ENG101 - Did they get it?

2-3:15, Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - Kathy Wilson

Project was a four page persuasive paper with a requirement of one book and two articles. It went okay, though it is sure hard to tell if they are getting it when the class is relatively quiet and not interacting when I ask questions. HOWEVER, the good news is that they asked questions after the class was over. It was also good that I used four students in the "driver's seat" to demo how to find information and they seemed to get alot out of that. So, the ones who were on the hot seat may have caught the idea more than the ones who didn't. I still think that the computer monitor freeze software could be good so that they are actually listening during the time that I am talking . . . otherwise I can't easily keep them from doing their own thing while I am showing them the databases. . .

Perhaps I need to stop doing the blah, blah, blah lecture through the PowerPoint, as it sure did seem to go on for too long. Especially when I am talking about the ABCs of evaluating information I want to hopefully give more of an example - yes, it would be good to show a website and then go through how to evaluate it . . . with COL101 we are going to be doing that as one of the points required of all the classes. Should there be a bad website that is obvious or just do it on the fly with each class . . . have some topics in mind as it would be better than just any topic, especially one that isn't as academic. . .

The teacher introduced me right after I wrote things on the board, yet I wasn't quite ready - this wasn't a good energized start as I would have liked. I had to pull up the PowerPoint still and get the handouts from my office.

DO differently - smile more, walk around the room, wait for answers and give them hints if they don't answer right away - key is to wait!