Homework assignments in any instructional environment require careful consideration on the instructor’s part regarding length, difficulty level, relevance to course material, and so on.
But in remote courses, instructors must also consider how to communicate the expected procedures: What format is required? What filenames should be used? Can students simply write something out by hand and send a picture of it to the instructor from their iPhone — or must the assignment be posted in Canvas? What about email attachments?
Ko & Rossen (2017) offer two sets of guidelines:
"What matters most is that assessment:
- is relevant to the objectives and goals of the course;
- is appropriate for the level and scope of the course content;
- is easily enough accomplished online;
- is clearly outlined to students via logically organized instructions that include the how, when, and where of online logistics.
Next, make sure that you vary your mix of assessments so that:
- there are a variety of different types of assessments, allowing students to be assess from a number of different perspectives, using a diverse set of skills;
- the number and pacing of the assessments are appropriate for the course length and format;
- there are some options for student choice and different levels of challenges.”
Ko & Rossen, p. 74
Regardless of proficiency level, homework assignments in L2 classes can cover a range of content, formats and styles. Consider the procedural differences — and the level of detail required in explaining them — for these written and audio/video assignments:
Written:
- True/False questions about a reading assignment
- worksheets for fill-in-the-blank answers (adjective endings / conjugations / word order / lexical choices)
- translation (L1 → L2 or L2 → L1)
- Written summary of a reading assignment
- original sentences using new syntax or vocabulary
- written exercises in the textbook
- re-writing a simple text with more precise vocabulary and longer sentences (using conjunctions)
- comparison of two news stories about the same event from two L2 online media sources
- description of a painting or other visual image
Audio/Video:
- Flipgrid-style videos on an assigned topic
- Video/audio tour of student’s local town or environment
- Zoom video of two students improvising on an assigned topic
- audio file of reading an assigned passage
- audio/video introduction to/description of a friend or family member
- “Choose an object in your room and be ready to show pictures of it and describe it in class tomorrow”
Regardless of the media required, the procedures need to be spelled out precisely, and technical problems anticipated. Instructors must also consider what their students do and don’t know about using Canvas, creating audio/visual content, and navigating the steps necessary for correct submission of the assignment. And as Ko & Rossen suggest:
“If the assignment requires a number of steps, be sure to list these in the order they are best completed …”
Ko & Rossen, p. 76
Reference
Ko, S. and Rossen, S. (2017). Course design and development (Chapter 3, pp. 33-917). Teaching Online: A Practical Guide (4th ed.). New York and London: Routledge.