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HI

I agree with a lot of these comments

When one takes students out of their comfort zone....there is always the
potential for complaints...especially from students who have become so
proficient and lecture/memorize/exam/forget model.

A couple of years ago, we brought required readings,pre-lab quizzes,
group work and peer editing to a chemical engineering lab course...and a
subset of students absolutely rebelled...lots of complaints to the
department head (who luckily supported us to maintain the course)

This year in contrast....the same course delivered the same way...is
getting letters of praise from the students to the department head

I think a few things are at play-

1. we probably are more confident in our delivery (students seem to have
an amazing intuition to situations where you are a bit hesitant)
2. students don't feel like they are the first experiment
3. they are aware of the course structure coming in
4. we also have worked with the Chemical Undergraduate Society each year
to get their input on course design and direction
5. our first year general engineering course focuses on team work...so
the students are becoming less resistant (we are actually seeing some
resistance to lectures in second year)

Some of these variables we can try to control and some we can't...but we
have seen that second year offerings are almost always better received

There also seems to be classes that just have a tendency to go down the
whining road....something about certain groups of people
complaining....getting to some critical mass....that begins to change
the whole class.

"The sound of a puppy whining....is the sound of a puppy learning" quote
from a faculty development seminar participant

Cheers

Jim







-----Original Message-----
From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of John Walkup
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 12:09 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Student complaints about TBL?

Discontent is a learning barrier, so I think their criticism has to be
taken seriously.  TBL is a great technique, but maybe you can
incorporate some changes that may make them appreciate the learning
experience a little more.  They are complaining about a lack of lecture,
so maybe they need a little more explaining.  Economics is a tough
subject; maybe the students feel that the blind are leading the blind.

I think an outside observer who understands TBL could be useful.  I
would ask him or her to join one of the groups and participate as a
student.

What you don't want is for your class to develop a negative reputation,
as that could dissuade others from trying the technique.

John