Improving Lesson Preparation Among Foundation Year Students

Abstract

This article presents an initiative to improve lesson preparation among foundation year students through the implementation of targeted pre-seminar readings and online quizzes, making lesson preparation part of the summative assessment mark. It details the design of lesson-specific, targeted pre-seminar reading and online quizzes and discusses the use of tools to address logistical issues. It considers how seminars which were refined through evidence-based insights from submission answers resulted in a remarkable improvement in student engagement with the module readings and with the subsequent seminar activities, with a substantial majority of students demonstrating consistent completion of readings and quizzes. Finally, an analysis of student responses is presented alongside a reflection on modifications following the initial implementation of the initiative.