Your comments encouraged me to find out more about student behavior (sheep). It is important for professors to be aware that some students will be resistant to active learning activities. Educators “may indeed encounter many students who are still used to doing schoolwork at home and using class time to sit and listen and absorb whatever the professor wants to communicate. Those students may not easily adjust to a course that asks them to work in class, too” (Gooblar, 2015). Professors can implement strategies to address this situation. For example, professors can vary their teaching methods and explain why each activity is being introduced (Gooblar, 2015).
Gooblar, D. (2015, February 4). Why Students Resist Active Learning. Chronicle Vitae. Retrieved from https://chroniclevitae.com/news/893-why-students-resist-active-learning

While reading your post, I was stuck on the idea that we do not have control over our course load. I find that true and not true at the same time. It is true in the fact that there are basic core areas within majors that any one graduating needs to understand. It is not true that those are the only courses they you would need to take. I had a different experience during my undergraduate studies. I majored in Chemistry, and I had to take physical chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, calculus, and instrumental chemistry. But, I was at a liberal arts school where I needed to take classes not in my major. I took History of Hawaii, Witchcraft in the 16th Century, American Film Studies, Banned Books, Ceramics, Political Science, and Introduction to World Religions. I chose those classes. I still had a choice in my education, and I excelled in those classes. I don’t mean to preach about liberal arts, but if choice is important in your education, then make sure that the chosen school that you attend has incorporated choice into their curriculum. Again, I’m not advocating or preaching, I’m just saying that choice is out there if you want to experience it. I agree that choice will allow a student to be mindful and get the most out of an educational experience, even if it is just reading a novel for fun.

I appreciate how you connected this to coaching athletes, as someone who has played several sports and had some terrible coaches who could not understand how some player picked up stuff quicker than others. I know there are some people I used to play with that had their potential cut short because of poor approaches to coaching, the same way that some students aren’t able to reach their potential within education due to the education system not able to adapt to their needs.

LikeLike

I can relate to you a lot in that when I hear someone say something crazy that only they could believe or think, I wonder how could you say that or where is that coming from. Coming from a STEM background into the field of higher education has made me become more open to others’ ideas, as most of the people I used to work with at least thought relatively the same. But, now I have had to work at making sure I am hearing and understanding what they are saying and their point of view as much as possible.

It is very interesting because I had a very different experience in elementary and middle school related to standardized testing and didn’t understand everyone’s hatred of them until later in high school. As you said, every student is different and has different strengths, as mine were definitely not writing or success in english. I think there is a way to include mindfulness in the classroom, but only if the teacher works hard and changes their approach to education that mindfulness could happen. However, this would be extremely rare and hard to come by.

I can see what you are saying. Just today, I was at my office hours, and someone came to only ask the exact questions on the current homework set. They were only interested in divining the answers from me, and not the process of how to solve the problems. This sets them at disadvantage when they go to solve a similar problem on their first exam. Students and their teachers need to be more mindful rather than just drone on from homework to test, grade to grade.

LikeLike

Your comments about Google encouraged me to find out how mindfulness applies to this company. Chade-Meng Tan is the head of Google’s mindfulness training for employees (Confino, 2014). According to him, “Google and other technology companies in Silicon Valley are receptive to mindfulness because they believe in being at the vanguard of change and innovation” (Confino, 2014). Mr. Tan stated that “Through the development of apps and other software, tech companies such as Google will have a major part to play in mainstreaming mindfulness” (Confino, 2014). And “In the same way that the pedometer has influenced exercise, these apps could similarly popularise mindfulness” (Confino, 2014). It will be interesting to learn how future apps will promote mindfulness.
Confino, J. (2014, May 14). Google’s head of mindfulness: ‘goodness is good for business.’ The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/google-meditation-mindfulness-technology

What an experience, Ashley! Thanks so much for sharing this. I think your example of the senselessness of “learning” kinesiology in a rote (“mindless”) way is really powerful. I’m guessing that if you were to design an instructional experience you would figure out a way to give the students some agency and respond to the material in a way that made its relevance outside the classroom apparent.

Cool post. Yeah the randomness of our knowledge definitely comes to forefront more often than naught. We have to understand that people learn differently, people think in different ways and have different learning styles. I know I have a stupidly complicated random learning style I remember things I shouldn’t, forget things that I shouldn’t and many times I find myself at a loss for words. I am just glad my professors are mindful of this and they do not judge or attack my style of learning. I am rambling, so yeah adaptation is key in teaching and learning.

LikeLike

I agree with you here! However, I will say there is merit to a baseline of knowledge. For instance, students need to know what GDP, capital inflows (outflows), Kuznets curve, etc. are in order to go on further in political economics. I think having introduction courses that teach facts are not absolute, but maybe necessary. That does not mean these terms and ideas have to be taught as a dogma, rather, I teach as if I am providing them with tools, giving them examples to make their own observations about the world and how it operates in certain political climates. I think having background terminology is important, and I agree that we should teach alternatives and instill a sense of exploration and wonderment in the terms. It is a dense subject, and I agree that they should explore it rather than be anchored to my soggy knowledge.

Patrick Salmons

LikeLike