College Educator Workshops & Conferences

Student Success, Retention & Engagement | On Course

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Educator
    Workshops
    • Campus Workshops
    • National Workshops
  • On Course
    Textbook
  • Educator
    Resources
    • New Book! Engaging Learners through Zoom
    • Best Practices
    • Video Gallery
    • Workshop Strategies
    • OC Syllabus Collection
    • OC Campus Innovations
    • Articles
  • Clients
    & Testimonials
    • Clients
    • Testimonials
  • Evidence
    • Institutional Studies
    • Research Citations
    • Bibliography for On Course
  • About
    • History
    • Principles
    • Facilitators
    • Ambassadors
  • Contact

Buddy, Do You Have My Notes?

When students miss time from class, they usually depend on the instructor to fill them in on what they missed.  I wanted to create a way to put the responsibility back on students to catch up on anything they missed when absent. The idea I developed also encourages teamwork and the idea of looking out for your peers, great for building an interdependent community of learners.

At the beginning of my courses, I ask students to identify a “buddy” who will be responsible for picking up handouts, assignments and other relevant information in case one of them misses a class.  This buddy system can be set up in groups of two or three.  When handing out items or setting due dates in the first couple of weeks, I say, “If your buddy is not here, make sure you get the information for them.”  I offer the same reminder when discussing due dates for assignments, class outings, etc.

The absent student is responsible for picking up information from the attending buddy.  When absentees come to me to ask what they missed (or “Did I miss anything?”), I refer them back to their buddies.  I tell them to get information from their buddy first. Then, if they still have questions, they can come back to me for clarification.

This approach has worked wonderfully for me.  Students see that it is their responsibility to make sure that they catch up on missed classes.  I no longer have to hold onto extra copies of materials for students who missed a previous class or make sure that they are delivered. I don’t have to return to my office to get extra copies of information from a previous session.  Students are looking out for one another, developing responsibility and interdependence in their effort. 

–Sue Davis, Continuing Education Dept, New Brunswick Community College, CN

Institutional Studies

Read compelling data from twenty seven colleges and universities using the On Course textbook.

 

These studies demonstrate increases in retention, success and persistence rates as high as 27%.

Book a Workshop!

We have 12 engaging campus workshops and keynote offerings addressing a wide range of student success topics.

 

Contact us for more information!

On Campus Workshops

Bring On Course Professional Development to Your Campus
Workshops can be held virtually or in person!

Interactive Workshops are Ideal
for All Educators

On Course Logo

Workshop Testimonials

This workshop transformed my professional and personal life.
Susan Pitcher
Director, TRIO
Bay College, MI
I’m a better instructor because of On Course.
Mary Lou Ng
Faculty, Mathematics
N. Alberta Institute of Tech., Alberta, CN
On a scale of 1-10, I rate the overall value I received from the workshop as a 15.
Deborah Rayner
Faculty, Computer Science
Harford Community College, MD
I told my Dean that if I took every workshop and conference I had ever attended and rolled them into one, it would not equal what I learned and gained from your workshop.
Jan Trollinger
Faculty, English
Paine College, GA
You have created a workshop that, in my 25 years of professional development, is by far the best experience I’ve ever had.
Jennifer Meehl
Academic Advisor
Landmark College, VT
Since first attending one of the summer retreats in 1997, I’ve held nine On Course workshops for our college, and I plan to offer more.
Philip Rodriquez
Director, Student Affairs
Cerritos College, CA
I have attended a lot of workshops and conferences–On Course is by far the best!
Debbie Alford,
Director, Title III and Success Center
Southwestern Illinois College, IL
I arrived as a skeptic, but by the end of the first day I was converted. These strategies are practical and timely. I am looking forward to implementing them in my courses.
Rodney R. Brooks
Faculty, Accounting
Glendale Community College, AZ
Thank you for making me a better teacher.
Gregory Walker
Faculty, Anatomy and Physiology
El Camino College Compton Center, CA
I have never before felt a workshop I attended helped me to teach. This one will!
Lynn Ezzell
Faculty, English
Cape Fear Community College, NC

Copyright © 2025 On Course Workshop | All Rights Reserved