The quest to get students doing assigned reading and engaging with that material is one of those ongoing challenges faced by university and college teachers today. Simply assigning the reading, telling students to do it and making threats about what will happen if they don’t is rarely enough to get most of today’s students interacting with their texts. It almost always takes something more, and if you regularly read this blog you know that we’re always looking for good ideas—especially those that not only get students doing the reading but those that help to develop their reading skills in the process. And, I’ve found another promising approach. I’ll be highlighting this strategy in much greater detail in an upcoming issue of the newsletter, but here’s a preview.

Sometimes we do get stuck in ruts—we use the same kinds of test questions: multiple-choice, short answer, maybe a few fill-in-the-blank, some matching and an occasional longer essay question. We forget there are other options. Here’s an example, initially proposed in 1990.

Sounds like a bit of jargon, doesn't it? It probably qualifies as such but what the term refers to is of interest. Researchers in the 50s who were trying to explain criminal behavior coined the phrase which describes “justifications for deviance that are seen as valid by the delinquent but not by the legal system or society as large.” (These researchers, Sykes and Matza, are quoted on p. 295 in the article referenced below). If deviant actions can be justifiable then the offender avoids moral culpability.

Simulations can be powerful active learning experiences. In the social sciences and humanities they can provide a kind of “lab-like” experience, often not a part of these courses. Finding good simulation exercises is a challenge in some fields and integrating them into the content and objectives of the course requires careful planning and execution. However, this extra work is justified given what a good simulation can accomplish in class. Check out these benefits listed in an excellent article on simulations (reference below).

I’m cleaning out my Dad’s apartment and found a letter from the President of Washington State University addressed to my Grandfather. The letter tells him that his daughter Barbara (my much loved aunt) has made the All-College Honor Roll for the sixth time and that no student does this without being “thoughtful” and “earnest minded.”

How often has this happened? After a test has been returned, a disappointed, sometimes distressed, student approaches after class, and says something like, “I can’t believe it! I studied 10 hours for this test and I still did poorly.” Most of us respond with some version of “but it’s not the quantity of time spent studying, it’s the quality of that study time.” And this pretty obvious insight has been confirmed by some recent research.

“Our course restructuring was motivated by several perceived deficiencies common to traditional lecture-based introductory courses. The most pronounced concern, shared by multiple faculty involved in the course, was poor student attitudes. Both numeric and written responses on course evaluations indicated that students were not satisfied with the course and did not recognize the importance of the course content to their education as biologists. For example, students often commented on course evaluations that the lectures and/or course materials were ‘boring.’ Furthermore, individual instructor-student interactions often indicated that students were more concerned with their test scores than with gaining a thorough understanding of the course material. Poor student attitudes also were reflected by poor attendance, limited participation in class, and suboptimal student performance.” (p. 204)

Dan Klionsky makes some excellent points in a letter to the editor published in Cell Biology Education. He’s objecting to how departments design curricula. He’s writing about biology, but what concerns him doesn’t just happen in biology.

When you’re a new college teacher, good advice can be so helpful. Studies are important—good practice rests on what has been verified about teaching and learning, but early on, it’s those practical bits of wisdom that help a beginner get a handle on the details that matter most. The other thing about advice for new teachers is that it contains important reminders to those who’ve been teaching for a while. I’ve found an example that illustrates. Edward Burmila suggests “Seven Things to Know about Teaching Your Own Course while in Graduate School.” Here they are with a sampling of the pithy quotes that appear throughout his article.