Lesson Thirty-Four: Master Student Award Ceremony

The first semester in which I gave out student awards, I did it without the benefit of this slideshow. While the students clearly enjoyed the recognition, the classroom lacked a certain sense of excitement that I had hoped for. With the addition of this slideshow (and the revolving trophy which also became a matching icon on the class website), the award ceremony of the following semester garnered the energy and excitement that I sought. The students are thrilled to see their names drop onto the screen, one letter at a time.

With the “Master Student” award feature of my class and class website, I have tried to weave several technological elements together to create a package effect. In addition to the slideshow, printed certificates, and prizes, the students’ photographs and written advice to future 189 students are posted on the class website under a separate icon. At the beginning of a new semester, entering students are instructed to read the advice of former award-winning students and write a brief essay about what they can do to succeed in the class. Hence, the “Master Student” feature becomes an integral and substantive part of the developmental learning experience.