The start of the semester is always a hectic time. Between adds/drops, students needing textbooks, and moving from “welcome” to “let’s get to work,” it can be difficult to fit in formative assessment and feedback during these first few weeks. However, we know that these evidence-based practices are essential for building student confidence, metacognition, and motivation (Meer & Chapman, 2014; Hwang, 2025).

In this teaching tip, I share five approaches for incorporating low-stakes formative assessments and feedback into your first few classes. Knowing where students stand before Week 3 will help with:

• Tailoring learning activities that meet student needs
• Supporting student decisions about how to succeed in your course
• Making timely and effective use of the Academic Alert system 

Low-Stakes Assessment Approaches

Syllabus Quizzes or Scavenger Hunts

Easy to create and administer, these low-stakes activities work across class formats and sizes. Hands-on syllabus activities draw students' attention to the unwritten rules of college by demystifying academic jargon early on. Additionally, they clarify essential course logistics while guiding students on how to access vital campus support networks like the OU Writing Center and the Academic Success Center before they fall behind.

To set this up, design a first-week scavenger hunt worksheet or online quiz (participation points or zero points) prompting students to actively locate key details (e.g., office hour locations, required materials, and grading systems) alongside a few warm, relational questions to build early rapport. Keep the activity strictly formative by addressing questions and misconceptions with automated feedback in Moodle or in-class discussion.

Checklist Assignments

Checklists are highly versatile tools that guide students through the hidden steps of class preparation, such as logging into Moodle, visiting the library, and obtaining required materials for class. By reviewing the data early, you can quickly identify logistical or technology barriers and offer supportive, growth-oriented feedback to build academic confidence.

To set this up, design a zero-point or participation-graded digital or paper checklist during the first two weeks with preparation steps paired with wellness and technology checks. Use this activity to build self-efficacy, identify barriers like delayed financial aid, and offer encouraging, strategy-focused feedback to help students plan effectively.

Journal Assignments

Low-stakes journals on Moodle or paper encourage metacognition by inviting students to reflect on what surprises them, connect class concepts to their personal lives, and voice anxieties before major assignments or exams.

Set up a recurring bi-weekly or monthly Progress Report Journal on Moodle (or a paper in-class journal) with reflective prompts regarding study habits, real-life applications, test preparation, etc. Grade for participation only, avoiding penalties for grammar or accents to emphasize self-reflection and protect students’ authentic voices. Use brief feedback to coach them through common misconceptions and reply like a supportive coach before anonymously sharing common themes in class to address shared misconceptions.

In-Class Polling Apps

Integrating real-time check-ins breaks up lectures to boost engagement and help students assess their understanding, especially in larger classes.

Set up interactive platforms like Mentimeter, Formative, H5P, or Google Forms and link them directly into lecture slides, inserting quick checks every 20 minutes and concluding with a QR-code "ticket to leave" to capture lingering questions. Project anonymous results immediately to normalize confusion, set up automated feedback to clear up misconceptions on the spot, and use this real-time data to dynamically adjust your lecture focus.

Quick Conferences

Adding mandatory “Chat with Your Professor” conferences early on builds instructor-student rapport and demystifies the academic support network. Starting these sessions with supportive, open-ended questions lets you provide just-in-time, constructive feedback. Especially useful for writing-intense and project-based courses.

Set up predictable 10-to-15-minute time slots using Google Appointments during class or office hours, replacing one traditional early assignment to keep workloads manageable. Use these sessions to offer descriptive, live feedback on their progress, and build student self-efficacy by validating their academic strengths or making warm hand-offs to campus support services.

Making Use of Formative Assessment and Feedback

Collecting early-semester data is only valuable if we act on it. Use these strategies to translate your formative findings into immediate instructional adjustments and proactive student support:

Adjust Your Instruction in Real-Time: If early activities reveal widespread confusion, immediately pivot your next class session to clarify these concepts before students fall behind. For creative strategies on gathering and acting on immediate class data, see Getting (Really) Early Student Feedback with “Super Stat” Feedback.

Boost Academic Confidence Early: Use low-stakes tasks to build self-efficacy, helping first-generation and transitional students view learning as an ongoing growth process rather than an innate talent. Explore how to frame these early opportunities in Leverage the First Assessment to Improve Student Confidence.

Submit Proactive Academic Alerts: When early checkpoints flag that a student is struggling with technology, attendance, or course materials, submit a referral through the Academic Alert system to quickly connect them with support. For guidance on submitting referrals, visit CETL’s faculty resource pages.

Establish a Two-Way Feedback Loop: Use quick conferences or brief journal replies to turn grading into a collaborative dialogue, which normalizes help-seeking and helps students actively process your guidance. To guide students on how to act on your advice, consult Getting the Most Out of Faculty Feedback: Teaching Tip.

References

Meer, N. M., & Chapman, A. (2014). Assessment for confidence: Exploring the impact that low-stakes assessment design has on student retention. The International Journal of Management Education, 12(2), 186–192.

Hwang, S. (2025). Unpacking the impact of writing feedback perception on self-regulated writing ability: The role of writing self-efficacy and self-regulated learning strategies. Behavioral Sciences, 15(2), 100.

About the Author

Daniel Brengel is an Educational Development Specialist at CETL and an instructor for Linguistics, First-Year Writing, and English as a Second Language at Oakland University and other local institutions. Daniel previously served as Director of the Academic Success Center at Macomb Community College. His research areas of interest include second language writing, translingual theory, linguistic justice, inclusive pedagogy, and faculty perceptions of student writing. When he’s not teaching or working to support student success, Daniel likes to play video games and curate his multigenerational record collection.

✨Portions of this work used Gemini Notebook (2026) and Gemini (2026) as a thinking partner. All AI output was reviewed and edited prior to use.

Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC.

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