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Now let’s talk about how you can put your personal stamp on a pre-built course without being able to change the core content. I’ve found that there are a few key ways to do this. First, we’ve already discussed this: look for any and all opportunities to personalise the content.
As an example, maybe you’re teaching a STEM course on physics and the module is about energy conservation. Instead of just sticking with the textbook examples, you can bring in a story about how energy conservation plays a role in cutting-edge tech, like electric cars or renewable energy sources. This makes the concepts more relatable and shows students that what they’re learning about is more than just theoretical. Now, of course, the theoretical is important, but it gives them a way to tap into innovation that’s a little more practical. Perhaps they can then apply that practicality in their life while they’re still in the classroom or after they graduate and enter their career.
Again, it’s that scaffolding and the connection to the world beyond the classroom. In large lecture settings, where it can be admittedly tough to connect with every student, using technology can be a game changer for engagement. One example I love is using polling tools.
So, during a lecture on chemical reactions—again, the lecture may have already been designed, the textbook already chosen, the objectives or outcomes already standardised—you can still add an element of personalisation and interaction that’s meaningful. You could ask students to predict the outcome of an experiment and then reveal the result. It’s fun, interactive, and allows a large group of people to participate and share findings together, without necessarily having to, or being able to, break up into smaller groups. This creates a large class experience, and that kind of engagement will help students feel more involved. They may even feel more invested, even in a large class.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of informal assessments. In teaching, we often focus on summative assessments, those exams where students demonstrate what they know across the entire learning experience. But informal assessments are invaluable. They provide ways for you to add more personalisation and tap into your unique teaching philosophy.
Even if your quizzes are standardised, you can add quick check-ins or informal polls, like we just talked about, or even include reflective journals. These are things you can create prompts for. They’re interactions you can develop creatively that integrate with the content but haven’t already been predetermined. They help students engage with the material—without the pressure of grades, which is nice—and they allow you to adjust and be flexible based on the responses you’re getting and what students are sharing.
This provides an opportunity for you to personalise even more, as you can develop supplemental materials, future polls, or journal prompts based on what you generate together outside of that standardised content.
I teach English online, and in the writing courses that I teach, for example, I have students fill out a quick survey after we finish each module. This is usually where we’re learning how to do one important task related to a larger writing project, like an argumentative essay, for example. The survey asks them which part of the process—whether it’s developing a thesis, structuring the argument, or incorporating evidence—they found most challenging, and what I can do to help combat that challenge.
That feedback helps me tailor my follow-up and determine what supplemental supports I can bring in to help learners really grasp the content and then apply it to the next phase of the writing project.
With these practical strategies in mind, let’s discuss how you can adapt them to your specific context and teaching style.
Activity 1: Content Personalisation Exercise
Select a module from your pre-built course. Identify 1-2 places where you can incorporate personal anecdotes, current events, or discipline-specific examples that align with the module’s objectives. Implement these additions and reflect on how they enhance student engagement.
Example
As an example, I teach English composition online; in this course, students learn the art of argument, and how to wield ethos, pathos, and logos, in their appeals. In the weekly announcement for the section on argument writing – weekly announcements are one piece of the course that I do have control over – I shared a recent email that I wrote to the Bangor City Council, in which I appealed to the council to consider backyard chickens for Bangor residents. I pointed out how I used all three types of appeals in my argument, and how these strategies are useful in academic writing, but just as importantly, in other types of writing that we may do personally and professionally, too. This was a great way to share a little bit of my personality with students (I like animals!) and show them that even as an “expert” in writing, I still must think intentionally about these practices, as I use them in different situations.
Activity 2: Engagement Strategy Adaptation
Choose an active learning strategy that fits within the constraints of your pre-built course. Implement this adapted strategy and gather student feedback on its effectiveness.
Example
In my prebuilt online English courses, the weekly discussion posts are standardised, but I am still able to post additional and supplemental content, that I come up with on my own. One of my favourite things to do is to start the week with a “muddiest point” post, which is where I ask learners to share questions about anything that they require clarity about. Sometimes, I also mix it up, and if there are no questions, we share weekly wins—things that are going well for us. Learning about, and engaging with, the writing process, can be challenging – even if rewarding – so it’s important that we take the time necessary to wonder together and to win together. I have asked for feedback from students about whether these posts are helpful, and they have.
Activity 3: Customisation Plan Development
Yes, you read that right! Even in a pre-built course, you have the power to customise and enrich the learning experience. Your expertise and creativity can significantly enhance the curriculum. Start by reviewing your pre-built course to identify areas where you can add value, such as complex concepts students often struggle with or sections that could benefit from real-world examples. Consider how you can incorporate multimodal content, too, to vary the way that information is presented and represented.
Example
Here’s an example of how I’ve put this into practice: I create short video introductions (3-5 minutes) for each of the larger writing assignments in our composition course. In these videos,
– I break down the structure of the assignment, highlighting key components and expectations.
– I share common struggles I’ve faced in my own writing journey related to the specific assignment type (e.g., crafting a strong thesis for argumentative essays).
– I discuss frequent challenges I’ve observed in student writing over the years, providing tips to overcome them.
– I offer a brief demonstration of my thought process as I approach the assignment, thinking aloud to model effective planning strategies.
These videos not only clarify assignment requirements but also humanise the writing process, showing students that even experienced writers face challenges. By connecting my experiences to their task, I aim to boost their confidence and provide practical strategies for success.
Discussions
Which of these three methods appeals to you most and why? What ideas do you have for making a positive teaching/learning impact in a pre-built experience?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.