Center for Teaching Excellence,
Iowa State University
March, 1998
1. Formulate clear objectives for the course (other than covering X number of
chapters) which are clearly communicated to the students. It's helpful if you
can state the objectives in "action" terms but not necessary. Useful objectives
relate to what students should know, understand, be able to apply, or use
effectively by the end of the semester. The memorization of a list of facts or
dates is not in itself a very useful objective but being able to identify how
current events both resemble and differ from an historic event, for example,
would be a workable objective. The objectives should be explained to the
students at the beginning of the semester and reiterated periodically.
2. Use a variety of approaches to teaching during each session and over the
course of the semester according to what is most appropriate for the material
being presented. An entire course session of only lecture or only slides
becomes tedious, not only for the students but for the instructors as well. But
don't just jump from one thing to another. Try to load up the first 10 to 15
minutes with the important factual information. Then follow that with
illustrations which give visual reinforcement to the facts. Then, maybe a short
discussion of implications, etc.
3. Develop clear expectations for what you expect from the students and how
they will be tested. These expectations should follow logically from the
objectives you formulate for the semester. Students need to understand what
they will have to know, how well they need to know it, and how they will have
to demonstrate what they know. Far too many students today have had twelve or
more years of educational experience which has required very little of them.
You can't assume that their educational preparation was like yours or that they
have any experience with the kinds of performance that you expect. Also,
remember that students have very different learning styles and some may respond
best to multiple choice exams while others are better at answering essay
questions so try to prepare different kinds of exams for different parts of the
semester.
4. Students learn the most when they can take an active part in learning
instead of being passive recipients of information. But you will have to let
them know what you expect. Most students have primarily been in lecture-style
courses and have gotten used to being passive in the classroom. It make take
some coaxing at first, but if you explain what you want students to do and why
you are designing the course this way, they do tend to become involved. For
example, having students each prepare a presentation for the class on specific
topics is a useful active learning strategy. But if you do not explain why you
are making this assignment, many students are likely to assume that the
instructor is just lazy and is having the students do his/her work. And most
students resist group or team projects because the logistics of getting
together can be difficult, they've had negative experiences with teammates who
do not pull their weight, and they are used to being competitive rather than
collaborative. But when students can clearly see how team projects prepare them
for professional life, most are more enthusiastic.
5. If you want students to learn critical thinking skills or be able to
synthesize several sources of information into a coherent perspective, you need
to model those processes and give students a chance to practice them. For
example, teachers who sometimes encounter something that they do not understand
or for which they do not already have a rehearsed answer, should use that
opportunity to demonstrate how they gain understanding or solve problems. And
if they also involve the students in that process, they are providing a
valuable lesson about how one thinks in the discipline. Students also need time
to reflect on what they are learning, clarify what they do not understand in a
non-judgmental environment, and have meaningful discussions about how they fit
what they are learning into their construct of the world. If you want students
to be able to have intelligent discussions, you need to model that behavior. In
other words, don't just talk to the students, but engage them in a two-way
exchange that lets them explore ideas rather than just answer questions. And
when you are presenting new information, remember that the students need some
time to think before you expect them to voice their thoughts.
6. If you expect students to keep up with the readings for the course, then
make sure that those readings are relevant to what you discuss in class but not
a substitute for the readings. In other words, the readings should be the basis
for thoughtful discussion, real-life application, questions about implications
or hypothetical situations, etc. Most students will come to realize that they
are left out of the discussions if they haven't read the assignments. But if
you cover the content of the readings in class, students will also learn that
they do not have to keep up with the reading because you will give them the
information in lecture. Some instructors grade preparation in order to make it
a requirement that students will take seriously. This tactic probably works
best for the youngest students because of their developmental level.