The transition inherent in a final class period suggests motion: realizing shifts in understanding through the development of new knowledge and skills, moving into the future with this new perspective, and taking those final steps out of the classroom.
I always planned on capitalizing on this feeling with a review that was in some way kinetic or interactive as my final class for Music Research: Methods and Sources. When the Kaneb Center Course Design Academy covered the concept of the gallery walk, I knew that was something I wanted to explore.
The gallery walk was one of many activities covered in our session about interactive learning. The instructor places different materials, resources, or images around a classroom that students may walk between to review, consider, and discuss. Students are given instructions and engage with the material as either individuals or in small groups as they move through the space. At the end of the class time, the students are debriefed on what they saw and learned.
Over the course of the semester, our small Music Research class discussed many different types of resources (e.g., encyclopedia articles, bibliographies, discographies, handbooks, monographs) as well as the research and writing process. For the last class, I placed different library resources around the room with slips of paper surrounding them on the table—all with words and phrases that we had discussed in class.
In this gallery walk, students encountered all new examples of resources that fell into the different categories we had learned about. They were encouraged to pick the item up, examine it, and choose the phrases that corresponded with it based on the resource type.
Separate from the gallery walk, I also had a room for students to work on their final papers and meet with me one-on-one to discuss their progress and any questions they may have about the writing process. In another room, I provided a QR code for students to fill out CIFs and a Google form with an additional opportunity to reflect and give feedback about the course. I spent the time moving between discussions of final papers and the gallery walk.
The gallery walk was a great way to hear from each student individually about what they learned, correct some last-minute misconceptions, and give them a sense of the breadth of material we covered. The movement between the three activities kept the class lively and engaged while providing time to consider and discuss their final assignment, reflect on what was learned, and share their thoughts on the course. It was a great way to end a semester—in motion.
Tiffany Gillaspy is the music librarian at Hesburgh Libraries. She participated in the 2024–25 Kaneb Center Course Design Academy.