IF they have not read the paper, as some will have not, you can put them on the spot before the review article and ask them to evaluate what has been said so far.
On Sun, Aug 9, 2009 at 11:02 AM, malcolm McCallum<[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > How many of you have assigned scientific papers to the class to read? > I have done this many times, and I can remember many times having > professors who required it of me. > > Typically, each student has a paper that must be presented on their > assigned day. > Each student is supposed to also read the paper, and then be ready > with questions to ask. > However, from my days as a student and as a professor it is obvious > that most students hardly ever > read or the papers unless they are presenting. they will scan through > the abstract or maybe a specific > area of the paper and then have a question if it is required, > otherwise, these activities seldom materialize > into a true discussion, except among a few of the most dedicated students. > > I altered the usual approach and it worked really well. Feel free to > emulate, copy, morph or ignore! > > 1) I assign the paper either at the beginning of class, or the class prior. > 2) no more than two students get the same paper and they are all on > virtually the same topic. > * for example, when I was going over the section on critical thermal > maxima, I printed off all of Victor Hutchison's papers on the topic, > and the review article. > If you are familiar with his work in that area, there must be a dozen > papers on "critical thermal maxima in the _____." > 3) Then, I just randomly ask one of the students to, in five minutes, > give the take home message from the paper. I may ask them a question > or two to get them going. > 4) Then, I ask the next student to compare their paper, to the one > that was just discussed. > 5) Then the third student is asked to compare their paper to the first one. > 6) then the second student is asked to compare their paper to the second. > 7) and it goes on. usually, the students are discussing the topic > pretty quick. > 8) the last student should be the one with the review article and they > are asked to sum up what they have discussed and how it compares to > what the review article said. > 9) then everyone is asked if they agree with the review student's assessment. > 10) I try not to directly comment on any student comments, but rather > ask others "is that right" or "what do you think about what that > person just said."' However, I do this sometimes with comments where > the student has given perfect commentary so that the other students > must evaluate the comments rather than just assume they are wrong > because I am asking for clarification! > > This was one of those "walk into the class and try it" moments in > teaching, and it worked really well. First, the students ended up > actually discussing the paper. Second, when the test came along even > the least talented ones seemed to have some grasp of the ideas of > critical thermal maxima, optima, minima, thermo-regulationg, etc. > > I was so impressed with this technique I was going to write it up as a > case study and send it somewhere. But, then I thought about it and > realized that few biology faculty would ever see such a publication > because (at least it is my impression) that few of us read teaching > methods journals. I am certain that others have tried a similar > approach and that this isn't novel, but I certainly never had a prof > do it this way, and I am not aware of anyone who did. So, if your > having trouble with students participating causing the paper > discussions to be boring, slow and frankly a virtual waste, give this > a try. I hope it helps some folks out! > > Malcolm > > -- > Malcolm L. McCallum > Associate Professor of Biology > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > Texas A&M University-Texarkana > Fall Teaching Schedule: > Vertebrate Biology - TR 10-11:40; General Ecology - MW 1-2:40pm; > Forensic Science - W 6-9:40pm > Office Hourse- TBA > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. > -- Malcolm L. McCallum Associate Professor of Biology Managing Editor, Herpetological Conservation and Biology Texas A&M University-Texarkana Fall Teaching Schedule: Vertebrate Biology - TR 10-11:40; General Ecology - MW 1-2:40pm; Forensic Science - W 6-9:40pm Office Hourse- TBA 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction MAY help restore populations. 2022: Soylent Green is People! Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
