Heather Osborne
Course
SOCI 2010: Introduction to Sociology
Reflection on Using High-Impact Teaching Practices
I taught an Introduction to Sociology course this fall, incorporating several concepts and ideas I learned at the Gen Ed Scholars Institute last summer.
While I had previously attempted to integrate active learning strategies, my efforts
were sometimes disorganized and didn’t always produce the results I hoped for. However,
this semester (thanks to what I learned at the Gen Ed Scholars Institute), I implemented
focused "thinking routines"* for each chapter, which led to more nuanced and involved
discussions with students.
During class, I presented a short lecture, transitioned into a thinking routine, and
then into a large group discussion—and the results were fantastic! On days when I
incorporated a thinking routine, fewer students yawned with watery-glazed eyes, and
more students asked questions, discussed, and were audibly and visibly thinking—they
were more alert and involved.
Incorporating the thinking routines created opportunities for students to engage with
the material during class, and it allowed me to observe their thought processes and
offer guidance rather than lecturing the whole time. Listening in on their small group
discussions, I often noticed that if a student needed help understanding a concept,
one of their peers would jump in and explain it in a way I might not have thought
of, which helped the student understand the idea better.
Reflection on Gen Ed Scholars Institute
Overall, the Gen Ed Scholars Institute impacted my thinking about the roles of teacher and student and provided me with the tools needed to facilitate student learning in a new and better way!
*(Editor's Note: Find multiple types of thinking routines at Harvard's Project Zero Thinking Routines website.)