It’s the week for being thankful, and I’m thinking gratefully about my pedagogical colleagues—those faculty friends and compatriots with whom I can talk teaching.
I have colleagues who indulged my need to blow off steam—some student behavior is nothing short of outrageous; some department policies are nothing short of senseless; some department heads nothing other than [...]
Archive for November, 2009
Thankful for Pedagogical Colleagues
Posted Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerTeaching that Promotes Lifelong Learning
Posted Thursday, November 19th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerCan we teach in ways that develop students’ commitment to ongoing, lifelong learning? Yes, say the researchers listed below whose study explored curricular conditions and educational practices that influence the development of a lifelong learning orientation.
The study design is complex, not easily explained in a short blog entry, but its three-stage analysis of data is [...]
Announcing the Second Annual McGraw-Hill and Magna Publications Award for Scholarly Work on Teaching and Learning
Posted Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerI am pleased to announce the Second Annual McGraw-Hill and Magna Publications Award for Scholarly Work on Teaching and Learning. You’ll find all the details on The Teaching Professor website (www.teachingprofessor.com), including how to submit pieces (your work and that of others), the selection criteria, and the review process. In case you’ve forgotten, a $1,000 [...]
A Mini-Conference in a Large Class
Posted Thursday, November 12th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerNow here’s a good idea—developed and used in a large, nonmajors chemistry course. In groups of four, students worked on the development of “a current or historical idea in the field of chemistry.” (p.35) The teacher helped by suggesting potential topics such as chemical bonding and the law of the conversion of matter. Based on [...]
Student Questions: Quantity and Quality Issues
Posted Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerIn their review of literature section, the researchers listed below summarize findings from a number of studies regarding student questions. “It is well documented that student questions in the classroom are very infrequent and unsophisticated.” Averages reported in six different studies range from 1.3 questions per hour to 4.0. According to this research, teachers ask [...]
This I Believe
Posted Thursday, November 5th, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerMore than half way through a course you don’t really you have time or the inclination to consider your teaching manifesto—that is, what you believe about teaching and how you realize those beliefs in your practice. But as the demands of the semester start to mount, it can be energizing to read what others believe, [...]
‘Help’ Sessions and Struggling Students
Posted Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 by Maryellen WeimerA recent study published in the Journal of College Science Teaching found that poor students did not attend optional help sessions scheduled just prior to three exams in an introductory biology course. I didn’t find the results surprising, and I’m thinking you won’t either. Typically it’s the best students who show up for review sessions [...]