If you have ever been apprehensive about initiating classroom
discussion, fearing silences, the domination of a couple of speakers,
superficial contributions, or off-topic remarks, this book provides
strategies for creating a positive learning experience.
Jennifer H. Herman and Linda B. Nilson demonstrate how to create the
conditions to facilitate deep and meaningful learning as well as to
assess the effectiveness of discussions. They identify, analyze, and
solve common problems in both classroom and online discussions and in
both small and large classes. They take a direct, practice-oriented
approach that--in acknowledging common challenges--provides principles,
guidance on design, examples of activities and techniques, and eight
detailed case studies. These cases demonstrate successful approaches
that faculty across disciplines and from a variety of institutions have
adopted in their face-to-face, blended, or online courses at the
undergraduate or graduate level.
The case authors begin by describing the original pedagogical challenge
they faced and explain how they addressed it and assessed the results of
their innovation. They also offer practical recommendations to readers
who may want to try their strategies.
Intended for faculty, this book will be equally valuable for educational
developers who can use this resource in their programs and private
consultations. At the graduate level, this book can serve as a text or
workshop resource in college teaching courses and teaching assistant
development programs. The final chapter provides a set of resources and
activities - including discussion questions on the case studies, writing
prompts, and jigsaw formats - that are equally appropriate for
individual study or for use in workshop environments.
You'll never again have to suffer such a profound silence that, as
described by a contributor to the book, she could hear the crickets
chirping outside.
