Anthropology Grad student 1 What kind of teaching do we aspire to at DU? ◦“Engaged teaching” ◦“Less emphasis on student-focused discussion and more even emphasis on developing students’ discussion skills but also on conveying concepts and knowledge to students.” ◦“Often too much facilitation and not enough education.” ◦“There is value in teaching critical thinking skills, but teaching shouldn’t abandon instilling knowledge either.”

Anthropology Grad student 2 What kind of teaching do we aspire to at DU? ◦“I aspire to engage students to ask questions that are important to them and facilitate them to relate in class learning with their out of class experiences.” ◦“I think it is really important for students to find something interesting be it in my class or another. Because it would be a shame for a student to go through 4 years of college without finding an interest, or enjoying a class. Because learning changes forms when you leave here.”

Anthropology Grad student 3 What kind of teaching do we aspire to at DU? ◦“Rigor” ◦“Difficulty of course work (not necessarily reading load being heavy).” ◦“But has to cultivate, give opportunities for students to think!” ◦“Relevant” ◦“Current readings.” ◦“Relevant to students need for current information and theories.” ◦“Focused” ◦“Needs to have the entire program more truly focused on what students need for theory and relevant literature.”

Anthropology Grad student 4 What kind of teaching do we aspire to at DU? ◦“Participatory” ◦“Students become interested in their own learning.” ◦“Engaged” ◦“Students engage with class material and apply information to their interests.” ◦“Small group learning formats to engage with material deeply instead of memorization.” ◦“Critical” ◦“Teachers present alternatives / critiques.” ◦“Allow students to disagree with concepts, etc”

Alejandro’s teaching philosophy up until now Adult education seeks to generate learning experiences in which students are reflective and critical of their constantly changing context and their place in it. This requires the adoption of methods that are active, dialogical, participatory and critical. It also asks us to transcend the opposition teacher-student by acknowledging that no person educates another person and no one educates herself, but we all educate each other mediated by the world. In order to bring these ideas to the terrain of higher education, I intend to remain faithful to the following didactic principles: ◦My role is to facilitate meaningful learning; ◦I should share with students instead of indoctrinate them; ◦I try to take on only a few concepts and cover them in-depth; ◦I always try to begin with the student experience or perspectives; ◦I should facilitate the integration of what is learned; and ◦I recognize that any pedagogic act is unpredictable in nature, so I need to remain open to what it generates. Course design can emphasize contents, outcomes or process. Depending on the nature and purpose of the class, I emphasize one or the other, but I always make sure to integrate the three in the design. I look for a balance between contents, outcomes and process, by including learning strategies that facilitate the appropriation of the text, the relation between text and context, and the application of what is learned. My responsibility is to design a course that makes it possible for students to use their experience and interests to critically analyze relevant problems and thoughtfully grow as human beings.

Alejandro’s new teaching philosophy (work in progress) Facilitating learning experiences Current emphasis Does not pay attention to different ways of learning Does not pay attention to relational aspects Creating learning environments New emphasis Facilitates embracing different ways of learning as they fit My role is to also pay attention to relational aspects of learning