Reflections

Today’s class marked a significant stride in my teaching journey, and I am pleased with how well it unfolded. The concepts introduced seemed to resonate with the students. They engaged actively and appeared to grasp the principles of polarity management, particularly in navigating the tensions between outcome-based and process-based research approaches. Observing their interactions, I felt assured that the foundational ideas are settling in.

Despite this progress, I noticed that the connection between these principles and their individual research projects isn't entirely clear to them yet. I am confident, however, that as the course progresses, this linkage will become more apparent. The upcoming first essays and the "crazy minutes" presentations scheduled for the next class should provide them with opportunities to integrate these concepts more concretely into their work.

The "Yes, and..." and "No, but..." and fishbowl exercises were received well - they effectively facilitated open dialogue and allowed students to explore different perspectives in a collaborative setting. Nevertheless, I believe the fishbowl could be enhanced with more comprehensive introductions and context setting. Clarifying how the fishbowl format differs from traditional debates and explaining my rationale for choosing it over other methods would likely deepen their understanding and engagement.

Reflecting on areas for improvement, timing emerged as a significant concern. The class came "short" by an entire hour beyond the scheduled time. To address this, I plan to adjust the structure for next year by assigning what was previously an in-class activity as homework, alongside the one-slide presentation. This change should streamline our in-class activities and make better use of our time together.

Additionally, I recognize the need to modify the debriefing process. Moving forward, I intend to shift the focus away from procedural details and instead concentrate on exploring the students' emotional responses, summarizing content, and enhancing their overall understanding. This approach should foster a more reflective and meaningful dialogue about their learning experiences.

Another area for enhancement is the incorporation of regular recaps at the beginning of each class. Providing a brief review of previous content will help strengthen the connections between different elements of the course and prepare students for new material. Although I hadn't initially allocated time for this, I plan to dedicate about ten minutes per class to a quick recap and Q&A session. Implementing this starting from the next class—after the two-minute presentations—will not only reinforce prior learning but also stimulate discussions based on their own insights.

In conclusion, while today's class was successful in many respects, it also highlighted opportunities for refining my teaching strategies. By addressing the timing issues, enhancing the debriefing focus, and incorporating consistent recaps, I aim to create a more effective and engaging learning environment. I am eager to implement these changes and look forward to observing how they contribute to the students' growth and understanding as the course continues.

Summary

• Adjust Timing: Reduce the in-class assignment time by assigning it as homework, alongside the 1-slide presentation.

• Enhance Fishbowl Exercise: Introduce the exercise with more context and explain its difference from debates, focusing on why this format is chosen.

• Revise Debriefing: Modify the debrief session to focus more on emotions and content understanding, rather than just the process.

• Include Class Recaps: Add a 10-minute recap and Q&A session at the start of each class to connect previous content with upcoming topics.

• Implement Recap and Discussion: Start the next class with a quick recap following the 2-minute presentations to facilitate discussion and reinforce learning.