Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!princeton!udel!gatech!hubcap!beth
From: beth@hubcap.UUCP (Beth Katz)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Ph.D.'s and Teaching
Message-ID: <880@hubcap.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jan 88 17:47:28 GMT
References: <497@ddsw1.UUCP>
Organization: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Lines: 24

Sometimes, an overhead slide and handouts are exactly the correct tool
for teaching.  If you have an extended example, drawing it on the board
may take valuable class time.  And you may make mistakes.  If students
have the example in front of them, they won't have to copy it when they
should be paying attention to the words that go along with it.

The examples shouldn't be from the book, but they should augment the
book and the concepts taught in class.  Then you can play "what if".
(No, I don't mean the TV commercials.)  Ask the students what would
happen if you changed this part or that part of the example.  Ask if there
is a better or maybe just another way to do it.  Answer their questions
about alternatives.

You can always write on the slides with water-soluble pens and wash them
later.  You don't have to hand out all the slides.

Maybe some people just grab the slides and don't prepare for class.
But having slides doesn't preclude improvisation and appropriate side-
tracks.  It also don't preclude using the chalkboard (or a blank
transparency and pens).  Use what works for your class.  Unfortunately,
it is sometimes hard to tailor talks at conferences in your 20 minutes.

					Beth Katz
					...!gatech!hubcap!beth