Mike's Reading notes #7

One of the things I wanted to know more about is how people present material to students in a meaningful way, as Davis suggests. I ask this because I’ll probably have to teach a course at some point that is a general education requirement. If students are required to be there, do you find that they just log time to get it over with? Or are there techniques you use that actually get them involved? I always tried to find general education classes with material that I was interested in, but I will also admit that I come from a Liberal Arts undergraduate education that required me to have a diverse course load to graduate, so I think that made it easier. These questions also apply with motivating them to attend class.

When Davis discusses self-regulated learning, I wanted to know more about “giving students choices.” What choices do those who actively teach give students with learning? Does it involve varying your course material so students have to explore other methods of learning? I’m on the fence about the next point Davis makes about giving advice on how to study an learn. This is mostly because I feel like there are so many different ways people find to effectively study, I would fear a student taking my advice, and it actually hurts their information retention.

Lang alludes to students being able to approach complex material and apply it to common sense. Do those who teach experience this? I feel that in order for that to happen, students have to correctly understand a concept to make it ‘common sense’. I think this is similar to Assimilative learning that he discusses later, which sounds similar.

I’m glad Lang feels that learning too much about your student’s personal lives is a terrible idea. For one reason, there are just too many students to do that effectively. But more importantly, I feel that once that happens, students have a tendency to not take a teacher as seriously. I also agree Lang that you run the risk of becoming a counselor rather than an educator. Also, with the world we live in, I also agree with Lang in that you have to protect yourself as an educator from a legal perspective. But even with his suggestions, How do others walk that line and engage their students as people? I feel too many professors go in the extreme opposite direction and are very hard to talk to about issues that may arise with course material or issues in the classroom. Almost like they are on a pedestal looking down at students, and from my experience, that can be demeaning.