Most instructors know that making a connection with their students is essential for them to get the most out of a course. Benefiting from the course not only means retaining the information taught, but reflecting on the learning experience as a whole and growing as a student.
Usually, that reflection period comes when completion is near. At this time, the student will look back on their expectations and outcomes and, ideally, conclude that their experience was worth the effort. While this feeling of accomplishment is satisfying, it is by no means lasting (especially for a course taken from home) – and soon the student is focusing their intellectual energy elsewhere. As an unintended result of this, we forget not only the course, but some of the coursework itself. It’s always smart to give students a physical take-away from the course to remind them of their hard work.
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