Crafting Reminders So That Students Pay Attention
Getting students to study for exams and turn assignments in isn’t always easy. Here’s how to nudge them to get their work done on time.
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Educators know that reminding students to do things is essential. For approaching deadlines, reminders may prompt a struggling student to get started. A reminder can help a distracted student or student with attention challenges continue and refocus on a task. And reminders support goal-oriented needs for the high-achieving learners. Not to mention how reminders may lower anxiety that students might feel as they complete assignments. But what is the best way to remind students, and how can you create a reminder-friendly culture? After 25-plus years in education, I have learned a few strategies to create the right environment, curate engaging content, and crush the process.
PREPARE FOR A REMINDER-FRIENDLY CULTURE
Engage in research. I was curious about what kinds of reminders would work (or not) with my learners. What makes a reminder stick? What motivates a student’s decision to act? The psychology of nudging helped me explore my questions. Although a silver bullet does not exist, careful design and strategic adjustments help make a reminder more effective.
Share expectations and intentions. Be transparent about what students can expect. Will you send daily or weekly reminders? Discuss the circumstances under which you will (or will not) provide reminders. Outline the possible call-to-action levels. An initial reminder may require only a receipt confirmation. The follow-up may involve email exchanges or office-hour visits to further discuss needs. A final reminder may include links to supplemental activities or tutoring resources. Most important, share that you, too, are still learning and welcome student insights.
Plan for setbacks. I develop student reminders as if I am an organizational expert. But I, too, need continual nudges because of my forgetfulness and anxiety. Also, acknowledge that there may be disappointment if reminders do not work as planned. When a student does not submit a paper, despite countless reminders, push yourself to view the experience as an opportunity instead of a setback. Ask yourself, “What is one way I can tweak the reminder next time?”
WHAT REMINDERS LOOK LIKE IN MY CLASSROOMs
Form. I rely on old-fashioned tools (to-do lists, sticky notes, and timers). Another favorite is the Microsoft Outlook calendar. This allows me to schedule email reminders as well as set notifications to alert students of dates or deadlines. There are apps that are popular with teachers, such as Remind and ClassDojo. I also customize reminders for different groups of students, so that I don’t have to personalize each message.
Content. In my reminders, I intentionally use “we” instead of “you.” I want students to know that we are in this together, and a reminder is an invitation to act. I never want to seem demanding or dictator-like, so I purposefully use gentle stems such as “A check-in for____” or “A nudge to____” in the subject line of my reminder emails.
Be cautious of directly telling students what to do—such as saying anything that resembles “You need to….” The goal is to assist them instead of control. Make space to welcome decision-making and problem-solving as well. A reminder to complete optional activities might include a push to reflect on course standing and a nudge to review their grade point average to determine if they need more practice.
How it works. Surprisingly, the results go beyond a submission uptick. I noticed a boost in student confidence. Consistent reminders also establish trust (such as a student feeling free to ask for help) and foster student persistence (such as a student engaging in multiple attempts to accomplish a task). Reminders may not work the same for different demographics. I have learned to be sensitive to how resource access (learning supplies, digital equipment, private tutoring, etc.) may influence how and when my students respond.
TWEAK THE PROCESS
Unfortunately, a reminder does not guarantee that students will follow through on the task. Setting multiple reminders is time-consuming and can create digital and physical clutter (remember the sticky notes I mentioned earlier). Also, the timing must be just right—if the reminder is too early, students may still forget to complete the task. Daily reminders might lead to micromanaging, or students may become overly reliant on their teachers. Here are ways I’ve tweaked the process to work for me.
Examine timing. I wrestled with timing. For example, did I leave ample time between one reminder and another? Giving myself buffer time is crucial so that I have the chance to engage with student questions. I also noticed that sending a one-off reminder is unlikely to elicit action. It is better to introduce the reminder with a series of individual messages. In the marketing world, this process is called a drip campaign and is intended to build engagement over time. For instance, when preparing students for an exam, the reminder may include review feedback on Monday, a reminder to review the study guide on Wednesday, and an offer to ask final questions on Friday.
Provide options. Give students a choice. Perhaps they can opt out of selected digital reminders, identify a preference type (text, email, learning management system announcement), or have some input on the frequency of messages. A good way to learn students’ take on reminders is to ask them for feedback. Do they believe reminders are negative, neutral, or positive? Which students are likely to respond to informal versus formal reminders?
Include variation. Students may eventually begin to overlook your emails and other reminders. If this happens, try different formats. Maybe create a virtual background with information, add it to your email signature, or hang a classroom poster. I’ve found that explicitly reminding psychology students to review vocabulary gets boring. Instead, near Valentine’s Day, I remind students to practice vocabulary by having them respond to recent blogs on brain changes during love/attraction. And near the Fourth of July, I remind students to review material on how fireworks can trigger PTSD, as well as the spectrum of emotions surrounding freedom and independence.
It takes time to create just the right reminder. With intentionality, we may strengthen classroom reminders to ensure that students are mindful of their full learning potential.