Engaging Students
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[Note to Readers: Unlike previous “Dear Professor/Dear Student” posts in which we receive a question from one (e.g., student) and solicit responses from the other (e.g., faculty), this edition reflects a question from both parties. Accordingly, we invite both students and faculty to respond to this posting.]
Dear Professor:
I have some classes where it seems the professors rely just on PowerPoint slides or read their notes to teach the lesson. At times I wonder why I have to come and listen to a lecture at all when I could just go through the slides on my own. Is it challenging to find new ways to engage students? If so, what are some of the barriers?
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Dear Student:
Being a professor at a university means I have many responsibilities and obligations to fulfill. Because of all these pressures, I often find it difficult to develop new lesson plans and methods in my large lecture courses. I am concerned that sometimes my lectures are not helping my students as well as they could. What can I do to better engage you and help you learn in these kinds of settings?
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My best large-lecture experiences were when the professor took comments from students (in the JS Auditorium class, we used microphones and the TAs ran them around). I benefited a lot from the comments made by my peers and the opportunity I had to ask questions or make comments every so often. I don’t know what subject area you’re talking about, but in my physics and chemistry classes I appreciated teacher demonstrations and visual aids–things the teacher could explain well to our large group, and which I couldn’t just read off of a PowerPoint on my own time.
~Katie
Come up with simple activities where we have to apply what we learn in order to learn it. In other words, instead of just studying accounting theory, make us go to companies out there and have us apply our knowledge to meet some legitimate need for a company.
~ Josh
No offense, but the process of learning has changed dramatically since most professors went through school. What worked for our professors won’t necessarily work for us. We learn more through technology, visual reinforcement, lots of examples, and easier access to repeat the lecture.
~Vanessa
Cold Calling in Class
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Dear Student:
How do you feel when a professor “cold calls” on you in class to answer a question regarding the homework? Does it motivate you to prepare for class better?
Sincerely,
Melissa Larson
School of Accountancy
Dear Professor:
“My mind blanks every time that happens, regardless if I have prepared. I just don’t like to be on the spot like that.”
~Mikhaela Tait
“No, it makes me less willing to participate, and I have less desire to build a relationship with that professor that could otherwise be helpful in my learning.”
~ Dan Randall
“Hmmm . . . If it’s reading, I’d say I at least make sure I’m absorbing what I’m reading so I could be prepared to answer, but only if I know they’ll do it. As other people have said, if it’s random, I’d probably be embarrassed but then just assume they wouldn’t ever call on me again because they already did.”
~ Lucy Williams
“I had a professor who warned us he would do that throughout the semester. I prepared well for his class. But I also was really interested in the material, so I enjoyed participating in class discussion.”
~ Katie Wilkie
“I can’t help but be super shy in classes so I usually don’t make many comments. So I don’t mind too much when a professor calls on me in class because it forces me to say something. I’m still not a huge fan, though.”
~ Nicole Black
