TEACHING
PHILOSOPHY AND METHODOLOGY
My philosophy of teaching
draws upon experiences with undergraduate students at Cal Poly Pomona during the
past 12 years. My general goals are
to: (a) provide students with basic scientific skills necessary to succeed in
increasingly technical careers, and (b) instill an understanding and
appreciation of the natural environment. I
believe a successful geology course requires a delicate balance of theory and
practical application. A framework
of basic concepts and fundamentals should be integrated with relevant examples
from the real world. In adapting to
the diverse needs of Cal Poly Pomona’s student population I have found that
the “learning by doing” approach really does work.
Over the years I have
experimented with a variety of teaching methods.
Many of these techniques are especially appropriate for Geology courses
because that science is inherently visual and many concepts may be reinforced
through “hands on” laboratories or field exercises and current events
documented in news flashes. I
believe the following methodologies (not prioritized in any particular order)
have helped me become a proficient and successful teacher:
(1)
Engage the class during lecture (the
teacher-student rapport factor):
a.
Ask students frequent questions, and respond favorably to all responses (even
the off-base ones).
b.
Take time to field questions from students when finished with a topic.
c.
Solicit student volunteers to assist with classroom demonstrations or
experiments. Have them introduce
themselves, thank them afterwards, and ask for applause.
(2)
Give the students something to do during lecture
(i.e., keep them alert):
a.
Make them take detailed notes. Neatly
write down on the chalkboard anything you really want students to retain.
b.
Draw pictures in color, illustrating key processes or concepts.
Encourage students to reproduce these drawings with colored pencils.
c.
Draw directly on transparancies to perform activities or to initiate homework
exercises. Give students xeroxed
copies of the transparencies to work the exercise simultaneously.
Then have them turn in that work for credit.
d.
Show relatively short movies that emphasize spectacular examples of
theory or concepts. To ensure their
attention, provide students a handout to record observations or compare/contrast
visual features while watching the movie. Then
collect this work for credit.
(3)
Provide numerous examples pertaining to application or relevance of the
theory you are teaching:
a.
Do an example homework problem very similar to what is assigned.
If students understand the method, it makes for easier grading later.
b.
Use examples very similar to exam problems.
c.
Emphasize the economic value of knowing the subject well and
analyzing/plotting data carefully; e.g., describe how big $ have been earned or
lost by careful or sloppy geologists.
d.
Make use of appropriate current events when they occur (e.g., earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, landslides, storms, floods, etc.) Use these to illustrate processes.
e.
Provide personal accounts or case studies, especially those related to
job-hunting and disaster preparedness.
(4)
Hold class outside or take field trips if possible.
In geology, the natural world makes a wonderful laboratory.
Cal Poly has several accessible outdoor sites and vistas appropriate for
holding impromptu lectures to illustrate classroom concepts.
Better yet, run optional Saturday field trips.
Most students enjoy seeing the real thing and prefer going outside to
writing a report as a substitute.
(5)
Learn student names if possible.
This is becoming more difficult over the years as my memory banks fill
up. I find it easier to do with lab
groups of 24 or less or on field trips where more frequent one-on-one
interaction occurs. In lecture I
return the exams individually. Grading of homework, recording scores, and returning the work
individually facilitates the name-person association.
(6)
Write exams that cover material discussed in class or addressed in
homework assignments (i.e., be fair).
A few minor deviations from the familiar examples are OK (e.g., use
different places or numbers). However,
avoid the kinds of questions that require students to think like a PhD candidate
and analyze a totally new situation in short time.
I do ask my upper-division geology majors some of these questions, but
they are allowed 3-4 hours for an exam.
(7)
Rewrite or revise exams frequently.
This allows one to tailor questions to material emphasized in class.
Also, it eliminates the advantage of students from fraternities or study
groups who regularly keep files of instructor exams.
(8)
Provide timely feedback.
Make an effort to return graded homework or discuss homework before
students are examined. Grade and
return exams within a week (the next class session is best).
This allows one to assess student progress and identify problems with
student learning or teaching effectiveness.
Also, efficient grading during the quarter makes finals week a breeze for
the instructor.
(9)
Make your expectations clear on the first day.
a.
I emphasize the importance of attendance (exams draw heavily on class notes).
b.
Anything I write on the board should be recorded in student notes.
c.
Late work submissions will be penalized but not totally disregarded.
d.
Encourage office visitations for clarification of homework and concepts.
(10)
Be enthusiastic and positive.
The following methods I am still experimenting
with,
but
seem to yield successful results:
---Give
frequent short pop quizzes (3-5 per quarter) instead of taking roll.
These encourage student attendance and assess short-term recall.
Also, the simple questions provide clues about concepts or materials to
be emphasized on upcoming exams.
---Administer
a short pretest on the first day.
This shows students what they know already, illustrates some of the
things you want them to learn, and provides an important assessment tool for
gauging degree of student learning.
---Require
a poster presentation (this was my wife’s idea).
Students are required to research a topic (e.g., an active geologic
process or a historical geologic catastrophe) and summarize the topic in poster
format with specific reference citations. Then,
each student explains the poster to the class in about five minutes.
This process takes up significant class time, but students get valuable
experience with research and oral communication.
Also, a wide variety of topics are covered that may have been omitted
during lecture. I provide detailed
guidelines/expectations so that the posters can be evaluated efficiently.