using taboos to increase student engagement and effective teaching by dr. dorothybelle poli roanoke...
TRANSCRIPT
THE CONVERSATION OF FORBIDDEN CONVERSATION
SUsing Taboos to Increase Student
Engagement and Effective Teaching
By Dr. DorothyBelle PoliRoanoke College
February 2014
WHAT IS UNUSUAL PEDAGOGY?
“CRAZY PEDAGOGY”: PINTREST
WHAT IS A TEACHER?
ME? NOT THAT STEREOTYPE… Are you?
WHO AM I? CRAZY PEDAGOGY?
EMBRACE YOUR TABOOS
We are in college…
MY FAVORITES SO FAR…Sex
Drugs
Tattoos
Fire
START WITH SOME STRANGE FACTS…
In one hour, the average sperm can swim seven inches.
Cannabis seeds were used as a food source in China as early as 6000 B.C.
In the early days, urine was sometimes used to mix tattoo color.
CREATE THE AWKWARD MOMENTS…
More the Merrier!
CONDOMS: SCIENTIFIC METHOD, SEX EDUCATION
EVEN IN GENERAL STUDIES!
TATTOOS:CELL BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, HUMAN HEALTH, ETHNOBOTANY
NOT SO TABOO, BUT OUT OF THE BOX…?? Using Tea and Cooking to Teach
Ethnobotany!
VIDEO GAMES CAN BE USEFUL…
COMPLICATIONS, PROBLEMS? Must be careful to not cross the line
Must keep the class in check and focused at times
Alternatives needed
BUT THERE ARE BETTER OUTCOMES… Cohesive class atmosphere, bonding
Lots of laughing and engagement
Retention of material through the course
Increased student learning
SUCCESS COMES WHEN…
PRESENT Strange Facts,
CREATE Awkward Moments,
and MAKE SURE
to Laugh at It All!
REFERENCES Poli, DB., Fleenor, M. C., and Rearick, M. (2012) Drawing
on Popular Culture: Using Tattooing to Introduce Biological Concepts. American Biology Teacher 74 (6): 381-385.
Poli, DB., Berenotto, C., Blankenship, S., Piatkowski, B., Bader, G. A., and Poore, M. (2012) Bringing Evolution to a Technological Generation: A Case Study with SPORE. American Biology Teacher 74 (2): 100-103.
Poli, DB. (2011) Sex and the Scientific Method: Using Condoms to Engage College Students. American Biology Teacher 73 (6): 348-352.
Poli, DB. (2011)Teaching Cultural and Botanical Connections: Ethnobotany with Tea. American Biology Teacher 73 (4): 242.
WHAT ARE YOUR TABOOS?
History Art
English Chemistry
Physics Math
Language
CREATE THE MASTER LIST -
OPERATION DISSECTION… Use the number you were given upon
entering the room to form a group
Your group’s mission: To the master list – add disciplines that
could also be linked to each taboo
Jigsaw and add more to those lists!
PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER How easy was it to think of original
taboos?
How easy was it to match taboos to disciplines?
THINK PAIR SHARE… Share a taboo that you could use. How do you think you may bring it into
your class?
QUESTIONS?