Seminarium

The Elements of Great Teaching

Writing With a Point—Part 2: The Annotated Bibliography 2.0

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Few things are sadder than the student who cites a work without the foggiest idea of the author’s argument or its relevance to a discourse. To help my undergraduates clarify the reading process, I have them keep an annotated bibliography of course materials and independent research. “Isn’t that a little much?” Here’s the thing. If a student is going to read something for me, I want them to at least get the point of what they’ve read….

Writing With a Point—Part 1: Calculating Introductions

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As far as I’m concerned, STEM education is not the enemy, it’s one of our best allies. In my experience, students with STEM backgrounds have an easier time at transitioning from descriptive writing to critical writing. Their theses are clearer; their questions, more profound; their topics, beautifully honed.

The difference lies in the logic undergirding the scientific method. STEM students hold that a good topic is a defined topic. They presume that a good question is an answerable question. And they maintain that a good thesis is a valid thesis. Once they perceive how all three are functions of each other, they can calculate introductions with this in mind….

Flipping the Classroom: Don’t Sweat the Technique

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For those unfamiliar, the flipped classroom reverses the conventional teach-in-class/learn-at-home approach. Instead teachers introduce content in homework lessons, and students practice the material in the classroom. In theory, this will encourage more hands-on learning when students and teachers meet together. With the help of dynamic media, students can interact with content beyond the level afforded by the traditional lecture experience.

Truth be told this is not a novel idea. Math and science educators, for instance, have been implementing this for the past 20 years. Humanities professors frequently harbor anxiety over what it means for our praxis….