Educational Attitudes
There is considerable variety in university classrooms in the United states. Because of diverse teaching methods and non-standardized curricula, no two courses are identical.Nevertheless,there are shared features in American colledge and uiversity classrooms despite the diversity of educational institutions of higher learning.
Active Participation
Participation in the classroom is not only accepted but also expected of the student in many courses. Some professors base part of the final grade on the student’s oral participation. Although there are formal lectures during which the student has a passive role (i.e., listening and taking notes), many courses are organized around classroom discussions, student questions, and informal lectures. In graduate seminars the professor has a “managerial” role and the students make presentations and lead discussions. The students do the actual teaching in these seminars.
A professor’s taeching style is another factor that determines the degree and type of student participation. Some professors prefer to control discussion while others prefer to guide the class without dominating it. Many professors encourage students to question and challenge their ideas.
In the teaching of science and mathematics, the dominant mode of instruction is generally traditional, with teacher presenting formal lectures and students taking notes. However, new educational trends have emerged in the humanities and social sciences in the past two decades. Students in education, sociology, and psychology classes, for example, are often required to solve problems in groups, design projects, make presentations, make presentations, and examine case studies. Since some college or university courses are “applied” rather than theoretical, they stress “doing” and involvement.