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When Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Sam Flaxman, PhD, plans his General Biology course lessons, heÌýasks himself, 'What can I do in the classroom that makes it worth coming to?' ÌýFlaxman says he weighs the value of what he can offer students during his class time in comparison to the extensive amount of information available to students online now. Ìý"I think things really happen with people being together in a classroom," heÌýsays. ÌýFlaxman believes that the real time interaction in class is invaluable:Ìý"My goals are to find really effective active classroom activities ... [and] technology helps us get there." ÌýTo this end, Flaxman incorporates intelligent clicker questions into his lectures to promote more productive discussion of complex concepts. ÌýHeÌýallows time for students to discuss answers among themselves and with TAs. ÌýFlaxman encourages students to explain the material in their own words to other students.

Handing the Microphone to Students

Lately, Flaxman has even experimented with handing the microphone to randomly selected students to respondÌýto clicker questions. ÌýHe may ask them, "Tell us something something you thought about or discussed with your group during this question."Ìý Asking students to respond with their own words, "... leads to a more real experience and better learning for these students," Flaxman says. ÌýStudents have the option to decline to participate, but Flaxman thinks that the potential ensuing conversation that occurs when students contribute their thoughts is mostÌýproductive: "It's not about the answer. ÌýIt's about hearing the students' explanations and the thought processes that got them to a particular answer."

However, going off script can be unnerving for any professor. ÌýFlaxman acknowledges this feeling of vulnerability: "It’s scary to turn the classroom over to students.Ìý It feels safest to stand at the head of the classroom and talk." ÌýIn spite of his original apprehensions, students appreciate Flaxman's efforts and nominated him for the ASSETT Oustanding Teaching with Technology Award for the Fall 2013 semester. ÌýOne student wrote: "[Flaxman]Ìýencourages collaboration and effective learning through clicker questions. ÌýFlaxman implores us to talk to the TA and our surrounding peers to discuss said questions."

Flaxman also incorporates video clips to help students better understand more complex concepts. ÌýHe has found videos at the Ìýwebsite and Pearson'sÌýÌýsite to be helpful. ÌýFlaxman says he collaborates as much as he can with the other professors who teach general biology. ÌýHe says, "We have seen FCQ [course ratings] go up in recent years. ÌýI attribute that to our hard working team, who sees this class as really important. ÌýWe really enjoy [teaching General Biology], and we care about it." ÌýAs a member of the , Flaxman also collaborates withÌýEcology and Evolutionary BiologyÌý. ÌýFlaxman expresses gratitude to ASSETT, OIT, and the EBIOÌýPost Doctoral Science Teaching Fellows for help with clicker logistics and crafting better questions to promote better discussion.