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ILLUMINATIONS

Submitting illuminations for review

Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536

Abstract

As educators, we are continually designing new methods and procedures to enhance learning. During this process, good ideas are frequently generated and tested, but the extent of such activities may not be adequate for a full manuscript. Nonetheless, the ideas may be quite beneficial in improving the teaching and learning of physiology. Illuminations is a column designed to facilitate the sharing of these ideas (illuminations). The format of submissions is quite simple: a succinct description of about one or two double-spaced pages (less title and authorship) of something you have used for the classroom, teaching, lab, conference room, etc. You may include one or two simple figures or references. Submit ideas for inclusion in Illuminations directly to the Associate Editor in charge, Stephen DiCarlo (dicarlo{at}med.wayne.edu).

Guarding against Instructor Complacency

The education literature abounds with texts and articles to the effect that students learn best from instructors who are excited and passionate about their teaching. If you, the instructor, don’t think your subject is interesting, it is for sure your students won’t. One of my favorite passages that exemplifies, by extreme, problems that can be encountered by complacency on the part of an instructor comes from the second book of the Harry Potter series (J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999, p. 148). The essence of the passage is as follows:

"History of Magic" was the dullest subject on their schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher.... Ancient and shriveled, many people said he hadn’t noticed he was dead. He had simply got up to teach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in front of the staff room fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since. ... Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum..."

I dare say that any experienced teacher, myself included, has been guilty at one time or an other of being like Professor Binns in failing to notice that, at the least, the passionate teacher in us no longer exists. Complacent from presenting the same material semester after semester, one day we simply get up to go to class and leave the passionate educator within us sitting behind in our office chair.

It doesn’t matter what we teach or how we teach it; the result of instructor complacency and boredom is the same—a transference of complacency and boredom to students. Even teaching methods that have a high level of active student involvement, such as problem-based learning, can be transformed into painfully dull routines by instructors who, like Professor Binns, drone on through the class period as though their minds and spirits are elsewhere, which they no doubt are. On the other hand, a didactic lecture, the method most touted as being the mother load of dull teaching, can be made into an exciting and meaningful learning experience by an instructor who is animated and passionate about the subject being presented.

So, how do we keep the passionate educator in us alive? One of the most helpful strategies that I have found to keep myself and my students interested in what is going on is exemplified by what is presently being done in this article; namely, using examples from the entertainment media (e.g., books, movies, TV shows) as auxiliary learning tools. In the present case, a passage from a novel, Harry Potter, was used to illustrate the problem of instructor complacency, a topic we discuss in our teacher training courses for graduate students. In other types of media, video clips represent an almost infinite source of relevant examples if you are willing to spend the time looking. A favorite clip is the "Lucy and Ethyl in the chocolate factory" scene from the I Love Lucy show, which can be used to teach the concept of receptor saturation.

A related strategy is to use "interesting" examples from your own life to underscore lecture material—the "life is better than fiction" idea. This procedure is based on the observation that students are generally thrilled, as well as amazed, to learn that their professors are human. A favorite story of mine, which I use to teach temperature regulation, is about the time I got my wife hypothermic on a hike in the Grand Canyon. The fact that it was my wife and that she is still plotting to get back at me make it an engaging story for me as well as the students.

In brief, all instructors need to be on guard to not let enthusiasm and passion slip away from the classroom. Flavoring presentations with relevant cameos from the entertainment media, as well as from real life, is one way to keep both you and your students excited and engaged in the material.

This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Richardson, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Richardson, D.