Colloquium Series
About the Series
"Investigating Enduring Student Learning Problems in Our Classrooms"
This series will examine ways to better understand the kinds of enduring learning problems students experience in our classes. Sessions will focus on ways to investigate and respond to these problems. Next semester will include working sessions in which instructors discuss classroom inquiry projects.
Student Misconceptions
How do students’ preconceptions and misconceptions of the subject matter complicate learning and teaching? Faculty and staff are invited to attend the first session in a new series on teaching and learning issues. This session explores student preconceptions and misconceptions of subject matter in different disciplines. What students already know has an important influence on what they will learn and how they will respond to teaching. Discussion will also focus on how to investigate these issues in your own courses.
Student Motivation
How does student motivation complicate learning and teaching? Why don’t some students want to learn? Why do some students give up quickly while others persist in the face of difficulty? Why do so many students work only for a grade and show little enthusiasm for meaningful learning? Do teachers have any influence on students’ motivation for learning? We will examine some contemporary research on motivation that can help us understand and address these questions in our classrooms.