Report #3
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Robin Bouse
Date 12/17/2009
FIPP Partner Briita Halonen
Section #1295
Activity /Strategy No Questions Asked Coupons
Category III - Classroom Expectations
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction This strategy allows students to turn in one missed lab or late
homework with no penalty. During the semester, something often comes up
for a student where they have to turn in an assignment late. The goals of this
strategy are that a No Questions Asked Coupon will: 1) take some of the
pressure off of a student for unexpected occurrences; 2) help students prepare
for planned events where they know they will miss a lab; and, 3) encourage
students to make-up (learn) the material they missed.
2. Set up & Supplies Create and pass out a No Questions Asked Coupon for each
student.
3. Directions Clearly explain to students that this is a coupon to turn in a late lab or
homework and that it does not mean that they get to skip the assignment
altogether (a common misconception).
4. Conclusion The possesion of this coupon takes the stress off students who have
either a planned event to attend (i.e., wedding or business trip) or unexpected
occurrence (i.e., someone getting sick or an usually busy week at work). This
strategy effectively facilitated students' self-management of their time. It was
also a great motivator for completing unfinished work.
What worked well? Everything, the students liked having the coupons. It was a huge
stress reliever for some students. This strategy worked great for motivating students to
complete unfinished assignments.
What would you change? Next semester, I might try giving out two coupons per student
and see how that works. (I will go back to one if it is too much). Some students had to
use their coupon very early in the semester and could have used one more near the
end. I would not give out more than two.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? Yes, I most definitely would
use this strategy again. I think this student comment sums it up best that "It's good to
have it (the coupon). It puts you at ease if you have to miss a day."
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. Last semester, without the NQA coupons,
students (already behind because they missed a class) often did not go back and learn
the material in the assignment they missed. This semester, I found that with the NQA
coupons that students completed the assignment they missed because they still got
credit for it if they turned it in late. As a result, the students learned the material that they
missed.