How Not to Give a Teaching Presentation

1. How Not to Give a Teaching Presentation Michael Wetzstein Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics University of Georgia How to Give a Presentation: Research, Extension, and Teaching, 2010 AAEA Meetings, Denver, CO, July 24-28.

2. Teaching Philosophy • Fell in love with economics in high school. • The ability of theory to express the essence of how to maximize social welfare in a decentralized, price signaling process is eloquent. • However, not everyone has this same love • Motivation is the key to learning. • A major objective is to motivate students to learn and have them develop an appreciation for the power offered by economics.

3. Motivation • Downplay the precision of concepts. • In contrast, the literature on teaching emphasizes lecturing to the upper third of the class. • The mark of an outstanding instructor is to challenge these students while still maintaining the motivation of the others.

4. An Integrated Approach • Recast the theory in a form students are comfortable with learning. • Some students have an intuitive feel (sense) for economies which yields substantial comprehension by just reading it. • Others, require working with illustrations and practice. • Consider webbing a variety of learning forms: prose, graphics, and numerical examples. Capped off with an application. • This synergy among learning forms yields a greater understanding and retention of concepts and connections.

5. Preparing a Presentation • Teaching materials (textbook) • Not dead • Develop your notes into a manual for students • Teaching preparation • Two hour prep time for an hour lecture • Motivation is the key • The lecture method is dead • Teaching caring • Develop a class soul

6. How Not to Give a Teaching Presentation • Don’t try these in your classroom without thinking • One size does not fit all • TA’s adoption failure • Not close to being an exclusive list • Always be looking for new teaching methods itl.usyd.edu.au

7. Don’t Throw Things: Chalk hollywoodhomemaker.com Develop persona Consider a special number, word, or symbol My number is 5

8. Don’t be political matreearchy.blogspot.com Motivate versus Knowledge

9. Don’t inflict bodily injury cirris.com Caring

10. Don’t take attendance carteretcountyschools.org Incentives to attend lectures and labs (pictures, quizzes, and games)

11. Don’t insult students embarrass students call them names sleevage.com Extra Credit

12. Selected Teaching Tips

13. Don’t state 30% D’s and F’s helpyourselfgetlucky.com Use up your goodwill resources (hard exams)

14. Don’t put the answer on the test chriswondra.com Joint problems sets (encourages students working together)

15. One Final Tip • Three learning styles • Listening • Reading • Examples • The objective is to teach in all of these styles in a very caring and motivational manner

16. Positive Impressions • Long after students have forgotten most of the specific content within lectures, they will be left with general impressions and attitudes about the theory. • Hopefully, our teaching will aid in making positive impressions and support our goal of demonstrating the substantial utility to be gained from understanding economic theory.