TeachLBC | Capital videos take a "small teaching" approach by identifying 5-10 minute "pivots" you can make in your classroom to improve student learning. View the entire playlist below:
https://vimeo.com/showcase/7401679/embed
https://www.youtube.com/embed/RQORWzw6bvk
Supporting our novice learners in scholarly writing and other academic work remains a key to their success. “Scaffolding” allows us to help learners take appropriate next steps toward full inclusion in our academic discipline. Contrary to doing the work for them or “handholding,” such structures equip our students to meet higher academic standards than they could on their own or with minimal prompting. It’s all about stretching them into that Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky, 1972) where they could only achieve with the support of your expert guidance.
As a first step, consider using the University of Minnesota’s Assignment calculator. Simply choose research paper, speech, or lab report, input the date ranges where students will work, and the calculator produces a series of checkpoints, resources, and other student guides for that kind of project. For insights into your own specific course, reach out to the Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning.
You might also desire to take time in class to talk about effective learning and study skills. Cognitive Psychologist and Samford University Professor Dr. Stephen Chew provides this lesson plan complete with slides to help you walk students through the challenges of limited attention span and effective study practice.
To lecture or not to lecture? Conversations about the lecture have often become heated, and even spilled outside of academia into the public square. Far too often, the "debate" has lacked the nuance and detail helpful to understand the unique characteristics of the lecture. This four-part series attends to clarifying definitions of a "lecture," as well as pointing out specific effective and ineffective methodologies for student learning and development.