Assigning a digital project will disrupt your semester long course. To gauge student engagement and comfort level, consider periodic surveying.
Consider asking questions early and often that will check in on students' comfort level with the technology you are using. If you are asking students to do independent research in special collections, ask them if they have experienced any roadblocks. You may be able to facilitate or intervene so the student doesn't become overly frustrated.
Example questions:
- What has been helpful about the support we were able to offer you on using [digital tool / technology]? What was missing?
- What has been helpful about the support we were able to offer you for [developing metadata / getting acquainted with special collection or archive]? What was missing?
- What pain points have you hit so far? [could be specific, as in, 'in metadata creation', 'in design process', 'in visiting archives']
You may also consider asking questions as part of the assignment to gauge how students engaged with the concepts and skills you asked them to develop:
- What did you learn while working in the archives and consulting with archives staff that informed your practice of creating an archive and exhibit as you developed your digital projects?
- What did you find most rewarding about the process of choosing a collection to research and beginning to form your digital exhibit around items you discovered? What were some of stumbling blocks or "pain points" you encountered in the process?
- In what ways did the metadata-creation component of the project affect choices and decisions as you assembled the project?
