The Committee on Teaching and Learning is organizing a discussion group moderated by Prof. Surabhi Chopra on engaging students intellectually when we teach. The discussion group is prompted by informal conversations many of us have had about challenges we face in motivating students to read, participate in class, and display intellectual curiosity. We will consider ways to foster extrinsic, grade-driven motivation as well as the more elusive goal of intrinsic motivation. 

Issues we might explore include: Are we unimaginative and over-structured in the way we deliver core teaching? Are English-language skills affecting student engagement? What types of assessments have we designed to foster motivation? Research shows that students read deeply when they are tested regularly on their reading, and are motivated when they have choice and autonomy. How do we work with these insights to foster deep rather than strategic learning?

Some resources that touch on these questions:

• Angela Jenks, “Why Don’t Students Read?” Teaching Tools, Cultural Anthropology website, 19 August 2016,
  https://culanth.org/fieldsights/948-why-don-t-students-read.
• David Gooblar, Don’t Rely on Grades Alone, Chronicle Vitae, 15 April 2015, 
  https://chroniclevitae.com/news/975-don-t-rely-on-grades-alone.
• James Lang, Smart Praise for Students, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 17 June 2015,
  https://www.chronicle.com/article/Smart-Praise-for-Students/230969.
• A quick introduction to Carol Dweck’s work is available here

Date: 7 March 2018 (Wednesday)
Time: 4:00 – 5:30pm
Venue: Breakout Room 510, 5/F, Lee Shau Kee Building, CUHK, Shatin

About the speaker: Prof. Surabhi Chopra