I realized that these students are interested in the world in all its multiplicity; they don’t know where to start. The history of exploration provides a path for them to engage with the world through a familiar lens without entirely leaving their comfort zone. So now I try to complicate and expand rather than to dismiss.
Category: Author Conversations
“Write What’s Not Fair”: On Obsession, Paradox, and Permission in the Classroom
Passionate student writers rarely lack ideas, but instructors can help them narrow those ideas down by choosing to write what makes them feel the most. Authors Matthew Clark Davison and Alice LaPlante instruct students to write what’s “not fair.” Unresolved emotions, from hatred to love, offer great fuel to new writers seeking direction.
Curriculum Reform and The Musician in Society
In our own School of Music at Louisiana State University, a large-scale reform of the undergraduate curriculum led us to ponder what, exactly, we hoped first-year music majors would learn from an introductory course taught by musicology faculty.
Engaging Biology Students with RNA Storytelling
Thomas R. Cech, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1989. His book The Catalyst (2024) is available now in paperback. You can request an exam copy for your courses at the end of the article. I’ve taught several thousand college students …
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Making the Case for Sociology: A Practical Guide for Students
Lisa Wade is a professor at Tulane University with appointments in Sociology, the Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, and the Newcomb Institute. She’s the author of Terrible Magnificent Sociology and American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus. https://lisa-wade.com/
What I Wish My High School Teachers Knew When I Was in High School
Award-winning children’s author Rex Ogle suggests assumptions that kids are either “good” or “bad” leave little room for nuance. Despite gaining a reputation as a “bad kid,” Ogle highlights the teachers who saw past this label and recognized his potential.
Using InQuizitive to Improve Student Learning—and My Own Teaching
The world outside the classroom is changing. As students struggle to understand challenging concepts and engage with the material, psychology instructors like Elliot Berkman, PhD are turning to InQuizitive to identify their students’ difficulties, adapt their coursework, and encourage students to take control of their learning journeys.
Inclusivity: An Important Aspect of Intimate Relationships Courses
Unlike less personal subjects, teaching intimate relationships involves navigating students’ experiences, perspectives, and beliefs. Students bring personal histories and assumptions to classes on intimacy, which can lead to challenging moments when these deeply held beliefs are questioned. How can instructors address and reframe these preconceived assumptions with respect and empathy?
Separating Science Fact from Science Fiction: Tools for Science Literacy
What gave rise to this seemingly sudden decline in scientific trust? In retrospect, the public’s misapprehension about the value and meaning of science and scientific consensus clearly reflects a failure of science education.
Teaching Difficult Topics in the Humanities Classroom
As a teacher of moral and political philosophy, currently teaching at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford on a Master of Public Policy Degree, I typically teach students from around 50 countries with very different social, educational, and professional backgrounds, and I often encounter passionate disagreement in the classroom. So how do I keep the peace and encourage thoughtful, respectful dialogue?