I had this summer two sections one with two meetings/week for 6 weeks, and a second section with four days/week for 4 weeks.
In the beginning I was concerned for the 4 weeks section, that they will have trouble completing all assignments in such a short time, but it was exactly the reverse!
I told students in each section that if this is their first graduate class, if they are not used to work hard, or if they expect an easy class then 515 is NOT what they want to take this summer. As a consequence 9 students decided to drop the first section and one student from the second section (they did the right choice for them at this point). In the regular semester time they will have 15 weeks to complete the same course.
Many of them came to class with a set schema about WHAT college teaching should be like, and how much work should be done in a summer class. It seems to me that many did not believe when I told them that they will have the exact same course as in a regular semester time, just that they will do it twice as fast (not one meeting/week but two meetings). Many fell victim of planning fallacy, and ended up being extremely frustrated that they had to complete a comprehensive exam with literature review in... half of time (?). They of course knew about the assignment from first day of class. I had all necessary documents on Blackboard, and they had two computer literacy training sessions where they learned about how to create and use a blog, and how to search literature using the Lovejoy Library web. Last semester (regular semester) my former students did not have any of these training sessions, they had to just follow my handouts.
Interestingly, students in the section with more time struggled more than the students in the shortest section. Those who complete in four weeks are working very hard, they are extremely focused on what they do, it is an amazing group! The 4-weeks group has three nurses, and they spice up the classroom discussion with many questions related to neuroscience and diseases related to human cognition. I shared with them information I learned as a Psychology major, and information I learned because I was interested in (just like them now). This group is very dynamic, inquisitive, hard working. It is a pleasure to go to classes :-)
I know I break many schema (stereotypes) about college teaching. I have all lectures as power point on Blackboard, and I teach using power point, but I also teach mostly by individualized teaching in their small group discussions, and by responding their questions, and explaining concepts at the blackboard in class, when they need more understanding. I know there are some among them who think "She is not teaching!" But what is really teaching? Just information delivery through a teacher's lecture?
I really hope not! I really hope they change their perspective about TEACHING. Since all I do is teaching with a purpose, to bring in many different ways of teaching and to show them that they will learn from ALL: lecture, small group discussions, Blackboard discussions, reading and reflecting on research articles, thinking about how a topic would have teaching application, developing a literature review, and reflecting on larger topics, and last but not the least, to learn how to use technology in teaching and learning new skills (yes, this is the blog).
Some think it is too much, since they hold a set schema about college teaching, some don't realize that ALL I do in class IS teaching, and they ARE learning.
Each semester I have some students who just love this style and e-mail me that I have changed their life; and I have some who will hate me till they can remember (using episodic memory) that this was the most difficult class they took in college. But I am glad if they will even remember, is better to be remembered as "the most difficult course" than to be ignored and forgotten. As for the course... I will not dumb down my requirements just because a couple of students find it too hard and a "very difficult" class.
At least they won't forget it (ignore it), and if they will also remember Allan Baddeley's model, that is SUPER! :-)
2 comments:
Hello Dr. Szabo!
I was in your 4-week class this summer, and it was one of the best classes I have ever had. You did a great job of modeling effective teaching--you truly interacted with your students (sitting in on our group discussions, posting on Blackboard, answering our questions in class, etc.). I have been in classes where lectures were simply read from PowerPoint slides, where instructors put us in groups for activities and then just sat at their desk working on other things, and where we were required to post comments on Blackboard--but the instructor never posted. In these situations, the students are quick to see that they are merely involved in "busywork," and their motivation vanishes. Your class was a great example of how it is the teacher who makes the difference--not the technology or the latest teaching fad. Thank you and have a great summer!
Georgia
Dr. Szabo,
I was in your night classes and too enjoyed the style of teaching. While it was tough to sit for the amount of time (teachers don't get to do that much :o) I still learned much and made many connections not only to my professional life, but also my personal life. With an aging parent and a disabled husband, it made my understanding of why they do what they do clear to me. I am a little less frustrated with all aspects of my life. Thanks
Jill
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