Thank you so much for caring so deeply about ALL student to share such an insightful andf thought provoking message. It is so refreshing to have colleagues who care enough to share their experience and challenge the rest of us to go the extra step to help ensure student success. THANK YOU!!

While my entire career has been about helping students learn and learn how to learn, I am discouraged by the consistently asked, pragmatic question “is this going to be in the test” or “do I have to “learn” that?” Specific wording to reply to this will be appreciated.

No wonder, I guess, study sessions led by tutored are not as attended as it would be if I were leading them. The tutor does not write the exam.
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My question always will be…. so how can we change this bad behavior on their parts? For some, gaining a knowledge that they CAN do the work without cutting corners or lowering standards might be enough… Again, my efforts go towards those students who want to learn – but don’t know how… I can try to change the behavior of those folks whose motivation or attitudes aren’t where we’d like them… but we only have so many hours in the day… I’ll prioritize my efforts…

I appreciate your sharing!

Also, I stay away from quizzes and tests and ask students to do a good amount of performance based tasks in order to receive a grade. If one takes a good hard look at the content and the purpose of each and every question on a quiz or test, you will see that the quiz or a test actually assesses how well students can memorize, as opposed to synthesize and apply what they have learned. At first, the students can’t believe they are in a class that does not have tests or quizzes. Then, they realize how they will be assessed. As a result, class participation and student engagement is high, and attendance is rarely a problem. In fact, my students will often text me or call me to explain when they will be even 3 minutes late! Yey!

“What the threshold concepts would be in each of our content areas?” I think the most urgent topic is whether science and scientific reasoning are good enough to tackle US and global science-based problems (e.g. climate change) and more fundamental questions (e.g. age of the universe, age of earth, how biodiversity came to exist, how long have humans been on Earth?, etc.).

In the context of the broad, unabashed, overt, and unabashed anti-science movements in the USA (and I understand also abroad), I am left wondering:

a) what options the anti-science people propose (“faith” – whatever flavor, as determined by them, dictates and science obeys?)

and

b) whether we are going to revisit the Middle Ages in terms of our approach and understanding of the natural world.

Overall, I am *not* optimistic. Elsewhere, I ask my students to state their views on the issues listed by me above and it is *obvious* to me that there is a good (although not 100%) separation between those who consider science as a valid tool to tackle science issues and those who do not, particularly on any issue that demands that Earth is far more than 6,000 years of age with the positions they take. At the end of the class, I ask the same question. Results? Other than enhanced understanding of science, *nobody* has ever claimed to have changed their minds on this fundamental issue, because, I think, such change will impose a revision of core beliefs.

1) How can I support faculty members in teaching & learning processes?

2) What skills do my students lack that I can help them acquire this semester?

3) How can I learn the processes of critical thinking so that I can share them effectively with others?

4) How can I better achieve work/life balance?

5) What makes a technology/process worthy of recommendation for use?