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Teaching in the Seminar
The typical seminar, for either graduate or undergraduate students, involves
a great deal of classroom discussion and critique about scholarly readings,
and one final
"publishable" research paper on an aspect of that seminar
topic. Edward Neal (1996) suggests that there are several problems with this model. Instructors
may expect students to "find their own way," and therefore, little planning for the seminar is necessary.
This approach can lead to class discussions in which students find it difficult to
identify the important points they should be getting out of the seminar process. Students may also
find it difficult to select a topic for their research papers and
may subsequently
wait until it is very late in the academic term to start writing, leading
to incomplete
or poor work.
For planning a seminar, Neal (1996) offers the following questions to help create a
positive learning experience:
- What are the disciplinary issues associated with the seminar topic?
- Do these issues suggest a framework for studying the topic?
- Which issues are appropriate for investigation by the students I will have?
- How will I provide the background and context for students to understand the issues?
- How can I relate these issues to students' lives and academic interests?
- What excited me or stimulated my interest in this topic when I was a student, and how can I use my experience to motivate my students?
- How can I present the readings in such a way that students will think critically about the topic?
- What classroom activities can I use to stimulate critical thinking?
- What are the basic research tools in the discipline that students need to know?
- What classroom exercises can I use to help students learn about (or use) these tools?
- From my own experience, what insights about research can I contribute to the class?
When planning how to lead seminars, consider replacing large research papers with a series of smaller research activities that would provide experiences replicating a complete project. This would be especially helpful when teaching an undergraduate seminar. Also consider the use of cooperative learning activities, allowing students to help decide on the focus for the seminar, and asking students to collaboratively author papers with their classmates.
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