A session on the significance of classroom discussions was facilitated by Genevieve
\nGraessle and Jennifer Edo, who are both Student Fellows at the Adam Center. The students
\ntalked about the importance of preparing for in-class discussions, and inculcating discussions
\nspecifically into science-based classrooms. One of the approaches discussed was connecting our
\nChristian faith with our course content. This encourages students to engage deeply with the
\ncourse material thereby improving their understanding and allowing them to appreciate how God
\ncommunicates through us.<\/p>\n
Jennifer spoke from her experience in STEM classrooms, while Genevieve brought in
\nexamples from her time in the Humanities. Not only are classes with discussion participation
\nopportunities often more fruitful, but it is also extremely important for professors to come
\nprepared to these discussions. Because professors expect students to come prepared to the
\nclassroom, students should be able to expect the same in return. It is obvious and usually
\nunfruitful when a professor is coming up with the class structure for the day off the cuff. These
\nexperiences can be starkly contrasted with valuable and reading in-class discussions, where it is
\nclear the professor has planned ahead, after thinking critically about the reading on their own
\ntime. Genevieve brought a few examples of worthwhile discussion questions on handouts from
\nclasses with Dr. Todd Womble, that help students to actively learn and participate in their own
\neducation:<\/p>\n
\u25cf \u201cWhat stood out to you most in your reading of the story? What do you take away
\nfrom it?\u201d
\n\u25cf \u201cHow is this book\u2019s depiction of grief similar to or different from other things
\nyou\u2019ve seen, read, or been told about grief?\u201d
\n\u25cf \u201cIn what ways\u2013if any\u2013are your expectations as a reader of nonfiction different
\nfrom your expectations as a reader of fiction?\u201d
\n\u25cf \u201cIn 2023, do we still need the terms \u201cmasculinity\u201d and \u201cfemininity\u201d? Have we
\nmoved past these terms since 1998? Do they still bring value to our world? Why
\nor why not?\u201d<\/p>\n
These are just a few examples that assisted students in thinking critically about the
\nreading and work that they were already doing. This obviously does work into a very specific
\nteaching style that Dr. Womble has incorporated into his classes, but discussion like this is still
\nimportant to all classes in all fields. It is crucial that students can still be given the chance to
\ncontribute to the conversation and make real-world connections. This is the value that comes
\nwith unique class structures and various avenues for engagement. Our education should be like a
\nconversation, with both parties coming to class willing to learn and to grow and maybe even to
\nchange our minds about something.<\/p>\n
Good discussion, then, is a direct vehicle for living in the ACU difference inside the
\nclassroom. Students are privileged to have a voice and active role in their own education here,
\nand professors can personally know and learn from their students. We make it a priority for
\ninstructors to really know their students and make a personal connection, and maybe even a
\ndifference in their lives. Often, students will not go out of their way to visit professors\u2019 office
\nhours or to ask a challenging question after a lecture; but if prompted, if they are directly handed
\nthe chance to engage in their own education, the ACU difference plays itself out in a classroom
\nsetting. Students and professors can know and be known, through this method of learning in
\ncommunity.<\/p>\n
After their Adams Center presentation, Genevieve and Jennifer answered many questions
\nfrom faculty in attendance about their own experiences and struggles with discussion in the
\nclassroom. The students addressed the issue of time\u2013 regarding professors having so much
\nmaterial to cover but often too little time. One of the suggestions discussed was having a
\nparticipation grade or ungraded reflective discussions outside of the classroom setting. It can also
\nbe an obstacle to get different students to participate in discussions, instead of having just a few
\nvoices dominate. Some things that could be helpful here would be allowing students to discuss in
\nsmall groups first and then going around the room to share, or saying something like, \u201cdoes
\nanyone on this side of the room have anything to add?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A session on the significance of classroom discussions was facilitated by Genevieve Graessle and Jennifer Edo, who are both Student Fellows at the Adam Center. The students talked about the importance of preparing for in-class discussions, and inculcating discussions specifically into science-based classrooms. One of the approaches discussed was connecting our Christian faith with our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15697,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42238,42239,42279,2222],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-10078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adams-blog","category-adams-center-event","category-in-case-you-missed-it","category-lunch"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15697"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10078"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10080,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10078\/revisions\/10080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10078"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/adamscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=10078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}