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Re: [Phys-l] Physics job opening in Texas (2d response to Clement)



Showmanship is often valued, but the evidence is that it often interferes
with the message. It works best when it is the message, or when there is no
content. It has long been known that demonstrations are very ineffective
because students remember the dramatic things, but forget the message.
Catherine Crouch at Harvard confirmed this result, but came up with a simple
technique to have students remember the demo better. Have them overtly
predict the result before they see it. This is the basis for the
interactive lecture demos from Thornton at Tufts. But further research
shows that it is necessary to have a short time between the prediction and
showing the result. This is because the prediction must be in short term
memory during the viewing of the result. If the result is surprising it
alters the preconception which is then stored back into long term memory
which permanently changes the preconception.

So the "showmanship" in the ILDs needs to be a disciplined presentation in
the correct fashion in a lively manner, but not a showy manner.

You can set off as much fireworks you wish, but if there are severe
preconceptions, or other mental blocks, the student may not be capable of
learning the material. This is where PER comes in. It uses techniques that
help students to overcome the mental blocks. Once these blocks have been
overcome the student can become interested in learning on their own.

I submit that showmanship generates more heat than light, and the students
remember the sizzle more than the message. Actually the students tend to
connect the showmanship to the teacher rather than to the content.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX


2. One of the problems with many so-called "traditional" teachers is that
they do not appreciate the imprtance of, or do not have the talent for,
showmanship as part of lecturing. That was certainly clear in an e-mail
exchange some time ago with, as I recall, one of those you name in your
posting. Teaching, I think we can agree, is the art of inspiring students
to learn. There is a long history, going back at least to ancient Greece,
of the use of speech to inspire action in people. That history may not be
irrelevant to the topic of our dicussion

3. One problem with this dialogue is that it purports to apply to all
teaching in all circumstances. Research, if it is to be worthy of the
name, must define the limits of its applicability.