STEM 16-Week Course Discussion Prompts
Note to instructors: The following prompts are designed for online courses but may be adapted to hybrid or remote courses. The assignments generally ask students to do additional tasks such as watch a video, read an article, complete an online assessment, or review a PowerPoint. They will then draft a response to the prompt provided and engage in an online discussion with their classmates.
For hybrid and remote courses, you can ask students to review the content before class and then have the discussion in class, or you may present the content in class and retain the online discussion. In the Blackboard Q course, the content and discussion are separated into two parts to make it easier for you to adapt this to your preferred routine.
The weekly discussion forums in the Blackboard Q course are worth 15 points each (10 points for initial post and 5 points for posting two substantive replies). If you are eliminating the online discussions, you will probably want to reassign those points to attendance.
Week One Lesson and Discussion: Your “Why” of College
Step 01. Review the Goals and Motivation PowerPoint (Goals and Motivation.pptx). Jot down your ideas in response to the questions that you see throughout the lesson.
Step 02. Complete this writing prompt: Write about a time that you accomplished something that was important to you. This can be a big goal (graduation, buying a house/car, learning a new skill/language, etc.) or something smaller but still significant (earning a good grade in a class, achieving a major goal in a video game, creating something).
- How did you feel when you accomplished your goal?
- What obstacles stood in your way?
- How did you overcome those obstacles?
- What advice would you give to someone else who wants to accomplish this goal?
Step 03. Write your response to these questions:
- Why are you in college?
- Why are you taking the courses you are taking?
- What does your future life look like when you reach your educational goals?
- How does the life you envision compare with your life today?
Step 04. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Two Lesson and Discussion: Time Management
How do you use your 168 hours?
Step 01. Review the Time Management PowerPoint (Time Management.pptx).
Step 02. Look over the list of daily activities on the PowerPoint. Choose the activities that apply to your life and estimate the amount of time you spend on them each week. Make sure your time estimates add up to 168. You may need to adjust some of the amounts.
Step 03. Write a brief (1-2 paragraph) reflection on this activity. (Note: you do not need to share your time estimates; just share your reflection on the process of creating them.) What did you learn about where you spend your time? Do you have enough time to be successful in your college courses? What activities on your list are fixed? Which ones are flexible?
Step 04. Write a paragraph identifying what tool you will use for a calendar/schedule for time management this semester. Is this a new thing or something you’ve used before? Do you have all the necessary materials? How and when will you update it? Will you be combining different schedules in one place (school, family, work, etc.)? If so, how will you keep those organized? If not, how will you avoid schedule conflicts?
Step 05. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 06. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Three Lesson and Discussion: Reading for College
Step 01. Review the Active Reading and Note Taking PowerPoint (Reading and Note Taking.pptx) and jot down your ideas in response to the questions that you see throughout the lesson.
Step 02. Complete the assessment on slide 2: “Writing Prompt” (rating your college reading and note taking abilities on a scale of 1 to 4).
Step 03. Go to this website: https://outreadapp.com/reading-speed-test. Follow the instructions to test your reading speed and comprehension. Make a note of these two numbers (your reading speed and your comprehension score). This will help you to estimate your reading speed (in words per minute) for college level courses.
Step 04. Write a reflection (2-3 paragraphs) on the reading speed assessment and the Reading and Notetaking lesson. What did you learn about your reading level? What strategies can you use to improve your reading and stay on top of assignments? What is your preferred notetaking style for in-class notes? And for reading notes? Do you think these will work well for your future college courses?
Step 05. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 06. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Four Lesson and Discussion: SafeAssign and Honorlock
In Module 3, you completed the Academic Integrity badge. This week, we will learn about two tools that CWI uses to help ensure that students are practicing academic integrity: SafeAssign and Honorlock.
Step 01. Learn about SafeAssign. SafeAssign is a tool designed to detect plagiarism, which scans documents and provides an originality report to faculty. It does this by scanning the assignment and comparing it to other texts across databases. SafeAssign also provides originality reports, which calculate the percentage of phrasing used from outside sources. It is designed to ensure that students are submitting original work in their own words that meet the expectations of academic integrity (that is, not plagiarized).
Review the instructions from Blackboard Help about the SafeAssign tool, at https://help.blackboard.com/SafeAssign/Student/Submit_SafeAssign.
Step 02. Learn about Honorlock. Honorlock is a remote proctoring software, allow instructors to confirm that the correct person is taking an exam and that the student is adhering to any restrictions in place for the exam (for example, no outside sources allowed) without requiring that students take the exam in an on-campus testing center.
These two videos will give you an overview of the Honorlock tool: https://youtu.be/fRHymfSIL_g and https://youtu.be/2y8241q7vao.
This PDF contains full instructions for students taking exams with Honorlock: Honorlock Job Aid.pdf. You do not need to review the full instructions or go through the whole setup process at this time, but you may want to save it if you have classes that will be using Honorlock this semester.
Step 03. Write 2-3 paragraphs responding to the following questions:
- What classes do you think would be most likely to use SafeAssign? Are you taking any of those classes this semester? Will you be taking many of them as part of your chosen degree program?
- What classes do you think would be most likely to use Honorlock? Are you taking any of those classes this semester? Will you be taking many of them as part of your chosen degree program?
- Look at the syllabi and/or course shells for the classes you are taking this semester. Do any of them mention using SafeAssign or Honorlock for any assignments or tests?
- Tools like SafeAssign and Honorlock add an extra layer of technology, which can also mean extra opportunities for technical glitches. Based on your previous knowledge and experience, what are some best practices when using tools like these? What would your first step be if you encountered a glitch with one of them?
Step 04. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Five Lesson and Discussion: “Food, Inc.” Part 1, Pre-Tests, and Notetaking Strategies
Step 01. Take this pre-test before you watch the video: Food Inc. Quiz.pdf (note: you can watch the entire video this week, but we will be working with it this week and next week):
Step 02. Watch “Food, Inc.” (link above). While you watch, correct your pre-test and take notes using one of the strategies discussed in the Reading and Notetaking textbook chapters from Module 3. You will need these notes for your Week 6 discussion.
Step 03. Write 1-2 paragraphs responding to the following questions: How is work today different than it was 30 years ago? What does the phrase “gig economy” mean to you? If you have worked or are currently working, what are some challenges you face in your job? Did COVID impact how you work?
Step 04. Write 1-2 paragraphs reflecting on your experience of watching the video after taking the pre-test. How did the pre-test impact the way you watched the video? How did taking notes while you watched impact your experience? How can you use these two techniques (pre-tests and notetaking) in your college coursework?
Step 05. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 06. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Six Lesson and Discussion: “Food, Inc.” Part 2 and Summarizing Sources
Step 01. Finish watching “Food, Inc.” if you have not already done so (link above). As you watch, take notes so that you can write a summary paragraph that captures the main points of the documentary.
Step 02. Write a 1-2 paragraph summary of the “Food, Inc.” Then write a 1-2 paragraph response to the film. What do you think about the issues with food production and science that the film discusses?
Step 03. Create the APA style reference for the documentary film (see this page on the Purdue OWL site for help: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_audiovisual_media.html)
Include the reference when you submit the summary.
Step 04. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Note to the instructor: Here is an example of a summary that you can share after the class has turned in the assignment.
Food, Inc. is a 2008 documentary film that explores the industrial food production system in the United States. The film exposes the practices of major agribusinesses that dominate the food industry, revealing the hidden costs of cheap food, including environmental damage, worker exploitation, and health risks to consumers. The film features interviews with farmers, industry experts, and activists, and provides insight into the impact of government policies on food production and distribution. The documentary argues that consumers have the power to demand more transparency and accountability from the food industry, and that a shift towards more sustainable and ethical food systems is necessary to ensure a healthier and more equitable future for all (Kenner, 2009).
Reference
Kenner, R. (Director). (2009). Food, Inc. [Film]. Magnolia Home Entertainment.
Week Seven Lesson and Discussion: “Can We Cool the Planet?” and Internet Research
Can We Cool the Planet? https://www.kanopy.com/en/cwidaho/video/11239563
Step 01. Watch “Can We Cool the Planet?” (link above) and take notes while you watch.
Step 02. Write 1-2 paragraphs responding to the following questions: Based on what you learned from the film, how can science and technology create both problems and solutions? Which climate change solution presented in the film was most interesting to you? How does the issue of climate change illustrate challenges scientists face in our society? What concerns do you have about working in the STEM field?
Step 03. Write 2 paragraphs on one of the solutions to climate change you learned about in the film using the prompts below:
- Had you heard about the solution you chose before watching this film?
- What do you think about this solution?
- Do a quick Google search for your climate change solution. What did you find? How do you know the sources you looked at are credible?
- What are some potential problems with the solution you chose? Do you have ideas for how to solve climate change?
- Make sure to include an APA style reference to the source(s) you found with your Internet search.
Step 04. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Eight Lesson and Discussion: “Rest”oration and Reflection
As we hit the midpoint of the semester, we are calling this our “rest”oration week. Instead of spending 75 minutes reading and viewing new content, please take that 75 minutes to do something that you find restful or restorative. Ideally, try to choose something that does not involve looking at a screen. Some ideas might be reading a book, getting out in nature, completing a workout, engaging in a mindfulness activity, attending a religious or community event, playing a board game, or enjoying a hands-on hobby.
Step 01. Spend 75 minutes on an activity as described above.
Step 02. Write a paragraph describing what activity you did and how you felt afterward.
Step 03. Write another 1-2 paragraphs responding to any or all of the following questions, to reflect on the first half of the semester:
- Think about the pace and rhythm of the first half of the semester. Have your strategies and habits been working well? If not, what are some areas where adjustments need to be made?
- What is your favorite thing so far about being a college student? And your least favorite thing?
- Which course is your most challenging so far? Which is the most time-consuming? Is there a course you tend to forget about?
- How well have you been keeping track of deadlines and other responsibilities? Do you need to make any changes there?
- Are you getting enough sleep, enough physical activity, enough nutritional food? If not, how can you improve those areas to help maintain your mental, emotional, and physical health?
Step 04. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Nine Lesson and Discussion: Networking and Résumés
Step 01. Review the Networking and Resume PowerPoint (Networking and Resumes.pptx) and jot down your ideas in response to the questions that you see throughout the lesson.
Step 02. Complete this writing prompt: Think of a time you needed help with something. Was there someone you could talk to who was able to provide guidance? Who was that person? How did you reach out to them? How did the situation turn out?
Then think of a time a friend has asked you for help. What was the situation? Were you able to help them? How did you feel about the experience?
Step 03. Write 1-2 paragraphs answering these questions:
- Which networking strategies have you used in the past? and/or Which would you like to try?
- Will your career require you to attend graduate school? If so, who can you ask for letters of recommendation?
- Elevator Pitch: What’s your career goal in 30 seconds or less? Write 100-150 words that will quickly catch a reader’s interest explaining why your Plan A career is right for you.
- Look for 2-3 examples of resumes in your field. What kinds of qualifications do people in your field have?
Step 04. Write a paragraph summarizing your favorite part of the textbook reading from earlier this week.
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Ten Lesson and Discussion: Learning Styles
This week we are coming back to talking about your student life, although your entire career will likely be one long learning experience so this ties into career as well. This learning styles assessment is meant to identify your learning preferences but should not be used to assume that you would be “good” or “bad” at any particular kind of learning experience. Instead, use it as a tool for understanding why you might be drawn to certain kinds of experiences while others may require more effort and growth.
Step 01. Go to: https://www.webtools.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/. Complete the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire; click “Submit” at the end. Print, screenshot (and save), or take a picture of the graph generated of your Questionnaire Results.
Step 02. Click on the link at the bottom of the results page that provides explanations of the learning preferences (or access it here).
Step 03. Reflect on what you learned about your learning preferences and how these affect your experience in different kinds of classes.
Write 1-2 paragraphs about your learning style results, how this information will help you in this and other classes, what you learned about yourself, and any other important findings or conclusions.
Step 04. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Eleven Lesson and Discussion: Your Values and Degree Planning
Step 01. Review the Values and Degree Planning PowerPoint (Values and Degree Planning.pptx) and jot down your ideas in response to the questions that you see throughout the lesson. You may also want to look back at the textbook chapters from Week 7, about degree planning and goal setting.
Step 02. Identify your top five values from the list in the PowerPoint.
Step 03. Research your chosen major and career (or a major/career that interests you) at these two websites: 1) https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ and 2) https://cwi.edu/site-section/programs-and-degrees . Look for information about the requirements for this major/career and think about the values those requirements reflect and write a paragraph summarizing what you found in your research.
Step 04. Write 1-2 paragraphs responding to the following questions:
- What are your top five values?
- How did these values influence a recent decision you made?
- How do your values relate to the major and career you are considering?
- What level of education will you need for your chosen career?
- Why is meeting with your academic advisor now so important to your academic and career success? What is something your advisor could help you with right now?
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Twelve Lesson and Discussion: Research Skills in the Workplace
Step 01. Read the following chapters from Pathways to College Success:
Step 02. Investigate what kinds of research you might need to do as part of your future career. You might be able to find this from a Google search, descriptions from online job postings, or a conversation with someone in that field. Spend some time and try to get a solid idea of the kinds of topics you might need to research and what research tools you might use.
Step 03. Write 2-3 paragraphs summarizing the article AND the results of your investigation. Include answers to the following questions: What are your strengths as a workplace researcher? What are some areas where you have opportunities to improve? What type(s) of research are you most likely to conduct in your chosen field? How will time management play a role in your workplace research? How can you use research skills in the job-hunting process?
Step 04. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Thirteen Lesson and Discussion: Teamwork Skills in the Workplace
Resources: Shark Tank PowerPoint (Shark Tank .pptx); Information Sheet (Benefits of Group Projects.docx)
Step 01. Read the information in the Shark Tank PowerPoint and the “Benefits of Group Projects” information sheet.
Step 02. Come up with an idea for a new product or service in your chosen career field (you may need to do a little Internet research to see if your idea is already available).
Step 03. Write 1-2 paragraphs to pitch your product or service.
Step 04. Early in the week, follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your idea with a small group of your classmates (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Step 05. By the end of the week, as a group, come up with a single idea for a product or service that you want to pitch to the entire class.
Step 06. As a group, write a brief description of your product or service. Include the following information:
- Define your audience. Who needs this? Why? Be specific.
- Set a price. How much will you charge for this? What pricing model will you use? (subscription, direct sales, MLM, product placed in stores, fee for service, etc.)
- Create a preliminary marketing plan. How will you connect with your audience? Optional but not required: create an image or drawing of your product, create a PowerPoint to present this information to investors, come up with a business name or logo, etc.
Step 07. One member of the group (you decide!) should follow your instructor’s directions for sharing the final product or service description with the whole class.
Note: Next week, you will have the chance to vote for your favorite product/service. The winning group members will all receive 5 extra credit points.
Note to dual credit instructors: Unless you are doing this activity in class, you will need to create a way for each group to coordinate their discussions. If possible, group the students according to their anticipated majors (for example, Social Science/Education/Psychology, Liberal Arts/Undecided/Other, Health Science, Business, CTE Programs).
Note to all instructors: In Week 14, you’ll need to create an opportunity for students to vote on the pitched products/services and then add the extra credit points for the winning team. The voting can happen in class or via an online form.
Week Fourteen Lesson and Discussion: Semester Reflection
Step 01. Watch this video about maintaining a reflective journal or portfolio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybyBadgAZxY. Take notes as you watch.
Step 02. Read this textbook chapter on reflective practice: https://pressbooks.nscc.ca/ecerelationships/chapter/2-2-what-is-reflective-practice/. It is written in the context of early childhood education but the information and benefits are applicable across all career fields.
Step 03. Write a paragraph responding to the following questions:
- The Pathways Journal that you wrapped up last week was one kind of reflective tool; did you find it useful to look back at previous entries as you worked through the course?
- Have you kept any kind of reflective journal before this class?
- Is there another format for reflection that comes to mind or that you’ve used in the past?
- How do you think a reflective journal or similar tool would be beneficial for you in your future career?
- The video also talks about building a portfolio. What value do you think a portfolio would have in achieving your future goals? Do you plan to start building your own portfolio? If so, what ideas do you have for it?
Step 04. Write a 2-3 paragraph response to the following questions, reflecting on this semester:
- Looking back on the CWI 101 course, what is your overall takeaway? How did your Week One WOOP exercise turn out? Did you achieve your goal or is it still ongoing? Does your WOOP need to be updated in order to still be a meaningful goal for you? Has your “why” of college changed since the beginning of the semester?
- Based on your experiences this semester, what changes do you plan to make for next semester? Will you take more classes or fewer classes, work more hours or fewer hours, take online or on-campus classes, etc.?
- What has been your greatest success this semester? How will you build on that success going forward?
- What habits have you developed this semester that you plan to carry forward, AND/OR what habits do you plan to develop next semester in order to have a better experience?
- Which of your classes do you expect to be your biggest challenge next semester? What are your plans for finding success in that class?
Step 05. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
Week Fifteen Lesson and Discussion: Culminating Assignment Reflection
Step 01. Spend some time thinking back over the full experience of completing the Culminating Assignment, starting back in Module 9 and ending with the presentation you are sharing with your classmates this week. Jot down some thoughts about the assignment; think about your challenges, your successes, and how you feel now that it is complete.
Step 02. View your classmates’ Culminating Assignment presentations and make notes of the elements you like about different presentations (cool design elements, interesting ideas, useful sources, different approaches to the task, etc.)
Step 03. Write 1-2 paragraphs responding to these questions:
- What is your main takeaway from the culminating assignment?
- What was your biggest challenge in completing this project?
- How effective were your research skills? What will you do differently next time you have a research project to complete?
- What tools/skills have you learned or improved upon through completing this project?
- What are you most proud of in looking at your finished presentation?
- What were some of the most interesting things you saw in your classmates’ presentations? Will you incorporate any of those into future presentations?
Step 04. Follow your instructor’s directions for sharing your response (in class or in an online discussion forum).
