I have been thinking over methods of getting students to ask more questions, offer insights and discuss the material during class, and after getting some good advice I have produced the following method.
Much
of class time will be used for lecture. During lecture, you are
welcome at any point to raise your hand to ask questions about the
material we are covering or to offer your own insights. I may not call
on you immediately, but I will try to finish my immediate point as soon
as I can. You are also welcome to raise your hand in response to
another student’s question or insight. I prefer group discussion to
involve the entire class. After each section of the material, I will
stop to ask the class questions as a whole to stimulate discussion:
1)
Are there any questions about the concept? Is each part of the
material clear, or is there anything that needs clarification?
2) Are there any examples that are good illustrations of the concept, either from the news, fiction, or personal life?
3) Are there any counterexamples that show there are problems with the concept, either from the news, fiction, or personal life?
4) What does this concept reveal about the thinker, their life experience, motivations and expectations?
You
are also welcome to email me questions and insights before, during or
after the lecture. This way, questions and insights can be extended to
the class anonymously and to me silently. We will typically take a
short break midway through class, at which time I will check my phone.
Questions and insights that I think are relevant to the class will be
shared with everyone after break and before resuming the lecture.
Questions and insights that I think are more tangential, related to the
material but getting away from our focus, I will answer after class as
soon as I have the chance. Of course, you are also welcome to approach
me after class with questions and insights that you wish to discuss with
me or any remaining students.
