What does a math instructor have to do to get some attention around here?

I don't teach, but just out of curiosity I sat in on a university
teaching session today designed to "create proposals for learning
models that will be student-centered, encourage critical thinking and
bring innovative approaches to learning."

What I've learned from the people there is:
"Student-centered" = projects the students do, you know hands-on stuff,
solving "real world" problems.
(This is done because the book learning and lecture format themselves
are not exciting and stimulating and won't get the students attention).

"Encourage critical thinking" - Nobody could explain what they meant by
that

"Bring innovative approaches to learning" = make videos so it is more
convenient for the students, put bulleting boards on a class page so
the kids and you can "cross-talk", etc.

Thinking back to the classes I had that I though encouraged these
qualities, I was reminded of 2 great math classes I had. The one was a
"Moore-style" analysis class taught by John Neuberger (it certainly was
"student-centered", I will say that!) and the other was a topology
class in which the instructor INSISTED we read the material before
class (and would quiz us regularly as soon as we walked in the door). I
brought these ideas up, and were told that such notions, while perhaps
effective "back then, don't work now". Am I this old??? What about
emphasizing what the students should be doing to improve? When did math
get so boring that the teacher had to entertain the class?

sigh ;>(

Matt

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Sarah Palin- creationist VP candidate?
    ... that makes learning real mathematics impossible. ... colleges to keep and graduate students. ... reasoning. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: question about teaching and learning guitar (Master Musicians)
    ... It proves that there are a number of hack guitar ... > That would be why this person is a master. ... >> learning to write it down. ... I've got students that could already play the guitar when they started, ...
    (alt.guitar.beginner)
  • jjFOX Role of the Lecturer...
    ... The Role a lecturer within a Further Education College ... The successful teacher is passionate ... about teaching and learning, and understands that the role is far wider ... team and ensuring that students on this course are successful. ...
    (uk.education.teachers)
  • Re: Teachers and students -Method criticisms
    ... I understand that there needs to be "consolidation/reinforcement" learning ... I begin students by spending the first 3 weeks only on the ... Now that I am playing pieces that are ... Shearer books, which start out on the open B, G and D strings using P ...
    (rec.music.classical.guitar)
  • jjFOX Role of the Lecturer...
    ... The Role a lecturer within a Further Education College ... The successful teacher is passionate ... about teaching and learning, and understands that the role is far wider ... team and ensuring that students on this course are successful. ...
    (uk.education.teachers)
Loading