Posted on No Comments on 20 Collaborative Teaching Tips

20 Collaborative Teaching Tips

Because most faculty default to teaching the way they were taught, i.e. LECTURE, I am constantly on the look out for examples and ideas for fostering a more effective pedagogy.  This is an article on teaching tips which can be used with some modification in any classroom.  College instructors will be MUCH more effective if they can realize the goal is Student LEARNING, not teaching in the traditional sense of pontificating from the lofty peak of knowledge to the beggars down below.  That may seem funny, but it is too often true.

Here is the link to the article:  20 Collaborative Teaching Tips.  Hope you enjoy it AND hope you use some of them.  Yes, collaborative teaching requires more preparation, but the pay-off in student learning is HUGE!

Posted on No Comments on Group Work / Team Projects

Group Work / Team Projects

Most of the undergraduate and some of the graduate courses in Belhaven University’s Adult Studies programs required Group Work/Team Projects.  The benefits of developing the ability to work in teams is obvious and most students recognize the importance of developing these skills.  Paradoxically, most students express extreme dislike of having to participate in Team Projects.  In most cases the dislike arises out of perceived inequity of workload, perceived relevance, and the possibility of receiving a lower grade due to a lower performing team mate.   Many faculty have asked about resources which they can use to provide a better experience for students as well as lessening their own frustration in providing guidance and appropriate assessment.

In researching this, I ran across a series of articles which I think you will find useful:

How Can I Monitor Groups

Group Work Strategies to Ensure Students Pull Their Weight

What are the Benefits of Group Work

What are the Challenges of Group Work and How Can I Address Them?

How Can I Assess Group Work?

Group Project Tools

You will also find multiple other links within these articles which you can follow to find even more information on this topic.  The Team Project can be a powerful learning opportunity for our students.  Taking the time to learn more about how to make the best use of the Team Project is definitely worth the effort.