Hi David - Thanks for your post to the forum. Using situations/case studies with students usually does get the conversations going. I especially liked your way of asking a "hesitant table" about how they would have reacted. It's a good way of getting a small group discussion going with them that will bring them into the larger class discussion. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I make a game with the questions. It's fun. students learn. The shy students join in.
DEBRA
There's nothing more awkward than an unprepared teacher who is stumbling around trying to figure out what to do next!
Hi Francis - Yes, preparing for class is a lot like preparing to give a stage performance - we have to be well prepared! Susan
sometimes we do activities in class that involve dealing with people in certain situations. I will ask my students how they would of handled the situation, when they reply I ask if any one else would of handled it differently. It gets the whole class involved. Sometimes i'll ask a particular table that looks hesitant to participate how they would of handled it. once they get involved it seems to get every one else to join in.
What a great way to get a communication effort in the classroom. When I start questioning sessions in my classroom I like to begin with a topic that I feel students would respond too. This "Breaking The Ice" i the classroom will then let me questioning session begin on a positive note. Students will generally move to more conversation if they feel comfortable with the questions.
Nice Post Francis! I Like your style.
Byron
I like to try and get my students involved in the learning process and the best way to do that is through good questions. I find it helpful to have questions prepared ahead of time. By doing this, I can avoid any lulls in the learning process. Depending on the size of the class, I start by asking general questions of anyone in the room. In larger classes, this usually has the effect of jump-starting the conversation. In smaller classes, I may need to ask specific students. Either way, I have found that the more prepared I am, the better the conversation goes.
I tend to ask broad questions of the entire class to start and when I receive answers from students, I'll then ask the class for volunteers to either elaborate on the prior student's answer or to offer an alternative answer/solution. This really works for me to get the participatory energy flowing.
Steve
I do a lot of examples requiring both setup and calculation. I try not to do it myself, but call on students to first set things up, identifying variables and data needed, and then solve the calculation. If there are students who are not participating I will also try to engage them directly either by a direct question (that I am pretty sure they can answer) or by using eye contact signals. I also begin my classes with a discussion of participation and how that fits into the professionalism part of their grade, which helps some be more active.
I also give a term paper to each class and the expectation is that they will not only do the paper but present it to the class.
I guess I am saying that I keep the class as interactive as possible since they are responsible for the bulk of the work.
I pose a question that relates to my students' real life experience and that also has relevance to our topic of the day.
open ended questions -often coming from the previous days lesson, to review and have my students consider the 'stepping stone' that the previous lesson provided.
During class times when students have asked question I tend to rephrase the question in hopes to spark some more critical thinking on their behave. I have found that most of the time they know the answer they tend to doubt themsleves. Having that open discussion always promotes a better repor with fellow students as well as the instructor.
I like to ask questions that have a deferent answer for each student to just get them to relax and get involved with the class.
I like to start with questions that have no wrong answers. Asking their thoughts and opinions loosens up the class and increases participation when I begin to ask harder questions.
Start with question that have obvious ansewers that mignt have introduced in lecture or power minutes earlyer. Then build from there.
Hi Shelia - I have found that getting comfortable with the concept of "wait-time" can be really tough for faculty but, as you say,it pays off in terms of participation. Susan
An interesting point is the 3 second wait time or silent time between questions. Too often, time is not given for students to quite finish or clarify their answers prior to moving to the next student or next question. Making a consious effort to have "silent time" after a question in the classroom has noticeably increased student participation.
Hi James - Thanks for sharing a good example of using scenarios to engage our students! Susan
HI Michael - Thanks for sharing some good suggestions on how to get discussions going while questioning! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
