For those concerned about promotion/tenure review, I would recommend making
grading a little more lenient while switching. Nothing makes students
happier than good grades. I did this last year and got perfectly lovely
student evaluations despite it being my first try with TBL. I have tenure,
so it doesn't matter so much, but I didn't want a revolt.
-Melissa
On Sat, Mar 7, 2009 at 4:39 PM, Paul C. King <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi Erica,
> Although I have no practical advice for you, I do "feel" what you are going
> through. It is the reason for my having attended the TBL conference in
> Austin, TX last week - to learn from those who have been working with and so
> satisfied with TBL and the results produced. Now I will work on some of the
> practical advice I received - pay closer attention to restricting the number
> of RATs I give, and improve the application activities I use in class. I
> have been teaching for over 30 years, but have been using TBL only this
> academic year. There is much to be learned, but the prospects are exciting.
>
> I made the change because I wanted to have the students "doing," and "doing
> together," not just listening. TBL accomplishes that, and I am a firm
> believer that it works - just watch Larry Michaelsen and the fun he has in
> the classroom. What an inspiration!! As I have told my students, I am here
> not only to bring biology to life, but to have fun in the process. It is is
> why I teach.
>
> For most of my career I have been involved in the inquiry approach
> exemplified by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) approach to
> teaching science. TBL is in many way an extension of that approach -
> hands-on, practical, with a focus on learning and the students - with the
> addition of an effective way to use groups.
>
> As Gary Lynne said, "you are not alone." I am having some of the same
> difficulties in making TBL work the way I envision it, but with time and
> some "tweeks" I am confident that the use of TBL will prove to be a superior
> way to go.
>
> Paul
>
> Paul C. King, Instructor
> Massasoit Community College
> S 537
> [log in to unmask]
> (H) 781-784-2195
>
>
>
>
> On Mar 7, 2009, at 2:06 PM, Erica Hunter wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I am hoping that you can help me with a problem. I have been using TBL for
> three semesters in a couple different undergrad sociology courses (Soc of
> Gender and Mass Media) with courses that are 120 enrollment and 25
> enrollment. For background, I am a grad student instructor and I've been
> teaching for 3-4 years. I am interested in pedagogy and use TBL because I
> feel it is a good format for helping students meet course goals (working
> with readings, being accountable for their learning, application of course
> concepts in class, etc).
>
> I am thinking about redesigning my fall courses (Intro Soc and Families) to
> also be TLB but I feel stuck. My course evaluations are "in the middle" but
> low for my department and I worry that there is something I'm "doing wrong"
> with TBL. I've read the book and I went to a workshop that Larry Michaelsen
> did on my campus. I talked to someone about this and she suggested I post
> on
> here for some examples of how others lay out their classes.
>
> My questions and requests are:
> 1. For your units, how many do you have in the semester? What do they
> "look"
> like? I do about 5 units in a 16 week semester. Starts with a RAT (with
> IF-AT forms), RAT Review/discussion of the reading, Activity or two, end
> unit. I spend time framing the current unit and the activities as a part of
> the larger course issue (i.e. "This unit we are talking about masculinity
> and femininity. Today's activity will get us thinking about the
> relationship
> between the two"). Here, if you have a syllabus you would be willing to
> share (any discipline) that would be awesome. I think it would help me to
> "see" how others are successfully putting their courses together.
>
> 2. I would really like to see some sample ideas for activities that work
> well. I generally follow the 4S of activity design but some fail. I also
> feel like I do the same kind of things over and over. I would like to get
> some ideas about different activities, esp ones that might involve working
> with data, a film, or something other than a discussion question/scenario.
>
> 3. I feel like I have a hard time convincing my students about the benefits
> of TBL. Half are on board and the other half make it hard. I'm discouraged
> at times, my midterm evals had comments like "Stop the team stuff" and
> "quit
> teaching" in them. I feel the norm in my department is heavy based on
> lecture and students are not expected to read (or at least are not held
> accountable for reading). If you have any ideas for readings, activities,
> etc that might help me out that would be great.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help you can offer,
> Erica
> Department of Sociology
> University at Albany
>
>
>
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