Because we suffered through boring classes, so should our students.

iris411 2 hours ago

It probably means that the lecture style needs to be changed to more participatory teaching activities: debates, group discussions, critique one another's writings, etc.

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midevilprof 1 hour ago in reply to iris411

Oh, bother.

I think one important lesson that college students need to learn is how to do boring things. It's part of being a grown-up. As adults, we often have to attend boring-but-important meetings, or even fight against dozing off during presentations at conferences--presentations that struck us as interesting in the first place. I employ the various, participatory techniques iris411 names, but I also wholeheartedly believe it is my job not just to teach history, but to impart other life lessons during students' transitions into full adulthood. Learning how to work hard and complete boring tasks is one of those
life lessons.

via chronicle.com

2 responses

See maybe, just maybe, if we teach this generation better, by the time they have to sit through meetings and conference presentations, those things won't be boring any more. Every student I introduce to Prezi means potentially hours fewer of deathly Powerpoint presentations in future. Every student who doesn't feel the need to check Facebook in class because I'm actually capturing and sustaining their attention might be the conference presenter who can do the same in future.

Damn. Such defeatism.

— Ed Webb

I was thinking the same thing. I love that this chronicle piece is generating some discussion..none of it what these fools would anticipate.

— David Bailey