Chapter 5 talks about the manner in which the best teachers actually conduct their class and the learning environment they create for their students. For me, this may be the part of my teaching that has changed the most over the years as I have learned how to “reach” students more effectively. How do you currently create what Bain calls a “natural critical learning environment” for your students? After reading the chapter, how might you embed your discipline’s issues in larger contexts, using an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and solving problems?
I attempt to create a natural critical learning environment by fostering a non-judgmental, respectful, welcoming community of learners where all questions and discussions are valid. In that context I pose authentic questions and encourage critical, scientific thinking to answer these questions in small groups.
I think embedding my discipline’s issues in larger contexts would work for some classes-like politicizing a topic such as GMOs in general biology- but does not make sense to me for something very specific and detail oriented like biochemistry.
To attempt to foster a natural critical learning environment, I create interesting or relevant problems for my students to solve, using the techniques or concepts given in the unit. For Computer Science, I can use an interactive document to interleave lecture text and programming code blocks the students must complete or run. These help keep students engaged as they follow along and required to periodically actively participate. These lecture activities are paced according to the ongoing class-wide discussion. Within those, I try to show a short video (5 min or less) each session. In the same session, I will conclude with a small group active learning exercise the student must complete, applying the new concepts.
I particularly liked the discussion of the value of variety and variance in technique and approach. My courses usually have a fixed agenda for each meeting, published in advance (which students seem to appreciate). Although there is variety within the regular daily schedule, I wish to improve my approach by occasionally doing something totally different, perhaps unexpected, such as a session-long game, design competition, etc.
My favorite quote from this book so far is
“They know how to make silence loud.”
Lots in this chapter. The topic of lecture has been something I have noticed a lot lately. I actually did my “New2OSU” blog assignment on the topic. You can see it here: http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/osuteaching/2020/02/27/pop-quiz-what-is-better-than-a-flipped-classroom/
I do like the captivating question theme. I actually wrote one of my exams during first term to be all about applying what they have learned in chemistry to familiar chemical reactions (baking soda in cooking, etc). I think being able to do that each lecture or maybe even one big question each week would be good. Leaving a cliff hanger would be fun too if possible.
I have read a couple of times about how some chemistry instructors weave a lot of history into their class and try to present it to students like we need help solving these mysteries instead of relaying what we know. I try to give lots of examples from day to day life, but I could see asking them to be chemistry could be intriguing too. I looked into the chemist they quoted in this chapter from Harvard and found it interesting that though he won a Nobel prize and taught specialized graduate-level courses, he felt the greatest challenge of his working career was teaching freshman-level general chemistry!
One of the biggest things from this chapter that I’ve noticed this year is the idea of variety. I have incorporated a decent amount of active learning time (handouts, group work, clicker questions), but I still got some student reviews that the class was monotonous. Even a well-designed class period will become boring if done in the same format every time. That is something I’ve been trying to work on this year.