I really like my research methods students, who are starting to venture answers and opinions. I went over by 10 minutes today (by accident, we were on a roll) and not a single student made any move to pack up their stuff or leave the room. It might have been good manners, but they seem really captivated, or gave a good impression of that...
Haven't figured out yet how to enliven SOC 101. I haven't had any problem getting a laugh from them, or commanding their attention. But I'm having no luck getting them to participate much unless I break them into groups--no one wants to be the lone answerer. With standing room for 120ish students, there's the sheer volume of audience intimidation factor for putting a hand up in a place like Singapore where students have traditionally been seen and not heard, I guess. And then there's the anonymity. I know almost all of the 40 methods students, but only a sprinkling of SOC 101. I know students have things to say, a few--sometimes a dozen--stay after every class to ask me about something I've said during the lecture, or to answer the question I asked, or to tell me something intersting and perhaps relevant to the lecture...but they don't want to say much in front of the class. Must make 101 seating map today, and see if knowing more names helps. Or resign myself to being a talking head for the semester in that course. yuck.
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This is nice to hear -- I'm glad at least one class is going well. And really, I'ms ure 101 is fine. It's hard anywhere to get participation in a class that big.
ReplyDeleteI knew a professor that used to throw a ball into the crowd, and whoever caught it had to answer the question. You could try something like that, I suppose.
Or another thing you could try is to have them write short 1-minute papers in response to a question and then redistribute the papers. Sometimes people feel more comfortable reading what someone else thought rather than their own work. I've done this with great success when dealing with sensitive or political topics like same-sex marriage. Good luck!
Both great ideas MN, thanks! You always have great ideas.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't that 101 is going badly--just that it is too lecturey for my tastes (could be that we've been talking about theory and methods so far, and that's too abstract for students, but I think it is class size and Singapore students).
But I will try both of your suggestions, they cannot help but help. And bonsu: I can't wait to see students' reactions when I start throwing tangible things at them, that will be fun. Now I just need to figure out where to buy some balls that won't hurt if no one tries to catch them...
Bonsu must be Singlish for bonus. teehee
ReplyDeleteOf course it warms my heart to hear 101 is too lecturey.
ReplyDeleteI like MNT's suggestion of throwing a ball. In the past, I would sometimes offer whatever change is in my pocket to a student who correctly answers a question. But that was before the recession.