Engaging Students
Teaching the Great Irish Famine
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alan Singer
In 1996, the New York State made study of the Great Irish Famine part of a Human Rights curriculum including slavery in the Americas and the European Holocaust. Cormac Ó Gráda, challenged the Hofstra team to explain why it was so important that students learn about a famine in Ireland 150 years earlier. Our answer was that study of the Great Irish Famine offers be a case study on the impact of colonization, industrialization, and capitalism and 19th century ideas about “progress” on the lives of ordinary people. It also introduce students to the continuing problems of hunger, inequality, and powerlessness in the world today. The Great Irish Famine introduces students to a number of major historical and social studies themes. The British government’s response to the famine in Ireland exposed the ideology and operation of capitalism and shaped British colonial policy. The famine occurred in a period when England, was industrializing and the Irish became a significant portion of the urban industrial work force. Famines, exacerbated by climate change, threaten to reshape human civilization in the 21st century. Study of the famine engages students in discussions of human nature, human rights, government responsibility, and international obligations.
Learning in the Outdoors through the Primacy of Movement and Learner Voice: Learning in, through and about Movement and Teacher Training
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Barry Costas
This paper which has evolved out of a much larger doctoral thesis, explores the value of placing the learner at the heart of their own learning, whilst using the primacy of learning in through and about movement as a pedagogical approach. This approach is examined in the context of Outdoor Adventurous Activities at a residential outdoors centre in a secluded hamlet in the Brecon Forest, Mid - Wales in the United Kingdom. The notion of the learner as having a key role to play in their own learning Fielding (2004, 2008), is not a new pedagogical approach, but rather, it is argued, we are seeing the concept re-emerging as a way of addressing the tired and dated ideas that learners are often blank slates or empty vessels, should be seen and not heard and learn best through transmitting knowledge through sitting in rows in windowless lecture theatres, Costas (2015). My paper argues that effective teaching and learning has to start with where the learners are at, not with where the teacher or lecturer is at. In order to do this the learner has to be central to the intended learning outcomes and fully engaged with their own learning, and to have an understanding of why they are doing it. This paper examines this process and relationship through working with four groups, of first year Bachelor of Education students at a University on the outskirts of London in the United Kingdom.
Implementing English as a Medium of Instruction in University Courses
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Yen-Hui Lu, Jia-chen Chuo
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a model of collaborative action research between language professors and academic content professors in implementing English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) to teach academic courses at one of the universities in Taiwan. This study utilizes two complementary theoretical frameworks: reflective practitioner knowledge and classroom-based action research. These two frameworks suggest that regular reflection on teaching allows teachers to identify areas in their teaching that need attention and thus spurs their continuing professional development. The wide range of data in this study includes reflection journals from both language professors and academic content professors; field notes from observations; and transcriptions of biweekly group meetings. The significance of this study is twofold: First, by understanding academic content professors’ teaching practice through collaborative action research, language professors are able to develop a more congruent EMI pedagogy and represent more understandable teaching and learning theories in implementing EMI. Second, by conducting classroom-based action research, academic content professors become more critical about their practices and more conscious of their own teaching to meet the needs of students in EMI classes.
Customizing Mathematics in Health Care Education: The Identification of Mathematical Concepts Relevant for Health Care Professions
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Gheorghita Faitar, Silviu Faitar
The first decades of the 21st Century witnessed a dramatic shift in the American job market, with the demand in health care professions outpacing more traditional career opportunities. As a result, higher education institutions are prioritizing the development and implementation of health care and medical programs. Students enrolled in such programs often start classes under the impression that studying only clinical disciplines will properly prepare them for their professional career. However, most programs start with core courses aimed at developing a holistic background for each student. Out of these courses, mathematics poses the most difficult for students due to its rigor and because students assume that it is unnecessary for health professions. This is evidently a flawed and misleading view since mathematics is deeply embedded in many biological and clinical disciplines. The present study identifies and organizes basic mathematical concepts needed for understanding significant topics taught in biochemistry, genetics and clinical courses. Future health care professionals need to be able to analyze quantitative data, create models, draw inferences, and support conclusions based on mathematical reasoning. Basic mathematical skills like measurements and units of measure, fractions, proportions, ratios and percentages are applied in practically all biomedical disciplines. More advanced concepts like exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and graph theory are often used for understanding difficult enzyme kinetics, population genetics, pharmacology or epidemiology problems. Ultimately, establishing connections between these concepts and clinical applications while teaching mathematics courses is essential for creating well-rounded and successful health care professionals.
