Adam - Reading Notes #7

TT

“Open each session with a brief review of the previous session.” (76) That’s my usual approach. I’m glad it’s formally validated now.

I dislike the use of extra time as an accommodation. Accessibility is an accommodation; extra time is an advantage. Virtually all students would perform better with extra time.

“For most undergraduate classes, you will want to teach at the level of the B student.” (90) I like such concrete pieces of advice. Sometimes it’s tough to find a balance between boring the top and losing the bottom.

“Offer a ‘cafeteria menu’ of assignments.” While it sounds like a lot of work to set up initially, as a student I would appreciate a course structured in this manner; and there are software development practices that allow employees to choose their work to some extent, so this could map to industry.

“Don’t tell students when you can show them – and don’t show them when they can show themselves.” If I was a professor with an office, I would print this out and stick it on my door.

I believe chapter 29 is directed towards secondary education, where students “learn how to learn.” For example, contextualizing new information, note taking, and self-regulated learning are skills I expect students to master as minimum conditions of college acceptance.

“Ask students to prepare questions based on the reading.” (283) I could do that.

“Give frequent quizzes.” (284) I should incorporate this into my final project syllabus.

OC

“You should attempt to devise methods to discern the mental models that students will typically bring to your courses.” (162) I found Chapter 7 the most useful out of this book (so far).  Up to this point we have mainly discussed topics that are requirements of teaching (e.g. syllabus, assignments, grading, lectures). Mental models could be overlooked even by veteran instructors.

“Students today are very different from the students of thirty years ago.” (194) I’ve heard this many times, but I think it’s overblown. Students from thirty years ago have far more commonalities with today’s students than they have differences. Students are just people, and people don’t change that much.