Mortimer and Fink: A Dialogue
Mortimer: So how was class today?
Fink: You know what I’m sick of? That one person, who just happens to be in pretty much every class, who puts up their hand every opportunity they get trying to impress the prof with their “insightful” comments.
Mortimer: Whoa, rough day Fink or what? True, I suppose some people get a little annoying, but do you not consider participation a pretty big asset to a good class?
Fink: Whaddya mean? I have no problem with everyone sitting there quietly while the prof runs his spiel. I mean, how else are you going to learn? I’m not paying to hear some fool in the front row try to marvel the crowd with rhetorical jabber.
Mortimer: And I didn’t say you were. But it would be a shame to think every dollar you pay as going directly to the professor. You’re paying for your education my friend, and other, more active, methods of learning outside of simply being lectured to are certainly on the rise; and for good reason I should think.
Fink: So what, bring in the coloured blocks and let’s all play “Learn how to Share,” is that what you’re getting at?
Mortimer: Ah yes, facetious sarcasm; nothing gets a point across better (to use a little sarcasm of my own). My dear Finky, I feel you are being dramatically misled by your preconceived misconceptions of educational learning. Educational facilities, such as this here UofS, are starting to understand that there are many different styles of learning, a major one being active engagement. Participation sparks such activity, and can be seen as improving the quality of a lecture for everyone involved. You also give me a very good example to prove my point with. When teaching young children the concept of sharing and the benefits of it, do you think it would suffice to bring in an expert on the topic and have that person run through the definition of sharing, its history, and how it is most successfully practiced?
Fink: Or have the children actually experience it for themselves?
Mortimer: Precisely.
Fink: Well that makes sense. But still, not all input is as constructive as you claim.
Mortimer: Yes, that’s true. And classroom participation is a difficult subject. Should professors mark based on it, making it mandatory, for what about students who feel incredibly uncomfortable speaking out in class? Learning is becoming an increasingly social activity, more so than before, and discussion is often an integral part to a class; but as evidenced here it’s rather clear that your style of learning does not quite coincide with that shift.
Fink: Well I don’t hate all discussion. I also don’t like the profs thinking they know everything. Well, wait a minute. Could this then be like saying that the power is shifting from the profs to the students, and we can learn however we want to?
Mortimer: Um…well I’m unsure of this power you so speak of, but yes, if that’s how you need to think about it. Though I certainly believe the “power” has been in the students’ hands all along.
Fink: Awesome. Well I gotta head to my next class and abuse this newfound power of mine.
Mortimer: Well hopefully it works out for you.
Fink: Wait, one thing I missed: so there isn’t a way to get that student in the front row to shut up?