Individual Assignments

Reading Choice 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Low effort
• Description of Activity: Instead of assigning a single reading, students choose one option from a short, curated set. All readings are comparable in complexity and connect to the same course concept, so students practice the same skill regardless of their choice. For example, in a sociology course, students might choose an academic article, a first-person narrative, or a news piece on the same topic. Another option is to ask students to recommend readings that meet specific criteria for a particular topic or course module.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Seminar, asynchronous
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: 
  • Students are more likely to engage with a reading when they feel some connection to it. This reduces the experience of reading as a “required” task.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners noted that having options means they “don’t feel weak in everything” if one reading does not resonate with them.
  • For multilingual learners or students with different reading backgrounds, having options lowers the barrier to meaningful participation.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Some reading choices may unintentionally be more difficult than others, which can impact student success.
  • Students may also feel overwhelmed if there are too many options or choose based on perceived ease rather than the goal of learning.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Instructors can select readings that are similar in length and workload.
  • Limiting choices to two or three and providing short descriptions helps students make quick decisions.
  • Using a shared list of guiding questions can ensure that no option disadvantages students in meeting learning outcomes.

Explaining a Topic 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Low effort
• Description of Activity: Students record themselves explaining a core course concept to a specific audience (like a peer, a child, or a grandparent) using a predetermined number of key terms. This activity is highly customizable; instructors can define the list of required terms or let students select the concept they find most challenging. Can be used as a regular assignment, or as extra credit.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: 
  • This activity prompts students to move beyond rote memorization and translate complex academic terms and ideas into their own words. This activity can help students to build communication skills and provides an authentic way for them to demonstrate mastery over the material.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners explain: “If you truly understand something, you should be able to simplify it clearly.”
• Potential Challenges:
  • Students may feel uncomfortable with recording themselves or struggle to find a “volunteer” audience.
• Implementation Recommendations:
  • If a student does not have an audience to present to, allow them to record for an imaginary audience
  • Students can be allowed to use a simple audio-only format if video feels too invasive.
  • Allow students to choose their audience; explaining a concept to a child (using analogies) is a different challenge than explaining it to an adult.
  • Minimize barriers by allowing students to use various formats such as Flipgrid videos, Kaltura via Canvas, or simple smartphone voice memos.
  • Instructors may provide pre-approved lists of content-specific terms or ideas to be included as part of the assignment criteria.
  • A lighter lift for instructors that allows for greater autonomy: Instead of pre-approving words, make the selection of terms part of the grade. Require students to identify a set number of “high-level” content-specific terms or ideas they intend to explain. This requires students to critically evaluate which concepts are most central to the topic. Providing an example of what is considered a “high-level” term or idea, including the reasoning as to why, is beneficial.
  • Increase the impact by having students listen to two classmates’ explanations and comment on one thing that made the concept clearer to them.

Discussion Post Choice 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Low effort
• Description of Activity: Students choose which discussion prompt to respond from a small set of options, all connected to the same course content. For example, students might choose between analyzing a specific reading or responding to a broader application question tied to the same concept. Instructors can customize the prompt set to target different course concepts.
• Discipline / Field: Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: 
  • Choice can make discussion posts feel more meaningful and increase participation.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners explained that they feel “more motivated to write about what they want to write about.”
  • Responding to peers who chose different prompts also broadens perspectives.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Without clear expectations, students may not fully engage with discussion posts.
  • With the increased use of GenAI tools, discussion posts that rely on summary or general responses may be easier to complete.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Providing simple, visible guidelines (e.g., length, use of course material, expectations for peer response) helps set clear expectations.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners also recommended keeping instructions “short and clear.”
  • Designing prompts that ask students to apply concepts to specific examples, make connections to their own experiences, or reference class discussions can encourage more original responses.

“Happy Hour” Discussion Forum 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Low effort
• Description of Activity: Instructors create informal discussion forums centered around pop culture or personal interest topics, and students choose which forum they would like to join. The goal is to build community and encourage interaction in a low-pressure environment. For example, students might choose between forums focused on music, sports, movies, food, and others.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students:
  • Giving students a choice in discussion topics can help build community and connection, especially in online or large courses.
  • Informal spaces can make participation feel lower stakes and help students engage more with peers.
  • These forums may also increase students’ sense of belonging in the course.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Without a clear connection requirement, posts can drift toward casual conversation that does not support the course material.
  • Some forums may attract significantly more students than others, creating uneven participation across the options.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Including a brief prompt within each forum that asks students to connect their post to a course concept keeps the discussion focused on learning goals.
  • Instructors can monitor enrollment across forums after the first round and add new topics or redirect students to balance participation.
  • Consider opening a new forum from time-to-time to keep the discussion fresh.

Choice of Case Study 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students choose a case study related to the course and present it using clear instructor guidelines (e.g., time limits, required connections to course concepts, peer feedback). For example, in an introductory course, students might choose any case study connected to the course and give a short presentation explaining how it relates to a key concept.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Seminar, lecture
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: <25, 25-50
• Benefits to Students: 
  • When students have some choice over the case they choose, they can become more engaged in the assignment and focus on areas of particular interest.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Without clear requirements, case study choices can become too broad or too far removed from course content.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Requiring a brief proposal or case study approval can keep things on track without adding significant workload for the instructor.
  • Scheduling can be a challenge in larger classes, so building presentation days into the syllabus early and setting a time limit helps keep things moving.

Choice of Research Topic 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students are given the autonomy to select a specific topic, theme, or variable from the course material to develop into a formal research question. Rather than responding to a preset prompt, students must identify an area of personal interest or curiosity within the course content and propose their own line of inquiry.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Intro
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: 
  • Can encourage students to identify how course material intersects with their personal interests or professional goals.
  • May enhance student engagement.
  • By picking their own topic, students can challenge themselves as needed. They may pick a comfortable, familiar topic so they can focus their cognitive energy on mastering complex research methods, or they may select a less familiar, challenging topic if they already possess strong research skills and want to expand their content knowledge.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners share that presenting this option early on in intro courses, “prepares students for real research [and] as independent researchers in the field”.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Students may struggle with “choice paralysis” or select a topic that is too broad to be manageable.
  • May require greater instructor supervision.
• Implementation Recommendations:
  • For students who struggle to create their own research question, provide a menu of options to pick from, or more general topics to spark ideas.
  • To provide structure to the process, have students submit proposal statements for instructor feedback, briefly explaining their selected research question and the outline they will use to guide their process.

Topic Choice 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Perhaps a common way to integrate choice, this approach allows students to choose a topic related to course content for an assignment. Instructors are encouraged to provide sample topics to guide their students.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: Being able to select a topic gives students the opportunity to pursue learning in areas in which they are most interested, which can have positive benefits for their engagement.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Students may find it challenging to narrow down to a specific topic.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Provide instructions as to how students can narrow their topic
  • Give a timeline for when they will receive feedback for receiving feedback on their chosen topic

Presentation Topic Choice 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students choose a topic related to the course and present it using clear instructor guidelines (e.g., time limits, required connections to course concepts, peer feedback). For example, in an introductory course, students might choose any real-world issue connected to the course and give a short presentation explaining how it relates to a key concept.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Seminar, lecture
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: <25, 25-50
• Benefits to Students: 
  • When students have some control over their topic, they are often more engaged and confident in their presentations.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners noted that this approach makes presentations feel less like a required performance and more like peer-to-peer conversation.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Without clear requirements, topic choices can become too broad or too far removed from course content.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Requiring a brief proposal or topic approval can keep things on track without adding significant workload for the instructor.
  • Scheduling can be a challenge in larger classes, so building presentation days into the syllabus early and setting a time limit helps keep things moving.

Interview-Based Assignment with Student Choice

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students complete an interview-based project where they choose a topic, identify someone to interview, and decide how to present what they learn (e.g., written piece, podcast, or video). For example, a student might explore a topic of interest, interview a community member or professional, and present their findings as a short video or written report.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Lecture, seminar, studio
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: <25
• Benefits to Students: 
  • This assignment connects course concepts to real-world contexts and builds practical skills like communication and planning.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners report that it allows them to “vigorously plan and practice skills in real time,” increasing investment in the work.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Students may choose topics that are too broad or have difficulty securing and scheduling interviews.
  • The assignment may also feel too complex or overwhelming.
  • Requests can become overwhelming for interviewees who are frequently contacted for the assignment (faculty in particular).
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Requiring a proposal with a clearly defined topic can help narrow down student ideas.
  • Asking for early confirmation of the interview helps keep the project on track.
  • Building in check points and a semester timeline can reduce last-minute challenges.
  • Instructors could also limit the number of choices for students.
  • To avoid individuals being asked by multiple students to do an interview, the instructor should have students submit a list of three possible interviewees. The instructor can then help manage the pool of interviewees to ensure no overlap.

Student-Created Review Tool 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students choose a topic and create a study tool (such as a study guide, concept map, or graphic organizer), which they later share with the class. For example, students might select a key topic from the course, create a study guide, and contribute it to a shared resource folder for exam preparation.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Lecture
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: 
  • Creating a review tool helps students organize and deepen their understanding.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners observed, “by teaching it, they will automatically memorize and understand it without even realizing it.”
• Potential Challenges: 
  • The quality of student-created materials may vary, and students may be unsure what to include.
  • Students may not see the value of the activity due to expectations that the instructor should provide the review materials.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Providing a simple template or example helps set expectations.
  • Keeping feedback brief and focused before the final submission helps manage workload while maintaining submission quality.
  • Be clear about why creating materials is another way to learn them, and why it might be useful in other classes

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Assignment Format Choice 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students can decide which format (within a range of options) they can use for an assignment that demonstrates their learning. For example, this might include the creation of a podcast, a picture book, a website, or other forms chosen by the student.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Those involving assignments that have format flexibility
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: Students may be more engaged if they are given the choice to demonstrate their learning. Having a choice may allow assignments to integrate more creativity.
• Potential Challenges:  
  • Instructors might be challenged by creating criteria that will allow the assignment to be graded within any format.
• Implementation Recommendations:
  • Create a rubric that contains all common criteria one flexible for grading the format chosen

Presentation Format Choice 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students present on the same topic or course content, but choose the format that best fits how they communicate. Presentation should have clear instructor guidelines (e.g., time limits, required connections to course concepts, peer feedback), but students decide how it’s delivered. For example, in an introductory course, students might present on the same theme but choose between a slide deck, a poster, a short video, or an infographic to share their findings.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Seminar, lecture
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: <25, 25-50
• Benefits to Students:
  • When students can present in a format they feel comfortable with, the focus shifts from managing anxiety to communicating ideas.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners shared that having format flexibility made them feel like they could “convey the concept in a way they are comfortable with,” which can lead to stronger and more confident presentations.
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Without a clear rubric focused on content rather than format, grading can feel inconsistent across different presentation styles.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Making the criteria format-neutral from the start, and sharing examples of each option before students choose, helps set expectations and keeps the assessment fair.

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Discussion Post: Choice of Response Approach 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students are given the choice to post a reflection on a course concept in one of multiple ways: a formal, technical explanation, a “simplified” explanation designed for a non-expert audience, or a video response in a panel-style format. This allows students to choose the communication style that best fits their strengths while still requiring a deep understanding of the material.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Mid-level
• Approximate Class Size: <25, 25-50
• Benefits to Students: 
  • Provides an opportunity for students to evaluate the specific topic and decide which communication approach will be more impactful for that particular concept.
  • Provides the flexibility for students to choose an option that fits their comfort level; for example, a student feeling highly confident in a complex topic might find translating it into simpler terms to be more engaging and challenging.
  • This approach helps to diversify the responses produced, avoiding lots of similar responses. Students see a variety of explanations, increasing their understanding of the concept.
  • By perusing the discussion board, students can see how their peers handled the opposite approach, providing an opportunity to pick up new writing techniques and conceptual insights from their classmates.
  • Video provides a multimedia and potentially more engaging format for students to participate in discussion forums.  
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Students might select the “simplified” approach, perceiving it as easier.
  • Videos might not be properly captioned for accessibility.  
• Implementation Recommendations:
  • Instructors should ensure the rubric for the “simplified” approach requires a high level of creative synthesis (like a sophisticated analogy or a specific case study) so that the cognitive load is equal to the technical version.
  • To mitigate the use of generative AI, require students to cite specific class notes or reference the exact date/lecture when the concept was discussed. This ensures the post is grounded in the specific course experience rather than a general internet database.
  • Instructors can give guidelines that videos should also be captioned and direct students to Kaltura and other Rutgers resources.

 

Reflection for Extra Credit 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Low effort
• Description of Activity: Students complete a short, optional reflection on their engagement, study habits, and use of course resources. For example, students might reflect on their attendance, study strategies, or which resources they used to prepare for an exam.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: 
  • This activity encourages students to reflect on how they learn and identify strategies that work for them.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners shared that it helps them “understand their engagement in the class” and think about what to change rather than simply moving on.
• Potential Challenges:
  • Students may treat the reflection as a task to complete quickly, leading to vague or surface-level responses.
  • Students may not see the value of the activity.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • Using specific, guided questions leads to more meaningful responses.
    • Be clear about how the reflection connects to course goals.

Essay Revision with Student Choice  

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students choose how they want to approach an essay revision. They might revise their own work, improve a sample essay, or review a strong model and apply what they learn. A short reflection afterward explains their revision choices. For example, students might choose between revising a previous paper or practicing revision on a sample essay before returning to their own work.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Seminar, workshop
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: <25, 25-50
• Benefits to Students: 
  • This approach emphasizes revision as part of the learning process.
  • Choice can increase confidence and help students engage more thoughtfully with feedback.
  • TIIP student co-creation partners noted that it “helps them fix their mistakes on their own and learn from mistakes instead of ignoring them” and “builds confidence when they improve their own work.”
• Potential Challenges: 
  • Some students may feel unsure how to revise their work or may feel overwhelmed when comparing their work to a stronger example.
• Implementation Recommendations: 
  • A brief walkthrough or annotated example can help students understand how to go about their revisions.
  • Using a rubric focused on the quality of the revision and reflection keeps grading fair.

Student-Created Quiz Questions

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Medium effort
• Description of Activity: Students create quiz or exam questions based on course content and provide both the correct answer and an explanation for why the answer is correct. Students also identify where they found the information for the question (e.g., lecture notes, textbook section, or course readings). The instructor reviews the submissions and may include selected student-created questions in a future quiz or exam.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Lecture; Seminar
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students:
  • Writing quiz questions encourages students to think more deeply about course material and identify what makes a question clear, accurate, and meaningful.
  • Students gain insights into how assessments are designed.
  • Knowing that their questions may appear on the actual quiz or exam tends to increase investment and care in the work.
• Potential Challenges:
  • Students may create questions that are too simple, unclear, or factually inaccurate.
  • In larger classes, reviewing and selecting questions may increase instructor workload.
  • Questions generated using AI tools without a connection to course materials may also reduce the quality and relevance of submissions.
• Implementation Recommendations:
  • Provide a brief question-writing guide with examples of strong and weak questions helps students understand what is expected of them.
  • Consider assigning different question types (e.g., multiple choice, application-based, short answer).
  • Set a minimum difficulty level and require questions to come from a range of course topics. Or assign specific topics to different students. This helps to ensure broad and useful coverage.
• Resources:
  • Faculty Focus Article: Benefits of Student-Generated Questions
  • Riggs, C. D., Kang, S., & Rennie, O. (2020). Positive impact of multiple-choice question authoring and regular quiz participation on student learning. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(2), ar16.

Choice of GenAI on a Specific Assignment 

• Level of Instructor Implementation: Varies by assignment
• Description of Activity: Instructors allow students to have a choice on whether they can use generative AI for an assignment within specific parameters. To better understand their learning process, students may be required to submit all prompts and outputs as well as write a reflection about how they used generative AI for the assignments, how it impacted the quality of their work, any limitations of the technologies, as well as what they learned through the process.
• Discipline / Field: Any
• Course Type: Any
• Course Level: Any
• Approximate Class Size: Any
• Benefits to Students: Generative artificial intelligence continues to be integrated and utilized within common applications and within jobs. Allowing usage within a course can support students in gaining practical skills for career readiness. Additionally, giving choice allows students who do not want to use GenAI for various reasons to use alternative methods.
• Potential Challenges:  
  • Integration requires a level of intentional design to ensure that students are still attaining the learning outcomes in the course.
• Instructor Recommendations: 
  • Provide alternative methods that still accomplish the task and achieve assignment goals.
• Resources:
  • AI Pedagogy Project: A resource with sample assignments that integrate GenAI.
  • AIMES, AI Meets Education at Stanford: A resource with sample assignments that vary on whether students can use GenAI.