That is really cool. I agree with Siddharth and wish I could have had something like this too.

How could we use role-playing in the classroom without it becoming trite or over-played?

I really enjoy the comparison you draw between the tapas and the duration of a class. I used to live in Spain and one of the biggest things I found with that eating style is that the time just flies by and the food you had before influences the current snack.

With the tapas-inspired method, how would you see each different type influencing each other so that they are not discrete and build off of each other? Do they have a theme that is built upon?How would you use them: is a video a good introduction and an activity at the end for summation?

This is how we get started, little things at a time and some prior planning go a long way. I can see this being the method in revitalizing stagnant courses.

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In response to a sedimentary lifestyle from games, what do you think of virtual reality games that have a omni-directional treadmill? The games would still be a monitor, but the game responds to the amount of activity and speed of the user when determining gameplay.

This could also bring back physical education in a whole new way.

It is important to see this mixing of methods. Think of your class and the assessment styles as a living document. Stuff that goes well is retained, things that don’t get reviewed and updated. The class evolves with the times.

What is the best part is that we recognized that the professor changes and responds based on feedback as well. Thanks for sharing your way of teaching with us.

Silence is difficult for many people to sit with, I see that everyday in our counseling clinic where we are training new counselors. Yes, people/students need time to process things when new thoughts or ideas are proposed to them. We, as the teachers, need to gain comfort in the silence that follows. Giving the students the space to think about it and form a response challenges them. If the teachers jump in and rescue after a few moments of silence, they come to expect it and never allow themselves to rise to the occasion. Good questions should give students pause. Good teachers give their students questions and then time to think.

There is an entire genre of youtubers that do “Let’s Plays”. Though they are slightly different in message and are focused on playing video games (most are not targeted at educational games). However, you raise a good point. Could there be a way of taking the “Let’s Play” style of gaming and do it for certain topics like fluids at a larger scale?

Hi,

So aside from certain issues with regards to taping students, let alone unknown taping, there is a slightly different way that might be useful for everyone.

Instead of monitoring, you could coach professors. What this means is instead of trying to find something wrong, you look for both strengths and weakness and play to them. If the same person/observer comes in a few times over the semester and simply observes with the intent to help rather than ridicule there can actually be positive feedback. Even the best have something they can polish up.

The most important part is to let people know the observer is there to help, and if the professor/observed is engaged in the process instead of getting critiques second-hand a relationship can be formed and feedback is valued.

Isn’t it interesting when something occurs and we did not even know it was something we had wanted or dreamed of, without actually imagining it? Like your story of the interdisciplinary teaching. It would be awesome to see how a subject could be taught with all aspects present to give the varying points of view and ways that subject fits into a bigger picture. Even if the teachers are not in the same classroom, how come more courses aren’t taught in tandem? Wouldn’t that be another interesting thing? Now that we know of one possibility, it sure makes me imagine several others! Things I may not have dreamed of before hearing something different. Thanks for the spark of imagination!

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Cassie, I loved your simile of being a prius. I am from Gen X. Love the new technology coming out, but not always on the cutting edge of what is happening. I think that is just age, ha! I hope that as time continues, I do not become like my father in the fact he does not embrace the new technologies. He does not have a computer. He does not have a cell phone. He does not have internet access. However, he does still have an answering machine and a DVD/VCR combo on his HDTV. He does not like the voice response units when you make calls to places (he hangs up on them) and still goes in person to pay many of his bills. It’s not so bad for him, considering he remembers his childhood home not even having electricity! I think your insight to being a cross-breed between X and Y will help you embrace the newer things. Being around as many of these “new” things unfold it an interesting time, as we have the privilege to appreciate more simplistic ways and crave the newness of the technological possibilities. Perhaps diversity is the key with the Millenials, but it charges us to be even more creative to help foster their engagement!