Categories
Academic

Speaking Up Required in Higher Education…

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A really interesting piece about the place of ‘introverts’ in higher education where action learning means not speaking up is no longer an option:

However, university students are no longer allowed to be shy. “Active learning” has become a modern mantra. Students must ask questions, express opinions, lead oral presentations and participate enthusiastically in community projects. To collaborate is sacrosanct. Passivity, on the other hand, is considered the enemy of learning. They must be vocal, expressive and assertive. The extrovert ideal, as Cain calls it, is all the rage.

Read full story, and see my PGCLTHE work re: group work… and this letter response.

Categories
Academic

Group Work: Not Pulling Your Weight?

Enthusiastic Study GroupI’m really interested in group dynamics (see mini project undertaken as part of PGCLTHE), so an interesting case study here:

“Academically ambitious students contribute to moving the average up – unenthusiastic students and shirkers do just the opposite,” he added.

Indeed, some hard-working students may even defect to “the dark side” of the slackers if they saw their classmates getting away with minimal effort, he continued. To combat this problem, students were offered the chance to gain a higher mark for their group assignment if they managed to raise the grade scored by the weakest student in individual tests on the same subject.

Read full piece.