I’ve gone through many, many university courses without actually being aware of… much. The expectations for success on such courses are, needless to say, not too high. The days easily go by just trying to stay on track on each course, and all the surrounding questions, such as “Why am I doing this?” seem to get forgotten. Thus, I have created the following checklist.
- Motivation:Why am I on this course?
- Role in the whole: How does this course relate to what I’m supposed to accomplish in the University? How does it all relate to the degree I’m going for or to other courses?
- Inner self: What am I supposed to learn on this course? What is the inner structure of the course? What are you supposed to know/be prepared for after the course?
- Getting Practical: What are the important dates (a.k.a. deadlines) on this course? Which activities on the course matter the most in the grading (lecture attendance, excercises, essays, presentations, exams, etc.)?