Instructors spent on average 18% (SD +/- 20%) of class time here. However, only 56% of instructors covered any STEM content.

Wayne State University

The distribution of first day topics in order of most time spent:
- policies and basic information
- STEM content (content)
- Instructional strategies
- goals and relevance of the course
- instructional technologies
- introduce instructor to the students
- introduce students to each other
- surveys
- tips for success
- other

* All other topics not designated content are non-content

Making a First Impression: Exploring What Instructors Do and Say on the First Day of Introductory STEM Courses - Inductive coding categories

Lane, A. K., Meaders, C. L., Shuman, J. K., Stetzer, M. R., Vinson, E. L., Couch, B. A., Smith, M. K., & Stains, M. (2021). Making a First Impression: Exploring What Instructors Do and Say on the First Day of Introductory STEM Courses. CBE life sciences education, 20(1), ar7. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-05-0098 

Making a First Impression: Exploring What Instructors Do and Say on the First Day of Introductory STEM Courses

As the most prevalent topic for the first day, instructors spent on average 38% (SD +/-20%) of class time here.

Making a First Impression: Exploring What Instructors Do and Say on the First Day of Introductory STEM Courses - Polices and basic course information

Making a First Impression: Exploring What Instructors Do and Say on the First Day of Introductory STEM Courses - STEM Content

Topics that were too niche for the remaining 8 were put in the "other" category:
- Unique instructor-student relationship building
- Academic honesty
- Use of course alumni

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