Website on Student Participation

This is an interesting website from the Faculty Development Center at California State University, Fullerton. It discusses the use of town halls and post-it notes to increase student participation in class. A sociology professor is using a cooperative learning approach in his lectures and is using a particular format to create an environment in the classroom that approximates a town hall meeting. The instructor allows the students to decide the topics to be discussed. Small groups brainstorm a list of potential topics and then compile the topics on a chalkboard. Students then vote to determine the top ten to be discussed.The instructor then begins the town hall meetings by giving two Post-it notes to every student in class. Each time they add to the discussion, students stick one of their Post-it notes on the front of their desk for everyone to see. Once a person has participated twice and placed both Post-its on the front of their desk, they can no longer earn points but they may still contribute to the discussion. This is an interesting approach to increase interaction and participation in the classroom.

http://fdc.fullerton.edu/teaching/learning/increasestudparticip.htm