Course changes

Continuous improvement is a huge part of WatPD's day-to-day operation, and our courses are no exception. We're always working to ensure our courses remain engaging, relevant, and aligned with employer needs.

We also think it's important to respond to student feedback. When students tell us they're enjoying a certain unit or learning from an assessment, we try to carry their qualities into future development and redevelopment. When we observe common issues or patterns of behaviour in a course, we work with the instructor and course team to address those issues. We want students to know their voices shape our courses and improve future students' experiences.

Click through the expandable boxes below to review recent changes made to our courses:

All courses

Term implemented	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2020	We modified course content and assessments to reflect instability in student employment due to COVID-19.	Some students have been forced to transition to remote work, and others have found it more difficult to find jobs or volunteer experiences. We believe that the skills students learn in their PD courses will be useful in future professional, academic, and workplace settings. With that in mind, we updated course content and assessments where possible to make it easier for students to engage with every part of the course, no matter their employment situation.
Fall 2018	We added résumé bullet points as an additional resource throughout the course.	Students sometimes struggle to articulate their learning in PD courses to potential employers. Adding résumé bullet points gives students a basic set of outcomes and skills gained they can modify to suit their needs.

PD1

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2020	All units	We redeveloped PD1 from the ground up, refreshing the design, content, and assessments.	PD1 was due for an update. In addition to giving the course a new look and feel, a team of experts rewrote the content in conjunction with employer feedback to reflect up-to-date best practices. We also created a new assessment structure for the course.
Spring 2020	Résumé	We replaced the PD1 résumé assignment with multiple assignments that focus on skills and values and writing résumé bullet points.	We received plenty of student feedback regarding the résumé assignment in PD1. Many students felt like the assignment prescribed a certain résumé format that didn't suit the needs of employers in their faculty or field. Replacing the résumé assignment with a series of smaller, more targeted assignments introduces new flexibility for students across faculties, disciplines, and job fields. The new assignments also represent an improvement in terms of pedagogy.
Spring 2020	Interview questions	We changed the format of the interview questions assignment. Students are now asked to select interview questions from a pool and submit video-recorded responses.	Switching to a video format for this assignment makes it more realistic and introduces new flexibility for students. PD1 TAs can now offer better feedback that directly impacts students' approach to answering interview questions.
Fall 2019	Personal pitch	We revised the questions to prompt more reflection and encourage students to consider networking opportunities.	The previous version of this assessment was focused on creating a personal pitch that students could use for chance encounters with employers. We recognized that preparing a pitch in advance wasn't an organic way of preparing for these chance encounters, and opted to reorient the assessment around reflection and critical thinking.
Fall 2019	Cover letter	We revised the questions to include more emphasis on intrinsic and extrinsic values.	We wanted to encourage students to link their values to specific positions of interest. Asking students to identify their values helps them assess whether or not a job posting is "the right fit" for them.
Spring 2019	Interview questions	We added more details to the rubrics to help students understand each level of performance.	Many students didn't understand why their interview question responses weren't satisfying all rubric criteria. Enhancing the criteria helps students succeed on these assessments.
Spring 2019	Cover letter	We revised the wording of Question 4.	The original question suggested that students should simply copy and paste all key qualifications from their chosen job posting. We changed the wording to encourage more reflection and critical thinking.
Winter 2019	Unit 1	We added new information regarding transferable and technical skills.	Some students were confusing transferable and technical skills, which affected their performance on the Unit 1 exercise. Adding new information helps students understand the terms within that exercise.
Winter 2019	Allocating your time quiz	We refined the question description and activity options for greater clarity.	Many students were incorrectly ordering the activities listed in the quiz, so we refined the wording to help them better understand the options.
Winter 2019	Personal pitch, workplace conduct questions, cover letter	We updated question wording to clarify our expectations.	We wanted to better align the questions asked within each exercise with the expectations stated in associated rubrics.
Fall 2018	Navigating PD1 video	We updated the video to reflect changes to LEARN's user interface.	Providing an up-to-date screen capture using the new menus in Daylight will help students navigate their first PD course.
Fall 2018	Unit 2	We added additional content and links to Co-op 2.0 initiatives to the unit.	Co-op 2.0 initiatives can help students find jobs during their first work term. Adding information about GreenHouse co-op, flexible work terms, the co-op research certificate, and jobs restricted to first work term students makes it easier for students to find this information.
Fall 2018	Unit 4	We updated the Tatham Centre interview videos to reflect new processes.	Updating the videos better aligns the course with current processes and gives students the most up-to-date possible information.
Fall 2018	Personal pitch, cover letter	We updated the dropbox instructions.	Students were submitting their personal pitch and cover letter without competing the worksheet, which includes reflective prompts to help create the final product. Adding instructions to the corresponding dropboxes will address this issue.
Fall 2018	Unit 9	We updated the quiz questions to help students choose their next PD electives.	The existing quiz questions wouldn't have been effective now that résumé bullet points have been added to our courses and website. The questions now encourage students to review the suite of PD courses and bullet points, and explain why they'd like to develop the skills taught in our courses.
Spring 2018	Cover letter	Students now answer prompting questions that can be compiled in a cover letter instead of critiquing a cover letter embedded in the content. The activity's gradebook weight and content remained the same.	The original bonus activity didn't help students write a cover letter for their own applications. Many students have asked for an assignment in which their own cover letters are evaluated. The new bonus activity helps students develop their cover letter writing skills while still giving them an opportunity for bonus marks.
Spring 2018	Interview questions	The interview questions now have a Week 3 soft deadline and a new Week 4 hard deadline. The questions are now due right after the mock interview event. All other Unit 1-4 exercises still have a Week 5 hard deadline.	Creating a new deadline solely for the interview questions evens out the schedule and gives students a better chance to pass the course. The interview questions are worth 25%, so it's difficult to pass the course without completing them. Providing a separate deadline means students no longer risk losing out on 37.5% of their grade (interview questions and the Unit 1-4 exercises) at one deadline. The new deadline also allows students who submit by the soft deadline (Week 3) to receive feedback on their interview questions before main round interviews begin.
Spring 2018	Personal pitch	The self-introduction has been replaced by the personal pitch. Students are asked a series of questions and compile their answers into one final pitch. The assignment is worth 15%, a weight comparable to that of the self-introduction.	Changing this assignment gives students a better idea of the pieces that go into creating a strong personal pitch. The guiding questions encourage students to reflect throughout the assignment. The self-introduction was worth 15% but only marked out of four, so even one-mark deductions could have a major impact on students' grades. The new personal pitch assignment is graded out of 12, so students have a better chance at overall success.

PD1 EDGE

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2020	Assignment 10	We revised the rubric to better represent the distinctions between levels.	Revising the rubric improves our marking accuracy and pedagogical alignment with the associated content.
Fall 2019	Unit 4: Part A assessment	We revised the questions to prompt more reflection and encourage students to consider networking opportunities.	The previous version of this assessment was focused on creating a personal pitch that students could use for chance encounters with employers. We recognized that preparing a pitch in advance wasn't an organic way of preparing for these chance encounters, and opted to reorient the assessment around reflection and critical thinking.
Fall 2019	Unit 10 assessment	We revised the questions to include more emphasis on intrinsic and extrinsic values.	We wanted to encourage students to link their values to specific positions of interest. Asking students to identify their values helps them assess whether or not a job posting is "the right fit" for them.
Spring 2019	Unit 10 assessment	We revised the wording of Question 4.	The original question suggested that students should simply copy and paste all key qualifications from their chosen job posting. We changed the wording to encourage more reflection and critical thinking.
Winter 2019	Unit 2: Part B worksheet	We updated the worksheet to include more specific examples of SMART goals.	Some students were struggling to provide enough detail re: their SMART goals, and we want to provide a strong example to more clearly set expectations.
Winter 2019	Unit 4, Unit 7: Part B, Unit 8: Part A, Unit 10 assessments and rubrics	We updated the wording of these assessments and rubrics to clarify expectations.	We wanted to better align the questions asked within each assessment with the expectations stated in associated rubrics.
Fall 2018	Unit 1	We added a link to an online personality assessment.	Students are asked throughout the course whether a job satisfies their personality preferences. Many students haven't had the vocabulary or knowledge to describe their preferences, and encouraging them to complete this assessment will help them with those descriptions.
Fall 2018	Unit 3, Unit 10	We updated worksheets and rubrics to help clarify expectations.	Some students were missing the mark when it came to questions regarding implicit and explicit values. We also updated the cover letter rubric to better inform students of what's needed in an outstanding cover letter.
Spring 2018	Unit 4 activity: Part B and Unit 7 activity: Part B	We updated the discussion board prompts in these activities.	Students reported that they weren't using the discussion board much and rarely read their classmates' responses. We updated the prompts to make them more engaging and helpful for students, in turn encouraging reading and replying.
Spring 2018	Units 4-9	We added new "Competitive EDGE" resources to each unit.	Students expressed an interest in more networking resources, and we added"Competitive EDGE" resources throughout Units 4-9 to meet this need.
Spring 2018	Unit 6	We edited the assignment to include more context about its purpose and relevance in the real world.	Students didn't feel comfortable recording themselves as part of the interview questions activity. We added a explanation of why practicing out loud is beneficial, and why recording yourself is a helpful strategy when preparing for interviews.

PD3

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Winter 2020	Unit 10 assessment	We wrote a new assessment for the unit. While the new assessment uses many of the same reflective prompts as the old assessment, it no longer consists of a series of open-ended DEAL reflections.	The Unit 10 assessment is a good opportunity for students to reflect on the term and their communication skills, and to set tangible goals for improving their communication in the future. We wrote the new assessment with that opportunity in mind, and it will help students write substantive and meaningful reflections on their work terms and communication skills.
Fall 2019	Unit 8 quiz	We updated the case study scenario in the Mr. Vladek quiz, and wrote new questions to align with the updates.	The scenario we were previously using was due for a refresh, and the new scenario and questions better achieve the unit's learning outcomes. We also included a reflective question to help students make more meaningful connections between the Unit 8 content and their own communication strengths and weaknesses.
Fall 2019	All units	We removed the soft/hard deadline system from the course and replaced it with the late days system found in many other PD courses. Instead of having multiple assignments due by the same hard deadlines, students now have three late days to use at their leisure.	We wanted to give students more flexibility as they work through the course, and the late days system allows them to introduce wiggle room when and where they need it. Students have also asked for grades to be released earlier for some assignments, and moving to a late day system allows us to speed up those grade releases.
Winter 2019	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. Adding course notes gives students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Fall 2018	Unit 2 assessment	We edited the assessment description and rubric to include more detail and greater clarity.	Students were having trouble incorporating course material in their submissions. Editing the assessment will help students be successful.
Fall 2018	Unit 6 assessment	We edited the assessment rubric to include more detail re: grading and feedback.	Adding more detail to the rubric will help students understand how their assessments are being graded and clarify their feedback.
Fall 2018	All units	Students who submit their assessments by the soft deadlines will receive their grades and feedback earlier.	Some students felt like they had to wait too long to receive their grades and feedback when meeting the soft deadlines. Releasing grades and feedback earlier will satisfy these students and allow them to incorporate their feedback into future assessments.
Fall 2017	Unit 4	We refined the simulation by adding rewritten outcomes, revised instructions, an adjusted point-of-view, and new GIFs.	Adding new functionality and editing the simulation makes the Unit 4 assessment more authentic and satisfying.
Spring 2017	Unit 4	We added new technology to the assessment. Students now use DecisionSim to work through a simulation instead of analyzing short videos and text-based scenarios.	Replacing videos and text with a simulation makes the Unit 4 assessment more authentic. The simulation also covers content from multiple units. Students have expressed an interest in fewer deadlines and greater flexibility, and the simulation helps achieve those goals.
Spring 2017	Unit 9 assessment	We added new questions re: normalizing inclusive practices in the workplace to the quiz.	Inclusivity is an important workplace communication topic, and we needed to update the quiz to emphasize the subject's importance. Students appreciate choice in their learning, so we designed the question to allow students to choose the aspect of inclusivity they want to write about.
Spring 2017	How-to guides	We added how-to guides throughout the course. The guides are designed to serve as a succinct, just-in-time reference for students who need more information.	Students expressed an interest in greater flexibility and agency. The how-to guides allow them to personalize their learning and limit their time searching for information. The guides are also available in multiple formats to accommodate different learning preferences.

PD4

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2018	Commonplace book quizzes	Students can now use late days on all assessments, including the commonplace book quizzes.	Students often assumed they were able to use their late days on all assessments. While the commonplace book quizzes weren't originally included, students can now use their late days on all assessments. This limits confusion around late days and allows for greater flexibility.

PD5

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Winter 2019	All assessment rubrics	We updated all rubrics to ensure the feedback prompts were accurate at each level of performance.	Students have noticed that some feedback prompts don't align with their associated levels of performance. Updating the prompts helps students understand their strengths and areas of improvement in their assessments.
Winter 2019	Units 3-4, 6-7, 9 assessments	We edited various questions throughout the listed assessments.	Refining questions encourages students to make connections between their responses and the course content. Adding more details helps students engage in meaningful reflection.
Fall 2018	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. Adding course notes gives students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Fall 2018	Unit 6 assessment	We added details to the "key tasks" section of the assignment template for better alignment with the case study.	Students appreciate having clear examples to guide them toward success on assignments. Adding more detailed key tasks helps students understand the expected quality of their work.
Winter 2018	Units 3-4, 6-7, 9 assessment rubrics	We refined rubrics in each of the units listed.	Improving the assessment rubrics ensures students are familiar with the benchmarks defining strong submissions. We also made sure the rubrics aligned with the new PD5 case study. Clarifying rubrics also helps course operation by increasing part-time marker consistency.
Fall 2017	Units 2-6, 9-10	We swapped a new case study focused on information technology (IT) systems into the course.	The new case study replaces a case study focused on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Many students reported that the old case study's international element made it more difficult to connect it to their work completing projects in a North American context. Replacing the case study with an IT-centric scenario makes the course content more authentic.

PD6

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Fall 2019	Assignment 1	We updated the assignment template.	The updated template contains much clearer instructions, which helps students better understand what we're asking in each question.
Fall 2019	Assignment 2	We edited some questions and removed other questions from the assignment.	We wanted to address some redundancies in the assignment and clarify the expectations associated with each question.
Fall 2018	All units	We adjusted the course's look and feel by creating a new infographic depicting the whole course, new unit banners, and unit pages redesigned around scrolling rather than clicking.	Students have told us that seeing a path through the course from beginning to end (in an infographic) helps them understand the big picture. Adding the infographic and using it as the basis for new unit banners reinforces that bigger picture for students. Scrolling unit pages are becoming standard in e-learning, with users reporting that scrolling (vs. clicking) works better on mobile devices.
Fall 2018	All units	We reduced the number of assignments from eight to six. Some assignments now address learning outcomes from multiple units.	Students are busy, especially at the beginning of the term. We removed deadlines from the first two weeks of the term to recognize that hectic period, and we added more flexibility so students can work through the course at a wider variety of paces.
Fall 2018	All units	We revised lectures to make the connection between problem-solving skills and employability more explicit. We added new lectures featuring the instructors to Units 1 and 10, and we added a supplemental video to Unit 2.	Students need to know the answer to the question, "Why do I need to learn this?" Making the connection to employability clearer answers this question. Students also appreciate an instructor presence in their courses, so we made sure the course's instructors were visible at its beginning and end.
Fall 2018	Units 1, 5-6, 9	We added interactive, ungraded practice activities to the listed units.	Students appreciate interactivity in PD courses. Adding interactivity to the course through practice activities helps students develop comfort with the course material before submitting an assignment for grades.
Fall 2018	All units	We added new and updated TED Talks throughout the course. We also added complementary thinking questions and summaries to some TED Talks.	Past PD6 students have left positive feedback on the TED Talks in the course, and updating the talks ensures they're still fresh and informative.
Fall 2018	Units 2, 5, 10	We added new videos featuring reflection from students and campus partners to the listed units.	Asking co-op and EDGE students, entrepreneurs, and professors to share their problem-solving experiences helps student make connections between the course content and their own experiences.
Fall 2018	Unit 2	We added an interactive convergent-divergent problem-solving questionnaire to the unit, replacing a LEARN quiz.	The LEARN quiz previously used for this activity wasn't very user-friendly. The new questionnaire is more interactive and tabulates students' results for them, making for a better learning experience.
Fall 2018	Units 3-4, 6, 9	We added demonstrations of course concepts to the listed units.	It's not always easy to imagine applying PD course concepts to the "real world." Adding demonstrations makes it easier for students to do so.
Fall 2018	All units	We added additional resources throughout the course.	Students enjoy additional resources because they expand on the content but don't represent additional work. Adding new resources keeps this optional content engaging and relevant.
Fall 2018	All units	We added downloadable DOCX templates for each assignment.	Providing downloadable templates makes it easier for students to get right into completing assignments (rather than figuring out expectations and formatting).
Fall 2018	Unit 1	We added new content re: framing problem-solving skills using the "dragon-slaying" method.	Students need to know the answer to the question, "Why do I need to learn this?" Showing them how their problem-solving skills and experiences can be applied to job searches answers this question.
Fall 2018	Unit 5	We added more creative problem-solving models (including Waterloo student examples).	Students have expressed an interest in learning more about creative problem solving.
Fall 2018	Unit 7	We added new content re: reflective practice and the benefits of failure.	The benefits of failure are a popular concept right now, so we wanted to emphasize this topic and equip students with the skills they need to bounce back from failure.
Fall 2018	Unit 8	We added a new simulation re: overcoming barriers.	Students appreciate interactivity in PD courses, and simulations are a great way to inhabit someone else's perspective by making choices and reflecting upon them.
Fall 2018	Unit 9	We updated and expanded context statements and content re: communication and problem solving.	We updated this content to align with new materials from the Conflict Management and Human Rights office on campus.
Fall 2018	All units	We adjusted practice problems throughout the course.	Students appreciate having options in their assignments and the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences.

PD7

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Fall 2019	Assignment 1	We updated all three articles students analyze in Assignment 1.	We wanted to provide more recent examples of conflicts; all three new articles are less than 12 months old. We also tried to choose articles that are particularly relevant to university students, because previous students have had difficulty connecting their work in Assignment 1 to their personal experiences.
Spring 2019	Assignment 1	We made some small changes to the wording of question 6. We also added some details to the assignment rubric.	We wanted to make the question clearer for students, and to provide more clarity about how the question is being graded.
Spring 2019	Assignment 2	We converted this assignment from a dropbox-based submission to a quiz. As part of that conversion, we also added feedback to support answers in the quiz and a rubric for the short answer questions.	Students appreciate a variety of assessment styles. All assignments in PD7 were previously submitted through dropboxes, so converting this one to a quiz mixes things up. Students will receive feedback on their responses to all multiple choice questions, and they can reference the rubric to understand how their short answer questions were graded.
Spring 2019	Assignment 4	We made some small changes to the wording of the table used in question 3.	Students were having difficulty distinguishing between intent-action and effect for the two different sides. Changing the wording will make the difference easier to understand.
Fall 2018	Assignments 2, 4	We edited various questions throughout the listed assignments.	Students were having trouble answering some questions throughout these assignments, earning lower marks than expected and reaching out to the course team for help. Refining these questions will help clarify them and improve student understanding.
Spring 2018	Unit 2 assessment	We swapped new articles covering recent events into the assessment.	The articles students were asked to analyze as part of the assessment had become dated. Replacing the articles with more recent ones makes the assessment more relevant and engaging.
Spring 2018	Unit 5 assessment, Unit 10 assessment	We adjusted the gradebook weighting of these assessments.	Students have commented on the large amount of time it takes to complete the Unit 10 Assessment compared to other assessments in PD7. This assessment is supposed to help students consolidate their learning throughout the course, and we increased its weight to reflect its importance.
Fall 2017	Unit 8 assessment	We added new sample dialogue to the assessment.	Students completing this assessment are asked to provide a dialogue between two parties involved in a conflict. Students have reported that looking at sample dialogues helps clarify the assessment's structure and expectations. We added new sample dialogue to help students understand the assessment and guide their work.

PD8

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2019	Bonus assessment	We revised the wording of Question 3 and added a supplementary resource.	Some students were struggling to highlight specific examples of microaggression in their workplaces. Adding more prompts encourages students to personally reflect on situations and thoroughly describe their thoughts to the reader.
Winter 2019	All assessments	We revised the wording of various questions throughout all assessments.	Some students were having trouble linking their reflection to the course content, simulations, and personal experiences. Changing questions helps students understand the expected breadth and depth of their responses.
Winter 2019	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. Adding course notes gives students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Spring 2018	Unit 3	We added a note of clarification re: the word "privacy" in the Chinese language. We also added additional articles re: the evolving nature of cultural attitudes.	Students provided us with an alternative viewpoint re: the Cultural Café video stating there's no word for "privacy" in the Chinese language. We added a note of clarification to acknowledge that the notion of privacy in China is currently in flux.
Spring 2018	Unit 9	We added new resources re: workplace wellness and self-care around the world.	Workplace and personal wellbeing is an increasingly popular topic, and adding new articles on this topic to the course helps keep its content fresh and engaging.
Winter 2018	Unit 6	We added the Michael Moore documentary Where to Invade Next to the lecture content.	Previous offerings of the course didn't include a Unit 6 assessment or formal learning material. Including Moore's documentary encourages students to develop their understanding of cultural values and attitudes from multiple perspectives.
Winter 2018	Unit 8 assessment	We added new technology to the assessment. Students now use DecisionSim to work through cross-cultural situations in a workplace instead of analyzing short videos.	Students have expressed an interest in more interactive content in PD8. The Unit 8 assessment was a good fit for a simulation because of the unit's focus on cross-cultural teamwork and relationships.
Winter 2018	Unit 9 assessment	We created a new assessment that revisits learning from an earlier unit using segments from a Michael Moore documentary and a TEDxTokyo talk on work-life balance.	Students have expressed interest in more flexibility with respect to assessments. Because there's no assessment in Unit 6, offering this new assessment gives students an opportunity to build upon their understanding of cultural attitudes towards work from the perspective articulated in Unit 9.
Winter 2018	Unit 10 assessment	We revised the final assessment to include more guided reflection and opportunities for students to make multi-level connections (i.e. to the course, to themselves, and to others).	Reshaping the final assessment to include multiple points of reflection helps students consolidate their learning. The revised assessment helps students grasp course concepts in a more meaningful way.
Winter 2018	Bonus assessment	We created a new assessment focused on microaggressions and their presence in the workplace instead of reinforcing other concepts covered in the course.	Students have identified microaggressions as a topic they'd like to explore in past end-of-course surveys. The new bonus assessment challenges students to engage with a difficult, important topic, deepening their understanding of intercultural skills.

PD9

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Fall 2019	Assignments 1, 3	We updated the assignment templates with clearer instructions and new prompting questions.	We wanted to encourage students to reflect more thoughtfully on the questions being asked.
Fall 2019	Assignment 6	We created an assignment template.	Adding an assignment template makes it easier for students to follow the assignment instructions and organize their responses.
Fall 2018	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. We added course notes to give students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Fall 2018	Assignments 4-6	We edited various questions throughout the listed assignments.	Students were having trouble answering some questions throughout these assignments, earning lower marks than expected and reaching out to the course team for help. We refined these questions to clarify them and improve student understanding.

PD10

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2020	Assignment 3	We replaced the Turnitin and Snapchat end user license agreements (EULAs) with more relevant EULAs for Netflix and YouTube.	We'd been using the existing EULAs within this assignment for several years and they were due for a refresh. The articles chosen as replacements are commonly used services, so they might seem even more relevant to students.
Spring 2020	Assignment 4	We transitioned this assignment from a discussion forum to a dropbox-based assessment. Students are also now permitted to use late days for this assignment.	We observed that students weren't replying to other students' posts or doing much discussing in the discussion forum, so we decided to adopt an alternate format.
Winter 2020	Assignment 1	We converted the assignment's fill-in-the-blank questions into multiple-choice questions.	Some responses to fill-in-the-blank questions were causing issues with LEARN's assessment tool, so we decided to change their format entirely. Students respond more quickly to multiple-choices questions, and they're simpler to manage.
Winter 2020	Assignment 4	Assignment 4 now asks students to think of a safety-critical software product that has a direct impact on their life. If students can't think of an existing product, they can come up with one on their own.	We wanted to help students improve their skills as reflective learners. This assignment now gives students an opportunity to personally reflect on products that are important to them.
Winter 2020	Assignment 5	We added a new warranty to part 1 and added two new articles to part 2.	We periodically update the warranties and articles in the assignment to ensure they address popular software products.
Fall 2019	Assignment 1	We removed part 4 of question 1, and replaced question 2 with an auto-graded quiz.	Students reported a high assessment workload in past end-of-course surveys. Changing these questions reduced student workload while still meeting the course's learning objectives.
Fall 2019	Assignment 3	We reformatted part 1 of the assignment as an auto-graded quiz with multiple-select questions.	We simplified this assessment so students were no longer required to highlight sections of a document.
Fall 2019	Assignment 5	We reformatted part 2 of the assignment as an auto-graded quiz with multiple-select questions.	We simplified this assessment so students were no longer required to highlight sections of a document.
Fall 2019	Assignment 6	We removed question 3 to increase clarity.	We determined that this questions wasn't effectively measuring students' knowledge of privacy laws. This change also helps to reduce the overall assessment workload for students.
Winter 2019	Unit 5	We changed the wording of a thought question embedded in the course content. We also added an exact formula displayed when students choose to reveal the answer.	Changing the wording and adding a formula makes the math supporting the thought question clearer.
Winter 2019	Assignment 4	We clarified the wording of a question within the assignment.	Students were having trouble identifying both the risks and the benefits of putting a faulty software product to market. Clarifying the wording helps students write more thorough answers.
Winter 2019	Assignment 6	We modified some point weightings within the assignment's rubric.	The modified rubric better reflects what students are asked to do as part of the assignment.
Fall 2018	All units	We added new news articles to each unit.	We try to keep the news articles featured in the course current so students can more readily connect their course work to the world around them.
Fall 2018	Assignment 2	We added a sentence to the assignment's second question.	Students haven't been supporting their answers with elements of fair dealing and/or users' rights. Adding a sentence to the question will increase the clarity of what's being asked.
Fall 2018	Assignment 4	We added an instruction to the assignment.	Students haven't been explaining why their chosen products are safety-critical. Adding this instruction to the assignment will help students properly answer the question.
Fall 2018	Assignment 6	We redesigned the assignment to align with GDPR, the European Union's new data privacy laws. We added a question, revised the rubric, and added an article to help students understand the goals of GDPR.	We want to keep the course as current as possible. GDPR is a major milestone in the world of data privacy, and it should be incorporated into the course in some form.
Spring 2018	Assignment 1	We edited the assignment instructions to direct students to the definition of "course of employment."	Students have had some trouble understanding the definition of "course of employment" as used by CCA. Editing the instructions to include a link to its definition will clarify its meaning.
Spring 2018	Assignment 2	We edited the assignment instructions to ask students to evaluate potential copyright infringement using fair dealing, users' rights, and moral rights.	The edited version of the instructions more accurately represents the learning outcome of the question about infringement, and the importance of the question is more clear to students.
Spring 2018	Assignment 3 practice quiz	We converted the practice quiz from a short answer-based quiz to a multiple-select-based quiz.	The new version of the practice quiz more closely mirrors the graded quiz. Encouraging students to complete the practice quiz is more meaningful now that they're more closely linked.
Spring 2018	Assignment 4	We added a sentence encouraging students to think about multiple kinds of risks to the instructions.	Students haven't been thoroughly considering both hardware and software risks. Adding a clarifying sentence helps them understand expectations and guide their thinking.
Spring 2018	Assignment 6	We created a new assignment template and modified the assignment overview and submission instructions to include a new rubric.	Including a new template and rubric helps students understand the expectations and structure of the assignment. Students can focus on completing the assignment instead of coming up with their own organizational structure.
Spring 2018	Assignment 7	We added some context regarding the meaning of "equally qualified candidates."	Adding context to the assignment helps students understand what the question is asking.

PD11

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2020	Final draft deadline	We pushed the final deadline back by two days and moved the late deadline back by an additional business day.	We noticed that students could benefit from more time to review their second draft feedback and pose questions to the TAs, so we extended the deadline.
Spring 2020	APA style online resource	We adopted a new online resource on APA style and will promote it through course content, announcements, and assignment feedback.	We identified a more robust resource to support students with APA 7th edition citation and referencing format. This resource is also being promoted by the Library.
Spring 2020	Unit 4 weekly writing assignment	We added a new supplementary resource called "What do I write about?" The resource is an infographics with tips on brainstorming a work report topic.	We noticed that students were sometimes struggling to define a problem that would fit in a work term report. We built the infographic to address common challenges and included a "do this, not that" list of topic themes.
Winter 2020	First draft of work term report	We added a bonus grade of 5% to the submission of the first draft. Students will be awarded 5% if they submit their first draft before the peer review deadline.	Because the work report writing process is iterative in nature, we wanted to encourage more students to submit a first draft by adding a small amount of bonus marks. This change will have the added effect of helping students gain valuable feedback from their colleagues through the peer review process.
Fall 2019	Weekly writing assignments	We added a new section to each assignment description, connecting the weekly writing assignments to the final work term report.	We wanted to make it easier for students to understand how these early course assignments help them work toward writing their work term report.
Winter 2019	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. We added course notes to give students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Winter 2019	Unit 2 weekly writing assignment	We refined the assignment wording by using the word "paraphrasing" instead of "revising." We also added examples of paraphrasing to the instructions.	Students have consistently struggled with citing and paraphrasing appropriately. Adding examples of quality paraphrasing and making the instructions clearer will help them understand what paraphrasing entails.
Winter 2019	Peer review	We added specific criteria under each level in the rubric to outline the expectations for each category.	Adding specific criteria helps students understand the expectations associated with the peer review.
Winter 2019	Peer review	We moved the instructions from the peer review template to the assignment page. We also refined wording within the instructions for greater clarity.	Students were missing some aspects of the assignment. Moving the instructions to the assignment page aligns with the design of other PD courses and reduces student confusion.
Winter 2019	All assignments	We added a "resources you will need" prompt, encouraging students to use the resources made available to them through the course.	Students often make errors that they could easily avoid by consulting course resources. Adding a reminder to use these resources cuts down on these simple errors.
Fall 2018	Second and final drafts	We added new text to the second draft and final draft report rubrics.	Students gave us feedback about our marking consistency. Clearly indicating our expectations for students in these iterative assignments will resolve this feedback.
Spring 2018	Unit 2 weekly writing assignment	We added context to the instructions re: consulting the Waterloo Writing Works (WWW) module on citation and effective paraphrasing.	Students have struggled with proper citation in this assignment and future assignments. Making the need to visit the WWW citation module more explicit will help students be successful on this assignment and in their reports.
Spring 2018	Peer review	We adjusted the weighting of the section where students ask the writer three good questions. The section is now worth six marks instead of three.	This section's new weighting more accurately reflects its value as part of the peer review process. It also reflects the amount of time students spend coming up with questions to ask.

PD12

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Winter 2020	Unit 2 worksheet	We updated the worksheet to increase its interactivity. This worksheet is now similar to the Unit 6 worksheet, so students can benefit from consistency across these units.	The updated worksheet helps students craft stronger SMART goals for the Unit 2 assessment.
Winter 2020	Unit 9 worksheet	We replaced the existing list of aspects of organizational culture with an interactive worksheet that prepares students to write a full DEAL reflection on organizational cultures.	Students have struggled with their Unit 9 reflection on organizational cultures in the past. Adding this worksheet will help them organize their thoughts and concisely compare two organizational cultures.
Fall 2019	Unit 6 worksheet	We updated the worksheet to increase its interactivity and include more guiding questions.	Adding interactive components makes the worksheet more engaging, and the new guiding questions will help students perform well on the Unit 6 assessment.
Fall 2019	All units	We updated the bonus content in each unit's Level Up section.	Relevant, interesting articles and videos are made available every day, so we updated the bonus content to make sure it reflects the most recent and engaging material possible.
Spring 2019	Unit 9 assessment	We adjusted the assignment description and rubric to clarify what students need to write about in their reflection. We also increased the word count. Because the reflection is now longer and takes more time to complete, we increased the weight of the assessment; it's now worth 10% of the overall grade.	Many students were struggling to write a substantial reflection within the old word count restrictions. The prompts in the assignment description were somewhat confusing, so we simplified them and updated the rubric to match.
Spring 2019	Unit 10 and bonus assessment	We removed the Unit 10 assessment and redistributed its weight across other assessments in the course. The old Unit 10 assessment is now an optional bonus assessment worth an extra 5%.	Students were telling us that they needed more time to write their final Major Reflective Report. Removing the mandatory Unit 10 assessment gives students an extra week to focus on their reports. PD12 didn't previously have a bonus assessment, so students now have another chance to increase their overall grade.
Winter 2019	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. Adding course notes gives students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Fall 2018	Massive metacognition game (MMG)	We improved the MMG with a number of small changes to the playing time and scoring system. We also edited some wording for clarity.	Students have provided plenty of feedback on the MMG through an optional survey. This series of changes to the MMG will make the game more engaging for students and reflect its purpose within PD12.
Winter 2018	Unit 4	We added a document showcasing an exemplary email accepting a workplace task to the content.	Adding the new document to this unit gives students an opportunity to "level up" and understand how to apply their learning to the workplace. It also helps them perform better on the Unit 4 assessment, which asks students to write an email of their own.

PD13

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2020	Assignment 2	We added links to Canva and Piktochart, pieces of software students can use to create their infographics.	Students weren't sure how to create their infographics, so we provided links to two commonly-used online tools. Students can use either tool to build their infographic.
Spring 2020	Assignment 2	We added an explanation at the beginning of the instructions to better link the assignment to course content.	Students didn't understand why they were creating an infographic and how it was linked to interdisciplinary research, so we added some text to clarify the connection.
Spring 2020	Assignment 3	We added a link to an online database of retracted articles.	Students have told us that it's not easy to find retracted articles in some subjects. We identified an online database that'll make it easier to find relevant retracted articles.
Spring 2020	Unit 9	We added a link to an online listing of predatory journals and publishers.	Some students have expressed their interest in tangible resources to help them in their research work. We added this link to help students evaluate their research sources.
Fall 2019	Assignment 2	We added two resource sheets related to open access research and translating complex ideas, respectively.	Students in technical fields were sometimes having difficulty distilling their complex ideas for a non-specialist audience, and other students were asking about where to find open access research. We added these resource sheets to address these concerns.
Spring 2019	All assignments	We reviewed and edited the assignment descriptions, questions, and rubrics for greater clarity.	After offering PD13 to students for the first time, we found that some students were missing the mark when it came to answering assignment questions. We added additional details to the assignment description pages and more specific guidance to rubrics where students were experiencing issues.
Spring 2019	Unit 3	We added an Environment student video to showcase a greater variety of faculty research.	We noticed that the course was lacking Environment student perspectives on research. We filmed an interview with a Planning alumnus to showcase her research experience.
Spring 2019	Assignment 3	We added information about how to find journal articles.	Some students reached out to us with questions about how to find journal articles in their field. We added some information and links to help students locate relevant articles.
Spring 2019	Bonus assignment	We created a bonus assignment.	Many PD courses contain bonus assignments that give students an opportunity to increase their grade and deepen their knowledge. The PD13 bonus assignment encourages students to think more about the research process in their field of interest.

PD20

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2019	Course syllabus quiz	We removed the course syllabus quiz from the course.	We decided that asking students to complete this quiz to unlock the content in PD20 was unnecessary.
Spring 2019	Unit 3 and Unit 4 quizzes	We combined the Unit 3 and Unit 4 quizzes into a single quiz. In doing so, we reduced the number of overall questions students have to complete.	PD20 used to contain five minor quizzes with a wide range of relative weights. In two cases, we determined the weighting wasn't consistent with the amount of writing required for individual quizzes. Combining these two quizzes creates a stronger correlation between assessment weighting and student effort.
Winter 2019	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. Adding course notes gives students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Fall 2018	Unit 9 quiz	We revised the instructions, some questions, and some descriptions.	We made minor changes to help students understand expectations and answer quiz questions more successfully.
Fall 2018	Bonus quiz	We revised some question wording.	Students weren't fully answering the question being posed, and changing the wording will help them be more successful.
Spring 2018	Unit 9 quiz	We turned some short answer-style questions into multiple-select questions.	Unit 9 focuses on the differences between public and personal morality. The new multiple-select questions still give students an opportunity to interpret complex situations and make ethical judgments, but they take less time to complete and mark. This frees up students' time for other topics and resources for deployment elsewhere in PD20.

PD21

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Spring 2019	Unit 2 assessment	We updated the case 2C title and case description.	The role of Kangaroo Design in the case, and the specific product design they were working on, was unclear.
Spring 2019	Unit 5 assessment	We clarified the wording of the assessment template and updated the related instructions. We also added information to help students access library resources from off-campus.	We wanted to make it easier for students to understand what they have to do, and how to determine whether or not a submitted image contains all the required information. We also wanted to help students who've had difficulty accessing the library resources.
Spring 2019	All units	Students are now asked to cite and reference using the IEEE citation format.	Engineering course instructors often require students to use IEEE in their classes, so it makes sense to align PD21 with the faculty's practice. The change to another common citation format is also consistent with PD21's greater diversity of students and case topics.
Winter 2019	Units 5, 8	We corrected minor typos in both units.	We regularly fix small errors in our courses as part of ongoing quality checks.
Winter 2019	Unit 7 assessment	We clarified the wording of the third point in case 7C.	We wanted to make it easier for students to understand the purpose of the over-current protection system and answer the corresponding questions.
Winter 2019	Unit 10 assessment, option 1	We clarified the wording of the problem statement provided as part of the assessment description.	We wanted to make it easier for students to understand how the bracelet components within the system will be used by customers. This change also helps students understand how to answer questions within the assessment.
Winter 2019	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. Adding course notes gives students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Fall 2018	Unit 6 assessment	We added a third case study to the assessment.	The existing case studies suited students in traditional Engineering programs like Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Adding a new case study about designing an app for investment management better serves students in disciplines like Software and Management Engineering.
Fall 2018	Unit 9 assessment	We revised the wording of the third question.	Students were confused about how much of a quotation they were supposed to write.
Spring 2018	Unit 7 assessment	We adjusted the weighting of various sections of the assessment. Students now receive fewer points (0.5 instead of 1.5) for filling in the first row of a decision matrix and more points (2 instead of 1) for ranking design options and justifying their decisions.	Students weren't given design options when the redeveloped version of PD21 launched in 2016. As the course has evolved, it's become clear that students should be able to rank design options compared to a datum and explain their thought process. Changing some weighting in the assessment encourages this behaviour.
Spring 2018	Unit 8 assessment	We adjusted the weighting of various sections of the assessments. Students now receive fewer points (1 instead of 2) for filling in the first row of a work breakdown structure and more points (4 instead of 3) for adding the subtasks underpinning major tasks.	Students weren't given major tasks when the redeveloped version of PD21 launched in 2016. As the course has evolved, it's become clear that students should be able to identify and assign subtasks to team members based on each member's skill set. We changed some weighting in the assessment to encourage students to think about these skills and write appropriate comments.

PD22

Term implemented	Unit/assessment affected	Summary of changes	Why are we making the changes?
Fall 2019	All assessments	We reduced the overall number of questions asked during the first six assessments. We also revised the relative gradebook weighting of each assessment affected.	Student workload in PD courses is an important consideration for us. Students were reporting in end-of-course surveys that PD22 assessments took longer than average to complete, so we tried to address that discrepancy with these changes.
Fall 2019	All units	The Unit 2-4 lessons were restructured and updated to align with the course's new assessments.	The previous versions of the lessons included content that wasn't assessed, and in some cases, the lesson content didn't thoroughly cover the learning objectives set out for each unit. Updating the units better addresses those objectives. In addition, the Unit 4 lessons associated with the case students now directly link and tie back to topics covered in Units 2 and 3.
Fall 2019	Unit 4 case studies	We added two interactive simulations corresponding to each of the Unit 4 issues, for a total of eight new simulations. Students can work through one or both of the simulations before studying the lessons for each issue. Like choose-your-own-adventure stories, students can choose how to navigate an ethical situation and decide on the appropriate courses of action.	In earlier versions of PD22, students would study a lesson on a given issue, then select one of two assessment templates which included questions related to a built-in case study. Students didn't have to think about any ethical situations while studying the issue topics. Asking students to work through these new simulations first better sets the stage for lesson content about regulations, resources, and processes associated with particular workplace issues and situations.
Fall 2019	Unit 5	We added a new lesson introducing the benefits of using reflection to enhance workplace and academic learning. We also added a new assessment, which requires reflective writing and encourages personal growth and professional development (i.e. life-long learning).	We want to help students realize that they won't be able to count on future employers to invest in their professional development or support their career growth. More importantly, every student can benefit from having a plan that integrates their academic learning with experience gained during their work terms. This new unit encourages students to engage in reflective thinking and commit, in writing, to what they want to achieve during a subsequent term.
Spring 2019	Unit 4 case studies	We added information to the two Issue 3 templates to help students decide upon whom they should base their Capstone Essay, should they choose to write it about a conflict of interest case.	In other issues, the possible courses of action and associated ethical dilemmas are discussed in the case descriptions. In Issue 3, it wasn't obvious to all students that the possible resolutions — you either disclose a conflict, or you don't — are exactly that straightforward. Adding information helps students identify an action and include appropriate supporting information.
Spring 2019	All units	We verified and updated the links to resources in several units.	It's important that we link students to the most relevant resources currently available, so we review the resources in each course every few years.
Winter 2019	All units	We revamped the grade breakdown and course schedule, changes which affect the entirety of students' path through the course. In the old version of PD22, the Unit 2 assessment (25%) was due in Week 2. The Unit 3 assessment (10%) was due two weeks later and followed by four case studies (7.5% each). Finally, the capstone essay (35%) was due in Week 10. There was no bonus assessment. In the new version of the course, the Unit 2 assessment is now a bonus assessment (10%) and is due in Week 11. The first assessment is now the Unit 3 assessment (10%), which is still due in Week 3. The first case study is due two weeks later, and each of the four case studies is now worth 15%. The capstone essay is still due in Week 10, but the weighting has been changed to 30%.	This is a complex set of changes, and taken together they represent an effort to better align PD22 with students' needs and reduce their stress. The old version of PD22 sometimes created stress for students or required more work than other PD courses, and these changes help to address those issues. Unit 2 is an introduction to professional practice, which most Engineering programs cover through their concepts courses. It's no longer considered core content within PD22. The old version of the course started with a 25% assignment two weeks into the work term. If a student was busy at the start of the term, missing the first assignment left them in a huge hole. Starting the course with a 10% assignment in the third week is more reasonable given the demands placed on students. The breadth and depth of the instructions and answers expected from students in case studies has increased over the past year. Because case studies are more robust, it makes sense to increase their weight to 15%. Finally, adding a bonus assignment gives students a chance to work for additional marks if they missed an assignment earlier in the course or want to improve their performance.
Winter 2019	All units	We added course notes as an additional resource throughout the course.	It isn't always easy to remember concepts from a previous unit that might be useful for an assignment. Adding course notes gives students a new resource they can use for assignment preparation and course review. Students can also download course notes for use after finishing their PD course.
Fall 2018	All units	We updated the appearance of units in the Table of Contents.	It wasn't obvious where to access Unit 1 content because students had to follow a different navigation sequence than with other units. Changing the navigation will make it easier for students to move through the course.
Fall 2018	Unit 1	We updated a paragraph giving students different instructions regarding their capstone essays.	It's difficult for students to write their capstone essays about whistleblowing issues because the cases in the course are relatively black-and-white situations. Students are now advised to write their essays about other kinds of issues.
Spring 2018	Unit 2 assessment	We removed one question from the assessment and significantly modified 12 other questions. Changes include the addition of relevant hints, rewording confusing questions, removing underperforming options from pooled questions, and removing questions that didn't strongly relate to the three lessons within Unit 2. As an example, questions were considered "underperforming" if students earned an average grade of 50% compared to a 75% average for other questions in the same pool. We also added instructions referencing specific sections of the Professional Engineers Act where relevant.	Students who take PD22 haven't studied professionalism and ethics in an engineering context before, and they may be encountering much of the vocabulary within PD22 for the first time. It's easy for students to form incomplete notions or get tripped up on definitions while studying a lesson. Adjusting the questions in this assessment based on performance ensures students aren't being treated unfairly at an early point in the course.

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