We have adopted a student centered learning focus here at the Academy. For us, it means we have to teach ourselves from the assigned reading, complete all the homework, and come to class with questions for the teacher. The teachers are not supposed to lecture, but "guide us" through the learning process. Sounds great doesn't it? Let me say from experience it is difficult to complete any Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, Engineering Mechanics problem, before being shown how to do so.
The approach might work with someone who is excited to learn the subject and takes the normal load of 5 classes. But for yours truly, a Humanities major with 7 classes, it is hard to be excited about my tech classes. Thankfully some of the instructors here disagree with the Dean's learning focus, and I have been able to pass technical classes.
We have adopted a student centered learning focus here at the Academy. For us, it means we have to teach ourselves from the assigned reading, complete all the homework, and come to class with questions for the teacher. The teachers are not supposed to lecture, but "guide us" through the learning process. Sounds great doesn't it? Let me say from experience it is difficult to complete any Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, Engineering Mechanics problem, before being shown how to do so.
ReplyDeleteThe approach might work with someone who is excited to learn the subject and takes the normal load of 5 classes. But for yours truly, a Humanities major with 7 classes, it is hard to be excited about my tech classes. Thankfully some of the instructors here disagree with the Dean's learning focus, and I have been able to pass technical classes.
Ah, the Thayer Method. I wonder from whence it came....
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