Herb,

I am a “TBL lone wolf” at my medical school, and it took about 3 years before students stopped complaining about not enough lectures or that they could have gotten the TBL information much faster in a lecture (which I’m sure only ¼ of the class would have attended). Having a good explanation of why you’re using TBL and what TBL is supposed to do different/better really makes a difference. If you can add in some “data” about the benefits of TBL over lecture, this seems to go a long way with student buy in.

Stick with it; it does get better.

Amanda

Amanda R. Emke, MD

Instructor, Divisions of Pediatric Critical Care & Hospital Medicine

Associate Fellowship Program Director, Pediatric Critical Care

Course Master, Pre-Clinical Pediatrics

St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University Physicians

Washington University School of Medicine

One Children's Place, Northwest Tower, Campus Box 8116

St. Louis, MO 63110

(314)454-2527

[log in to unmask]

From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Raeker-Jordan
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 2:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Evaluations

A couple of weeks into the semester, I ask students to write down on a piece of paper something that they like about the class and something that they don't like about the class. Some people call it "Yeahs and Nays." Based on the responses, I can then go into class and address the "Nays" that show up most often. If it is something that I can and want to change, I'll make the change and explain that I made the change in response to student feedback. If it something that I cannot or will not change, (like the basic structure of TBL), then I can at least explain (once again) why the class is structured the way it is.

In any event, I think that giving students an opportunity to complain early in the semester can reduce the complaints at the end of the semester.

-----------------

David Raeker-Jordan
Legal Methods Professor
Widener University School of Law
Harrisburg, PA

On Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 2:49 PM, Tara A Newman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I have found that reiterating the rationale for the approaches used in my courses throughout the semester has helped. I'm with Chris Bell - post them on your wall as a plus! Good for you! :-)

-----Original Message-----
From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Herbert Coleman
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 11:41 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Evaluations

Just got my Fall student evaluations. Number one complaint, "he didn't lecture" or "he only lectured after the test, going over what we missed..."

For my Human Sex class I provided 10 minute "pre-lectures" via Blackboard Podcaster for the second half of the class. They seem to really like those.

I plan to take more time explaining the process this semester and to provide the pre-lectures for all classes and all RAP's.

I was curious as to how other address the "lack of lecture" comments.
--

Herb Coleman, Ph.D
Dir. Instructional Computing and Technology Adjunct Professor of Psychology Austin Community College Highland Business Center
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, TX 78752
[log in to unmask]
512-223-7746
*************************************************
"I'd always seen life like a series of doors. Sometimes you choose the door you get to go through, sometimes you don't get that choice but you still gotta walk through. So you can either go kicking and screaming or walk through with your head held high."
- Jay Pritchett, Modern Family S04E03

*************************************************