Dig Deeper: Non-Disposable vs. Disposable
Non-Disposable vs. Disposable
Activities that ask students to create content outside of the LMS are often referred to as "non-disposable" assignments. Non-disposable means that the student work has a life beyond the end of class (Pacansky-Brock, 2017, p. 149). They are typically assignments that leverage digital technologies to support sharing with wider audiences (producing and disseminating knowledge), and have an impact on a student’s immediate environment. We've seen many examples of non-disposable activities in our exploration of participatory learning tools. Additional common examples include student-created YouTube videos, or having students edit Wikipedia articles.
This is contrasted with "disposable" assignments, or work that students submit to their instructor, but which are never seen outside of the classroom or LMS - they are disposed of (filed away, archived, or even thrown away).
One key point here is that the non-disposable activity should actually take place in an authentic environment - it is not enough to simulate real-world scenarios. "Pseudotransactionality" - the practice of having students pretend to write a letter to an employer, a newspaper article, or a tweet - is a real process, but with an artificial end. Students know this, so they tend not to work that hard at it, potentially viewing it as a waste of time.
The Benefits of Non-Disposable Assignments
Proponents and practitioners of non-disposable assignments make a compelling argument about the value of this approach, indicating that it:
- Increases student motivation
- Increases student sense of pride
- Increases student learning
- Increases accountability and helps to eliminate cheating
- Has relevance for future professional work
- Has the potential to add value to the world
- Promotes digital citizenship, digital literacy, and meaningful and civil public debate
More Sources
- Pacansky-Brock, M. (2017). Best practices for teaching with emerging technologies (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
- "What happens to a student’s motivation when their work has an impact beyond the classroom?" Links to an external site. by Will Kent Links to an external site., Wiki Education Links to an external site. is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 Links to an external site.
- "Engaging engineering students in the humanities" Links to an external site. by Kathleen Sheppard, Wiki Education Links to an external site. is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 Links to an external site.