Observation Report by Vic Thomas
Describe the academic setting that you observed. Include the
professional's role in this setting. What were the goals for this class or
laboratory? Were the goals accomplished?
The classroom for ASTR 3##/4##, Sears 557, is very modern, with a multimedia
projection system that can take input from a computer or handwritten notes.
Computers line the perimeter of the room, and desks are grouped in the middle. I
got the feeling that the room is used for many different purposes/classes,
laboratories, and meetings. The modern, multifunctional and multimedia nature of
the classroom helped to make the class of 12 students feel more like a dynamic
interchange of contemporary ideas between instructor and students rather than an
old-fashioned stodgy lecture on rehashed subject matter.
Professor X's goal for his class seems to be to present information in a way
that keeps students involved and engaged. This was a big challenge, for the
class I visited was a 75-minute class that took place late on a Friday
afternoon. Judging from the level of interaction that remained high until the
end, I would say that Professor X succeeded.
Describe the instructional strategies that enhanced the class or
laboratory that you observed. Consider the degree of involvement and interaction
that the students had with each other and the professional.
Professor X used several instructional strategies to keep his class engaged and
reasonably alert:
a. Expert use of the multimedia facilities - Professor X deftly moved between
pre-written notes projected on the screen, drawing on the whiteboards, and
demonstrating mathematical models on a computer projected on the screen. The
changing of pace and using of supplemental resources to reinforce topics kept
the presentation fresh and interesting.
b. Group discussion - about 30 minutes into the class, Professor X had the
students break in to groups of four to have a 10-minutes discussion about what
type of model should be used to apply to a particular galaxy. After the
discussion, the groups presented their collaborated thoughts and Professor X
asked them a variety of questions. This exercise stimulated the students to
think rather than just take notes, and it demonstrated the usefulness of
collective intelligence.
c. Physical movement - Professor X does not stay in one place for very long.
He likes to move around, sit on a desk, go to a chair, drink some water, etc.
Physical movement can become a distraction if the instructor is constantly in
motion, but Professor X did not go to this extreme.
d. Personality - Professor X is very social and human. He is self-deprecating
and mildly irreverent in an appropriate and funny way. He is respectful of
students even when their ideas are poorly presented or not well thought-out.
Discuss what you have learned from this observation that you would like
to include in your own repertoire of instructional strategies.
I would incorporate all of Professor X's instructional strategies. In
particular, I think his use of the computer was innovative and effective. For
example, he discussed the use of Fourier transforms in the modeling of clusters
of galaxies. Rather than simply doing the math on a whiteboard or relying upon a
couple of prepared graphs, he used software in which he could enter any function
and immediately see what the corresponding graph of the Fourier transform is.
This sort of instant analysis helps one visualize the technique and reinforces
the applicability.
Open-ended response - please use this question to add information not
covered in the other three questions.
Given that the class was a long one on a late Friday afternoon, I expected to
see a large number of disengaged and sleeping students. This was not the case.
Part of this reason might be because the class was a mix of upper-level
undergraduates and graduate students. But I think a big part of the reason is
also because Professor X effectively utilized the resources in his modern
classroom.