First Impressions: An Alternative Way to Start a Systems Development Course

1. INTRODUCTION The old saying, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" certainly is true. It also applies when it comes to the very first meeting of any college course. Much of what happens over the rest of the semester is an outgrowth of what happens during that first class meeting. How can an instructor use that first day to not only exchange the necessary information with students, but also get students intrigued about the course? This paper describes an innovative approach--not just taking roll and walking through the syllabus--used to get students actively involved and interested in a systems development course. 2. THE TRADITIONAL FIRST CLASS MEETING There are expectations on both sides of the lectern: What is this instructor going to be like? What kind of students will I have this semester? There are a lot of things that must be packed into that first class meeting: passing out and collecting class cards, going over the class roster, collecting background information from students, discussing the syllabus and the requirements for the course. While there are a lot of activities to be completed, there is even more going on beneath the surface in terms of how the expectations of both the students and the instructor will be met. Another key factor to be determined the first day of a course is the climate the class will have: Are students relaxed? Are they comfortable asking questions of the instructor, interacting with one another? Do they view the class as non-threatening? Or is the climate tense? Are students nervous about being called upon or embarrassed? Different instructors have different experiences and views on what works best. Typically, a classroom that is non-threatening, where students know that they will be working with their classmates and can ask the instructor questions is one that is more conducive to learning for most students. One exercise that can be used to help establish an environment that is favorable to student interaction, one that is comfortable and open, is a Scavenger Hunt. In general, a Scavenger Hunt is a search for a set of items. In this case it is a search for information. Appendix 1 provides an example of a Scavenger Hunt. This exercise can be used to have students interact with one another on a non-threatening, cooperative basis. What is more, it can be used with a class of 20 or 200 students. The rules are simple: 1. Find somebody who can answer a question. This requires students to get up, move around, mingle, meet others and interact with a number of other students (i.e., the "aerobic" portion of the course!). 2. Have them complete or provide information to answer all the questions (e.g., hometown, major, and a hobby or interest). This allows students to get to know a little bit about each other. 3. They can receive only one response from each student. This requires that they interact with a number of students; both to find out if they have an item they can answer and then to acquire the information. 4. When they finish (have answers all the questions), they are to help those who have not yet done. Again, this helps to establish a cooperative context for the course. After a certain period of time, such as 10 minutes, all the students return to their seats. The class is then asked to identify each student, his/her hometown, major and a hobby or interest. This helps the students, as well as the instructor, to get to know a little bit about the students and their names. In a graduate course the information typically includes employment information so that the students, as well as the instructor, get an idea about the current employment of the students. Students can be asked to stand up, but that may be embarrassing to some students. Depending on the size of the class and the configuration of the classroom students can typically remain seated and be seen by most students if they simply turn toward the rest of the class. …