Higher education has traditionally taught from theory to practice. Students first learn the underlying principles of a subject, such as the forces that determine bridge load, and then apply those principles to examples. But this is not the only way to teach. Socrates taught in
Two truths and a lie is a popular social icebreaker game. In case you aren’t familiar with it, this is the way it goes. Each person thinks of three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one of which is a lie. It
“How do we know students are earning the degrees we confer?”
That question, which a board member at my university recently posed, is deceptively simple, yet it strikes at the heart of our work as educators. And in an era where generative AI tools are
How should we respond when students complain about their professors—aka our colleagues?
Facilitating experiential learning is central to my teaching philosophy. As an instructor of application-based coursework, I continually seek ways to help students engage deeply with course material and explore practical avenues for applying it within their field of study. Research has shown that application-based and
Errors are an inevitable part of learning. But many students perceive mistakes as threats to their self-esteem, associating them with failure rather than growth. By cultivating a constructive error climate, we redefine mistakes as valuable learning tools. This involves shifting the classroom narrative from “don’t
Have you noticed what students do when they’re curious about something? A few years ago, a common response to having a question about a text (or the world, for that matter) was to “ask Google.” Nowadays the common refrain seems to be “ask ChatGPT.” When
Throughout my career, I have been deeply curious about learning: what it means, how it happens, and what facilitates or hinders it. My own trajectory, from philosophy to neuroscience and ultimately education, reflects this continuous exploration. Philosophy provided the tools for asking foundational questions about
We’ve all faced it—that moment when a meticulously planned lesson falls flat. You set the stage with clear objectives, a captivating PowerPoint, a class activity, discussion, and an in-class assignment. But during the activity, you notice blank stares and disengaged students. Then comes the dreaded
Generative AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot are, at their best, a bit like the computer aboard the Enterprise in Star Trek. In the show, the crew can ask a question in ordinary language and get an answer. But the system only responds to
