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One lecture and one seminar a week. Seminars tutor-led to provide discussion of material presented in lectures.
Each lecture supported by web pages (see below) which doubled as visual aids during the lecture.
For further articulation of teaching strategy see module handbook.
Presentations from me seasoned by prompted discussion and reflection.
Visual aids provided by web site, made available through projector (and, conveniently,
net connection also provided in the lecture theatre).
I reprise the one or more of the main issue(s) presented in the lecture (3 sentences only) and participants take it in turn to say what they want to say (we go round the room). It is a rule that anyone is welcome to 'pass'. (I think this method is called, and anyway it is called by me, 'rounds'.) Participants are down to have done a set piece of reading, and that to some extent feeds into the discussion.
I try here to summarize the general drift. There were a number of points made which will be useful in thinking through the module for next time but which don't get a mention here.
The main critical point that came through was that the readings were perceived as difficult/impossibly difficult. (I use a selection of the papers collected in Lycan's Mind and Cognition). Several people reported that the topics were difficult anyway.
Another point coming through quite clearly was that it could be difficult to see the connection between the topics dealt with.
Lectures were appreciated: helped with understanding, enthusiastically delivered. Mixed verdict on use of discussions within the lecture - some finding these a good feature, some wanting discussion restricted to the seminars.
Website. One wouldn't expect any adverse comments, but there were some very positive comments this year and general appreciation. "Very useful, good clear explanations of issues raised in the lectures", "brilliant", "don't stop doing it your way".
Seminars. Suggestions here included "more discussion", "too much analysis of the text, and discussions from the lectures are not carried on", but also "when we discussed bits of the text it was very helpful". Some comments on the timetabling - not helpful to have the discussion days after the lecture.
Assignments. No very clear message, but I sense an air of dissatisfaction. Does this catch it:"Weren't very clear as to what sort of answers were expected"?
Not available at the time of writing.
I'm delighted these seem now to be noticed, used, and favourably reviewed.
In the light of the feedback I suppose I need to spend less time in the lectures engaging in discussion: though I must say I myself found the class discussions a great highlight, with participants tremendously responsive, acute and stimulating!
I plan to use the new Reader Chalmers has now brought out next time. Lycan's selection is proving too difficult to be appropriate at this level.
The liaison between lecturer and any tutor convening the seminars should be better than I archieved this time: entirely my fault. My sense was that the seminars were stretching in a way that I find it difficult to achieve and it is to this that I attribute in part the great results this year.
Results on the module are outstandingly good this year (compared with previous runs), a fact that is surprising against the great worry participants had about the difficulty of the module. Could it be that when something is perceived as difficult work goes into it?
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Average
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2nd Marker
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External
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| Course work | 58.6 (PR) | |||
| Exam | 62.8 (me) | 61.5 |
| From two years ago | |
| ACTION POINT | WHAT HAPPENED |
| Ease the reading | Introduce textbook to help out Lycan; develop website; cut down number of readings, eliminating some of the most difficult. |
| Work towards including epistemology elsewhere in the programme | No progress with this as yet - awaits resources |
| Develop a handle on hardness and softness in marking | This has to be programme wide - we have made a start with collecting statistics |
| Use more of the 70+ part of the scale | This got lost in the second marking. |
Signed
VFJ Pratt
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