I also want to share my experience about sitting arrangements at
universities. I taught several classes at UCSC and after each class
meeting I cleaned "mess" after me by re-arranging chairs back to raws. I
did it until I noticed that instructors using the same room before my class
and after were doing the same thing. I talked with them and we discovered
to our surprise that we all think that "circle" or "small group" chair
arrangements are more comfortable for us.
My point is it is interesting to investigate how many instructors use
"non-traditional" chair arrangements in the their classrooms. It can be
that we just support a dead tradition by not communicating our preferences
with each other.
What do you think?
Eugene
PS I never re-arrange chairs after my class since then :-)
At 09:07 AM 9/23/97 +1300, you wrote:
>
>The comments on settings are intriguing and leave my mind spinning as to
>quite where the focus of the discussion might settle down.
>
>Eva's and Kevin's comments connected with my struggles in this university
>to find spaces where I can teach in the ways I believe are most effective.
>I have an undergraduate class of 80 students that I try to get working
>together in groups of 6-7. Finding spaces where they can work in groups and
>then come together for whole class gatherings is nearly impossible.
>The university is in the middle of a very large rebuilding program, but
>remains tied to the belief that all university teaching should fit a small
>number of fixed formats, with the emphasis on large whole-class lecture
>spaces. I can see these formats being built into the institution for the
>next 20-30 years, or as long as the buildings last.
>Apart from the addition of hi-tech equipment, and considerable increase in
>size, the physical teaching spaces in the university have retained the same
>basic shapes for the last 100 years.
>These are settings with a much longer life than 10 years, looking either
>forwards or backwards.
>Does any one else experience the same control-by-setting frustration? Must
>I change to email/internet connected classes to get the freedom that good
>teaching requires?
>Graham
>
>
>Graham Nuthall
>Professor of Education
>University of Canterbury
>Private Bag 4800
>Christchurch, New Zealand
>Phone 64 03 3642255 Fax 64 03 3642418
>http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/educ/ultp.html
>
>
-----------------------------------------------
Eugene Matusov
Willard Hall Educational Bldg., Room 206G
Department of Educational Studies
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716-2920
Phone: (302) 831-1266
Fax: (302) 831-4445
e-mail: ematusov who-is-at udel.edu
http://www.ematusov.com
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