Pedagogical Journal Summary - Fall 2004

 

This semester, I learned that it is all about the students incorporating what is taught into their lives. J. Gresham Machen said that what passes for education often consists of the instructor lecturing with the students taking notes without any of it passing through the heads of either.  The object of classroom instruction is to avoid this problem.

 

Kolb's learning cycle tells us that there is a cycle of learning moving from experience to reflection, theorizing and finally experimentation leading to more experience and the cycle begins again.  It also tells us that freshmen are more interested in the experiential part of learning which grows more theoretical over their undergraduate experience.  We need to get students to move through the cycle.

 

Bloom's taxonomy tells us various levels of instruction, ranging from memorization to understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.  We must strive to move students to at least the understanding and analysis phases of the taxonomy.

 

Two key issues about classroom instruction are to 1)  be organized and on time and 2) Set expectations on everything up front.  You must lead by example.   If you want the class to be organizaed and on time, you must be also.  Setting expectations allows the students to understand how the class will be run.  You must also be prepared to enforce the expectations.

 

Two other principles are also important to consider.  You need to aim to teach to the top 25% of the class.  If you attempt to reach the bottom of the class, the top students will become bored and disinterested and you run the risk of not completing all the material necessary.  If you aim at the 75% percentile, it is challenging to most of the class and you can keep to your schedule. The second point is to set the expectation that the students read the assignments outside of class. This will allow you to spend less time on imparting the fundamental knowledge and focus on teaching at BloomÕs level three and four.

 

This semester, I learned various points about classroom instruction:

 

1. Teaching is a performance

A.   Wear the costume

B.    Have a script

C.    Rehearse

D.   Try out the technology to ensure it works before you show up

E.    Bring backup markers, erasers etc.

F.    Expect to need to improvise

2. Everybody has a different voice in teaching, yours will not be like anybody elses

3. Have a definite beginning and summary ending to class.

4. Interact with the students based on the expectation that the students have read the text outside of class

A. Ask questions vs lecture. 

B.  First, level set the text.  Ensure all are at Bloom level 2 first. Use Definition-Example type questioning.  Ask definition question, once answer received ask for an example.

C. Move on to Bloom level three-four questions asking for application and analysis.  This helps sell the course by showing the relevance of the subject to their future lives.

C.  Allow/use students to answer questions.  Ensuring that the answer is correct.  When a student asks a question, first open it to the class.  Verify the answer and ensure that the correct information is being provided.

D. Call on students initially in order by rows, later in random sequence.  Use a

seating chart to learn the names of the students

E. If allowed certain students will answer every question.  Others wonÕt

participate at all.   Need to force some students to participate.

 

5. Use cues to indicate importance of subject.  What is emphasized by cues is communicated to the students as important.  Methods of cues are

A.   Specific mention

B.    Longer time spent on it

C.    Standing and pointing to screen

D.   Repetition

6. Weekly quizzes to test knowledge and as part of the participation grade.

7. Testing principles

A.   Test contents should be in syllabus vs study guides

B.    Give specific instructions prior to the test in multiple channels

C.    Prevent cheating by

i.      Multiple versions of the test

ii.     Separating the students

iii.   Clear desks except what is necessary for test

iv.   Verify identities

D.   Use timed tests.

i.      Announce time at half way, 10 minutes, 5 minutes

ii.     Last 1 minutes of time and next 3 minutes is the most busy

8. Even with upfront statements to read the book and with encouragements such as quizzes and questioning based on readings, they still wonÕt read as the pressure of the semester grows.  Therefore need to move to lecture, question, extension mode.