Monday, September 28, 2009
"No Questions Allowed"
So I have this class that won't allow students to ask question. It is a pretty large class of almost 300, so it's understandable.... I guess. However, I've had 3 other classes of 250+ that welcome questions and encourage dialogue. Dr. Gilbreath, an economics professor, said that through Q&A a student learns better and applies what they're learning to every day life. Another flaw about this class is the wasted class time. We usually spend the entire class watching video clips or learning about alumni- these are not on the test. I feel bad tuning out the "lecture" to read the book but that's where the questions on the test come from. To make matters worse, the professor is kind of a big deal so I can't talk to him one on one about it, plus it sounds a little disrespectful. Should I just read the book or what a movie?
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I happen to concur with Dr. Gilbreath, in fact I steal from his classroom techniques all the time, but not all professors are cut from the same cloth. Here's a thing to try that might be helpful and is far safer than reading a book or watching a movie where you might actually miss some important bit of info or make a bad impression. As you listen to the lecture or watch the clips, make notes on why you think he included this material. Rack your brain if you have to, but see what you can come up with. There's probably not any real wasted information since you never know when something you randomly heard will come in handy. At least this might keep you awake. Let me know if you try it.
ReplyDeleteHere's another thought. It might be that, if you noted questions you would have liked to ask during the lecture, your professor really would like to discuss the concepts with you after class or during office hours.
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