Abstract:

The first lesson of a course is of particular importance in defining the success of the course itself, in shaping students' behaviour and thus facilitating their learning.

This paper presents the results of data collected during a workshop offered to Humanitas University teachers on the design and management of the first lesson of their courses.

In this workshop, the teachers answer four stimulus questions, all referring to the specific context of the first lesson:
- what information do my students expect from me?
- what should I tell my students?
- what would I like to know about my students?
and, putting myself in the student's shoes:
- what would I want my teacher to know about me?

During the last two academic years, nine editions of this workshop were delivered, and eighty lecturers participated.

Here, the results of the analysis of the teachers' answers are proposed: the relevant variables they identified, the weights given to these variables and the extent to which teachers manage to put themselves in their students' shoes and anticipate their doubts or perceive their needs.

Keywords:

First day, expectations, first lesson.