<p>
Actually, teaching a class using a lot of alternative methods this semester. A colleague, whose expertise is college-level physics education research, had basically this comment on one of his reviews (“doesn’t teach, expects us to learn from reading the book, almost no time lecturing or teaching, not the best teacher”). The colleague is actually quite good, as evidenced by his student outcomes, and is helping me with a style of teaching I myself am not accustomed to. </p>
<p>Reading the student’s comment, however, it occurred to me that some students may come to the class having primarily had experience with traditional lecture-style teaching. So much so that they equate the two:<br>
Lecture implies teaching.
Teaching implies lecture.<br>
No lecture, therefore no “teaching”.<br>
(No teaching, no learning.) </p>
<p>But such a student is probably unaware of the many other possible teaching techniques, and of the research showing that (for physics at least) straight traditional lecture-style has been found to be about the least effective method. Lots of research with lots of students. He is also probably ultimately unaware of whether he and/or his classmates have done better or worse than they would have with a traditional model.</p>
<p>It is interesting to pose the question here to parents, whose responses have ranged from “my kid’s classes are like this already” to “tell them to pick better teachers” and suggestions to see if there is a TA so they have “someone knowledgeable” to ask questions of, indicating that even some parents subscribe to the syllogism above to the point where the instructor who is not running a traditional lecture is seen as not only not a good teacher, but as not even knowing the material.</p>
<p>Perhaps the upshot is that it may be a good idea to explain briefly to the class that traditional lecture-style is not as effective as we would like, and to continue reiterating that at times throughout the course.</p>