Instructors can have a less than easy time trying to implement teaching strategies that are outside of certain methods, like lecturing. There are other effective alternatives to lecturing, however. One of these alternatives is group learning, which has its merits. Team-Based Learning is also one of these alternatives that is growing in momentum and offers […]
Continue Reading April 3rd, 2009
We found this list of ten “commandments of lecturing” by Rob Weir interesting. Weir generated a list of ten policies for instructors to follow when they lecture. Please read the list and feel free to share your own ideas. I. Thou shalt connect new lectures to previous ones. II. Thou shalt move beyond chalk and […]
Continue Reading 1 comment March 24th, 2009
The idea that a 60 minute lecture can be condensed into 60 seconds may sound absurd and even impossible, but there are some instructors in higher education who seem to think otherwise. The “Microlecture” is gathering followers across different disciplines in college teaching. Supporters of the one-minute lecture think that condensing a lesson strictly to […]
Continue Reading March 6th, 2009
A recent string of ideas came across the Lilly Conference on College Teaching listserv recently. Here is a sampling of some ideas you can try in your large lecture class to remember students’ names: From L. Dee Fink (author of a great book – Creating Significant Learning Experiences): …(L)earning names is extremely helpful but challenging […]
Continue Reading January 20th, 2009
As the semester is about to begin, it’s time to think about the most important day of the entire semester… the first day of class. The first day of class sets the tone for the entire semester. While most of us plan to simply go over the syllabus, there are other things that we can […]
Continue Reading January 9th, 2009
Lecture, arguably, is the most common method of teaching in higher education. It is not uncommon to walk into any classroom and find students can be busy trying to keep notes on what their instructor is saying. In the latest issue of Science, Eric Mazur, a physics professor at Harvard University, offers his own perspective on […]
Continue Reading January 6th, 2009
Collaborative skills are essential skills that students must learn in order to succeed in their chosen fields. How can we teach students collaborative skills? Through group projects. While most students grumble at the announcement of group work, there are ways to make group work more rewarding and effective. In an article titled “Collaborative peer evaluation: […]
Continue Reading 1 comment November 7th, 2008
Are you trying to find a way to make your classroom environment more engaging? In a College Teaching article, Tara Gray and Laura Madson provide the following 10 tips for engaging students: Always 1. Maintain sustained eye contact. 2. Ask before you tell. 3. Create a structure for note taking. 4. Let the readings share […]
Continue Reading October 15th, 2008
It is common in many classes for students to take notes straight onto their laptop while an instructor makes their presentation or lectures. Some students find it easier to type their notes rather than using a notebook and handwriting their notes. While there are many students who are using their laptop to type their notes […]
Continue Reading September 3rd, 2008
If you haven’t heard of Google Jockeying, you will probably be hearing or reading about it soon. Its popularity is growing quickly in higher education. Here’s a quick example of how Google Jockeying works in the classroom:An instructor is doing their presentation on the American Revolution or some other topic. At the same time there […]
Continue Reading August 7th, 2008
