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A good professor will moderate the responses so one or two people don't monopolize the conversation and solicit comments and reactions from people who don't talk very much. It's all about balance.
By the way, if you want to look smart, listen closely and speak last. That way you can bring up a point that no one mentioned. Any idiot can be first with the most obvious comment. It doesn't impress anyone.
On the other hand, it's not about those who feel the need to express their opinions every 5 minutes either
Well, if the teacher/professor is asking for opinions and input on the topic, I'd say, yes, it is about the students who choose to participate in the discussion.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DFWgal
I'm taking a class with 25% participation. We just have to say "what we feel" about the subjects we're covering through the semester. I agree with the OP. What a joke!
Not only that ... I'm hearing impaired so I usually miss 75% of what other students say so it's hard to contribute. Fortunately, I've never been docked points for lack of participation though ...
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magritte25
Participation is a pretty good indicator that the student is grasping the course content. Moreso than many other measures IMO. If you can have an off the cuff discussion on a subject that is intelligent and knowledgeable, it tells me you know the subject well.
Not everyone can just speak off the cuff ... Even if it involves subjects that they are knowledgeable about ... As a student, I rarely ever benefit from class discussions as they often veer off topic anyways.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A_Lexus
This society appears to reward robots who spend 12-14 hours per day in solitude studying. They mingle with only their own culture when not studying and exist as social retards unable to carry on a decent conversation with anyone outside of their cultural comfort zone. I wish class participation were a great percentage of the grade, with familiarity with people whose views differ from your own, another huge percentage.
Thumbs up on the class participation requirement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson
People that just feel COMPELLED to "participate" used to annoy the hell out of me. They make things drag on and on and on. Enough already, let's move on.
Most of them do it for the attention. To feel important, or to show off how much they "know" to the rest of the class. Or in the case of someone who is asking questions, they are usually doing it to try to be in control of the class. To "prevent" them from moving forward. These are the people who ask the most stupid inane questions.
Makes me remember why I hated school so much.
20yrsinBranson
Exactly!
Quote:
Originally Posted by tpk-nyc
A good professor will moderate the responses so one or two people don't monopolize the conversation and solicit comments and reactions from people who don't talk very much. It's all about balance.
By the way, if you want to look smart, listen closely and speak last. That way you can bring up a point that no one mentioned. Any idiot can be first with the most obvious comment. It doesn't impress anyone.
I totally agree ... One of my biggest pet peeves when I was a student was having so much of class time monopolized by the very vocal minority of students, in which much of what they had to say was off topic! I just wish instructors would nip it in the bud when a vocal few attempts to dominate the entire class period. I paid good money to glean knowledge from my instructor, not to hear the irrelevant thoughts of my classmates!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Magritte25
Well, if the teacher/professor is asking for opinions and input on the topic, I'd say, yes, it is about the students who choose to participate in the discussion.
Yeah but it isn't all about the one or two students that tries to dominate the whole class period ....
Not everyone can just speak off the cuff ... Even if it involves subjects that they are knowledgeable about ... As a student, I rarely ever benefit from class discussions as they often veer off topic anyways.
Well most professors want you to at least try. Since participation grades are rarely a big chunk of your final grade, it isn't that big of a deal if you are not a good public speaker.
Well, if the teacher/professor is asking for opinions and input on the topic, I'd say, yes, it is about the students who choose to participate in the discussion.
When I am in a class room, paying $400 a credit hour, I really don't give a rip about someone else's opinion or input. I am paying the teacher/professor/school to give me an education, not host a conversation with people who are clueless or have NO INFORMATION that is of value to me.
20yrsinBranson
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Exactly!
I just wish instructors would nip it in the bud when a vocal few attempts to dominate the entire class period. I paid good money to glean knowledge from my instructor, not to hear the irrelevant thoughts of my classmates!
