Reflection on the Class:
Did you know that most professors have never had any formal instruction on how to teach or conduct a class? This is especially true at larger research institutions where the professors main focus is on research. With that, this class was extremely beneficial in laying the foundation of how to create a curriculum, how to develop rubrics for assignments, how to implement classroom assessment techniques, and how to evaluate and unlock prior learning that a student has had from previous courses and their life.
Effective teaching begins by assessing prior knowledge. Prior knowledge can be beneficial and harmful to students. For instance, if a student has some knowledge on a subject, that might help them learn the material faster or they might be able to understand the information easier. Also if a student understands the subject, as a professor, you may be able to spend less time on a topic and focus more time on more difficult concepts. However, if a student has learned information about a topic that is wrong, false or misrepresented, it could ultimately factor into a students understanding of that topic in a negative way. Therefore assessing student’s prior knowledge on topics and subjects can be beneficial to helping them understand the topic more fully and to also dispel any misconceptions that they may have on the topic.
Higher education has largely stayed the same, students read, they do assignments, they come to class and listen to lecture, etc. The class talked about incorporating new technology into the classroom and finding ways to make the classroom more exciting for students. The lecture-based classroom landscape needs to change and better meet the needs of students, especially since the cost of education is increasing rapidly yet the type of education has remained largely the same.
The professor plays a huge role in student understanding and helping shape the student’s experience in the classroom. Especially if the professor is adequately doing the job of creating an environment that fosters learning. For instance, providing timely and effective feedback on student work can be extremely beneficial to the student, especially before they have to turn in the next assignment. The class uses a textbook that offers 7 practices for smart teaching and provides examples of how to put these practices into place in the classroom. These practices encourage professors to examine 7 questions.
These questions are:
Assessment is often viewed as burdensome and intense. Having taking the class, I gained a whole new perspective on the importance of assessment, especially inside the classroom. Classroom Assessment Techniques can be easy and fun ways to ensure that students are learning the material of the class, paying attention to the discussions and conversations and completing the readings for the course. (See some of my favorite CATs below)
Having had the opportunity to pair up the taking of this class with facilitating two classes of my own, I was able to incorporate classroom assessment techniques into the classes I was facilitating, which gave me a better understanding of if the students were understanding the materials, if the students were engaging in the readings and if the students were listening to the discussions being had in the classroom.
The class really helped to foster a stronger sense of and appreciation towards the art of teaching. The best part is that I was able to utilize the information learned from the class in the classes I was facilitating, offering real-world examples of these concepts and putting them into practice.
Did you know that most professors have never had any formal instruction on how to teach or conduct a class? This is especially true at larger research institutions where the professors main focus is on research. With that, this class was extremely beneficial in laying the foundation of how to create a curriculum, how to develop rubrics for assignments, how to implement classroom assessment techniques, and how to evaluate and unlock prior learning that a student has had from previous courses and their life.
Effective teaching begins by assessing prior knowledge. Prior knowledge can be beneficial and harmful to students. For instance, if a student has some knowledge on a subject, that might help them learn the material faster or they might be able to understand the information easier. Also if a student understands the subject, as a professor, you may be able to spend less time on a topic and focus more time on more difficult concepts. However, if a student has learned information about a topic that is wrong, false or misrepresented, it could ultimately factor into a students understanding of that topic in a negative way. Therefore assessing student’s prior knowledge on topics and subjects can be beneficial to helping them understand the topic more fully and to also dispel any misconceptions that they may have on the topic.
Higher education has largely stayed the same, students read, they do assignments, they come to class and listen to lecture, etc. The class talked about incorporating new technology into the classroom and finding ways to make the classroom more exciting for students. The lecture-based classroom landscape needs to change and better meet the needs of students, especially since the cost of education is increasing rapidly yet the type of education has remained largely the same.
The professor plays a huge role in student understanding and helping shape the student’s experience in the classroom. Especially if the professor is adequately doing the job of creating an environment that fosters learning. For instance, providing timely and effective feedback on student work can be extremely beneficial to the student, especially before they have to turn in the next assignment. The class uses a textbook that offers 7 practices for smart teaching and provides examples of how to put these practices into place in the classroom. These practices encourage professors to examine 7 questions.
These questions are:
- How does Student’s prior knowledge affect their learning?
- How does the way students organize knowledge affect their learning?
- What factors motivate students to learn?
- How do students develop mastery?
- What kind of practice and feedback enhance learning?
- Why do student development and course climate matter for student learning?
- How do students become self directed learners?
Assessment is often viewed as burdensome and intense. Having taking the class, I gained a whole new perspective on the importance of assessment, especially inside the classroom. Classroom Assessment Techniques can be easy and fun ways to ensure that students are learning the material of the class, paying attention to the discussions and conversations and completing the readings for the course. (See some of my favorite CATs below)
Having had the opportunity to pair up the taking of this class with facilitating two classes of my own, I was able to incorporate classroom assessment techniques into the classes I was facilitating, which gave me a better understanding of if the students were understanding the materials, if the students were engaging in the readings and if the students were listening to the discussions being had in the classroom.
The class really helped to foster a stronger sense of and appreciation towards the art of teaching. The best part is that I was able to utilize the information learned from the class in the classes I was facilitating, offering real-world examples of these concepts and putting them into practice.
Classroom Assessment Technique: Muddiest Point
Classroom Assessment Technique: One-Sentence Summary
Classroom Assessment Technique: Concept Maps
Classroom Assessment Technique: One Minute Paper
