Comments on: Recruiting Muscle Fibers and the Biology of Wheat—Cultivating Vigilant Understanding http://notwandering.com/2009/05/15/recruiting-muscle-fibers-and-the-biology-of-wheatcultivating-vigilant-understanding/ A blog about travel, code, and stumbling into meaning Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:13:39 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Marc http://notwandering.com/2009/05/15/recruiting-muscle-fibers-and-the-biology-of-wheatcultivating-vigilant-understanding/comment-page-1/#comment-185 Marc Sun, 24 May 2009 22:22:59 +0000 http://notwandering.com/?p=219#comment-185 I don't get your point, Sandhya. Of course researchers don't necessarily make good explainers. Is the second paragraph in response to "The Lecture is Dead"? I agree with the value of discussion. But when was the last time one of your engineering courses involved discussion? Also, what do you mean the online lecture can't start a conversation? That's the crux of moving learning materials online: suddenly students can connect from all over the world. I don’t get your point, Sandhya. Of course researchers don’t necessarily make good explainers.

Is the second paragraph in response to “The Lecture is Dead”? I agree with the value of discussion. But when was the last time one of your engineering courses involved discussion? Also, what do you mean the online lecture can’t start a conversation? That’s the crux of moving learning materials online: suddenly students can connect from all over the world.

]]> By: Sandhya http://notwandering.com/2009/05/15/recruiting-muscle-fibers-and-the-biology-of-wheatcultivating-vigilant-understanding/comment-page-1/#comment-183 Sandhya Thu, 21 May 2009 16:00:50 +0000 http://notwandering.com/?p=219#comment-183 In many research universities, professors who have research at the top of their priority lists don't make great teachers. Though they have excellent analytical and problem solving skills, when it comes to explaining information, they fall flat. However, there is something to be said for the opportunity to engage in discussion. College students become so accustomed to high school teachers who went into a teaching career that they forget that we have some responsibility too. Our professors are there to answer questions and to help us explore topics beyond memorizing equations or trudging through complicated math. Online lectures may explain the basic concepts better, but they can't start a conversation. In many research universities, professors who have research at the top of their priority lists don’t make great teachers. Though they have excellent analytical and problem solving skills, when it comes to explaining information, they fall flat.

However, there is something to be said for the opportunity to engage in discussion. College students become so accustomed to high school teachers who went into a teaching career that they forget that we have some responsibility too. Our professors are there to answer questions and to help us explore topics beyond memorizing equations or trudging through complicated math. Online lectures may explain the basic concepts better, but they can’t start a conversation.

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