In 1936, psychologist Muzafer Sherif reported a landmark study on the creation of social norms. Sherif made use of an optical illusion called the autokinetic effect. When people view a stationary pinpoint of light in a dark environment, they will perceive the light to move
Large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and Google Bard, are in our classrooms whether we are aware of them or not—whether we like it or not. Unless we adapt to this reality, a large number of learning and assessment activities traditionally used in college
A recent listen to an old James Brown and Fred Wesley album called to mind the importance of self-empowerment. In their 1974 song “Damn Right I Am Somebody,” Mr. Brown asks those present in the studio, “Are you somebody?” Each response is a variation of
Anxious not to be guilty of “policing,” many faculty work hard to prevent academic dishonesty by focusing on student motivation (making learning fun!), feelings (never prompt anxiety!), and (especially for professors who believe themselves to be au courant in terms of pedagogy) “scaffolding” assignments to
You know the feeling. We all deal with it.
Walking into a classroom the first day of a new semester, you’re thinking about it all: What are going to be the first words out of my mouth? What are these students thinking about right now?
Current global events, including a rise in nationalistic rhetoric, have put pressure on faculty from all disciplines to be able to facilitate discussions without disenfranchising or excluding any students. I’ve been teaching discussion-based courses for 25 years, and my own methods have evolved and grown,
I have been spouting off for over two decades in my general education (GE) courses that learning STEM helps students increase their earning potential, well-roundedness, and satisfaction from knowing things beyond their common sense. Unfortunately, these arguments have been falling on deaf ears since the
If we weigh our educational systems in terms of communication instruction, we find that almost all of the formal attention is given to teaching reading and writing, some is given to speaking and almost none is paid to listening. -Ralph Nichols and Leonard Stephens, Are
Mental health concerns have emerged as a heightened concern, gaining recognition among faculty members and becoming an integral aspect of academic discussions. This shift in focus has been particularly notable in the wake of the ongoing pandemic, prompting educators to find ways to support student
Lately, my favorite days in class have been the rowdy ones. If someone asks me how my classes are going, I can say with genuine happiness, “Great! They were so rowdy today.” What I’m recalling in that moment is a picture of students completely engaged
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