Friday, January 30, 2009

Lectures: Common Mistakes to Avoid

10 Quick Tips from http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/tips-teaching-lectures

Common Lecture Mistakes

1. Trying to cover too much material in one class session.

2. Not including opportunities for questions or active learning.

3. Waiting until the last two minutes of class to ask and answer questions.

4. Not asking a mix of questions, i.e. questions that test comprehension and questions that require more complex levels of thinking or that have more than one correct answer.

5. Answering your own questions or asking more than one question at once.

6. Assuming students are learning the material if they are not asking questions.

7. Assuming that students will identify and understand the important points of each lecture.

8. Reading your notes or the content of the slides when using PowerPoint.

9. Not looking at the students when you are lecturing; looking only at your notes or the chalkboard.

10. Filling the chalkboard or PowerPoint slides with too much information.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Lectures: Before, During, After

I like this one.

From: http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/tips-teaching-lectures

Tips for Teaching with Lectures

Preparing

Create a comfortable, non-threatening environment.

Include opportunities for active learning.

Organize the lecture like a good speech.

Prepare notes that will serve as a “road map” rather than a script to be read verbatim.

Review and practice the lecture before class begins.

If you plan to use audiovisual aids or instructional technology, do so with care and preparation.

During the Lecture

Interact with your students.

Provide students a clear sense of the day’s topics and their relation to the course as a whole.

Show passion for the subject

Focus on communicating with your audience: speak clearly; move around the room, and use gestures to engage student attention.

When asking questions, do not be afraid of silence.

Demonstrate respect for, and interest in, student ideas and questions.

After the Lecture

Rethink, retool, revise.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

How to Handle the Tardy Student

The class starts at 8 a.m., but students keep arriving at 8:02, 8:05, 8:10, etc. They're missing the first part of class, which is valuable instructional time. And, not only are they missing part of your class, but they are disrupting the learning of students that show up on time. So what do you do?

From: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip29.aspx

Tips on Deterring Tardiness

Tardiness is disruptive to the learning process. While it may be unavoidable on the rare occasion, unattended or unnoticed tardiness can persist and become chronic. The following tips are provided to assist in deterring this problem

1. On the first day of class, review your policy on tardiness.

More importantly, adhere to it. If you are considering making exceptions, keep in mind that while the student who is asking for an exception may have a very legitimate reason, you don’t know what sacrifices the other 20 students made to arrive on time. Also, allow for some flexibility in your policies. For example, some faculty give their students one "pass" that they can use towards being late, no questions asked.

The following policy comes from a college instructor at Moravian College:"Tardiness to class is not only detrimental to the learning process but quite disruptive and unfair to those who make it to class on time regularly. Recurring tardiness shows a lack of respect for the classroom, the instructor, and one’s fellow students and will not be tolerated. Therefore, once the door has been shut, you will not be permitted to enter." (Rosen, Joel Nathan. "Writing 100 Course Syllabus." Moravian College. Accessed October 8, 2008. http://home.moravian.edu/public/regis/syllabiproject/pdfs/200670/writ100g.pdf)

2. Model promptness by starting on time and ending on time.

3. Have a routine at the beginning of class that students would hate to miss (e.g. a warm up activity related to the topic, an in-class writing assignment worth a few points that can not be made up, a homework quiz that they have the first ten minutes to work on together, etc.). Whatever the activity, it should not be interrupted or extended for latecomers.

4. Have logical consequences for being late.
Do not reteach the class or stop what you are doing. Hold the students responsible for obtaining any missed information, handouts, etc. and make this policy clear at the onset.

5. Speak privately to chronically late students.
Remind them that you are on their side and you want them to succeed, but according to the syllabus...

6. Specifically acknowledge the late student(s) by saying something like "Hello. How are you today?" However, this does not support #3 and 4 above, but it may better suit your style.

References
Reed, Rosalind. "Strategies for Dealing with Troublesome Behaviors in the Classroom." October 1997, Vol.6 No.6. The National Teaching and Learning Forum. Accessed October 8, 2008. <http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9710/strat.htm>
Rodriguez, Lisa. "Classroom Management." 2008. 4Faculty.org. Accessed October, 8, 2008. <http://www.4faculty.org/includes/108r2.jsp>
Rosen, Joel Nathan. "Writing 100 Course Syllubus." Moravian College. Accessed October 8, 2008. <http://home.moravian.edu/public/regis/syllabiproject/pdfs/200670/writ100g.pdf>
Texas Tech University, "Civility in the Classroom: Tips for Dealing with Troublesome Behavior." Faculty Guide. 2001-2002. Accessed October 8, 2008. <http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentaffairs/vpsa/publications/civility2002.pdf>

Monday, January 26, 2009

Getting Students to Show Up

There's nothing more disappointing that having half the class not show up; while that's rather unusual, it's not too uncommon to have some students that miss a lot of class time, especially if you don't have a firm attendance policy.

That being the case, how can you encourage students to attend class? Is a strict attendance policy the only way?

From: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip25.aspx

Strategies for Improving Class Attendance
Attending class facilitates learning in a variety of ways. It ensures that students have an opportunity to interact with the course material in a variety of formats - through listening, talking to peers, multimedia presentations, etc. In addition, the skills required to take notes and the discipline it requires to come to class and participate are skills that transfer to the workplace.
According to Merry J. Sleigh and Darren R. Ritzer, the following strategies improve student attendance:

1. "Structure class so that those who attend experience obvious benefits, such as better , personal growth, and 'informative' entertainment. Test on material emphasized in class including class discussion, video clips or guest speakers, conveying that class time is of value, whether the instructor is lecturing or not. In a recent survey in our classes, the number one factor that influenced student attendance was the amount of in-class material that would be on the test (Sleigh, Ritzer, & Casey, in press)."

2. "Avoid repetition of the textbook or assigned readings. If students have access to the same material covered in class, they often perceive little reason to be there." In other words, if the book says it well, why repeat it? Instead, spend class time applying what is in the text or discussing topics the text does not address well.

3. Make the subject matter relevant. "When the subject matter is made personally relevant, understanding and comprehension are deeper and more meaningful. Students will be more motivated to attend lectures that reflect elements of their background, interests, or future."

4. "Structure class meetings so students must be in class for one activity, such as an in-class writing activity ..." It's helpful if these in-class writing assignments are worth a couple of points and can not be made up. An example of an in-class writing assignment might be to answer one of the following: Based on today's session, list three things you know about _______________? In your own words, explain ________________. After allowing the students to write for a few minutes, have them work with a partner to rewrite the response so that it contains elements of both partner's responses. This is a good opportunity to point out "the power of two" because, inevitably, the responses they formulate together will be better than the responses they formulated individually. Collect both the individual and paired responses to see the difference for yourself. (For more about the "Power of Two," see Mel Silberman's Active Learning: 101 Strategies to Teach Any Subject available in the CTE, TLC 324.)

5. "Regardless of your perspective [regarding class attendance], expectations regarding attendance should be clearly explained and attainable because students are often more willing to comply with policies when they understand the reasoning behind them. Such communication also conveys a level of adult-to-adult respect between faculty and students. Present your policies in oral and written formats, and follow through with established consequences. Students learn to ignore policies that are not enforced."

6. "Policies that explain the consequences for missed exams or late assignments can encourage attendance. [For example], if a faculty member allows students to drop one test grade, a missed exam automatically becomes the dropped grade. When policies are in place, students can make informed choices about attendance, and faculty reduce the need for judgment calls about an absence." Use a "Stuff Happens" card to handle student excuses. Professor Feenstra gives each student a "stuff happens" card, which is about the size of a business card and includes space for the semester date and the student's name. This is a one time only forgiveness card, nontransferable, and won't be replaced if lost. (The Teaching Professor, June/July 2007.) One instructor set a policy where two unexcused absences can be waived only if followed up with a creative excuse derived in a form that is relevant to the course. For example, if a student misses an art course, she or he might draw a picture of where she was and what happened. The instructor points out that excused absences (i.e. a death in the family, illness, or emergency) are never to be made fun of." (Teaching for Success, "No More Lame Excuses" by Caroline Zarlengo Sposto, August 2003)

7. Model arriving on time, being prepared for class, and keeping appointments, including office hours.

8. "Learn students' names as quickly as possible. Calling a student by name demonstrates that you have an interest in the individual as well as the group. Students rate 'showing interest in them' and 'knowing students' names' as the fourth and fifth most common behaviors teachers can exhibit to develop rapport (Buskist & Saville, 2001)."

9. "The critical task for teachers is to know their audiences well enough to create classes that meet students' needs and to modify their pedagogical approaches to fit the situation. Ultimately, encouraging attendance is a critical teaching task. Without students, there is no need for a teacher."

Reference
Sleigh, M. J. and Ritzer, D. R. American Psychologist Society Observer. "Encouraging Student Attendance." Accessed August 27, 2007 <http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/1101/tips.html>

Friday, January 23, 2009

Preparing for Difficult Moments in the Classroom

You're talking about abortion or race or politics or religion, and emotions start to run high. How do you handle it? How do you teach students that the classroom is a safe place to openly discuss ideas?

From: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip16.aspx

"Difficult or 'hot' moments can occur when students are experiencing conflicted feelings, which can rise to a point of threatening the teaching and learning environment. For some of us, they are the very stuff of classroom life. For others, these moments can stifle learning." (Lee Warren, Harvard University) The challenge is to manage ourselves and to make these moments opportunities that students can learn from. Consider the following:

1. Establish norms or ground rules early in the semester which will deter "personal attacks." For more information, see Teaching Tip 13 at http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/teachingtips.html

2. Model being open to multiple perspectives through your feedback, body language, etc.

3. If a student has made an offensive remark, say something like "Many people think this way. Why do they hold such views? What are their reasons?"

4. To help students reflect on and bring closure to this experience, ask students to write about the issue either in or out of class. You might even ask them to write from a position they most disagree with.

5. It might be appropriate to talk privately after class to students who have been the most embroiled in the discussion. Acknowledge their experience and try to help them learn something significant from it so that they keep coming to class with an open mind.

6. If a student breaks down in class, acknowledge it and ask them if they would like to remain or take a short break. After class, find the student and ask if you can be of assistance. If appropriate, refer them to an [RCTC] counselor.

7. Don't avoid the issue even if it seems out of context in your course. Avoiding offensive remarks tells the offending student that it is okay, and the other students that they are not safe from it.

8. If you are unable to resolve the situation in the moment, tell students that this is an important issue and you will return to it later. This gives you time to plan strategies. It also lets students know that you take such situations seriously.

For more information see the following
Warren, L. "Managing Hot Moments In The Classroom." Derek Bok Center For Teaching And Learning, Harvard University. October 2000.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Avoid the "End of Class" Mentality

You know how students are. As soon as there are only 5 minutes (or for some students, 10 or 15 minutes) left in the class period, they start shutting down. Backpacks opens. Papers and books and feet start making noise. These students think they're ready to leave. But they're really not... not until you've provided them with some closure.

From: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip6.aspx

Bringing Closure

While we often see tips for getting our classes off to a great start, we don't see many for ending our classes. The last day(s) of class can be an opportunity for reflection and closure. Below are some suggestions for "ending on a high note."

1. Have students call out topics covered and list these on the board while students also write them down. In pairs, have students share what the most personally valuable topics were for them and why. If time allows, have pairs join other pairs to share responses.

2. In small groups, ask students to develop (graphically, verbally, or with an object) a metaphor for the class or one of the topics.

3. Have each student share one thing he/she learned from a classmate.

4. Have a snowball fight! Each person writes down one thing he/she will do with what they learned on a white sheet of paper. Have everyone crinkle up their papers, stand in a circle, turn their backs and toss the snowballs into the circle. Each person then turns around and picks up one. Everyone takes turns reading their snowball. (Bowman, 1997)

5. Hand out a post-final assignment that includes a list of activities students could engage in based on their learning in the course, or have students brainstorm activities.

6. In small groups, have students think of your class as a movie or book and write a title and/or a review. Have each group share their work with the rest of the class.

7. Ask students to write letters to future students in the course describing helpful learning strategies and offering advice for success. Deliver the letters randomly to your new students.

8. Reflect on and describe what you learned from your students and from teaching this course.

References
Bowman, S. Presenting with Pizzazz. Glenbrook NV: Bowperson Publishing Co. 1997.
"Better Endings." 1997. Teaching at UNL (University of Nebraska at Lincoln), vol. 19, no. 3.
"How to End Courses with a Bang." 1995. The Teaching Professor, vol. 9, no. 5.
Maier, Mark H., and Ted Panitz. 1996. "End on a High Note: Better Endings for Classes and Courses." College Teaching, vol. 44, no. 4.

The CTE's website at http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/teachingettes/highnote.html

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Online Learning: Ways to Save Time

Does it require a larger time commitment to teach an online class? I don't think so. In fact, after you've developed the course, it should actually take less of your time. Remember that you're more of a facilitator, and that's not a bad thing.

http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip8.aspx

Time Saving Tips for Teaching Online

Many faculty have found online teaching very time consuming. Here are a few time saving tips for teaching online from Evelyn Bach. (Adjunct Advocate, May/June 2005)

1. Don't respond to every student on the discussion board. Let students answer each others questions. In fact, responding too quickly may thwart further student discussion.

2. Require that students ask general questions on the discussion board so that you do not have to answer the same question multiple times. If someone asks a general question via email, post it on the discussion board with your response.

3. Set limits. Tell student when you are not available (i.e. weekends, specific evenings, etc.) so they will know what to expect.

4. Consider having assignments due at mid-week, particularly if you want to stay away from the computer over the weekend.

5. Save and reuse postings, announcements, and email notices from one semester to the next as applicable.

6. Have students format files in .rtf to minimize problems related to software conflicts.

7. Require that students name their files with their name and the name of the assignment to allow for more efficient file management and retrieval

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Providing Student Feedback

As a Dean, one of the number one complaints I hear from students is: "My instructor doesn't give me enough feedback." And really, there's probably no such thing as too much feedback. Of course when you have 150 students in a semester, it's difficult to provide as much feedback as each student might like. Nevertheless, here are some ideas on how to provide more feedback to your students.

From: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/teachingtips.htm

It seems that no matter what college faculty do, students perceive that they aren't getting enough feedback. Some faculty make the following suggestions:

1. Give short quizzes over the day's material.

2. Have students grade objective quizzes and tests in class to provide more immediate feedback.

3. Reward successful behavior with verbal praise, an honor roll, or personal notes.

4. As a motivator, post all students' grades in bar chart form (using assigned student numbers rather than names to insure confidentiality). Unsuccessful students often see that others are succeeding and seek help.

5. Give midterm grades and offer suggestions for improvement.

6. Keep your gradebook current and encourage students to check it regularly.

7. Give a test early in the term (i.e. during the second or third week of the quarter). Return it the next class day. Discuss the answers and allow students to ask questions in class.

8. Ask students to critique each others' papers, projects or essay test answers for readability and/or content.

9. Discuss or post answers to ungraded quizzes or homework problems.

10. Ask that students write questions at the end of a lesson. Answer them individually in writing or discuss them during the next class.

11. Encourage students to use study groups to solicit feedback on their comprehension of class material.

12. Establish an atmosphere that is open and safe for students to ask questions that will help check their understanding of materials covered in class or reading assignments. Start each class with a question & answer session.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Making Lectures Interactive

There's nothing wrong with a good lecture, but you can lecture and still make sure that students are actively involved. In fact, that's the key to a good lecture.

From: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip20.aspx

An interactive lecture is one that combines lecture with student active breaks; it seeks to involve students in a variety of ways that will maintain and reset their attention. If you are interested in incorporating interactive lecture activities on a regular basis, a possible structure for a class period might include:

1. Start Class with a Question
Ask your students what they know or hope to learn about the topic.

Provide an image and ask them what they see.

Pose a problem based on the homework.

2. After approximately 10 to 15 minutes of lecturing, stop and have students take a few minutes to do one of the following:
Write a Question:Ask the students to take two or three minutes to write a question they have about the material just covered. Ask for volunteers to ask and answer questions.

Write - Pair - Share:Pose a challenging question and have students write their response for a few minutes. Have them share their response with their neighbor. Ask volunteers to share their responses with the large group.

Pair and Compare:Students are asked to pair up and compare notes, expanding upon them as needed.

Making Material Relevant:"After lecturing on an idea or concept, stop and ask students for examples from their own experiences or readings. Or, you might show a news clip or a movie segment and ask students how it relates to the lecture material." (The Office of Instructional Consultation, http://www.oic.id.ucsb.edu/Resources/Teaching/interactlecture.html)

Periodic Recall:Students stop taking notes, close their books and write down two or three main points from the lecture thus far. Students could then compare and discuss what they have written with a partner.

Re-order the Steps:Present a series of steps in a mixed order and have students re-order the steps correctly.

Graphic Representation: Ask students to represent a key topic in a non-narrative format (i.e. picture, graph, etc.)

3. Conclude your class session with a two to five minute recap
Ask students to summarize major points.

Have students take a short ungraded quiz individually, or in small groups. They should be able to answer the question(s) (without much difficulty) based on the lecture and their class participation.

Assign a one-minute paper by asking students one or more of the following questions: 1) "What do you consider to be the main point(s) of today's class?" or "What one or two things stood out for you from today's class?" 2) "What was the muddiest point?" or "What question(s) still remains uppermost in your mind?" Collect these papers and start the next class session by noting any trends in their responses and/or by addressing their muddiest points and/or questions.

Please note: If you expect student resistance to a new format, take a few minutes to describe to them what you are going to be expecting of them and why. In addition, start small, and as the course progresses, add more activities.

References
Nilson, L. Teaching At Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors. (1st ed) Bolton MA: Anker publishing Company Inc. 1998.
Paulson, D. R. & Faust, J. L. "Active Learning for the College Classroom," California State University, 06 Oct. 2006 <http://www.calstatela.edu/dept/chem/chem2/Active/main.htm>
"Interactive Lectures." The Office of Instructional Consultation, University of California, Santa Barbara. Oct. 2006. 6 Oct. 2006 <http://www.oic.id.ucsb.edu/Resources/Teaching/interactlecture.html>

Friday, January 16, 2009

Be Prepared, Even When You're Not

Be prepared for every class you teach; but if you're not prepared for some reason (and this will happen to you sooner or later), know how to fake it. :)

From: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip24.aspx

Preparing for when you are Unprepared

While we should always strive to "be prepared," situations will sometimes arise - illness, family emergency, an overwhelming project, etc. that can prevent our being prepared for a particular class session. Should that happen, consider having the following strategies as a back-up plan:

1. "Focus on a key concept addressed in a previous session and with the students input, identify relevant examples and many perspectives from which the issue might be viewed. This will help the students foster a more comprehensive understanding of the concept. For example, if your Business Law class had studied bankruptcy, they might focus on a recently announced corporate bankruptcy. Divide the class into groups of three or four students, and have each group focus on the case from a different viewpoint such as a stakeholder group, an employee, suppliers, shareholders, the business media, etc." (Lyons, 1999)

2. "Recruit a guest speaker from your circle of friends and/or colleagues who you know has made a presentation on a topic of relevance in your course. Ask him/her to share their presentation and answer student questions that might emerge. Take good notes during the presentation, and use these to stimulate further discussion and reinforce important concepts after the guest leaves." (Lyons, 1999)

3. "Identify a late-breaking news story related to your course. Assign student groups one of several key roles such as the press, a governmental agency investigator, a private interest group, etc. to formulate a response to the situation. Ask each group to select a representative to share their response with the large group or serve on a panel to present the case to the public. Thoroughly debrief the perspectives expressed." (Lyons, 1999)

4. "Divide the class into small groups of three or four students, and ask them to develop five questions that you would consider for inclusion on the next examination. You might consider "chunking" the material so that each group has a different key concept." (Lyons, 1999) After they have developed the questions, consider assigning new groups so that there is one representative from each "chunk" in each new group. Have them share their questions with each other, modifying as needed. Prior to turning them in for your consideration, have the original groups reconvene and make any changes to the questions based on the input they received.

References
Lyons, R. Faculty Development Associates Tip of the Week. "How to Survive When You're Not Prepared for Class." Accessed April 25, 2007 <http://www.developfaculty.com/tips.html>

Thursday, January 15, 2009

How to Handle Tangents -- Create a Parking Lot

Do you have students that like to take the class off on tangents? Some do this on purpose, of course. Others are simply interested in seeing where certain ideas can go, but its not always productive to go off in that direction.

Nevertheless, you want to keep your students engaged, but you also need to keep the class focused and on task. The "parking lot" idea is one worth using, as it allows you to do both.

From: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/cte/resources/teachingtips/tip14.aspx

Parking Lot

Do your students sometimes digress from the topic at hand?

Are you torn because you want to address their questions but you are also concerned about interrupting the flow, or getting too far off topic?

Consider putting a "parking lot" on the board. It could be a circle or square where you record questions and ideas not directly related to the task at hand. If you use a "parking lot," consider one of the following options during the last few minutes of class:

1. Address the questions in the "parking lot" as appropriate, particularly if they relate to upcoming sessions.

2. Decide what "vehicles" will be driven away and by whom. If a question is not related to the topic, ask a volunteer to find the solution and share their findings either in the next class session or via your [d2l] course site. (If no one volunteers, maybe the question isn't worth pursuing.)

References
Adapted from the University of Kansas - Center for Teaching Excellence, Vol.2, No.4 "Teaching Matters" newsletter.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Student Feedback: Handle with Care

Students are people, too. :)

It's important to keep that in mind when you provide feedback on essays, tests, and other assignments.

I was always taught to say something positive before saying anything "negative." This can seem somewhat artifical, though, and students have probably picked up on this "trick."

Below are some things to keep in mind when providing student feedback.

From: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/teachingtips.htm

1. Handle with care.
Use a "desire to help" attitude with the student.

2. Focus your attention.
Don'st split your focus with any other activity (e.g. incoming phone calls beepers, etc.) while delivering feedback.

3. Be direct.
Vague or general statement don't show the student what needs to be done.

4. Stay objective.
Don't guess or assume that you know why the student is doing something. Stick to what's factual, and withold judgments about the student's behavior

5. Watch your timing.
Feedback is processed most effectively when you deliver it promptly, so that whatever incident you're discussing is gresth in both your minds. Feedback that is saved up over tiem can confus and anger the student.

6. Feedback should be easy to act upon.
Offer realistic suggestions and options for change that the student can put into use right away. Don't hammer away at things beyond everone's control.

7. Involve the student in corrective action.
Allow the student to work collaboratively with you to come up with some options for change. The more the student feels empowered, the more likely the chances of behavior change.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Using a Variety of Instructional Strategies

It can be rather easy getting into a teaching rut. But the following article provides a pretty good list of ways to mix up the approaches you use to deliever course content.

From: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/teachingtips.htm

We know that students learn and retain material best when they employ a variety of senses and have varied experiences. College faculty make the following suggestions to help facilitate learning through mixed strategies:

1. Increase your repertoire of teaching strategies. Refer to the partial list of teaching methods below and try to use at least two methods during each class.

2. Ask students to assume the role of a professional in the field: social worker, psychologist, engineer, nurse, accountant, etc.

3. Assign or encourage participation in community events such as state or county fairs, plays, concerts, business-sponsored activities or open houses, and local government meetings.

4. Show films in different ways: ask students to predict endings or be critics, replay sections, show only a few frames at a time, discuss what might happen in a sequel.

Teacher-Centered Methods
Chalkboard
Commercial materials
Demonstration
Lecture
Visual aids (charts, graphs, pictures, PowerPoint
Models

Group Discussion Methods:
Informal discussion
Committee work
Debates
Panels
Oral reports
Role playing

Other Group Learning Methods:
Class problems
Club/organization work
Contests
Demonstrations
Displays & exhibits
Experiments
Field trips
Surveys
Skits
Outside speakers
Questionnaires

Individual Learning Methods:
Information interviews
Manuals and handbooks
Reference reading
Research
Work experience

2009: How to Make It the Best

The title of the linked item is a bit more colorful than my edited title, so I hope no one is easily offended.

Title aside, check out the content. Pretty darn good stuff, and definitely worth chewing over -- and sharing with your students:

http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2009/01/09/how-to-create-a-kick-ass-2009-my-top-10-favourite-timeless-tips/

Monday, January 12, 2009

Using Students as Catchers in the Rye?

If you have, say, 40 students in a class, how can you keep track of all of them?

You'd like to keep tabs on them, right? If one doesn't show up for a few classes, you'd like to know why, but is it really practical to email or call them? Not really.

Here's an idea that Peter Burton mentioned to me this morning, and I thought I'd share it here:

Use student groups as a way to support student retention.

How would this work?

1. After the Add/Drop period (i.e. the second week of class), assign students to a "support group." An ideal size for this group might be six members. (So in a class of 40, you'd have seven support groups.)

2. Members in the group exchange contact information -- phone numbers, email, etc.

3. When a member misses a class, other members in the group will contact that person to make sure they're okay, and to give them the information they missed in class. (This should eliminate students who come back to class the next period and ask the instructor: "Did I miss anything important??")

4. To make sure that students take their "support" role seriously, tie their grade (probably through the form of extra credit) to overall group retention. That is, if all members of a group complete the class, award that group 25 extra points, for example. If 5 out of 6 members complete the class, award 10 extra points. Less than 5? Then just thank the group for its effort!

Anyway, I thought this idea had a lot of potential, and I would encourage you to consider doing something like this. I'm sure something similar could be developed for online classes, too.

As always, if you try this idea, let us know how it works for you.

Terribly Write, Unnecessary Quotation Marks, and Engrish

Boy, oh boy. What fun you can have with the English language! Here are three blogs you can share with your students.

1. Terribly Write -- Looks at all the horrible grammatical mistakes that people make -- mistakes that are somehow published. http://terriblywrite.wordpress.com/

2. Unnecessary Quotation Marks -- Why do people feel the "need" to use unnecessary quotation marks?? Kind of a "fun" little blog. http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/

3. Engrish -- And this one is my personal fav. What happens when people try to translate words and sentences from Chinese and Japanese into English? Non-stop fun, that's what! http://engrish.com/

Friday, January 9, 2009

Helping Students Learn

Part of the job of teaching requires us to show students how to be students. I think this part often gets left out. We sometimes expect that students know how to learn already. Experience shows that this is not always a reasonable expectation.

From: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/teachingtips.htm

Although it is clearly the students' responsibility to learn the material presented in class, faculty can facilitate learning in many ways. College teachers suggest:

1. At the beginning of each class, write down and describe the format and your goals for the day.

2. Hand out study questions or a study guide.

3. Make specific suggestions for taking notes in your class.

4. When showing a film or video, begin with an overview. Then, ask a few key questions for
students to keep in mind as they watch it. End with a small group and/or whole class discussion.

5. Make learning as active as possible. In addition to lectures, provide opportunities for students to SEE and DO things with key concepts. Group discussions and projects, demonstrations, skits, cases, surveys, short papers and experiments are a few ways to employ active learning methods.

6. Giving a learning styles inventory helps students identify how they learn, and helps you select appropriate teaching methods.

7. Describe good learning habits: how to study you subject area, preparing before topics are discussed in class.

8. Explain how to study for your tests. Give concrete examples and answers.

9. Assign written summaries of difficult material.

10. Provide study aids such as practice exercises, study tips, supplemental readings, and lists of new vocabulary words.

11. Increase retention: if students are absent for 2 or more consecutive classes, phone them.

12. Usually miscommunications are brought to the surface and resolved with one quick call.

13. Arrange for a tour of the library and provide instructions for using their materials, especially as they relate to your class.

14. Give midterm grades and offer suggestions for improving.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Planning Is the Key

As a teacher, have you ever gone into the classroom unprepared? Sure you have, but make sure that you're thoroughly prepared for the first day.

From: http://www.ctd.ucsd.edu/resources/teaching_tips/firstday.htm

Here are some good tips to keep in mind, not just for the first day, but for the entire class.

Planning is the Key! Make sure that all administrative details have been worked out before the first day of class.


Provide:
Your name, your home telephone number (optional), your office location, your office hours, (make them reasonably accessible), and office telephone number (if you have one).

Your home department, its location, mail code, and telephone number make class objectives clear.


Details on how the class will be organized.


Provide a calendar of tests and papers (if possible).


Know the time and location of alternate sections.


Discipline:
Explain the rules of the class and make them clear from the start.


Resolve conflicts outside of class (e.g. during office hours).


Time Management:
Plan your course, then plan each section with the final goal in mind.


Know the material as best as you can.


Organization And Presentation Of Material:
Organize material for the students, working toward stated goals.


Vary the format by which material is presented.


Let the material and/or objectives dictate the format used.


Modulate and project your voice.


Summarize periodically.


Blackboard Techniques:
Don't talk and chalk.


Start with a clean board, and write neatly.


Define any abbreviations.


Create a logical structure that emphasizes key ideas.


Be aware of students' sight lines to the board


Periodically move about so you don't continually block the same students


Class Discussions:
Arrange furniture so it is conducive to the chosen format.Make eye contact and be aware of your body language.


Make an effort to learn names.


Keep the objectives for the discussion clearly in mind; when the class digresses too far, refer back to the objectives.


Grading:
Make criteria and expectations clear.


Be consistent.


On subjective tests grade question by question rather than paper by paper--be prepared to explain your grading criteria.


Ethics:
Sexual harassment is explicitly and strictly forbidden.


Avoid ethnic and sexual humor, and treat your students as you would like to be treated.


Be watchful of those who do not generally contribute to discussions and find a way to reach them.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Personal Bio Poem

Tired of the same old icebreakers? Here's one that might be worth trying. Have students write their own "personal bio poem." If you try this one, let us know how it works for you.

From: http://college.hmco.com/instructors/ins_teachtech_fdp_news_tips.html

Purpose: A creative icebreaker that helps the students become better acquainted with each other.

Supplies and Setup: Handout that illustrates the following formula with a typed sample for students to model.

Directions: Ask your students to fill in the information below to create their own personal "bio poem":

Line 1: First Name

Line 2: Four traits that describe you

Line 3: Sibling of_______ (or mother, father, husband, wife of)

Line 4: Lover of (3 items)

Line 5: Who needs (3 items)

Line 6: Who fears (3 items)

Line 7: Who would like to see (3 places, people, ideas, etc.)

Line 8: Last Name

Line 9: Resident of (street and city, state, etc.)

Submitted by Candace C. Taylor, Samson Community College, Clinton, NC

The First Day

Do you believe that first impressions matter? Then make sure you make your first class of the semester the best it can be.

Here's some useful tips on how to do just that:

From: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/firstday.html

The First Day of Class

[From the hard copy book Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis; Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco, 1993. Linking to this book chapter from other websites is permissible. However, the contents of this chapter may not be copied, printed, or distributed in hard copy form without permission.]

The first day of class sets the tone for the rest of the term. It is natural for both students and instructors to feel anticipation, excitement, anxiety, and uncertainty. To pique students' interest and anticipation, convey your enthusiasm for the material and stimulate students' curiosity about topics that will be covered during the term. To reduce students' anxiety and uncertainty, try to create a relaxed, open classroom environment conducive to inquiry and participation, and let students know what you will expect from them and what they can expect from you and the course. The following suggestions, intended to help you get your class off to a good start, address the three important tasks of the first day: handling administrative matters, creating an open friendly classroom environment, and setting course expectations and standards.

1. Visit the classroom before the first meeting.
Locate and figure out how to work the lights, the blinds, and the ventilation. Check any audiovisual equipment (microphone, slide or overhead projector) you will be using. Find out how to obtain help if a bulb burns out or a piece of equipment malfunctions. Get comfortable speaking in the room and see how well your voice carries. Make sure your handwriting on the chalkboard is legible from the back row. (Source: Johnson, 1988)

2. Build a sense of community in the classroom.
In general, students learn more and work harder in classes that spark their intellectual curiosity and allow for active involvement and participation. For the first day, plan an activity that provides opportunities for students to speak to one another or solve problems. Students also tend to work harder and respond more positively if they believe the 'instructor views them as individuals rather than as anonymous faces in the crowd (Wolcowitz, 1984). From the start, then, make an effort to get to know your students and express your interest in working with them during the semester.

3. Address students' concerns.
Students enter a new class with several questions: Is this the right course for me? Does the teacher seem competent and fair? How much work will be required? How will I be evaluated? Use the first day to help your students understand how the class will serve their needs, and demonstrate your commitment to help them learn.

4. Set the tone for the rest of the semester.
Greet students when they enter the classroom. Start and finish class on time. Encourage questions, and give students the opportunity to talk. Stay after class to answer questions, or invite students to walk with you back to your office.

5. Make the time worthwhile.
Once administrative tasks are completed, plunge into substantive material. This signals to students that you are serious about making their time worthwhile and that you expect progress to be made at each session.

6. Expect some awkwardness.
All teachers, especially beginning instructors, feel a twinge of apprehension before the first class. Do your best to assume a confident attitude. Keep in mind that to your students your nervousness is likely to be perceived as energy and enthusiasm. Arriving early on the first day of class and talking informally to students may help you relax. (Source: Marincovich and Rusk, 1987)

Taking Care of Administrative Tasks

1. Write the course name and number on the board.
This message will alert any students who are in the wrong classroom to leave before you begin. (Source: Hilsen, 1988)

2. Take attendance.
Call the roll or ask students to sign in. Have a contingency plan if more students than you can accommodate want to enroll. Check with your department to see whether policies exist for preferential enrollment. Some faculty give preference to graduating seniors. Others make certain that students have the prerequisites and then select enrollment by lottery. If your course is an elective, plan on admitting a few more students than you can comfortably accommodate; a small number will end up dropping your course.

3. Mention department course policies.
Explain procedures for wait lists, adding and dropping courses, and so on. Know where to refer students who have problems in these areas.

4. Explain the procedures for the course's sections.
If your course has sections, make sure that all students know which section they are enrolled in, who their graduate student instructor is, and when and where the section meets. Describe the relationship between the course and its sections and how sections will be run. Have the graduate student instructors introduce themselves.

5. Review any prerequisites for the course.
Let students know what skills or knowledge they are expected to have and whether alternate experience or course work will be accepted. Is help available for those who do not have all the prerequisite skills? If computer work is part of the course, will training be provided?

6. Define your expectations for student participation.
Besides turning in all written assignments and taking exams, what do you expect of students during class? See "Leading a Discussion."

7. Tell students about campus policies on academic honesty.
State your expectations, and let students know what you regard as cheating and impermissible collaboration. See "Preventing Academic Dishonesty"

8. Hand out and discuss the course syllabus.
One faculty member has students read the syllabus and then form groups to identify questions about the course or the instructor (Serey, 1989). Hearing these questions on the first day lets a professor know immediately what concerns are uppermost in students' minds.

9. Invite students to attend your office hours.
Be sure students know where your office is and encourage them to stop by with questions and course-related problems. Make a special point of asking students who feel they may need academic accommodations for a physical or learning disability to see you so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

10. Review safety precautions.
If your course requires lab work or fieldwork, review safe practices for using equipment and supplies and discuss emergency procedures. Show students how to use equipment safely and appropriately. (Source: Johnson, 1988)

11. Review emergency procedures.
Let students know what to do in case of fire, tornado, earthquake, evacuation, or other emergency.

12. Bring copies of the required texts to the first class meeting.
Know which stores besides the campus bookstore stock the texts. Are used copies available? Is the textbook on reserve in the library?

13. Tape the session, if appropriate.
For students who miss the first day of class, make available a videotape or audiotape that they can review on their own. This way you do not have to keep repeating the material as new students join your class. If taping is impractical, ask students who enroll after the first day to obtain notes from someone who attended that session.

Creating a Positive Classroom Environment

1. Introduce yourself to your class.
In addition to telling students how you wish to be addressed, say something about your background: how you first became interested in the subject, how it has been important to you, and why you are teaching this course. Convey your enthusiasm for the field and the subject. For many students, the instructor's enthusiasm about the course material is a key motivator for learning. (Sources: "The First Day of Class," 1989; Wolcowitz, 1984)

2. Ask students to fill out an introduction card.
Have students indicate their name, campus address, telephone number, electronic mail address, year in school, and major field. You might also ask them to list related courses they have taken, prerequisites they have completed, other courses they are taking this semester, their reasons for enrolling in your course, what they hope to learn in the course, tentative career plans, and something about their outside interests, hobbies, or current employment. Make sure that students who later enroll in the course complete an introduction card.

3. Begin to learn student's names.
By learning your student's names, you can create a comfortable classroom environment that will encourage student interaction. Knowing your students' names also tells them that you are I interested in them as individuals. As you call roll, ask for the correct pronunciation and how the student prefers to be addressed. If your course enrolls fewer than forty students, call the roll for several class meetings to help you learn names. During the term, call students by name when you return homework or quizzes, and use names frequently in class. Ask students who are not called upon by name to identify themselves. Here are a variety of other strategies for learning students' names:

4. Photographs: Consider grouping students for Polaroid pictures during the second week of class.

In a single shot you may be able to photograph four or five people. The act of posing for a picture breaks the ice and creates an informal, relaxed environment. Circulate the photographs and have students write their name underneath their picture. If you do not have access to a camera, ask students to submit a small photograph of themselves (such as those taken in penny arcade photo booths or from their driver's license or student photo ID). Photocopies of photographs are fine. Place these photos on students' information sheets or introduction cards. Photographs are helpful in recalling a student before an appointment, or later on, when you are asked to write a recommendation for a student, you can refer back to the picture to jog your memory.

5. Name cards: For a seminar class, use the United Nations model of place cards in front of each student. In a studio or lab course, post students' names above their workstations.

6. Seating chart: Ask students to sit in the same seats for the first few weeks, and prepare a seating chart. Or block out on a piece of paper general locations within the room and write the names of students inside the appropriate blocks, instead of labeling exact seats. Try to memorize four or five names at each class session.

7. Name game: In small classes, ask the first person to give her name. The second person gives the name of the first person and his own name, and the third person gives the names of the first two people followed by her own name. The chain continues until it returns to the first person, with the instructor preferably near the end. (Source: Scholl-Buckwald, 1985)

8. Introductions: For large lecture classes, at the beginning of each class period, ask six or eight students to introduce themselves.

9. Give students an opportunity to meet each other.
Ask students to divide themselves into groups of three to five and introduce themselves. Or have students group themselves by residence halls or living groups so that they can identify nearby classmates to study with (Heine and others, 1981). Or go around the room and ask all students to respond to one question, such as "What's the one thing you really want to learn from this course?" or "What aspect of the course seems most appealing to you?" Such questions are more interesting than those about students' majors or year in college.

10. Ask students to interview each other outside of class.
If your course has a writing component, you might ask students to write a brief description of their partner. The class could agree on the interview questions beforehand, or each student could devise his or her own items. (Source: Scholl-Buckwald, 1985)

11. If your class is small, conduct a "people search."
Students receive a sheet of paper with five to ten statements and a space for a signature near each statement. The statements should be relevant to students in your class and can be a mix of personal and academic attributes: "Someone who works and goes to school," "Someone who has taken (a related course)," "Someone who has already purchased the textbooks," "Someone who is left-handed," "Someone who knows the order of the planets" (or other content-related question). Students are given ten minutes to obtain as many signatures as possible. You can spend a few minutes debriefing to generate a class profile. Or you can compile the information for distribution at the next class meeting so students have a written record about their classmates. (Sources: Erickson and Strommer, 1991; Weisz, 1990)

12.Break students into small groups.
An English professor divides the class into groups of six and gives each member of the group one line of a six-line poem. Students are asked to reassemble the poem and discuss what the poem means. A sociology professor asks groups of students to come up with a list of the ten most important events (or people) in history. After ten or fifteen minutes, the groups' responses are placed on the board for discussion and interpretation. (Source: Erickson and Strommer, 1991)

13. Encourage students to exchange phone numbers.
If all students agree, ask them to write their name, telephone number, and electronic mail address on a plain sheet of paper and make copies of this roster for them. Encourage students to call their classmates about missed classes, homework assignments, and study groups. Or have students complete 3" x 5" cards and exchange cards with two or three classmates. (Source: "The First Day of Class," 1989)

Setting Course Expectations and Standards

1. Discuss the objectives of the course.
As specifically as possible, tell your students what you wish to accomplish and why, but also ask for what they want to learn from you and what sorts of problems they would like to tackle. Be sure to acknowledge all contributions–your attentiveness to students' ideas will encourage student participation throughout the semester. (Source: McKeachie, 1986)

2. Ask students to list the goals they hope to achieve by taking the course.
Have students, in small groups or individually, list three to five goals in the form of statements about knowledge, skills, appreciations, interests, or attitudes. Students can also rank their goals in terms of how difficult they may be to achieve. Use these lists to identify your class's interests and anticipated problem areas. (Source: Angelo and Cross, 1993)

3. Describe how you propose to spend class time.
How will sessions be structured? How will discussions be organized? Will a specific time be set aside for questions, or may students ask questions as they arise? Should questions requiring a lengthy response be saved for office hours?

4. Give your students ideas about how to study and prepare for class.
Study strategies are especially important in an introductory class. Give examples of questions students might wish to think about or strategies for approaching the material. Tell students how much time they will need to study for the course, and let them know about campus academic support services.

5. If appropriate, give a brief diagnostic pretest.
Explain that this "test" will not be graded but is designed to give you information on topics students have mastered and areas in which they need additional review. You could present a list of key concepts, facts and figures, or major ideas and ask students to indicate their familiarity with each. In a writing course you might assign a short essay that will allow you to identify students' strengths and weaknesses.

6. Ask students to do a group exercise.
Select a key word from the course title and have students generate word associations or related ideas. Put their responses on the board and use the list to give a thematic overview of the course. (Source: Wright, 1989)

7. Work through a problem or piece of material that illustrates the course content.
Begin to teach students how to participate in your class. Engaging students in actual work during the first class session gives them an idea of what your class will be like. You might make a brief presentation of a core idea, pose a typical problem, or ask students to form working subgroups. (Source: Scholl-Buckwald, 1985)

8. Give an assignment for the next class session.
By moving immediately into the first topic, you are indicating to students that the course is worthwhile, well organized, and well paced. Make sure that the assignment is ungraded, however, because students may be adding or dropping your course during the first week or so. (Sources: Johnson, 1988; Povlacs, 1986)

9. Ask students to write their reactions to the first day.
Take two minutes at the end of class to have students jot down unsigned comments about what went well and what questions they have about the course. (Source: McKeachie, 1986)

References
Angelo, T. A., and Cross, K. P. Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. (2nd ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993.
Erickson, B. L., and Strommer, D. W. Teaching College Freshmen. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991.
"The First Day of Class: Advice and Ideas." Teaching Professor, 1989, 3(7), 1-2.
Heine, H., and others. The Torch or the Firehose? A Guide to Section Teaching. Cambridge: Undergraduate Academic Support Office of the Dean for Student Affairs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1981.
Hilsen, L. "A Helpful Handout: Establishing and Maintaining a Positive Classroom Climate." In E. C. Wadsworth, L. Hilsen, and M. A. Shea (eds.), A Handbook for New Practitioners from the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education. Stillwater, Okla.: New Forums Press, 1988.
Johnson, G. R. Taking Teaching Seriously. College Station: Center for Teaching Excellence, Texas A & M University, 1988.
McKeachie, W. J. Teaching Tips. (8th ed.) Lexington, Mass.: Heath, 1986.
Marincovich, M., and Rusk, L. Excellence in Teaching Electrical Engineering. Stanford, Calif.: Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University, 1987.
Povlacs, J. T. "101 Things You Can Do the First Three Weeks of Class." Teaching at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1986, 8(l), 1-4. (Newsletter available from the Teaching and Learning Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln)
Scholl-Buckwald, S. "The First Meeting of Class." In J. Katz (ed.), Teaching as Though Students Mattered. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no. 21. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1985.
Serey, T. "Meet Your Professor." Teaching Professor, 1989, 3(l), 2.
Weisz, E. "Energizing the Classroom." College Teaching, 1990, 38(2), 74-76.
Wolcowitz, J. "The First Day of Class." In M. M. Gullette (ed.), The Art and Craft of Teaching. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1984.
Wright, D. L. "The Most Important Day: Starting Well." Teaching at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1989, 11(l), 1-3. (Newsletter available from the Teaching and Learning Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln)
From the hard copy book Tools for Teaching by Barbara Gross Davis; Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco, 1993. Linking to this book chapter from other websites is permissible. However, the contents of this chapter may not be copied, printed, or distributed in hard copy form without permission.