Tangential vs. Non-Tangential Teaching Styles

Today, I discovered an article focused on tangential, but relevant comments from professors during their lectures. This article, "Classroom Teaching Methods: Are Your Lectures Sidetracking Student Learning?", made me think about my teaching style.

I thought this article was interesting, because I have never had a professor who excluded tangential comments from their lecture. The researchers utilized an experimental research design to discover if tangential comments enhance or slightly diminish a student's ability to retain important details from a sample lecture.

Their research study yielded results that affirm null hypothesis that many professors believe - tangential, but relevant comments enhance the lecture and the students' ability to retain vital information from the lecture. I will have to try tangential vs. non-tangential lecture styles during my two interpersonal communication classes next fall and I will employ the note card technique to test the results.

For those of you who deliver workshops or teach college/high school courses. What do you think of these results?

Millennial Professor

What? I Have to Be ACCOUNTABLE for My Words?: Professors and Online Content

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Some colleges and universities are encouraging their faculty to record their lectures and to post them online (either a university-based website or a site like youtube). However, professors are on both sides of the fencepost on this issue. Some professors are excited about the possibility of uploading their lectures online and others are afraid of the potential consequences.

Recently, the Chronicle of Higher Education featured an article titled, "Caught (Unfortunately) on Tape: More College are Recording Lectures, so More Professors are Learning to Watch Their Words". In the article, one of the professors stated, "[W]hen it [the lecture] is recorded, "and you say something you shouldn't-you make a joke about a fellow scholar-then what if it gets out and suddenly you're sued for slander?""

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Slander is one of the many issues that professors encounter in their journey towards tenure/ promotion in the digital age. Despite all of the video cameras and recording devices that currently exist or that may appear in classrooms in the future, I believe professors should maintain a sense of self in the classroom. I worry that professors will not be comfortable in their own skin if they fear the potential repercussions of their statements.

"Most classrooms are still free of microphones and cameras (the latest Campus Computing Survey, which tracks information-technology trends, showed that only about 3 percent of courses are recorded)" (Young, 2009, p. A17). However, the last sentence of the article states, "Some professors suggest that the best approach is to go into every class session assuming that their words could be broadcast to the world" (p. A17).

I believe professors should take this information into consideration. It seems more universities are offering online courses to cope with the recession (Pawlowski, 2009). Therefore, more professors may be asked to upload their lectures to compliment their PowerPoint presentations. Who knows what the future may bring to the higher education environment? It is always advantageous to be prepared!

Millennial Professor

References

Pawlowski, A. (2009, March 18). Ride out the recession in a virtual classroom. CNN.com. Retrieved April 9, 2009, from http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/18/economy.online.degrees/

Young, J. (2009, March 20). Caught (Unfortunately) on Tape: More College are Recording Lectures, so More Professors are Learning to Watch Their Words. Chronicle of Higher Education, 55(28), A17.

Some Facts about Our College Freshmen

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Last month, Spectra (a monthly publication from the National Communication Association) featured an article titled, "On Freshman's Minds: A Statistical Profile". This article included information from the UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute titled, "The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2008." The statistics for this report featured information from surveys administered to 240,580 first-year students attending 340 baccalaurate colleges and universities in the U.S. Here are some facts from this report:

I. Miles from College to Permanent Home: 4.9% of freshmen live five (5) miles or less from home 5.8% of freshmen live six (6) to ten (10) miles from home 24.3% of freshmen live 11 to 50 miles from home 17.3% of freshmen live 51 to 100 miles from home 33.0% of freshmen live 101 to 500 miles from home 14.1% of freshmen live over 500 miles from home
II. Student Rate Self Above Average or Highest 10 Percent in: 75.2% Drive to Achieve 73.7% Cooperativeness 69.5% Academic Ability 67.2% Understanding of Others 61.8% Leadership Ability 60.7% Self-Confidence 58.5% Self Understanding 56.8% Creativity 55.8% Physical Health 54.5% Emotional Health 52.5% Self-Confidence (Social) 47.5% Writing Ability 44.9% Mathematical Ability 39.9% Spirituality 39.4% Popularity 38.4% Computer Skills 37.7% Public-Speaking Ability 30.6% Artistic Ability

What do you think about these statistics? It seems this study's public speaking statistics are reinforced by my students' public speaking goal setting assignment. Their goals indicate the students are not comfortable delivering a speech in front of a group of people. I require the students to reexamine their goals during the midterm examination period. When the end of the semester arrives, my students give their goals a final examination and a written reflection. Overwhelmingly, it seems most of the students are significantly more comfortable with their public speaking ability after completing the course. It would be interesting to see if HERI decides to turn their Fall 2008 study/report into a longitudinal study!

Can Professor Elevate Their Stature By Wearing Heels?

Today's post is personal. This topic is near and dear to me. Yes, this topic is something that I deal with everyday. Shoes!

As a professor of small stature (I am 4'11), I like to wear heels...all kinds of heels (100% of them are Nine West). Short heels, stilettos, pumps...it does not matter on most days. However, I am in a peculiar situation. My classroom is located five minutes away from my office. My daily trek involves some barriers, which manifest themselves in the forms of gravel, concrete, puddles, wet/dry grass, and stairs. Some people may think this topic is trivial, however this topic affects my yearly personal investments...my collection of shoes.

When I finally arrive at my daily destination (my classroom), I have another death defying act to survive - maintaining my balance in my selected pair of shoes for three hours. My students present more physical barriers (i.e. - backpacks, books, chairs, etc.). By now, the students know that I lose my balance easily and they remove their personal items from the aisle.

Ladies - What kinds of shoes do you prefer to wear in the classroom/across campus?

Sincerely,

Millennial Professor