First Interviews Reflection
March 5, 2007
Process
As I have conducted the interviews, I have found that clarification of the interview questions is very important. I am wondering how the questions for the weekly reflections will be interpreted since I will not be there to clarify.
What I've Learned So Far From My Interviews
I have learned some interesting information from the interviews thus far.
1. the students know what that they learn best using certain methods and are conscious that most of their instructors do not use those methods
2. studnets have adapted to the methods the instructors use even if they know that they are not learning much from the class; they know that the strategies they need are good enough for the test but not for long term learning
3. for the four students asking questions and interacting with others is very important; when they are confused by the material, they are likely to turn to someone else for help and guidance
4. students have learned that attending classes and taking notes is very important; most of the time they DO NOT have to do the assigned reading since instructors do not base their tests on assigned reading
What I am learning thus far is taking my thinking in different directions. I wonder if students do the reading for their classes; if yes, why; if no, why? If instructors do not test the students on the reading, why?
What these students are saying is suggesting that they have learned to adapt to what the teachers will ask of them; the teachers require that they read but then do not follow up that requirement with anything which demonstrates to the students that reading is important.
I wonder if students were surveyed about reading for classes what they would say...
If instructors were surveyed about how they "test" for reading in their classes, what they would say...
Personally, I know that many teachers say they assign reading but that students don't do it; so they do not test for the reading material because then students would fail the tests; so they only test for what is covered in lecture
This reinforces to students that they do not NEED to read for class and that they can skip the reading and still do well in class; one says that she does the reading after the lecture when she has a questions about something; she assumes that she did not understand because she did not do the reading and only then turns to the text.
Also, I know that students do not do the reading unless they will be required to do something with the reading...
That is one of the things which I have failed to do this semester; is to structure/design the course so that it is clear to students that the reading is very important; without the reading there is not much that we can discuss; I can either decide to change the design of the course to give them short reading assignments so that they can do in class, but this does not give the students the opportunity to really think about and internalize what they have learned
So when I had the students work on the questions for the stories and have those ready to turn in when they walk into class and when I was consistent about that from the very beginning of class, then they learned that the reading was going to be essential in my class; I did not establish that from the beginning and I should have; that may be one of the reasons for the class atmosphere/feel. When I started this semester, I had students turn in their material at the end of the day; which means that they did not have to get it done by the time they came to class MISTAKE!!
Now I have to work twice as hard to get them back on track and to come prepared for class.