expert
I like the info that you do not have to always be the expert. Students do bring many things to the table.
Sharing that info made them feel more a part of things and everyone enjoyed a new fun fact. The real expert is our collective knowledge.
Being the learner has its rewards - it helps the students understand that there is always another viewpoint and or another idea, or more knowledge on a subject and that subjects or ways of doing things can change.
Timothy,
also this can be a way to help the students learn how to evaluate reliable information on the web vs not so reliable.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I really like this approach and put it into action with the somewhat dreaded smart phone everyone carries. Ringtones and facebook surfing during class are a problem at times, but these same phones can help the class environment. In teaching multiple science courses many questions can be answered by asking students to google it. For example, this week we were discussion cell differentiation, and I wondered how many cell types there are in our bodies. Two students had the answer in a 15 seconds. Sharing that info made them feel more a part of things and everyone enjoyed a new fun fact. The real expert is our collective knowledge.
Yes always find the response "I not really sure of the solution to question, but we both can try and find the answer."
William,
and most of our students have experiences as customers in our fields even if they haven't been on the career side of things.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In my classes I find that many learners have experiences that can be more current or varied than my own. I'm glad that the students seem to favor sharing experiences because it makes the session more valuable for everyone.
Donald,
this is a great point & also helps demonstrate that humility to our students that we don't have to have all the answers.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
You will often find that there are varying opinions even among "experts" in a given field. It makes me feel more at ease when presenting material when there are many valid opinions on it. It is also easier for students to voice their opinions when they know the specific topic generates diverse opinion.
Melvin ,
yes, use the students' past experiences & their knowledge to help stimulate some of the discussions in the course.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
