Dr. Eric Jamelske on Guest Speakers

The phrase “could not have said it better myself” is one of those phrases that on the surface appears to be solely complimentary but deep down often times contains a hidden truth. For instance, I might say after listening to a lecture on quantum mechanics that I “could not have said it better myself,” for the very distinct reason that I could not have said anything at all about quantum mechanics. The world is so dense with knowledge that we rarely can say anything “better ourselves” except for maybe the discipline we have specialized in and what we would like for dinner. Dr. Eric Jamelske, Department of Economics, embraces this truth, and seeks out guest lecturers for areas in his course that are not his direct specialty.

In the classes that I teach that are naturally interdisciplinary—like Health Economics or Environmental Economics—I try to get guest speakers to talk about the components I know less about. For instance, I will get a chemistry professor to talk about the science of climate change, or a philosophy professor to talk about environmental ethics. Being trained public speakers, we can all pool together resources and give a presentation on any topic, but if you don’t own it, or are not passionate about it, it’s not as effective as if you were to get an expert on the material. I’ve had great success reaching out to other faculty and community speakers to come in and present on special subjects, and it really enhances the course. I think faculty are very open to the idea and all you have to do is find the right person for it.

Interview by: Jon Pumper

Dr. Eric Jamelske on Simulations

Biology classes have labs; social work classes have case-studies; economic classes have market simulations. Dr. Eric Jamelske, Department of Economics, speaks to the importance of including simulations in the classroom:

I think any activity that allows for simulation is really useful. If I want to get students to really understand how markets work, the best way is for them to actively simulate a real market, by participating as buyers and sellers. In Economics we have a lot of graphs, and if there’s a way I can bring a graph to life –let the students actively discover how equilibrium is derived—I think it sticks a lot more. Not every day has to have an activity, but I keep three or four on reserve to use over the course of a semester.

To read more on learning simulations, consider checking out The Gamification of Learning and Instruction by Karl M. Kapp, a book that provides strategies on designing and implementing game-based learning. We have it here at the CETL library. 

Teaching Tip: Dr. Eric Jamelske on Student Collaboration

Getting students to work with each other motivates them to attend and excel in class. Dr. Eric Jamelske, Department of Economics, shares how he sets the pace for student collaboration right away each semester:

I really believe in creating a welcoming, collaborative atmosphere. I start off each semester by implementing a problem-solving activity that is difficult to solve individually. The moral of the activity is that students need to use the resources around them; namely, other students, the teaching assistants, and myself. This creates a feeling that we’re all in this together: it serves as a symbol that we’re collaborative learners and friends. I don’t know if any more students necessarily come to my office hours because of this, but I do think that students use each other more often as learning resources.

Interviewed by: Jon Pumper

Teaching Tip: Dr. Tom Kemp on Anecdotal Asides

Student attention spans have always been short, and they are only getting shorter. Dr. Tom Kemp, professor of Economics, gives a tip on how to get students through dense (but necessary) material:

Pay close attention to the class; that’s how I know when to break it up. When it’s clear that the majority of the class is no longer paying attention to what I am saying, it’s not really useful to continue. There’s more value in breaking into something else in order to get them back into what I’d like to discuss. I’ll tell stories, create goofy analogies, or continue a running gag: there is always a side-story to be told, something that is relevant to the course but is more engaging than the theoretical material that we need to cover. Don’t be afraid to draw on real-life experiences: students may find this useful as a scaffolding device for their own learning. 

Interviewed by: Jon Pumper

Teaching Tip: Dr. Maria DaCosta on Projects that Impact the Course.

Dr. Maria DaCosta, Department of Economics, discusses how she designs student projects to encompass diversity and create a meaningful impact on course content:

I ask the students to select the topics for the group projects. By doing that I am catering to their preferences and foundations. Each student is to submit up to three topics, and then I set up the groups, matching topic choices while taking into account the diversity of the group in terms of gender, major, background, and class performance. Then, I adjust the last part of the course content to reflect the group project topics, covering the topics that seemed to be of great interest more in depth and filling in the gaps where I see them. The final exam will have at least one or two questions based on each presentation, to reinforce the significance of these projects. 

Interviewed by: Jon Pumper