I’m always on the lookout for new teaching metaphors and I found a good one this weekend.
“What magic is it that removes the barrier—that allows teachers to converse with, rather than to talk at, our students? It’s my private theory that the solution is analogous to writing itself: that good classes, like good papers need a thesis, a plan, a problem, and, finally, a sense of larger significance.” (p. 38)
At a teaching center I visited recently this quote was posted on a bulletin board: “A teacher’s constant task is to take a roomful of live wires and see to it that they’re grounded.” The quote was attributed to E.C. McKenzie.
Fostering active learning and student participation in content-heavy courses is challenging. Doing so in a large classroom setting is even more difficult. Effective openings, interactive assignments, and participatory reviews reinforce and stimulate active learning and can help overcome the limitations of large classes. Small-group activities cultivate collaboration and create a positive learning environment. This session’s [...]
In 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 [...]
While the literature on active learning demonstrates positive results, adopting this model of pedagogy can raise student and faculty concerns around the purpose of classroom time, student involvement in their own learning, and the value of peers in the learning process. This presentation will highlight the results of a study that explored student reactions to [...]
I’m still thinking about participation … even more convinced of the point in the previous blog … we need to be asking questions that do a better job of engaging students’ interests. I’ve also been thinking about how I don’t often prepare questions.
We need to spend more time thinking about the questions we ask students and how they can do more than just test what students know (or don’t know). They can also hook students and pull them into our fascinating content domains.