Greetings
Attached to this note is a two page brief on the Interview Matrix strategy.
I mentioned that this is the process that has rendered the most success in a) engaging students in the central inquiry of the course and b) heightened their sense of responsibility to contribute and engage - right from the beginning of the course. It sends a message right off the bat that they are the most important part of the class.
I like it because it optimizes EVERYONE'S involvement in a safe process - and I have been able to use it with groups of 125 plus as well as classes of 25. Hope you find it interesting!
Neil Smith
I thought I'd follow along Neil's lead to document some strategies. I mentioned 'conversation memos' in our Elluminate session yesterday. I was introduced to this simple activity in a graduate course with Peter Grimmett at SFU many years ago. It's such a simple idea but really effective.
This strategy:
This strategy:
- connects curriculum with personal lives of students and their communities (authentic)
- provides a way to for students to share and discuss issues and interests, and events in their lives
- engages students in reflective practice
- encourages shared responsibility for the activity
- motivates students to participate -- i.e. it will be your turn next! :-)
- 2-3 times (depends on numbers) during the semester each student writes a memo to the rest of the class.
- This memo explains a specific teaching dilemma or questions/struggles related to readings and class discussions, etc.
- Bring sufficient copies of the memo to distribute in class
- Each class approx 15 minutes is spent discussing each memo.
- Could easily be implemented online
- In large classes the memo disucssion could be done in groups