Reflections on Bean "Engaging Ideas" chapter 8.
In chapter 8, Bean gives different strategies for designing critical thinking tasks. As a conclusion (p. 160), he gives a list of possible strategies. I will copy the one I find the more relevant to me for the moment and try to give an idea of task I could use that relate to that precise strategy.
– Think of tasks that would let students link concepts in your course to their personal experiences or prior knowledge:
At first, I had difficulties to see how I could possibly do that. But actually, there are a few that might work!
– Think of tasks that would let students link concepts in your course to their personal experiences or prior knowledge:
At first, I had difficulties to see how I could possibly do that. But actually, there are a few that might work!
- First, the example from the same chapter (p.151):
"Think of examples out of your own experience to illustrate the use of vector algebra. You might consider such experiences as swimming across a river with a steady current, walking down and up escalator, crossing the wake while water-skiing, cutting diagonally across a vacant lot while friends walk around the lot, or watching a car trying to beat a moving train to a railroad crossing. Use one or more of these experiences to explain to a friend the kinds of problem that vector algebra tries to solve. Use both words and diagram." Although I am not 100% sure on how concretely I can use that and/or generalize to other topics, this can make vector look more friendly to linear algebra students.
- Math Journal:
I find the idea of writing journals rather interesting (isn't it more or less what I am doing right now?). Yet at first I didn't saw how it could work in math. Until a college from the WID group gave me a link to an article on math journal. So this is something I definitely ned to explore. My main remaining question is how do I motivate students without spending hours reading their journals... - Math Poetry:
I first considered asking students to write haiku about new concepts. While making some research on that topic, I came across Patrick Bahls' article "Math and metaphor: using poetry to teach college mathematics". His task is not concept related, more a bridge between math and literature. Therefor it relates more with students' personal experience and personality. I find it a nice task to give at the beginning of a term as a kind of icebreaker.
– Ask students to teach difficult concepts in your course to a new learner:
I have seen this type of questions as reading question. Now a colleague from the physics department came up with a really nice idea: a post class/topic tweet. With a rubric like "If someone missed today’s class, what is the one thing you would tell them". Probably something to explore...
– Think of problems, puzzles, or questions you could ask the students to address:
We ask problems every days in maths! ;) More serously, maybe I could think of assigning problems making more sens to students. A resource I just found about that is "Writing in mathematics" by Dr. Annalisa Crannell. She gives great examples of writing tasks for students in Calculus. I am just afraid about the time the grading process might require...
– Give the students raw data and ask them to write an argument or analysis based on the data:
Definitely something we can do. Although i don't have a precise task in mind right now.
– Design templates that will guide students through a thinking process you value:
That might be something for writing proof, solving related rates/optimization problems...
– Use "What if" situations:
Might be interesting to use early in linear algebra. As a way to prepare students to general vector spaces.
– Ask students to write a summary:
I remember asking students to write summaries when I taught high-school once in Sweden. However, I do not really remember exactly how I assigned it. I remember collecting (some of? all of?) them and making copies. I definitely need to look back to it. Also the "tweet idea" above is a kind of summary.
So those are the main point I could explore... Never a dull moment!