Occasional Publications - Comments

David W. Congdon comments on So I have an ISBN now: 978-3161503689

David W. Congdon — Thu, 27 May 2010 18:26:12 +0000

Congrats! I look forward to reading it.

Jason Goroncy comments on So I have an ISBN now: 978-3161503689

Jason Goroncy — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:14:32 +0000

How exciting! Congratulations ol' boy. I'll be sure to have an extra dram for you.

D. R. Driver comments on Student-centered learning

D. R. Driver — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:40:37 +0000

Yes, it is provocative (that's Clines for you). But I've been reading my student evaluations from my largest course, and thinking on my own about what works and what doesn't. More than one student said, in effect: You were teaching some stuff that I didn't understand or couldn't care about, and I didn't learn anything.

Others said they learned quite a bit, but I'm troubled by the number of students who checked out. To answer your question directly, I do think it's my job to teach students — maybe not more than it's my job to teach a subject, but at least as much.

As another friend of mine put it in a note to self: Less knowledge, more teaching. Or, as Clines put it in the same essay, "If I were assigned to teach a NT introduction, I would spend the whole semester on Philemon, having students research all the critical issues for themselves and build up their own picture of Paul, Pauline theology, and early Christian society on the basis of this extraordinarily luminous and revealing text." I think that's a compelling strategy, to teach students stuff they'll actually remember, ie an approach or a set of skills or an attitude. And I have always favored close attention to particulars.

SteveL comments on Student-centered learning

SteveL — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:24:13 +0000

Daniel, this is a provocative post. It's also interesting to ask, "As a student, am I learning 'the latest thinking of scholars,' or is there something more, something deeper?" Put differently, What is the mission of education: to teach student's facts? Or, to ..."

What do you think? What is your ultimate aim as a teacher?

DRD comments on Buy my book half price. Just $499.98!

DRD — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:23:55 +0000

The second copy is gone, and TSC's is back up to a grand.

Jason Goroncy comments on At the park today

Jason Goroncy — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:51:34 +0000

Now that's a cool post!

Jordyn comments on Pedagogy: Do you use Prezi? Should I? Comments welcome.

Jordyn — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:09:39 +0000

I would have to say that I agree with Andrew. I do like the idea of being able to make notes on the slides during the lecture, but that was able a viable option this semester as well, if one printed the slides prior to class. However, I also know that the tendency to be distracted during class with a laptop is a pretty big barrier for a good learning enviroment.

In general, I didn't find the more linear method of slides to be a problem, but that likely has more to do with my learning style than anything.

Good luck!

S. Walters comments on DeMille's Nine Commandments

S. Walters — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:57:04 +0000

Mark Sidloi's letter in the National Post today does not need a reply, although it will be easy to check the rabbis in Carasik's translation. The words in question appear fourteen times (I think) in the code of Leviticus 19, and therefore have good standing as preface/refrain, etc. It is also an interesting question how you can identify the number of a commandment, since they are not numbered in the text. Is not the second part of the first? etc. Recall how the second decalogue of Ex 34 floundered because there was no agreement on what the ten were.

Stan

Elizabeth Brooker comments on Pedagogy: Do you use Prezi? Should I? Comments welcome.

Elizabeth Brooker — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:10:29 +0000

Hello Dr. Driver,
This looks really interesting, however, I take Andrews point of view. As long as the lack of internet service does not interfere and you are able to invest the work and time into making the new slide's it would make the classroom experience interesting. I can’t say if this new program beneficial to learning only because I have never personally experienced the prezi before. Although it would be fun to go to a class where the slide's move around; it would be even more frustrating to experience the internet failure. Hence have an immediate back up system.

I say go for it, if only if they can still be printed out from a printer, or else it is kind of pointless and only makes it frustrating to students. I find adding notes to slides a lot easier verses making notes.

Good luck in your decision,

Elizabeth

DR comments on Pedagogy: Do you use Prezi? Should I? Comments welcome.

DR — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:38:24 +0000

Prezi definetley looks fascinating. It would be a shift from just dull slides. It looks more advanced to me, and I think that is where society is going no matter how hard you try and stop it. This program seems to embrace creativity and technology. It marries the two and the relationship is beautiful. I would definetley love to see this presentation software in our school.