Energize In-Class Discussions

Last week, I was commiserating with an instructor about her struggle to engage students in discussion during class.  “Sometimes it’s like talking to a brick wall,” she lamented.  Facilitating lively conversations that require students to apply, synthesize, and evaluate their knowledge is one of the most challenging aspects of teaching.  Even the most brilliant lecturer…

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Tips For More Effective Online Discussions

There are many ways in which faculty can extend the classroom conversation online; OAKS Discussion board, VoiceThread, and blogs to name a few.  However, there is an art to getting students to actually think critically and discuss thoughtfully in an online environment.   The document below outlines a few tips to help you get more out of…

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Tips for improving classroom discussions

It’s a common scenario: an instructor asks a question in front of a classroom packed with students and…crickets. I think we’ve all had one of those classes, either as a student or an instructor. I literally heard crickets during a discussion I was leading last fall, and I am not using literally by its new…

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