Teaching is a multidimensional activity in which a teacher can make his lecture effective in enhancing students’ learning in various ways. However, there are some fundamental principles that permeate all types of teaching. The fact is, while university students are a diverse group who come from different backgrounds and are reading different disciplines, they share similar expectations. A good source of finding out what these expectations are, would of course be the students themselves. Hence, student feedback collated at the end of each semester provides some important indicators of how they perceive us as teachers. However, the feedback provides little information that can help to guide us as teachers in the right direction. Also, the feedback questions tend to be very generic and may not give teachers all the necessary cues to effective teaching. For example, students may use the same positive descriptors but the meaning could be totally different for different teachers in different disciplines. An important descriptor like ‘interesting teaching’ falls into this category. We do not know what the student means by ‘interesting’ or ‘not interesting’ teaching.

To supplement the qualitative and quantitative student feedback I receive, I interviewed many of my students after the exam results were released. I wanted to find out what their expectations were for my modules and what they considered to be effective teaching that motivates them to learn more. These students were from the graduating batch of the Bachelor in Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) programme and have read one or two of my modules.

Student-teacher communication

Many of my students have said that their interest in learning depends upon how the teacher communicates with them in class, during consultation meetings and online (via the IVLE for um and emails). Firstly, a friendly lecturing style helps in reducing the teacher-student gap we often experience because of cultural barriers or other reasons. Effective communication also relates to the way we answer students’ questions or engage them during discussions. Designing some classroom activities which increase communication levels would be helpful. For example, deliberate attempts to discuss some cases or to pose a question which leads on to a discussion improves classroom communication.

Secondly, how we handle our online discussions also has a significant impact on teacher-student communication. Emails have become a very important tool in the learning process. How quickly and how we respond to students’ email queries can have a tremendous influence on whether students maintain an interest in the subject. While there is no set rule on how soon or how often a teacher, who is also busy with teaching other modules and his own research, should respond to a particular student’s email, some effort towards making one is considered helpful. This will keep their interest in that subject alive and they will also be willing to ask further questions. It is also important that we provide comprehensive answers and avoid one-liners or worse, just a yes-or-no response. Perhaps, the manner of our response shows them that we care about the difficulties students face in the learning process and demonstrates that we are also working hard to facilitate their learning.

Thirdly, we should not overlook other avenues of communication. For example, the online IVLE forum is a good place for a teacher to respond to students’ queries or comments. I also feel that it is important for the teacher and students to have as many oneto-one meetings as possible throughout the semester. Mass emailing may not be as effective in building the learner’s interest in the subject or the teacher for that matter. Individual communication that is conducted properly would also make students feel that ‘the teacher is approachable’.

Organisation of the module

My students have always appreciated it when I give them a complete overview of the modules, with the important instructions and learning materials provided sufficiently and on time. This can be done at the beginning of the semester (even before the first lecture) and provided in written form or told in the class. This overview includes the learning outcomes, detailed syllabus, lecture notes with slides, home assignments, assessment components (type and format) and what they expect to learn in the module. This gives them a clear sense of direction and “security”, especially as tests and exams draw near. Though students are usually ready to do additional research for a given assignment, they often prefer the lecturer to provide sufficient reading materials on the topics covered for that semester. It is also fair to
do so since the semester is too short (only 13 weeks) for them to conduct comprehensive research on the entire module, since they have to spend time on other modules and projects as well.

Encouraging class participation

All of my students have said that they like a lecturer who encourages class participation by creating the right learning environment. In my own modules, I have used engineering case studies to elicit student par ticipation. Also, for each slide, I keep some questions which I ask students as I discuss the topic. I feel that it is not just asking questions but also the way we make students feel valued in the class which will matter as far as their interest in the subject is concerned. I have dealt with the issue of class participation in an earlier article for CDTL (Sinha, 2009). My general observation is that when the teacher makes a sincere effort at engaging the class in discussion, it makes the students think and speak. They are also much more attentive when their peers are answering the questions. In a way, they teach themselves when there is active class participation. In fact, one can see this happening when we encourage them to actively participate in the online forums. The teacher’s role here and in class discussions would be to create the right environment and guide the discussion with counter-questions, instead of just settling for a yes-or-no answer.

Classroom activities

As the popular saying goes, “experience is the best teacher” (Brainyquote.com, n.d.), and my observation has been that students would like lectures to be not just a time to take notes but also an opportunity to experience learning. It is up to the teacher to think of how to fill the time with stimulating learning activities. For those of us in engineering disciplines, we understand that each theory we teach has some real life applications and students would like them demonstrated in class. Such activities may be done in a fun way that injects some element of interest in the subject. As one student commented, “[It is] not easy to teach engineering module[s] in [an] exciting or fun way. The module should relate to life…bring [the] module to life.” For example, a student told me that in a physics module, the lecturer brings magnets and liquid nitrogen into the classroom to demonstrate the magnetic levitation effect. This kind of classroom experience can leave a deeper impression than a verbal explanation of the theory using only equations and diagrams. It will inspire students to explore the theory by themselves, which will complete their learning process.

In my own modules, I have used videos as teaching aids. These videos are often related to the case studies I use for class discussions. They are usually short and relate to a practical use of the theory or concept to be taught. For example, there are many instances of actual engineering failures which are often related to materials or design and these are very interesting to my students. Perhaps the most important thing about classroom activities is that students appreciate the teacher’s effort (and passion) in relating the theory to real life and these activities can inspire them to learn more. After all, we learn better when we discover knowledge for ourselves.

Relating theory to industrial practices

As I have taught mostly engineering students, I have observed that students prefer to see the real life and industrial application of every theory or topic they are taught. They appreciate it if the lecturer brings his or her own experiences (for example, from consulting or the industry) and presents it to the class in a way that challenges them to think and see the link between theory and practice. Most feel that what they are studying in university should have an immediate application in real life, especially when they join the workforce. In fact, some have seen the benefits of such exposure during their job search and interviews with prospective employers. When employers interview a candidate, they usually want to know what the student can do for them after he or she is hired. Students find it easier to explain what they can do if they have already learnt to apply these theories and concepts. In fact, my students often prefer hands-on experience such as lab-work or site visits. Similarly, they are also keen when a practising engineer gives a seminar on a related topic in the class.

In addition, students prefer to gain further experience in handling some engineering work or equipment by themselves. In this aspect, third-year design projects and some design-centric modules have become very popular. Even an assignment which requires them to think through a practical scenario or to do some research of practical data are appreciated. In fact, tutorial questions can also be related to practical applications so that they can see how the theory works in practice. In a nutshell, as a teacher, depending upon the discipline we teach, there are many ways we can bring actual application examples to the lecture.

A humourous observation about teaching. (Illustration by the author)

Closing each topic

Students tend to place more importance to a topic learnt if it ends with a good summary. It basically helps them understand the important points that were taught and refreshes their memory. My experiment with giving very extensive summaries of my lectures at the end of the semester through email has been appreciated by my students as it has helped them review each lecture thoroughly. Summaries can also be given at the end of each lecture.

The above tools I used in my teaching have helped me in catching the students’ attention as they have all shown a greater interest in the subject. I gauged their increased interest in my teaching through the extensive questions they ask me through e-mail or in person and their increased participation in the classroom and online forums. However, what surprised me during my interviews with them has been that there was no mention of the examination when I discussed their interest in module and my teaching. Thus, when it comes to their interest in a teacher’s teaching and the subject, their worries about grades may not be as strong as their curiosity to learn new things and to see whether what they learnt will be used in their life journey ahead.

The assessment of student satisfaction through these interviews correlates well with a recent study by Assoc Prof Daphne Pan, where she analysed the student feedback reports of teachers across different NUS faculties (Pan, 2009). She observed that the top four descriptors
students use for effective teaching are “interesting”, “approa chable”, “clar ity” and “ability to explain”. “Humorous” came twelfth on this scale. These descriptors are applicable to all disciplines. While it is understood that the tools to achieve effective teaching might vary from discipline to discipline, I think the important point to note is that as teachers, we can try various means of generating students’ interest in the subject and provide them with a clear understanding of the subject matter and in particular, how they could use that knowledge when they graduate.

References

Callahan, H. (n.d.). Brainyquote.com. Retrieved 10 June 2009, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ quotes/h/harrycalla142094.html.

Pan, D. (2009). Can student feedback improve teaching? A CDTL Seminar conducted on 12 May 2009 at NUS Centre for the Development of Teaching & Learning.

Sinha, S.K. (2009). Encouraging Class Participation, A Personal Experience, CDTLink, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 8-9, 13.