rws@gypsy.UUCP (07/16/85)
Okay, I can't stand it anymore. When I was teaching at Rutgers, I made every effort to make my lectures as two-way as possible, like by asking open-ended questions, assigning exercises and then answering questions about them, etc. Still, I found that I could not rely upon the students to read the textbook before coming to lecture. I wanted to expand on what the textbook had said, by adding examples from my own experience, and using the chalkboard to create "moving pictures" that textbooks could not. The best that I could do was to assign several exercises from each reading assignment, which the student was expected to do for his own good, knowing full well that I intended to base many homework problems on the exercises. Then I would try to lecture on the "important points" of the textbook, to make sure they got across. I still believe that I was right most of the time. However, in my final semester of teaching, I had an unusually talented and eager group of students. After two weeks of class I asked them, frankly, how many read the textbook before coming to class. Most did not. I asked why. They said it was because I was repeating what the textbook said. I said okay, I won't do that anymore. They immediately started reading the assignments in preparation for the class, and we ultimately covered twice the material I had expected to cover. Now, about taking notes. After a couple of years of watching a roomful of students hunched over their notebooks trying to scribble down everything I was writing, I said to hell with protocol, and started distributing my lecture notes BEFORE starting to talk. Suddenly everyone was looking at me! And asking questions! And thinking! I'll never go back to the other way. I gave up teaching for both financial reasons and reasons of wanting more colleagues within my specialty. I now find that passing out lecture notes ahead of time is the rule rather than the exception, whether it's an in-house training seminar or a commercially offered course. I also find that 95% of the lectures I attend are give-and-take sessions, where either the speaker will deliberately involve the audience, or a listener will interrupt with questions leading to lively dialogue. Surely universities can go the same route. Bob Schwanke Siemens Research Princeton, NJ 08540-6668 seismo!princeton!siemens!rws
rws@gypsy.UUCP (07/16/85)
Sorry, my previous note should have said that the students knew I intended to base exam questions on the exercises, even though I wasn't collecting the exercises. If anyone wants to hear more of the tricks I'm proud of, say so. Bob Schwanke Siemens Research Princeton, NJ 08540-6668 seismo!princeton!siemens!rws
sophie@mnetor.UUCP (Sophie Quigley) (07/18/85)
> Now, about taking notes. After a couple of years of watching a roomful of > students hunched over their notebooks trying to scribble down everything I > was writing, I said to hell with protocol, and started distributing my > lecture notes BEFORE starting to talk. Suddenly everyone was looking at me! > And asking questions! And thinking! I'll never go back to the other way. > > Bob Schwanke When I was a student, I found that I paid much more attention to the lecture when I was taking notes than whn I was reading printed notes. It also made me feel much more like a participant in the whole process, and most importantly it kept me awake! -- Sophie Quigley {allegra|decvax|ihnp4|linus|watmath}!utzoo!mnetor!sophie