Identifying and Solving Common Problems of Classroom Teaching
Identifying and Solving Common Problems of Classroom Teaching
Identifying and Solving Common Problems of Classroom Teaching
INTRODUCTION
287
Mean
ratinga
7.0
6.9
6.2
6.2
5.8
5.5
5.4
5.0
5.0
4.3
4.3
3.9
2.8
Scenarios illustrating each of these problems were developed. These scenarios described in detail the circumstances under which each of these problems may arise. In
many cases, they were developed following discussion with
the specific faculty member who had submitted the problem.
Each year the school of pharmacy conducts a faculty
retreat which includes a faculty development activity. A two
hour session was devoted to the discussion of the problems
in the classroom survey. A facilitator, the first author, led the
discussion. Each faculty member had been provided with a
copy of the scenarios prior to the faculty retreat. The facilitator read the scenarios and approximately 10-15 minutes
was devoted to discussion of each problem. Emphasis in the
discussion was placed on successful solutions which had
been used by various faculty for each of the problems. A flip
chart was used to facilitate and focus the discussion and
provided an excellent record of the solutions proposed and
discussed by the faculty. All activities of the faculty retreat
including problems in the classroom discussion were evaluated by the faculty in terms of their usefulness and value to
the faculty.
Following the faculty retreat, the faculty received a
copy of the solutions to each of the problems which were
RESULTS
Problems Identified and Perceived Seriousness by Faculty
289
Table III. Faculty(N=15) versus students(N=19) perceptions of effectiveness of solutions to problems with
classroom teaching
Mean
Faculty
Student
3.74
3.63
3.42
2.87
3.13
3.33*
Students wait until a day or two before the examination to study, realize they do not
know the material and request help sessions, appointments with the instructor and/or
postponement of the examination.
Use free write to determine what students do not understand
Teach students time management
Give weekly, short examinations
Establish mid-term week
Establish policy of not answering questions day before or exam day
Teach one course at a time
Give fewer examinations
3.79
3.78
3.68
3.47
3.42
2.52
2.26
4.27*
3.20
3.93
2.13
1.93
2.73
2.27
-0.01
1.17
-0.62
2.87
3.53
-0.41
-0.01
Distractions during class from students who are talking to one another.
Talk with offending students in office and explain distraction
Call on talking students with questions in class
Directly address problem by asking students to cease talking immediately
Have president of class address problem with class
Momentarily stop lecture and stare at offending students
3.68
3.63
3.42
3.10
2.68
3.00
3.93
4.06*
2.93
3.06
1.69
-0.88
-1.64
0.38
-0.75
Student write cruel, insensitive, personal comments on evaluations that are not related to
the course of instructor.
Develop more objective instrument
Department chair screens evaluations and eliminates offensive comments
Explain importance of evaluations and encourage only constructive comments
Provide faculty development in teaching effectiveness
4.37
4.10
3.95
3.84
3.89
3.40
3.87
4.20*
1.30
1.68
0.22
-0.84
4.42
4.05
3.90
3.84
3.47
2.40
5.00*
3.33
2.27
4.53
5.20**
4.69
1.16
4.22**
-2.79
In classroom discussions, the same few students take part and most never participate.
Organize students into small discussion groups
Call on specific students
Use pharmacists to lead small discussion groups
Use graduate students to lead small discussion groups
Use undergraduate students to lead small discussion groups
4.10
4.00
3.90
3.84
3.63
3.70
3.20
3.53
3.73*
3.26
0.89
2.17
0.77
0.27
0.91
Students feel evaluations of faculty and courses are not acted upon to produce change
Appoint ombudsperson to address problems
Schedule evaluations early in term and at beginning of class
Have several evaluations during term
More thoroughly explain process
Have Dean or faculty explain how used
3.89
3.68
3.63
3.58
3.42
4.27
3.67
3.87
3.60
4.47*
-1.49
0.05
-0.59
-0.06
-3.11
4.58
3.85
3.84
3.78
3.21
3.05
2.63
4.53*
3.13
4.07
3.27
2.20
2.27
2.73
0.15
2.22
-0.66
1.29
2.14
1.42
-0.24
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
290
t
2.27
1.29
0.023
Table III. (cont.) Faculty(N=15) versus students(N=19) perceptions of effectiveness of solutions to problems with
classroom teaching
Problem and solution(s)
9. Students close notebooks and prepare to leave class at end of class period while
instructor is still lecturing which is disconcerting for both students and faculty.
Instructor pay closer attention to time
Explain reason for going overtime
Student announcements at end of class
Instructor pace lecture better
If lengthy explanation necessary, wait until next session
Cover less material in class
Mean
Faculty
Student
4.05
3.79
3.79
3.74
3.21
3.00
4.60*
4.53
2.47
4.47
3.60
2.80
-2.08
-2.44
3.39
-2.42
-0.85
1.13
10. Students perceive material in class not relevant to the contemporary practice
of pharmacy.
Explain in class why important
Use activities like Shadow Program
Invite upper level students or practitioners to give testimonials
Explain students will be professionals and receive education, not training
Explain that if only perform manipulative skills, may be replaced
4.21
3.53
3.52
3.31
3.26
4.60*
4.33
4.20
3.53
3.20
-1.66
-2.26
-1.68
-0.54
0.17
11. While discussion examination in class, students argue with the instructor and become
belligerent and disrespectful.
Develop better exam questions
Schedule special session to discuss
Lessen reluctance to concede student correct
Students review exam in office and make appointment to discuss
Only review items missed by many
Use written form to submit and receive questions or appeal answers
Establish policy of no questions in class
4.53
4.16
4.05
3.84
3.68
3.63
2.42
4.07
4.40
3.87
3.33
4.80*
3.93
3.07
1.30
-0.60
0.47
1.08
-3.90**
-0.66
-1.35
3.68
3.42
3.21
3.93*
3.20
3.47
-0.69
0.57
-0.58
13. Electives are to rigorous and require too much work and time.
Clarify in orientation that no difference in elective and required
Explain perception that electives are easier due to high grades as result of interest
Schedule elective finals same as required
Have curriculum committee address issue
4.26
3.58
3.21
2.89
3.67
3.80
1.33
3.93*
1.40
-0.67
5.64**
-2.34
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
In order to stimulate discussion of the problems, scenarios illustrating each were developed and distributed to
the faculty prior to the faculty retreat. These scenarios may
be examined in the appendix. In many cases, these scenarios
were written following discussions with the faculty who had
suggested the problem in the original request for critical
incidents.
Comparison of Faculty and Students Ratings of Effectiveness of Solutions for Problems
291
10.
11.
12.
13.
N
14
10
3
2
1
(percent)
(46.6)
(33.3)
(10.0)
(6.7)
(3.3)
Using the operational definitions of the levels of seriousness of the problems, nine of the problems fall into the
moderate category and four in the low category. The problems perceived as most serious by faculty relate to students
time or lack of it. The two most serious problems include a
lack of time for the students to prepare for class activities
and preparing for examinations at the last minute. While the
latter may be an indication of simple procrastination, time
may play an important factor. The lack of time may be
indicative of a student body which, by necessity, must have
293
poses more of a problem for students. Many students apparently believe that electives should not be as rigorous as
required courses. This may be due to the fact that students
take elective courses because they are interested in them.
The students may have the opinion that they should be fun
and not require as much effort as the required courses.
Faculty, on the other hand, do not share that belief and feel
all their courses, elective and required, should have the same
rigor.
Students Perceived Seriousness of Problems by
Professional Year
Approximately one-half of the problems were perceived as being different in seriousness among various classes.
Third year students perceive the lack of time to prepare
outside of class to be more of a problem. This may be a
function of third year classes being more reliant on case
studies requiring more preparation outside of class. Waiting
until the last minute to study for examinations does not seem to
be a serious problem for any classes in particular with all
rating it relatively low. It seems that this is more of a problem
for faculty and may be considered to be normal for
students who are used to this practice.
Students in all three classes perceive writing cruel,
insensitive comments on faculty evaluations to be a problem
of relatively low seriousness. Not surprisingly, as the students progress through the curriculum, they perceive faculty
evaluations not being acted upon to be more problematic.
As first year students, they may expect more change than is
possible from the evaluations. Since change in faculty teaching etc., may be somewhat slow to occur, it is reasonable that
students in the later years perceive this as more problematic.
Second and third year students perceive the lack of time
in courses to cover material to be more a problem than first
year. As the students progress through the curriculum, more
of the responsibility for learning is placed on the student.
This independent learning may be problematic for students
who may be more accustomed to the faculty providing them
with all the information that they will be responsible for in
the class. It is a problem that must be overcome if the onus
for learning is to truly be on the student. This would seem to
be a necessary prerequisite for the life long learning that
pharmacy educators would want to instill in students.
First year students perceive courses not relevant to
pharmacy as less of a problem than second or third year
students. This is probably due to their relative lack of
knowledge of the contemporary practice of pharmacy. As
they proceed through the curriculum, they learn more about
current practice and perceive some course work as not
practical or relevant inasmuch as the course may relate more
to future practice. As discussed, they need to be made aware
of the fact that educators cannot only teach the practice of
pharmacy as it exists today. Progressive education involves
teaching pharmacy practice in future decades. To do otherwise is short changing the student and creating a future
obsolescent practitioner. This is the kind of information that
must be communicated to the student.
Comparison of Faculty Versus Student Perceptions of
Effectiveness of Solutions for Problems
The perceived effectiveness of solutions to the classroom problems by faculty and students differed in several
respects. This has implications for the optimum resolution
of certain of these problems and may help explain why some
294
295
3.
4.
5.
6.
APPENDIX
Scenarios (Case Studies) for Problems
1.
2.
296
7.
8.
9.
297