20100825

教書和表演

加州政府財困,州立大學所得的撥款年年減縮,對我的其中一個最直接影響就是我教的通識課 --- 哲學導論 --- 學生人數年年增加,由四、五年前的七十多人,增加到去年的九十多人,今年更離譜,一下子跳到一百二十人!

教這麼大的班,我慣用的對話式教學法一定不適用。我在過去幾年仍勉強使用這方法,但在八、九十人的班裏,往往只能和坐在較前排的學生來回往復地討論問題,只要討論時間稍長,便難以令大部份學生集中精神,他們一散渙,我亦會因而洩氣,草草收場。

今年我決定改革,著這一課的學生每人買一個clicker,配合電腦軟件,我便可以在堂上要他們都回答我的問題:我先把問題投射在課室的螢幕(這課室在左右中共有三個螢幕),給他們多項選擇,他們只要在手上的clicker一按,便可選擇答案;我可以即時看到哪個學生怎樣回答,有多少學生選哪一個答案等等,因應情況而決定應該怎樣講下去。對話式的討論仍會有,但大大減少了;教一百二十多人,這應該是個有效的方法。

我一向覺得教書是一種表演,要有showmanship,才會收到好的教學效果。當然,表演無定法,showmanship可以透過不同的方式表現出來,然而,在課堂裏的表演,成功標準只有一個,就是令學生自然專注而明白你的說話。自然專注,是因為他們樂在其中;這個樂,卻也要恰到好處,否則學生樂不可支過了頭,下課時只記得笑聲卻忘了你講課的內容,那也是失敗。

學生用clickers,可能會令他們和我這個表演者多了一層隔閡,較難打動他們;不過,clickers也可能只是多一件的道具,甚至讓我有更大的表演空間。究竟是哪一個情況,這學期過後便有分曉。

27 則留言:

  1. 我1973年讀港大第一年,選修哲學導論的約100人,上課擠滿一間大房。
    第二年續選哲學者,22人。

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  2. Why is this blog classified as “不吐不快 “ and not 興之所至, 侃侃而談, 分甘同味, 慎思明辨, 怪力亂神, 三省吾身?

    How to overcome the limitation of "多項選擇"?

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  3. Yan,

    //向阿諾抗議啦。//

    - 無用架,係州政府體制上有問題。

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  4. Chris,

    //我1973年讀港大第一年,選修哲學導論的約100人,上課擠滿一間大房。第二年續選哲學者,22人。//

    - 22人已很多了。

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  5. catcat,

    //Why is this blog classified as “不吐不快 “//

    - 因為涉及激氣事。

    //How to overcome the limitation of "多項選擇"?//

    - I don't know.

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  6. Oh..don't be 激氣.
    Wong Sir is a great Sir !

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  7. 花心思做好事情(或工作),本身就系一件藝術(in your case is showmanship)

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  8. catcat,

    少少激氣,不要緊。Thanks.

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  9. 英雄公主娘,

    //花心思做好事情(或工作),本身就系一件藝術(in your case is showmanship)//

    - 要喜歡自己的工作才容易做到這點。

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  10. Meshi,

    多謝!都係想做好呢份工啫。

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  11. I think that a teacher has to have a "big" personality to teach such a large class or otherwise he or she will be lost in the crowd. I know some "performer" type teachers, they thrive when they get "on stage" and have all these eyes on them. I don't think I have that kind of personality or the talents to do that. But I think you will do a great job.

    I'm lucky that I'm spared from that (for now). A few of my colleagues in the English Department are doing huge lecture classes for their Introduction to Literature course. The best teachers were picked to do that, and like you, they put a great deal of thoughts to make it work.

    But then, after the "show" is over, there are papers and exams to deal with. What are you going to do with them when you have 120 students? All multiple-choice exams? Also, it will be hard to remember the students when you have that many. It would be hard to even remember if someone is in your class or not, let alone their names.

    I'm anxious to see how things turn out for your big class.

    Lin

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  12. Lin,

    Yes, I think it takes a charismatic teacher to teach such a big class effectively (not that I am one).

    I will be giving mostly multiple-choice quizzes and exam, plus two short pieces of writing. This is my very first time giving multiple-choice quizzes and exam, but I guess I can't handle it if I don't do it this way.

    You are right that I won't remember students' names, or even their faces!

    I may write another post on this towards the end of the semester.

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  13. This is much more than "想做好呢份工啫". You really have heart. I remember the professor of the Philosophy 101 I took years ago, the professor was trying to do the same thing with the very big class. At that time, we didn’t have “clicker”. He was running up and down the auditorium, trying to engage every student. I still remember him.

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  14. EY,

    Thanks for your kind words. I hope some of my students will remember me the way you remember your philosophy professor.

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  15. 原來哲學家又係一個煮飯公又係一個教育家又係一個家庭鐘點又係一個...

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  16. Yan,

    叫教書先生好了,一叫「家」就麻煩。

    何止做鐘點,是全職的!

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  17. //何止做鐘點,是全職的!

    唔,你老婆真幸福!

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  18. Yan,

    //唔,你老婆真幸福!//

    佢都話我好幸福喎!

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  19. 我有一個"很"要好的女友,使我知道男女(夫妻)間之事,一言難盡,一言難盡。

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  20. Yan,

    為何「很」字加引號?

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  21. Wong,

    我這裡寫東西"通常"用字很小心,力求精準。為免他人看漏了 "很" 字,特加引號。只此而已。

    如要我說明,她和我不只是男女友的關係。是知己,是父女,是母子,是兄弟‧... 我想,當男女關係到某一高度,不只是性愛,或Romantic Love的關係‧...

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  22. Yan,

    //我這裡寫東西"通常"用字很小心,力求精準。//

    - 很好。

    //她和我不只是男女友的關係。是知己,是父女,是母子,是兄弟‧...//

    - 更好!

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  23. Wong,

    Not sure if I have told you earlier... I would have to lecture 'finally' for the coming semester. (Due to the weakening of pounds???)our intake this year is 240 (last year was 160)... and I am not sure how I am going to make it... :(

    Do you think if I ask students forming groups of 3 and do some short discussions during lectures would work? I don't want them to just learn / listen passively...

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  24. RandomCoil,

    Are you saying you will be teaching a class of 240 students?

    From my experience, I can tell you that small group discussion does not work very well in a big class ("big" meaning 100 students or more). Plus, it will be very noisy.

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  25. Yes. It is a compulsory class... So, i have to think of something else to engage the students then...

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