Transcript Engaging the Gears - Buena Vista University

Faculty Conference
October 27, 2012
Buena Vista University
Dr. James Hampton
Professor of Biology
Our time together
We are all educators
 Teaching is both a calling and a craft
 We all want our students to be
successful
 We have the ability to affect learning by
teaching well
 Some methods are organizational some
are interpersonal-both attempt to help
the student want to learn

The Interpersonal
Building a Sense of Community
Please introduce yourself to the
colleagues around you.
 Why did you begin working for BVU?
 What has been the most challenging
part of the experience?
 What has been the most
rewarding part of the
experience?

High-Impact Educational Practices
LEAP Initiative-AAC&U
First-Year Seminars and Experiences
 Common Intellectual Experiences
 Learning Communities
 Writing-Intensive Courses
 Collaborative Assignments and Projects
 Undergraduate Research
 Diversity/Global Learning
 Service Learning, Community-Based Learning
 Internships
 Capstone Courses and Projects

http://www.aacu.org/leap/hip.cfm
The Engagement Premise:
“The more students study a subject, the more
they learn about it. Likewise, the more
students practice and get feedback on their
writing, analyzing or problem solving, the
more adept they become. The very act of
being engaged also adds to the foundation of
skills and dispositions that is essential to live
a productive, satisfying life after college.”
• Gerorge D. Kuh, “What We’re Learning About Student Learning
from NSSE” Change, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Mar. - Apr., 2003), pp. 2432
Student Engagement
 Turn
to the person next to you
 Do you accept the engagement
premise?
○ Why or why not?
○ Based on your experiences in
the classroom give an
example that supports your
position.
Online Learning Communities
Steve Remington-Professor of Marketing
Assign Reading before next class
 Using Angel:

 Students post 3 questions based on reading
 And post a response to one of their own
questions
 Each student must review another students
response and write a critique
 During class use posted questions as
discussion prompts
The Engagement Contract
Tell them what you are working on or
thinking about.
 Demonstrate your interest.
 Ask them questions that would have
useful answers.
 “Student engagement is enhanced by
professor engagement.” — Patricia Hampton

The Disengagement Truce

I won’t give you too much work if you don’t
give me too much work.
Education occurs in the brain of the student
not the mouth of the professor.
http://outtheotherear.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/in-one-ear-out-the-other.jpg
Organizational Changes
It is about their work
not yours
Identify one of your assignments that requires
significant work for your students?
What is the hardest part of this assignment for
you?
How can you keep the assignment but
diminish the work for yourself?
The Disengagement Truce

I won’t give you too much work if you don’t
give me too much work.
Turn to your neighbor:
•Share your
assignment
•What is engaging
for the student?
•What suggestion
does your neighbor
have for you?
The Disengagement Truce?

Does your work need to equal their work?
The
Guide on the Side
rather than the
Sage on the Stage
-Paul Bowers
You don’t have to
be there for
learning to occur!
http://ecommunity.pwsd76.ab.ca/mod/lightboxgallery/pic.php/2/students-working-together.jpg
Co-learning
Who is the teacher and who the student?
Have you taught in both formats
on line and in person?
How is community building different
on line than in person?
Teaching makes for better students
Guide on the Side

Speed Presentations





Assign subtopics related to broader topics
Spend 1/3 of class on research
Spend 1/3 on Power Point preparation
Spend 1/3 on presentations
Speed Debates
 Create teams and assign debate prompts
beforehand
 Have at least two different debates
 Opening comments, rebuttals, closing
arguments
 Students as judges in class
What I am saying and
what you are hearing
Balance between
speed of delivery
and the attention
span of the
student.
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/200511099-004.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=405954B421854B6A1169883CC7A36D0479751D6B8E896781
What I am saying and
what you are hearing
Balance between speed of delivery and the
attention span of the student.
 Frequent reboots within a Power Point

 What did we just learn?
○ Questions
○ Cases
 Keeping it comfortable
○ Humor
○ Amusement
○ Respect
http://www.marianuniversity.edu/uploadedImages/Adult-Class06.jpg
High-Impact Educational Practices
LEAP initiative-AAC&U
First-Year Seminars and Experiences
 Common Intellectual Experiences
 Learning Communities
 Writing-Intensive Courses
 Collaborative Assignments and Projects
 Undergraduate Research
 Diversity/Global Learning
 Service Learning, Community-Based Learning
 Internships
 Capstone Courses and Projects

Current? Appropriate? Inappropriate?
Bring the Students on Task
 Choose
one class period or
assignment from your syllabus
 How can you enhance student
engagement?
[email protected]