

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Assignments as a focus for what is important to learn

T ake a moment to reflect on your own experience of learning in a formal course. At what point in the process did you start asking questions about the way in which you would be assessed? When did you first sit down to read the assignment descriptions in your course outline, or ask your teacher what would be required of you in the assignments?   

If you are like most learners, this was probably something you did fairly early on in the course. And as a result, if you are like most learners, your understanding of what you would be assessed on, and how you would be assessed, probably helped you decide what to focus on as you progressed through the course. It probably also helped you decide what to ignore.

Assignments help learners to focus on the essential learning and not to get swamped by details. Being transparent about the exact requirements of assignments from the start of the course is an important way in which you can support your learners in managing their time.

Assignments are also an opportunity for the tutor to provide individual feedback to learners. Your feedback will help learners to gauge their progress throughout the course, and can play a critical role in either motivating or demotivating learners as they continue with their studies.

A third role that assignments can play is in helping you evaluate what is working on your course and what aspects need improvement. If large numbers of your learners struggle with a particular assignment, or a particular aspect of an assignment, that is possibly an indication that you need to revisit the relevant section of the course and build in more support for learners. It could also be an indication that the assignment itself needs to be revised.

Assignments as scaffolding

Assignments, more than any other component of an online course, create the scaffolding that enables learning to occur. (Have a look at the section on constructivism in Unit 3 if you need a brief reminder of the concept of scaffolding.)

A thoughtfully constructed assignment can take the learner on an exhilarating journey into unknown territory, all the while providing signposts and pit stops exactly where they are needed. At the end, the learner should be able to look back in pride and say, 'Wow! I did that!' Each successfully completed assignment should contribute to the learner’s growing sense of confidence in himself as a professional in the field in which he is studying. The assignments themselves acted as the scaffolding for the learning to occur.

Here are some ways in which you can create assignments as scaffolding:

If possible, try designing the whole course around a series of assignments, each one building on the last. If learners can see that Assignment 1 helps them to get to grips with the concepts that will be applied in Assignment 2, they are likely to put a great deal of effort into Assignment 1. (In this scenario, it is even more critical than ever to provide learners with prompt feedback on their assignments, so that they can clarify any misunderstandings before they embark on the next assignment.) 

Create staged assignments. Each stage has to be completed before the next one can be started, and there is some form of feedback – either from other learners, or from you – at the end of each stage to help learners judge their own progress towards the expected outcomes. 

Build in a requirement that learners have to collaborate on some part of the assignment. This is surprisingly easy to do using online communication tools, such as discussion forums and wikis. These tools allow learners to participate at times that suit them over an extended period, and provide a permanent record, for the learners and for you, of the communication, for later reference. This idea is elaborated on in the next section.

H ow do you approach assignments in the distance course(s) you teach? Do you use any of the approaches described above – i.e. a series of assignments all building on one another; staged assignments; and/or a requirement of collaboration on some part of the assignment? If so, can you give examples of how your assignments provide scaffolding for learners in your particular discipline?

Perhaps you're a tutor on a course where someone else designs the assignments. But nevertheless, which of the suggestions given above could you use to support the learners to complete their assignments well?

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Unlocking Academic Success: The Top 12 Benefits of Assignments

Is it possible that you would reach the end of your degree but didn't attempt any assignment in your academic career? Not really. Well, the importance of assignments is not hidden from us. We all are aware of its significance. Completing assignments is a daunting task, but do you have any idea about their benefits? If not, then keep reading this article. We'll explain the benefits of assignments in detail and how to finish them fast. Before moving forward, let's have a brief overview of what an assignment is and its purpose.

What is an assignment? 

Assignments play an important part in the learning process of students. It is a well known assessment method for teachers as well. Additionally, it is not only for students but also for professors. With the help of assignments, professors can evaluate the skills, expertise, and knowledge of students. It also helps teachers assess whether or not pupils have met the learning objectives. Moreover, it allows them to gauge how much students have learned from their lessons. 

In education, an "assignment" means a piece of schoolwork that teachers give to students. It provides a range of opportunities to practice, learn, and show what you've learned. When teachers assign assignments, they provide their students with a summary of the knowledge they have learned. Additionally, they assess whether students have understood the acquired knowledge. If not, what concerns do they may have?  

Purpose of Giving Assignments to Students

Teachers give homework to help students in their learning. Doing homework shows they are good at it, responsible, and can manage their time wisely. College professors also give homework to check how well students understand what they learned. Clarity is required when planning an assignment on a number of issues. As a result, the following factors are taken into account by your teacher when creating the structure for your assignment.

• Will it be an individual or group assignment?
• How can it be made more effective for students?
• Should I combine two approaches for this project?
• Do I need to observe how students are working on the assignment? Or should I check it once they've finished it?
• What standards must I follow when evaluating this assignment?

What are the aspects of assignment evaluation?

Instructors usually follow these three aspects when evaluating an assignment.

The assignment and the method used to evaluate the results are in line with the learning objectives.

Reliability

Teachers draw distinctions and assign grades based on the outcomes. The score is consistently calculated based on the predefined parameters. It guarantees that the grades are evaluated in a meaningful way.

Objectivity

An assignment's goal should be obvious. The primary goal of this assignment is to teach students what they will learn. Also, how to finish that assignment. Teachers need to specify what they expect from the assignment and how they are going to evaluate it. 

Types of Writing Assignments

There are different types of writings that teachers assign to students at the college or university level. Some of writing assignment types are:

It presents the author's viewpoint on a subject with supporting data and may also argue its case. The essay structure consists of three main components: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Essays are of different types, such as analytical essays, compare and contrast essays, and persuasive essays. You can also buy essays from an online writing service. 

A report offers information about an issue in a clear and organized manner. You may have learned this information through reading, research, experiments, and measurements in the field or lab. You might also have gained it from your personal experiences. Additionally, reports have different structures depending on the subject or discipline. The basic structure of the report consists of an abstract, introduction, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusion, and appendices. 

Literature reviews

A literature review may be assigned as a standalone assignment. In the literature review, the goal is to summarize the key research relating to your topic. Alternatively, it might be a section of a lengthy project, like a research report or thesis. The goal would be to justify the need for more research on the topic you have selected.

Annotated bibliographies

A literature review or essay synthesizes various sources and incorporates them into a single discussion about a topic. In contrast, an annotated bibliography evaluates and summarizes each reading independently. Each reading is typically presented alphabetically based on the first letter of the lead author's surname. It is difficult to generate an annotated bibliography. But you can get expert help by hiring an online annotated bibliography writing service . 

Case studies

In general, a case study requires the integration of theory and practice. This helps you connect theoretical ideas to real professional or practical situations. A case may be a person, any event, idea, etc. You are analyzing the case by mapping it against a theoretical explanation to understand and see the big picture – What has happened? It may take the form of a report or an essay. Consult your lecturer or tutor and review the assignment question.

Research paper

The research paper starts with a topic and your research question. Add data from trustworthy sites and properly cite those sources. Moreover, add a claim or argument as your thesis statement. If you don't know how to write a research paper , you can check our latest guide.

Response paper

In the response paper, discuss what you've read or learned about a particular problem or subject. Evaluate concepts about other readings, talks, or debates. Write in a combination of formal and informal styles. (make sure to consult your professor's guidelines)

Top 12 Benefits of Assignments

For hard working students, assignments can offer many benefits once they get used to them. They help you get the grades you want and show what you have learned in your classes. You'll see the benefits of assignments more clearly when you learn about their different types and what your teacher expects. Assignments are an absolute way to do well in your classes.

We have already talked about what an assignment is and its purpose. Let's explore the impact of homework assignment on students' learning.

1. Enhance the student's knowledge

Teachers assign assignments on a variety of subjects and topics. This will help the students to gain knowledge when they work on different kinds of topics. It is one of the best benefits that students receive from assignments. They are also introduced to significant ideas and insightful information.

Suppose your assignment topic is too complex. You have to spend extra time and effort to conduct detailed research to understand the topic. This way, you will not only be able to complete your assignment. But also gain a lot of new information.

There can be a lot of pressure to memorize information exactly. This pressure may lead to simply repeating it when studying for an exam. Students find it challenging to truly grasp the concepts covered in their courses. This results in a lack of deep understanding. On the other hand, when you undertake a challenging assignment, you'll be applying knowledge to real world issues. These issues often have multiple possible solutions. You'll find that developing this kind of thinking and improving your assignment writing skills will help you throughout the course and the rest of your academic career.

2. Improve student's problem solving skills

Another benefit of assignments is when students work on complex projects; their analytical and critical thinking skills are also enhanced. This is an extremely useful skill for students to possess. Since it will help them in their academic and professional journey. We continue to learn from this process regardless of our age.

A great technique to master your course material is to challenge yourself. Give yourself a complex problem to solve and strive to find a solution. Similar to the benefits of homework , you can only improve at something by putting it into practice and giving it a lot of thought. We are always working on these analytical and problem solving skills, and going back to school will force you to develop them even more. 

3. Boost your writing caliber

We frequently find ourselves with a lot on our minds but unable to properly and clearly explain it in front of the audience. Assignments help us in improving our writing skills. When you have a habit of writing, then you can communicate easily. Your writing skills will improve because your academic task requires you to write. Another benefit of assignments is that they assist you in writing concisely and clearly.

4. Help to think under pressure

Sometimes, you might be assigned a very difficult assignment that requires a lot of knowledge, and you are not familiar with it. Handling these complex tasks assists you in persevering when you don't have enough information. It also helps you to grow confidence in your skills to find the right solution.

Additionally, all students and professionals need to learn how to think under pressure. The assignment gives you the opportunity to do so. Since you probably only have a few days to finish the assignment. You'll need to not only manage your busy schedule to finish it. But also squeeze in a lot of learning and application of what you've learned. Possessing this ability will be beneficial because it will enable you to think clearly under pressure, which will help you succeed in school and in your career.

5. Help in boosting grades

There is more pressure to perform well on exams when a course has few exams that make up for an important part of your final grade. Smaller assignments that account for a smaller portion of your final grade mean that even if you don't perform well on one of them, you will still have more chances to improve your grade.

You can feel more at ease knowing that your grades are divided in this manner. This provides you with multiple chances to work towards a higher grade. Many students prefer smaller assessments. These relieve them of worrying about a single test significantly impacting their final grade.

6. Build time management skills

A study conducted among students revealed that students who completed more assignments performed better in their overall academics. They also achieved higher scores in specific subjects.

Due to these tasks, students gain more time management skills, which further empowers them. They learn the ability to allocate their time between assigned tasks and prioritized activities. They are aware of what needs to be done first. How to solve problems faster, and how to turn in their work ahead of schedule. Furthermore, this practice teaches them to use their time wisely.   

7. Enhance organizing and planning skills

Completing an assignment requires thoughtful planning. Students' organizational skills are improved through the information search, sorting, and use of relevant data. Following that, students will be able to plan out when and how to complete their assigned work. Attempting assignments allows them to effectively handle their learning habits. They also help them to apply their knowledge wisely to improve their academic performance.  

8. Understand how to apply in real life scenarios

Applying theoretical concepts to real world situations also gets easier when one learns how to write theoretical assignments. This enables them to be prepared to deal with any problems that arise in the future.

9. Boosts your knowledge of technical subjects and ideas

When a subject is taught in a classroom environment, it's normal for students to not understand it. They are forced to spend more time comprehending and finishing their work when they are assigned assignments on those subjects, though.

This enables them to respond to those questions with ease and proficiency. Regardless of a concept's technicality, you'll gain a strong command over it. This happens when you write multiple articles on the same topic or idea.

10. Improve research skills

Doing homework and assignments also helps students get better at researching. When a professor assigns any assignment, students perform thorough research on different topics. This allows them to learn the ability to find useful information and sort it accordingly. Their professional life is positively impacted, and their academic performance is improved by this habit.

11. Learn the art of tasks prioritizing

When handling a lot of assignments, you will learn to prioritize the task based on its importance. It is a crucial skill that is needed in professional life. Prioritizing your work will help you to complete all your tasks on time. You will be able to meet the deadlines.

12. Making a personal study space

You can get help from your colleagues and online resources. But the task of implementing that knowledge is your own. This is exactly what you need to understand concepts.

As you work on your assignments, you can create a relaxing study space that increases productivity. You'll be able to create a unique working style by doing this. In addition, you can focus on creativity, productivity, learning, and pursuing interests.

Of course, everything has a negative aspect, even though there are definite advantages. Sometimes, students may question the true value of assignments. They wonder if there are any restrictions on this particular grading scheme. Students usually wonder this when they are having difficulty with their coursework or with specific concepts. These carry significant burdens. They can be stressful for students struggling with course material.

However, this belief has a reason. Even experts can't agree on the best way to evaluate a student's performance in a course. This sparks a lot of discussion.

How to finish assignments fast?

Firstly, make a plan of what steps you will cover in your assignment. It includes how much time is required to complete the assignment. Then, list out all the tasks that you will do in your assignment. Identify what you need to complete this assignment, like a calculator, books, paper, and pen. Find a relaxing and quiet place to work without any distractions. Switch off your phone. Have some light snacks and water. Take quick breaks between assignment tasks. When you're done with the assignment, reward yourself.

Concluding Remarks

Now, you have a clear understanding of what the assignment means and its importance. And how it is beneficial for the student's academic career. Would you like additional information? Or do you simply not have the time to complete it? Stop worrying! You can find the solution at Nerdpapers, all under one roof. Our professionals have years of experience. So, if a student gets stuck on a project or assignment, they can take a variety of actions to help them finish it on time. Not only can our native experts produce high quality assignments. But they can also help you achieve good grades at reasonable costs. Therefore, hire subject related experts for appropriate guidance and assistance rather than compromising your grades. Whether you are a college, university, or high school student, there are several benefits of assignment writing.

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Persuasive essay topics – how to choose one for you, how to write a persuasive essay- expert tips.

Why Should You Use Writing Assignments in Your Teaching?

Brad hughes, director, writing across the curriculum, university of wisconsin-madison.

Why should you use writing assignments in your teaching? That’s an important question. Even though this is a Writing Across the Curriculum website, designed to encourage faculty to incorporate writing into their teaching, let’s be honest—there are many reasons why you might not want to assign writing in your courses. And many of those reasons have to do with limits on your time. Designing writing assignments and responding to student writing take valuable time—lots of time if you do them carefully. The larger the enrollment is in your classes, the more time responding to student papers takes. You have lots of important course content to cover, so you have limited time for building in a sequence of writing assignments and some instruction around those assignments. . . .

You also need to remember that writing assignments  take substantial time for your students to do well. And not all of your students are well prepared to succeed with the writing you assign. This list could go on; the challenges can be formidable.

Yet countless faculty—in every discipline across the university—make writing an integral part of their teaching and reap benefits from doing so. Why? Here are some of the many reasons writing is an especially effective means for students to learn.

• Writing deepens thinking and increases students’ engagement with course material.
• Well-designed writing assignments prompt students to think more deeply about what they’re learning. Writing a book review, for example, forces students to read more thoroughly and critically. As an old saying goes, “How do I know what I think until I hear what I say or see what I’ve written?”
• In fact, research done by Richard Light at Harvard confirms that “students relate writing to intensity of courses. The relationship between the amount of writing for a course and students’ level of engagement—whether engagement is measured by time spent on the course, or the intellectual challenge it presents, or students’ self-reported level of interest in it—is stronger than any relationship we found between student engagement and any other course characteristic” ( The Harvard Assessment Seminars , Second Report, 1992, 25).
• Research done by the Association of American Colleges and Universities demonstrates that writing-intensive courses are a high-impact practice in undergraduate education (George D. Kuh, High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter , 2008).
• Research done by Michele Eodice, Anne Ellen Geller, and Neal Lerner ( The Meaningful Writing Project , 2017) demonstrates that certain writing projects can be especially meaningful parts of undergraduate education.
• Writing can improve our relationship with our students. When students write papers, we get to know them and their thinking better; they’re more likely to talk with us after class, or come to our office hours to share a draft or seek advice.
• Writing gives us a window into our students’ thinking and learning. Through our students’ writing, we can take pleasure in discovering that students see things in course readings or discussion we didn’t see; students make connections we ourselves hadn’t made. And through our students’ writing, we also discover what confuses our students. Admittedly, we’re not always eager to discover the gaps in our students’ knowledge or understanding, but it’s our job to expand that knowledge and improve students’ thinking.
• Writing assignments can improve our classroom discussions. By helping students keep up with readings, regular writing assignments can prepare students to participate in discussion.
• Writing assignments provide us with an opportunity to teach students to organize ideas, develop points logically, make explicit connections, elaborate ideas, argue points, and situate an argument in the context of previous research-all skills valued in higher education.
• Students remember what they write about-because writing slows thinking down and requires careful, sustained analysis of a subject. No matter how many years it’s been, most of us can remember some paper we wrote as undergraduates, the writing of which deepened our knowledge of a particular subject.
• Students and professors remember what they’ve written, in part, because writing individualizes learning. When a student becomes really engaged with a writing assignment, she has to make countless choices particular to her paper: how to focus the topic, what to read, what to make the central argument, how to organize ideas, how to marshal evidence, which general points to make, how to develop and support general ideas with particulars, how to introduce the topic, what to include and what to omit, which style and tone to adopt. . . .
• Finally, though it’s much more than this, writing is a skill—a skill that atrophies when it isn’t practiced regularly. Because learning to write well is difficult and because it requires sustained and repeated practice, we need to ensure our undergraduates write regularly, throughout the curriculum, in all majors. It’s the responsibility of all of us to ensure that students learn to think and write clearly and deeply.

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Giving feedback to your students.

Receiving feedback is an essential part of student learning and improvement. There are many approaches to how you give feedback to your students in your course, and the approach you choose should be an approach that suits your teaching style and the needs of your students.

Types of Feedback

The two predominant types of feedback are formative and summative. Formative can be viewed as feedback meant for revising, such as feedback on a draft or a low-stakes assignment. Think of it as the rest stop in a journey. Summative feedback is typically feedback on an assignment or project designed as a way for students to show their mastery. A typical example of a summative assessment is a final exam or project. You can read more about the different types of feedback here . Together, formative and summative feedback will help your students build on their work and understand how their work connects with the larger picture of the class.

Feedback can come in many different forms. The types of feeddback you give in your course will vary depending on your students needs, the assignment type, and your style:

• Personalized Feedback
• Automated Feedback
• Collective Feedback
• Peer Review

Check out our Real Time Connections Online: Feedback page to learn more about each type of feedback and how to make it happen in Canvas.

What will be different: the way your class community is built

• Feedback should center around what the student can do next. For formative feedback, this could be actionable steps for their next assignment. For summative feedback, it can be framed more broadly for future endeavors the student may take on.
• Feedback doesn’t equate to criticism. When discussing any weaknesses in student work, it is best to explore it through questions and how the weakness can be improved. If you find that written feedback doesn’t fully encapsulate the right tone, consider scheduling one-to-one meetings with students or recording audio or video feedback.
• Find balance. Give feedback when it matters. It’s not necessary to give in-depth feedback for everything -- it will burn your students out and it will certainly burn you out as well! Think about the assignments in your course where in-depth feedback could really impact your students’ future work.

Tools for Feedback

• Use Canvas. Canvas offers tools to help you give just-in-time feedback within small assignments. You can set feedback, based on student responses, to automatically appear after a student finishes a quiz. Providing feedback is also easy through Canvas’ Speedgrader tool. Check out our Instructional Technology Group’s guides or schedule an appointment with them here .
• Communicate expectations using rubrics. Rubrics are a good way to indicate to your students what’s important in your assignment. It’s also a way to maintain consistency when multiple members of the teaching staff are grading the same assignment. Here are some tips for creating and using rubrics in your class .

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Does offering students a choice in assignments lead to greater engagement?

Michael Nagler is the Superintendent of the Mineola School District , a suburb of NYC. Mike began his career as a social studies teacher in NYC.  While teaching he earned his doctorate from Columbia University and accepted an administrative position with Mineola in 1999. He believes strongly in the district’s mission to inspire students to become lifelong learners that exhibit strength of character and contribute positively to a global society. During his eighteen years with the district, he has been a big proponent of using technology to engage students in rigorous content.  Mike has also been instrumental in creating a platform to assess student learning using electronic portfolios and digital badges.  He even coded his own digital portfolio . All five schools in Mineola have been recognized as Apple distinguished schools.  Mineola is also a member of the League of Innovative Schools.

Choice can lead to greater engagement. To maximize the benefits, teachers should offer students a limited number of options.

By Carly Robinson

The short answer: Offering students choice is good. But you know what they say about too much of a good thing…

The not-too-much-longer answer: There’s a reason why the idea of offering students choices in their educational activities has become popular. Decades of psychological research concludes that providing students with choices leads to increases in autonomy and, in turn, motivation and learning. Students, like adults, tend to be more motivated to complete a task – and perform better on it – when they choose to engage in the task themselves, rather than having the task chosen for them. When students choose their topic or select how to present their work, they are more likely to take ownership over their work and/or feel confident demonstrating their knowledge. (Side perk: Giving students choice on assignments can also make grading more interesting for the teacher!)

So, yes, providing students with choice in assignments can lead to greater engagement. But when it comes to giving choices, like with ice cream and movie sequels, more is not always better. And, in fact, too much choice can actually lead to decreased motivation and satisfaction. While choice is a key feature of cultivating student autonomy, it also can lead to choice overload. Faced with too many choices, students can become overwhelmed, and they instead prioritize ending the choice-making process, rather than making the choice they think is best. This results in students selecting the first satisfactory option they find, rather than their optimal option, which can leave students feeling dissatisfied with their selection and less motivated to do well.

To maximize the benefits of providing students with a choice, teachers should offer students a limited number of choices. Research suggests three to five options may produce the most satisfaction and motivation. Teachers can also help structure the choice-making process to make it less overwhelming. For example, One World Education, a program where students choose to research and write about a social justice issue that is important to them, helps students navigate the choice-making process so their topic selection becomes deliberate and further enhances their engagement.

Here are a few other ideas for teachers who want to effectively offer students choice in assignments:

• Assign students to complete five out of ten potential homework problems
• Create a short list of project topics and let students select which one they want to pursue
• Provide a handful of different options for students to present their work (e.g., essay, presentation, blog post, etc.)
• Offer a few book options for students to select and create book groups
• Provide some choice in the questions students answer on assessments (e.g., answer 15 out of 20 items, choose between different question types)
• Present the choice-making process as part of the assignment — dedicate time for students to research potential topic options, and help students make connections between topics and their own values

References:

• Student choice leads to more motivation and learning (Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of choice in the classroom . Journal of Educational Psychology , 102 (4), 896. )
• Too much choice can lead to decreased motivation & satisfaction (Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (2000). When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing? . Journal of personality and social psychology , 79 (6), 995. )
• 3-5 options is the sweet spot (Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Robinson, J. C. (2008). The effects of choice on intrinsic motivation and related outcomes: a meta-analysis of research findings . Psychological bulletin , 134 (2), 270.)

Carly Robinson is a Ph.D. Candidate in Education at Harvard University in the Human Development, Learning, and Teaching concentration. Her interests lie at the intersection of social psychology, education, and youth development. Her current research focuses on developing and testing interventions that mobilize social support for students to improve student outcomes. See full bio .

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Why Students Are Given Assignments ? Learn The Benefits

• 🗔 January 24, 2022
• 🖉 Mentyor
• Assignment Guidance

Why Students Are Given Assignments ? One of the most common phrase or statement used by students is “I hate homework” is the widely expressed statement among the many expressions used by the students across the globe. There is no doubt that students are least interested in doing the assignment and coming up with the assignment pressures. No matter whether you are an intelligent or an average or a dumb student, assignments always adds burden to the shoulders. But it keeps on rolling in front of eyes every now and then.

However, they are obliged to finish up the homework. See, finishing homework of your favorite subject don’t pose that much of problem but when it comes to solving typical assignments such as finance assignments then students seriously look for help from Mentyor. They offer excellent finance assignment help services at very cheap rates .

Assignment are considered to be part of academic activities but due to busy schedule of students it has given rise to the emergence of educational services .

Interestingly, if we consider the bigger picture, assignments provide the students with a lot of benefits which are beneficial to them in their future. Some of the advantages are listed below, here you go….

Table of Contents

So Why Students Are Given Assignments ?

1. improved writing skills.

Assignments trains the students how to write and convey their message in such a manner that it is easily understandable to the reader. They develop the quality of writing to pen down their squiggled thoughts in a coherent way with the help of assignments. and thus, these should be regular and consistent part of the curriculum.

2. Increases the Knowledge

Students may be ignorant about a certain topic but handling those topics for an assignment can aid in increasing their knowledge about the said topic. Assignments literally broaden the horizons of the students. And it literally helps them develop a perspective towards the particular topic and how to deal with it effectively.

Read this for tips : SOLVING HOMEWORK AND ASSIGNMENTS – 10 TIPS

3. Increasing Reasoning Ability

Sometimes, the assignment’s topic statement asks the student to provide concrete evidence or legitimate solution that involve logical thinking. In this manner, students learn how to convey information and reason in a way that is convincing and understandable to the readers.

4. Prepares them to become a Good Planner

Recall if you had any movie plans, an assignment, and a laundry to do, what was your course of action? You prioritized these tasks accordingly and made a plan to follow. The management of homework prepared you an excellent planner that scheduled things to make them work, therefore assignments prove to be a positive element to a student’s life . So, instead of crying, students must thank assignments.

5. Teaches Time Management

Assignment not only make the students a better planner but also helps them to create a timetable that aids them to accomplish plans. As time management is necessary for every walk of life, and an assignment not only teaches you about the subject but also how to manage things properly and at correct time.

Related blog : Make the most of your time with Mentyor’s Online Assignment Help

6. Teaches to Work Independently

Assignment teach an individual how to work on their own and utilize different mediums to extract the knowledge required. This results in adding the list of qualities acquired by the students such as having faith in yourself.

7. Teaches to Take Responsibility

When it comes to finishing up of the assignment students need to keep a track on timely finishing up assignment. As a result, it shapes an individual to take their responsibilities seriously hence leaving no room for mistakes and negligence.

Conclusion – Why Students Are Given Assignments ?

Besides going through all the benefits, there are students who look for help in finance assignments. For them Mentyor can be a great sign of relief as they offer marvelous finance assignment help services at pocket friendly rates.

But those who are willing to do some of their assignments, knowledge to their list. Assignments are disliked by everyone, but they bring numerous benefits to the table, all crafted for students. Let’s look at the positive picture and count the benefits of finance assignments among the blessings dawned upon us.

So Mentyor is here to help you, so don’t grind your teeth, smile, and get on with the assignments to grasp the future advantages offered. All the very best!

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Assignments For Students

Looking for advantages and disadvantages of Assignments For Students?

We have collected some solid points that will help you understand the pros and cons of Assignments For Students in detail.

But first, let’s understand the topic:

What is Assignments For Students?

Assignments for students are tasks or activities given by teachers to be completed outside of class time. These can include writing essays, solving math problems, or reading books. They help students practice what they’ve learned and prepare for future lessons.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Assignments For Students

The following are the advantages and disadvantages of Assignments For Students:

Advantages of Assignments For Students

• Boosts understanding of topics – Assignments help students dive deeper into topics, providing a clear and thorough understanding that goes beyond surface-level knowledge.
• Encourages independent learning – They promote self-learning, pushing students to study and solve problems on their own, fostering self-reliance.
• Enhances time management skills – Time management skills are honed as students balance assignments with other responsibilities, teaching them to prioritize tasks.
• Improves research and writing abilities – Assignments also refine research and writing skills, as students learn to gather information and articulate ideas effectively.
• Reinforces classroom learning – They serve as a reinforcement tool, solidifying what is taught in the classroom and making learning more effective.

Disadvantages of Assignments For Students

• Can increase stress levels – Assignments can often lead to elevated stress levels in students due to tight deadlines and high expectations.
• Limits free time – When students are loaded with assignments, their leisure time gets compromised, affecting their work-life balance.
• May discourage creativity – The rigid structure of assignments can sometimes curb the creative instincts of students, stifling their innovative ideas.
• Risks of plagiarism – Assignments also pose the risk of plagiarism as students might copy answers from readily available sources, compromising their learning.
• Difficulty understanding instructions – Sometimes, students face challenges in comprehending the instructions of assignments, leading to incorrect submissions.
• Advantages and disadvantages of Assignment Method Of Teaching
• Advantages and disadvantages of Assignment Method
• Advantages and disadvantages of Assets

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Homework assignments to enhance student engagement in secondary education

• Open access
• Published: 20 June 2012
• Volume 28 , pages 767–779, ( 2013 )

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• Maartje Buijs 1 &
• Wilfried Admiraal 2  

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Secondary school teachers often complain that their students show a disengaged attitude in class. Students do not prepare for lessons, they show a passive attitude towards classroom activities and they have a limited awareness of their own learning process. Based on a pilot study, four homework assignments were designed, implemented, and evaluated to stimulate students to prepare for history lessons and subsequently show a more engaged attitude and involvement in classroom activities. Two groups of, in total 50, 11th grade students of pre-university education participated in one group pre- post-test design. Data on student engagement in class is gathered by class observation: time on task, their level of activity, and amount and variety of questions students asked. Students’ motivation and perceived learning outcomes are measured by means of a self-report: Three of the four homework assignments (jigsaw, preparing analytical skills, and the fragmented assessment) showed increase in student engagement compared to the baseline of the first two classes. Implications for practice are discussed.

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Effects of a homework implementation method (MITCA) on school engagement

SCIENCE TEACHERS’ VOICE ON HOMEWORK: BELIEFS, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIORS

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Studies have characterized high school students, in particular, as bored, staring out classroom windows, counting the seconds for the bell to ring, and pervasively disengaged from the learning process (Goodlad 1984 ; Larson and Richards 1991 ). Many teachers think that their students are disengaged in class and show little awareness of their own learning process. The mostly heard complaint is that students do not prepare for class as they make only little use of instructional materials, extracurricular activities and assignments, and feedback of teachers to learn outside school. This lack of engagement outside school also leads to a passive attitude in class: Students complete the minimum of exercises that is needed for their exam (Battin-Pearson et al. 2000 ; Jonassen and Blondal 2005 ; Allen et al. 2007 )

However, certain educational designs might promote excitement and engagement. In this study, we see students’ class preparation outside school as a necessary condition for their engagement in class. The problem of this study therefore is how students can be encouraged to prepare class, not with the primary objective of gaining knowledge, but with the aim to become more engaged and active during the lesson.

Student learning, engagement, and homework

Recent thinking on teaching and learning has been influenced by several theories of learning, including behavioral learning theory, cognitive learning theory, and social learning theory, rooted in the works of Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky. Jonassen et al. ( 1999 ), in their constructivist approach to learning with technology, described instructional principles or characteristics of learning environments which are based on a synthesis of several theories of learning. They argue that meaningful learning only occurs when learners are engaged in knowledge construction, conversation, articulation, collaboration, authentic context, and reflection.

Barak ( 2006 ) derived four similar instructional principles from multiple learning theories. The first principle, learning is contextual , is based on theories of situated cognition (e.g., Brown et al. 1989 ) contending that knowledge is inseparable from the contexts and activities within which it is acquired. Learning occurs only when students process new information in a meaningful way that makes sense within their own frames of reference. The second principle is learning is an active process . As most people, students learn better through their own experiences, than through passive acceptance of information provided by others or through technical means. Students actively construct knowledge by integrating new information and experiences into what they have previously come to understand, revising, and reinterpreting old knowledge in order to reconcile it with the new. Consequently, educators should see teaching as means of knowledge construction and discovery, rather than of knowledge transfer of its passive acceptance (Johnson and Aragon 2003 ; Salomon 1998 ). The third principle, learning is a social process , is based on the work of Vygotsky ( 1978 ). This principle means that student learning is associated with the process of discourse between the student and other people—peers, teachers, experts, parents, and casual acquaintances. Lave and Wenger ( 2002 ) combine the first and third principle as they claim social learning to be a function of the activity, context, and culture in which it occurs (i.e., it is situated). Social interaction is a critical component of situated learning—learners become involved in a community of practice which embodies certain beliefs and behaviors to be acquired. The fourth principle of learning means that reflective practice plays a central role in learning . In his landmark work on reflection, Schön described the concept of reflection-in-action as consisting of “on-the-spot surfacing, criticizing, restructuring and testing of intuitive understanding of experienced phenomena which often takes the form of a reflective conversation with the situation” (Schön 1983 , pp. 241–242).

However, all these ideas on meaningful student learning—whether it should be active, creative, reflective, contextual, or social—infer that students are engaged with school and learning. Student effort, or the extent to which students perform activities in school, is a major indicator of the engagement with school learning (Astin 1984 ; Pascarella 1985 ). Kuh et al. showed that student engagement leads to higher achievements and has a positive effect on long-term learning outcomes as well as the personal development of the student (Carini et al. 2006 ; Kuh 2009 ). Stoeber et al. ( 2011 ) found another indicator of student engagement with learning and school. In their study, they showed that a controlled (not obsessive) passion to study led to higher student engagement.

Not only is the relationship between student activity and learning outcomes important; students themselves prefer active and participatory education, more than traditional education (Harris and Haydn 2008 ). Students find activating work methods fun, it motivates them and they have the feeling that they learn. Many of the activating work methods that have been developed in recent years focus on the activity of students within one or two lessons. The extent to which activating work methods in class actually lead to activities of students is often impeded by a lack of class preparation of the students. Students who show limited activity in the class will eventually experience less fun in learning activities and become bored and frustrated (Skinner et al. 2008 ).

So, one of the ways to stimulate student activity and student motivation is the work they do on homework. Homework can be defined as any task assigned by schoolteachers intended for students to carry out during nonschool hours (cf., Cooper 1989 ). Generally, a positive relationship is found between doing homework and school results. In their review of research on effects of homework, Cooper et al. ( 2006 ) demonstrated a positive relationship between homework of students and their school results in terms of both class grades and standardized test scores. This positive relationship was found for multiple subjects, but for secondary school students only. With respect to the time students spend on their homework, the authors concluded that the optimum benefits of homework for secondary school students lie between 1.5 and 2.5 h. Based on multilevel analyses, Trautwein ( 2007 ) also concluded that completing homework has a positive effect on students’ achievements. The author only found a positive effect of the frequency of working on homework assignments, not of the average amount of time students spent on their homework. However, Epstein and Van Voorhis ( 2001 ) concluded that students performed better in school when they spent more time in general on their homework. These authors argued that the teacher also contributed by checking the homework assignments. Finally, Paschal et al. ( 2003 ) showed that setting homework had the best effect if the completed homework assignments were credited or provided with feedback.

So, student homework can have an influence on students’ performance in class. Despite the growing knowledge based on the relationships between homework and achievements, four problems came up with drawing conclusions about the value of homework assignments in secondary education (cf., Cooper et al. 2006 ; Corno 1996 ). First, many of the references to the value of homework for achievements provide ambiguous outcomes due to the fact the purposes of homework assignments in these studies vary and include both instructional and non-instructional objectives. Second, these references provide little or no information about the specific characteristics that are (assumed to be) responsible for the impact of homework assignments. Third, as Cooper et al. ( 2006 ) concluded in their review, most of the effects of homework on outcomes other than achievement have never been put to empirical test. Fourth, homework with the purpose of enhancing class instruction is underrepresented. Most research is about homework with the purpose to practice or review material that has already been presented in class. Mulhenbruck et al. ( 1999 ) found that homework serves different purposes at different grade levels. Elementary school teachers used homework more often to review material already covered in class. Secondary school teachers were more likely to use homework to prepare students for work yet to come and to enrich classroom activities. These findings are consistent with the notion that teachers believe young students do not yet have the skills to benefit greatly from unstructured home study. Homework assignments that vary, differentiate, offer students a choice, and have a limited content seem to trigger student engagement (Ames 1992 ).

Therefore, in this study, we focused on the relationship between homework in terms of preparation assignments with the purpose to enhance class instruction. The problem of this study can be formulated as What kind of homework assignments trigger student class participation? Five research questions were distinguished:

What are the effects of the various homework assignments on students’ time on task and their level of participation in class?

Are these effects different for boys and girls?

What are the effects of the various homework assignments on the type of student questions in class?

What are the effects of the various homework assignments on students’ class motivation and their perceived learning outcomes?

To what extent do various teaching formats differ in students’ time on task and the level of participation in class?

The research design can be understood as a series of design experiments with a pre-test post one-group only design. The effects of four homework assignments were examined in two groups of 25 students (see Table  1 ). In each group, two pre-tests were carried out to set a baseline of time on task and the level of student participation. In these two lessons, students were provided with homework assignments in a regular manner: a combination of text reading and textbook assignments. In both groups, four post-tests were administered; one in each instructional strategy, and a delayed post-test was administered for group 1 only. The study was carried out in teaching history.

Intervention

The four homework assignments were developed in a pilot study. Eight students, five secondary school teachers, and two teacher trainers were interviewed on design principles of effective homework assignments. These interviews revealed four main design principles that were used to setup the four homework assignments of the current study:

Students benefit from the possibility to choose their assignments. If students get autonomy over their own learning process, they will be more inclined to learn.

Students should be aware of the aim of each homework assignment. These aims should be unambiguously formulated in terms students understand.

Homework assignments should be straightforward. Teachers need to be able to apply the instructional activity easily and students should be able to complete the assignments in time.

Homework should be preparatory for the lesson. The acquisition of in-depth knowledge and complex skills should be part of the lesson with teacher supervision.

Prior to the research, the four homework assignments were piloted with a panel of five teachers, including a teacher trainer, to examine if it is doable and similar in difficulty.

Homework assignment 1: preparing analytical skills ( lesson 3 )

This homework assignment 1 promoted knowledge acquisition at home in order to prepare them to practice analytical skills in class. The strategy included four phases, two at home and two in class. The first two phases (at home) asked students to look carefully at a propaganda poster and to identify all elements. This means answering questions as; ‘what is happening in the poster’, ‘who are the people in het poster’, and ‘do you recognize any symbols used’. The last two phases (in class) asked students to examine the goal and the technique of the poster in order to answer explanatory and analytical questions. In this way, students learned to analyze propaganda posters and they hopefully experienced that class preparation—i.e., going through all phases—resulted in a more profound analysis.

Homework assignment 2: the fragmented assessment (spread over six lessons)

This homework assignment meant that each lesson students completed a part of a test, spread over six lessons. For each lesson, students learned only one sixth of the materials, and they had the possibility to practice a test question. In class, they had the opportunity to ask questions before completing the part of the test about the materials they studied at home.

Homework assignment 3: jigsaw assignment ( lesson 4 )

With the jigsaw assignment, students prepared at home different materials on a complex concept. For example, the concept of National Socialism is spread over four questions (What is an ideology, and what are the characteristics of fascism, racial doctrine and Lebensraum). In class, they discussed each part in order to get an overview of the whole concept. Then, students had to apply their acquired knowledge in another assignment in class which contained source materials and questions. Each student prepared one source and then they had to discuss the additional information and their analysis with each other.

Homework assignment 4: student choice ( lesson 5 )

This homework assignment meant that students were allowed to choose their own assignment. All assignments were grouped on topic and difficulty. Students started at home and completed the assignments in class. Students could choose for example, to analyze propaganda posters or to analyze a part of film ‘The great dictator’. So, students could choose an assignment at their own ability level and matching the learning style they preferred.

Participants

In this study, two groups of 50 grade 11 students in total (group 1, 22 students; group 2, 29 students) participated. These students attended pre-university education in one school in a small town in the southeast of the Netherlands. The students were 16 or 17 years old and 35 of them were female.

Data and measures

Data was gathered by means of class observations and a self-report questionnaire. Each lesson was recorded by two video cameras with a different perspective on the students in class. With the observational data, four variables were measured: students’ time on task in class, their level of student participation, the questions students asked in class and the teaching formats applied in class. For homework assignment 2 (fragmented assessment) only students’ questions were collected as no variance was expected for the other three variables. A delayed post-test was administered in lesson 7 for group 1 only. Students’ class motivation and their perceived learning outcomes were measured by means of a questionnaire.

Time on task

The coding units were 3 × 6 units of 30 s of each lesson. This means that there were eighteen 30-s coding units per lesson. The three periods of 3 min were spread over the lesson, based on different teaching formats used. Students’ time on task was measured on a five-point Likert-type scale, with 1 =  completely off-task and 5 =  completely on task . Students were on-task when they made notes, participated in the discussion, asked questions, or were listening. Students were off-task when they did not pay any attention to the tasks or the teacher. The time on task was registered for each individual student in class. Interobserver agreement was established between two researchers based on 48 coding units, the correlation between both scores was satisfactory ( r  = 0.74).

Level of participation

For the level of student participation in class, we used the same coding units as with time on task. Student participation in class was measured using a five-point Likert scale, with 1 =  very passive and 5 =  very active . Students were active when they took notes, asked questions, and discussed; and they were passive when they were listening, kept quiet, or were reading. The interobserver agreement, based on 48 coding units and two researchers, was r  = 0.72.

Student questions

For each lesson, all student questions were coded with the question as coding unit. Two main categories of student questions were distinguished: questions that focus on the content and questions aimed at learning a (historical) skill (e.g., How can I see the propaganda technique ‘prestige’ from the source?). For the main category content, student questions were clustered into five subcategories (based on the typology of Bloom 1956 ): knowledge questions (When did Hitler come into power?), comprehension questions (How did Hitler come into power?), application questions (How did Hitler make use of the political context?), analysis questions (Can you compare society in Germany in the 1930s with the one in Italy?), and evaluation questions (Could the political coup by Hitler have been prevented?).

Motivation and perceived learning outcomes

Students’ motivation and their perceived learning outcomes with respect to the four homework assignments were measured in both groups by means of a questionnaire in lessons 7 and 11, respectively (i.e. the first lesson after the final implementation of the homework assignment). The questionnaire was piloted with grade 10 students. Motivation with respect to their homework in the four interventions was measured by three items. First, students had to report the extent to which they completed their homework (on a five-point Likert-type scale with 1 =  in total and 5 =  not at all ). Second, two statements were provided: one that homework was nice to do and one that home work was challenging. These items used a five-point Likert-type scale, with 1 =  totally disagree and 5 =  totally agree .

Perceived learning outcomes were measured by four statements (on a five-point Likert-type scale, with 1 = totally disagree and 5 = totally agree), for each of the four interventions (By doing my homework it improved my understanding of the lesson, doing homework was a meaningful activity, I learned a lot of doing my homework, and it would be good to repeat this homework next time).

Teaching format

Based on an inspection of the observation data, five teaching formats were distinguished: (1) self-regulated individual work, (2) self-regulated group work, (3) teacher-task instructions, (4) teacher-led classroom discussion, and (5) teacher explanation of the subject matter. Each time on task/level of participation unit received a teaching format code (W1, W2, W3, W4, or W5)

Data analysis

As the two groups did not differ significantly in time on task and level of participation, we merged the data from both classes. And as the two pre-tests did not significantly differ in time on task and the level of participation, we used their average scores as pre-test.

Paired t tests were used between the pre-test, on the one hand, and each of the post-tests and the delayed post-test, on the other hand, to answer research question 1 (with time-on task and level of class participation as dependent variables) and research question 4 (with student motivation and perceived learning outcomes as dependent variables). Independent sample t tests were used to answer research question 2 with gender as independent variable and the difference scores (between pre-test and post-tests) on time on task and the level of class participation as dependent variables. As we performed a series of t test in these cases, we adapted the original significance level of 5 % based on the Bonferroni correction method (5 % divided by the number of analyses).

Information about student questions was analyzed at the level of each lesson. Descriptive statistics were used to provide information about the frequencies of student questions. Univariate analysis of variance with Scheffé post hoc analyses were used to answer the research question about differences between teaching formats (question 5). Teaching format was the independent variable and time on task and level of class participation were the dependent variables.

Time on task and level of class participation

In Tables  2 and 3 , the results for time on task and the level of participation are summarized. For the first homework assignment (preparing analytical tasks), the results of the paired t test showed that students were more on-task and participated more, compared with the pretest ( t (44) = −3.64, p  = 0.001, d  = 1.1 and t (44) = −2.53, p  = 0.02, d  = 0.76, respectively). We found similar results for the jigsaw assignment. Students were more on-task and participated more, compared with the pre-test ( t (41) = −6.83, p  < 0.001, d  = 2.06 and t (41) = −6.81, p  < 0.001, d  = 2.05, respectively). In the lesson in which students were allowed to make a choice (lesson 5), fewer students were on-task ( t (40) = 2.81, p  = 0.01, d  = 0.85) than in the pre-test. No significant difference was found in the level of class participation.

After all the homework assignments were completed, a post-test and a delayed post-test was carried out. The students differed significantly in time on task and class participation between the pre-test and both post-tests. Students were more time-on task in lessons 6 and 7 ( t (36) = −7.35, p  < 0.001, d  = 2.22 and t (26) = −7.95, p  < 0.001, d  = 2.4), compared to the pre-test. Similar results with respect to class participation which showed that students participated more in lesson 6 ( t (36) = −6.01, p  < 0.001, d  = 1.81) and in lesson 7 ( t (1.26) = −7.48, p  < 0.001, d  = 2.26) compared with the pre-test. This describes the effect of the total amount of homework assignments.

Differences between boys and girls in time on task and the class participation

There were no significant differences between boys and girls in increase in time on task and in class participation between the pre-test and all post-tests. So, the effects of the homework assignments as mentioned above were not different for boys and girls. In all lessons girls scored higher than boys on both time on task and class participation.

In Table  4 , we summarized the results with respect to the student questions. In the pre-test lesson, the average number of students’ questions was 23. In lesson 3 (with the preparation of analytical skills), students asked 26 questions and in the six lessons with the fragmented test, a total amount of 70 questions were asked (only in the first 10 min of each lesson). In the other lessons (4, 5, 6, and 7) fewer questions were asked.

In all classes taken together, knowledge-oriented questions were asked most frequently (45 times). Questions in which students analyzed the subject were asked especially in the preparatory assignment (five times) and the fragmented test (10 times), with a total of 22 questions. Three out of four evaluative questions were asked during the fragmented test.

Student motivation and perceived learning outcomes

In Table  5 , we present the results for motivation and perceived learning outcomes, clustered per intervention. Most students (87.8, 91.2, 80, and 75.6 % scale 3 or higher) indicated that they did their homework. Although there were no significant differences between the four homework assignments, the student choice showed the lowest mean score ( M  = 3.61) and the jigsaw assignment the highest ( M  = 4.24). Also with respect to the two items that refer to student motivation (items 6 and 7), we did not find only one significant difference between the four interventions: students reported that they experienced the fragmented test more challenging than the jigsaw assignment ( t (39) = 2.96, p  = 0.005).

Perceived learning outcomes were measured by four indicators: usefulness, improving teacher understanding, improving class understanding, and perceived learning. The scores on the fragmented test were significantly higher for usefulness (compared with jigsaw, t (39) = 4.99, p  < 0.001 and student choice, t (38) = 3.32, p  = 0.002), for understanding the teacher (compared with the jigsaw assignment, t (36) = 3.40, p  = 0.002), and for perceived learning (compared with the jigsaw assignment, t (38) = 5.07, p  < 0.001). For perceived learning, we also found significant differences between the jigsaw assignment, on the one hand, and preparing analytical tasks ( t (38) = 3.07, p  = 0.004) and student choice ( t (35) = −3.04, p  = 0.004), both with lower scores for the jigsaw assignment. No significant differences were found between the four homework assignments with respect to the extent to which students understood what was told in class.

Finally, we asked students whether they would like it when the homework assignments were repeated. In two cases, we found a significant difference. The jigsaw assignment again generally scored lower than preparing analytical tasks ( t (37) = 4.71, p  < 0. 001) and student choice ( t (36) = −3.52, p  = 0.001).

Teaching formats and time on task and activity

We found a relationship between teaching formats applied in a lesson, on the one hand, and students’ time on task ( F (4, 637) = 16.72, p  < 0.001) and class participation ( F (4, 637) = 45.43, p  < 0.001), on the other hand. Post hoc analyses (Scheffé) showed that teacher’s task instructions led to less time on task of students (all differences with p  < 0.029) and lower class participation of students (all differences with p  < 0.01). Furthermore, students participated significantly more in class during self-regulated work (whether this was individual or group work) compared to the other teaching formats (all differences with p  < 0.001).

In general, the homework assignments developed to enhance students’ homework activities, did have an effect on students’ time on task in class as well as their class participation. Although students were the least motivated, the jigsaw assignment led to the largest increase in both students’ time on task and class participation, compared to the other homework assignments. The strategy of preparing analytical tasks also increased students’ time on task and their class participation, compared to the baseline as indicated in the pre-test. Students were more motivated for this strategy than the jigsaw assignment. Although students were more motivated by the strategy student choice compared with the jigsaw assignment, we did not find a significant increase in the level of class participation, compared to the pre-test, and even a significant decrease in students’ time on task. Subsequently, students reported to be mostly motivated by the fragmented test: they experienced the strategy as meaningful and challenging, and they perceived the largest learning outcomes. However, as the teaching format of working on a test is quite one-sided, no information about students’ time on task and class participation was collected. Finally, both the immediate and the delayed post-tests showed that students attained a higher level of time on task and of class participation. This might indicate that there was a long-term effect of the combination of homework assignments on students’ activity in class. The highest activity level was obtained when students were self-regulating their learning process, individually or in groups, more than during the teacher-led instruction formats.

Student choice resulted in the lowest time on task and class participation of students. Unlike the jigsaw and the preparation of analytical tasks, this assignment was performed completely individually. The other two assignments had a shared goal, in small groups or in class. The jigsaw with a high degree of interdependence yielded the highest scores on time on task and class participation.

Some critical reflections are justified here. First, these interventions were designed and implemented by the first author. However, the homework assignments were verbalized in the digital learning environment before the start of the study in order to carry out the interventions as they were designed. Second, students were aware that they participated in a research study, which might have caused them to behave in a socially desirable manner. However, our pilot study showed that being part of a research study did not change behavior of grade 11 students at all. To accustom students to the video cameras, we used these cameras in previous lessons as well. Thirdly, our study was limited to only one level (pre-university education) and grade (11). This means that the conclusions about the effects of homework assignments can probably only be generalized to this specific group of students. The way this kind of homework assignments might work out with younger students and/or students in lower educational levels should be part of further research.

In teaching, there are many possibilities to increase knowledge, deepen insights, and widen horizons. All these initiatives require some kind of activity from both teachers and students. Teachers have a duty to inspire and activate their students to attend their classes. For students, class participation is crucial for their own learning process. Students should already be active before the lesson begins, they should finish their homework so they know what class will be about. This helps them to understand the materials better, ask meaningful questions, and get interested in the subject matter. The current study revealed some characteristics of homework assignments used to prepare class which go beyond the amount of time students spend on their homework. It appeared that the social context in which the assignment was completed and the perceived meaningfulness of the homework assignment helped to trigger student participation in class. Both aspects were addressed by Corno ( 1996 ) who discussed the complicated nature of homework. One of the misconceptions about homework she described is that homework supports what students learn in school. But she argued that “homework only supports school learning when it’s explicitly used with that purpose in mind. That is, teachers have to give assignments that both reinforce what they are teaching in school and prompt students to reorganize and extend their learning into new and richer areas” (Corno 1996 , p. 28).

But reality is different. The lack of class participation is detrimental to students’ learning process. Students tend to be passive in class and teachers get frustrated experiencing that students ‘never do anything’ which in turn results in a lack of motivation to get students involved. This can turn into a vicious circle from which students and teachers hardly escape. Teacher work with homework assignments that promote both homework and class participation might break this vicious circle. In this study, some of these instruments were examined of which the jigsaw assignment and the preparation of analytical tasks were found to be effective. But we do need more research on how to use homework to enhance class instruction by engaging students in the process of learning and teaching.

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Wilfried Admiraal . ICLON Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching, Wassenaarseweg 62A, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands. E-mail: [email protected]

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Admiraal, W. F., Korthagen, F. A. J., & Wubbels, T. (2000). Effects of student teachers’ coping behaviour. British Journal of Educational Psychology , 70 , 33–52.

Admiraal, W. F., Wubbels, T., & Korthagen, F. A. J. (1996). Student teacher behaviour in response to daily hassles in the classroom. Social Psychology of Education , 1 , 25–46.

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Buijs, M., Admiraal, W. Homework assignments to enhance student engagement in secondary education. Eur J Psychol Educ 28 , 767–779 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-012-0139-0

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Importance of assignments in Student life

• January 29, 2020
• Academic Help , Education , general awareness , general knowledge , informative blogs , make my assignment

Many of us believe that assignments are a total waste in our lives and that they have no significant importance in academics. Which is why we do get annoyed whenever our teachers talk about submitting assignments or assigning one. Assignment writing task is something, which is almost disliked by every individual reading this blog. However, this concept is completely wrong.

From the beginning of the learning process, students are given certain assignments and homework , to develop their critical and analytical skills. In the initial stages, i.e. if we talk about elementary schooling part, the complexity level of such assignments remain low, but as a student enters some college or university, the assignments turn into a more complicated and sophistical thing. Though, many of us might still question as to why we are given assignments, and what is the main purpose behind it? Well, there are many intentions behind giving assignments and homework to students.

Teachers deliver necessary knowledge and information to students which help them in understanding the topics related to various subjects. As a teacher, it is not acceptable behavior to present everything to their students and pamper them. This effectively harms the learning competencies of students, and thus education becomes meaningless to them. Therefore, with the help of assignments and homework, students are expected to gain knowledge on their own at home.

There are many reasons as to why students are given with assignments , which are as follows-

Building focus

Often the assignments and homework come with a good percentage which can further boost their final score. Therefore, students are required to complete their assignments in order to finish their full course. This will help them concentrate more on their subject and encourage high score so that they can easily write a flawless paper.

Advancement of the learners

Students are given numerous types of assignments which need to be completed at their home, as this requires their complete dedication which further helps in their development. According to some experts, the growth of a human is directly linked to its utilization of the brain. So, if students give more efforts and study time without taking help from others, they tend to gain more knowledge.

Practical skills

With the help of assignments, students get to learn new techniques and specific writing tips which assist them in their academics. Continuous practice is required if you want to excel in this field. Practice leads to an improvement in one’s skills or grabbing a grip for some subject. Thus, assignment writing and homework is a means of this exercise. When students write assignments or do their homework, they come across new problems and equations and discover its relevant solutions on their own, which is why they are given this task to complete at home. The practice also benefits the students by getting them ready for certain unpredicted situations.

Time management

The assignments and homework assigned to students need to be completed within a specified time period; which somehow makes them a time savvy. They find out which task is of more importance to them and how they can handle their agenda. Based on the urgency or significance, they assign equal importance to each task depending upon its time completing and other factors. Time management skill is something which can be used for future purpose as well. Therefore, it prepares one for his/her future career and endeavors.

Evaluative purpose

The primary purpose of providing assignments to students is to analyze whether they have understood a specific topic or subject. On the other hand, if the concept is not clear to a student, then it might reflect their sparse learning and weak foundation of understanding. Apart from this, teachers also assess various other skills that are endured in this process.

To become successful

Assignment and homework writing task is something that helps students with their future studies and theories; they also get the preparation done for their exams as well. This also helps them achieve their specific set goals and aims, and concentrate better on future endeavors.

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4 Reasons – Why Assignment Is Important For Students

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4 Reasons Why Assignment is Important for Students

What are the benefits of assignment.

Assignments are one of the most common elements of any course. They can be given at any point in the course, but they generally serve as a good way to make sure that the students are following the material. Assignments also provide great opportunities to learn new skills and educate oneself on topics that one might not be familiar with.

1. Assignment Helps with Acquiring Knowledge and Skills

The goal of this assignment is to help you acquire skills in the field of copywriting. The skills that you will learn are vital for any copywriter, and can be used in a variety of different industries. This assignment will cover a variety of topics, including the history and future of copywriting, the role AI writers play in the future of copywriting, and how to become a copywriter . The Future of Copywriting Copywriters have been around since ancient times.

The first written copy is found in cuneiform, which was developed by the Assyrians and Babylonians over 5000 years ago. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that people began to embrace writing as a profession, along with the creation of new printing technologies like lithography and the typewriter. As copywriting continues to evolve, the future is looking bright for copywriters. The role of AI writers in the future of copywriting is uncertain.

In some industries, AI writers can replace human writers due to their ability to work quickly and accurately without mistakes. However, in other industries, AI writers have not been successful yet and it’s unclear if they will ever improve. As copywriting continues to evolve, the future is looking bright for copywriters.

The role of AI writers in the future of copywriting is uncertain. In some industries, AI writers can replace human writers due to their ability to work quickly and accurately without mistakes. However, in other industries, AI writers have not been successful yet and it’s unclear whether they ever will be.

In marketing, AI writers can be beneficial because they can generate a high volume of copy in a short amount of time. However, in other industries, like finance and legal writing, AI writers haven’t been successful yet as it’s unclear whether they’ll ever be able to produce work that compares to human-written content.

2. Assignment Leads to Achievement

The assignment leads to achievement when the learner is able to identify and analyze the elements of the assignment. The learner is able to create a plan and execute it, and then reflects on what they have learned.

3. Assignment Increases Creativity and Problem Solving Ability

Creativity and problem solving are two skills that are often used in the workplace. They can be used to solve problems as well as come up with new ideas. The assignment is a way to increase these skills by giving people a chance to work on something that they wouldn’t normally do.

The assignment should be given out in order to increase creativity and problem solving ability. It should not take too long, and the person who is assigned it should be able to finish it in one sitting.

4. Assignment Improves Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is the process of analysing and evaluating thoughts and ideas. It is a skill that has been shown to be highly correlated with academic success, personal achievement, and workplace success. In this assignment, you will be asked to apply critical thinking skills in order to solve problems.

The goal of this assignment is for you to practice your critical thinking skills by solving problems in a variety of formats. The first problem will be a word problem that requires logic and reasoning skills. The second problem will require you to provide an answer based on your gut feeling or intuition as opposed to logic or reasoning.

The third problem will be an opinion statement that requires you to justify your answer with supporting evidence from the text or elsewhere. These are designed so that each one offers a different experience for practicing critical thinking skills which can help you strengthen your skills in one area while honing in on a different area.

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JEE Main 2024 Topper Nilkrishna Gajare's Preparation Strategy

N ilkrishna Gajare, hailing from Maharashtra’s Washim, achieved an extraordinary feat by securing a perfect score of 100 in the JEE Main 2024 examination. His journey from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of success is nothing short of remarkable. 

Born to a farmer who had to discontinue his own education after Class 12 due to financial constraints, Gajare faced financial challenges growing up. However, his unwavering dedication and strategic approach to preparation distinguished him from the crowd, culminating in his remarkable achievement of emerging as topper of one of India's toughest entrance exams.

Nilkrishna Gajare’s JEE Main preparation strategy

Nilkrishna Gajare had a strategic plan that helped him succeed in the exam. 

Here are some tips he shares about how he prepared for the JEE:

Be curious & don’t give up till you understand thoroughly

Nilkrishna thinks that persistence is important – never stop trying until you understand a topic.

According to Nil, being curious and asking questions is what makes a good student.

"One should not be ashamed of asking questions. A good student should keep asking questions till he/she is absolutely clear about the topic…until he/she understands," he says, as quoted by TOI.

Practise, practise & practise

When it came to studying, Nilkrishna spent around 10 to 15 hours every day studying on his own for the JEE Main exam.

Nil mentioned that he used his class notes for Physics and Physical Chemistry. 

For inorganic and organic chemistry, he relied on both notes and practice questions. 

As for Mathematics, he believed that practicing regularly was the most important thing.

All work & no play is no good

Nilkrishna is skilled in archery, participating at both state and national levels, and he finds joy in the sport.

"Archery helps me understand the importance of focusing my attention on my goals," he says. 

Nil finds movies to be a great source of enjoyment and relaxation. He likes to watch a movie after exams and occasionally treats himself to one each week too.

Now, Ghaghare aims to keep up the pace for the JEE-Advanced exam and hopes to get into the IITs.

He says, "I want to secure admission in IIT-Bombay in the computer science branch and would love to study more in this field."

For all those preparing for the IIT-JEE, Ghaghare suggests setting a goal and sticking to it.

He says, "Set your target and keep your preparation continuous according to it. Study your subjects with genuine interest so that they don’t feel like a burden. Keep your preparation consistent and continuous."

For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit   Indiatimes Education .

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Sciences, Mathematics and Biotechnology

Steeped in Clinical Trial Design Know-How

Certificate graduate vivian dao-tong parlays skills to advance into clinical trial manager role.

For Vivian Dao-Tong, the importance of clinical research and its positive effects on health are personal.

One of her family members participated in a clinical trial for diabetes research and Vivian was taken aback at how much care and attention they received from the trial staff during each monthly visit. “The research team was very knowledgeable and resourceful. They spent a lot of time explaining to us what diabetes was and how to modify lifestyle habits to help improve quality of life,” Vivian explains.

“When the clinical trial was over and the drug went to market, it was neat to see how my family member’s participation in the clinical trial played a huge role in helping other patients have access to a new therapy to help manage their diabetes.”

This experience stuck with her. It’s what led her to earn a B.S. in biological sciences (with a minor in psychology) from Sacramento State and then to continue her education in the field with an M.S. in pharmaceutical sciences from Touro University.

In the field, Vivian has held clinical research coordinator and clinical research associate roles at various biotech companies in the Bay Area. It was during these experiences when Vivian realized that in order to succeed and help others improve their quality of life, she would need the technical know-how to effectively oversee a clinical trial from start to finish.

“The Bay Area is home to a lot of biotech companies and unfortunately not all companies will teach their employees on how to lead and manage a clinical trial,” Vivian explains.

“It was important for me to find a program that would prepare me to be knowledgeable in FDA and ICH Good Clinical Practices regulations and understand best practices on how to start, maintain and close out a clinical trial.”

So Vivian turned to some coworkers for advice, many of whom had excelled in their careers after completing our Certificate Program in Clinical Research Conduct and Management . With those recommendations in mind, Vivian knew that our certificate would be the perfect path toward career success .

“I was also drawn to UC Berkeley Extension’s reputation of upholding rigorous academic standards that would prepare me for my career in clinical trials.”

In August 2019, Vivian took her first step in investing in her future: Enrolling in the Introduction to Clinical Research: Clinical Trial Phases and Design course .

It was important for me to find a program that would prepare me to be knowledgeable in FDA and ICH Good Clinical Practices regulations and understand best practices on how to start, maintain and close out a clinical trial. I was also drawn to UC Berkeley Extension’s reputation of upholding rigorous academic standards that would prepare me for my career in clinical trials.

You took all of the classes online. Tell me about your experience going through the certificate.

I really enjoyed meeting other students and instructors virtually . The teachers really cared for their students and shared their industry experiences with us.

Assignments were applicable to day-to-day operations in the field. I remember we had an assignment where we had to write out what to prepare prior to conducting a monitoring visit .

I really enjoyed the flexibility of taking online classes because I was also working full time as a clinical trials specialist at Exelixis .

The curriculum was very logical. The first course was very high-level and challenging, but as I navigated through the program, it started to get easier. I enjoyed learning about the different life cycles of a clinical trial—such as startup, maintenance , close-out , post-market—different phases of a clinical trial and inspection readiness.

I really enjoyed the flexibility of taking online classes because I was also working full time as a clinical trials specialist at Exelixis.

Since completing the certificate, you’ve moved up from a clinical trials specialist to a clinical trials manager.

Yes, I am working at Alector , a biotechnology company in South San Francisco that focuses on neurodegenerative and immuno-neurology therapies.

Some of my day-to-day responsibilities include:

Ensuring sponsor oversight by managing contract research organizations (CROs) and study vendors

Overseeing regional site management activities

Performing data listing reconciliations and protocol-deviation reviews.

Managing CTA and budget negotiations

Leading study document reviews with cross-functional team members

Overseeing Trial Master File (TMF) as part of inspection readiness

Identifying risks and performing mitigation

Working on clinical-development operations, process, initiatives and improvement

That’s quite a lot of responsibilities! Are you incorporating lessons learned from the certificate to your work?

Absolutely! There was one company that I worked for that was a pre-IPO biotech company. At the time, the company wanted to start a clinical trial but did not know how or what guidelines to follow. I was able to explain what processes must be in place before starting a clinical trial —such as site feasibility, site qualification, site selection, et cetera—and worked very closely with the project manager to set realistic timelines.

This program provided me with a lot of knowledge and gave me the tools to be resourceful so that I can help lead my team to manage a clinical trial successfully.

What does earning this certificate mean to you personally and professionally?

With the constant changes in the world, there are so many new and undiscovered illnesses out there. Being able to research these emerging illnesses and investing the time, effort and money to run these clinical trials is very rewarding. Not everyone can say that they can put a drug out on the market , and for me it is an ultimate career goal to be a part of a team that is able to do this.

What advice would you give to a student who is starting the certificate?

Stay organized and stay disciplined ! Don't be afraid to ask questions if you do not understand the material at first.

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Saint Louis University 2024 Scholarship Dinner Highlights Importance of Donor Support

Donor support allowed 43% of Saint Louis University undergraduate students to graduate without student loan debt last year — but as the cost of higher education rises, the need for scholarships is greater than ever.

As more than 350 people gathered on April 11 to celebrate Saint Louis University students and the donors who made their scholarships possible, Saint Louis University President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., said that the “all-in” costs at some private American colleges and universities are now at or near $100,000 a year. 

Students who graduate from SLU become servant leaders who transform the communities in which they live and work, he said. However, getting to that point is expensive and takes support, as students receive a first-rate education in a rigorous academic environment.

“Many of the students studying at this University today would not be here if they did not get the generous awards that we are able to provide for them,” Pestello said.

Among them is School of Science and Engineering senior Jake Little, who told attendees of the 2024 Scholarship Dinner that SLU has offered him life-changing opportunities and experiences that would not have happened without scholarships.

Under Jenna Gorlewicz, Ph.D., Little works on technology for blind hockey players as an undergraduate research assistant in the Collaborative Haptics, Robotics and Mechatronics lab, also known as the CHROME Lab. He has also collaborated with Sridhar Condoor, Ph.D., and Tim R. Randolph, Ph.D., on methods to detect anemia in low-resource regions, presenting the work at the annual Global Health Technologies Design Competition.

None of it would have been possible without support, though. Little stopped playing baseball his junior year, which meant that he no longer had an athletic scholarship. 

“Your support that has helped so many other SLU students has given me the opportunity to not only find work I truly believe in but also to be involved wholeheartedly in it,” Little told donors.

The largest and most successful fundraising campaign in Saint Louis University history — Accelerating Excellence — recently allowed SLU to create 416 new student scholarships.

This fiscal year alone, donors contributed $7.2 million to support Saint Louis University students.    SLU has awarded $16.3 million to 3,785 students through specific donor-funded scholarships.  

With enrollment at an all-time high, SLU’s average financial aid award amount for freshmen is $45,343, and 99% of all first-year students received some form of financial assistance. 

Little, who will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, told donors he plans to pursue a master’s degree at SLU and to continue work in the CHROME lab, where he will have the opportunity to continue working with the blind ice hockey community.

“Had it not been for donors like you, I would not have been able to continue my education at SLU or contribute to the research that I have grown to love,” Little said.