There has been an outbreak of an unusual Asian disease. Which policy is best based on the scientific estimations of how many people will be saved? This activity uses this example with poll everywhere (polleverywhere.com) technology to demonstrate framing and prospect theory.
Students suggest possible structures for a molecule and the vote on which ones are correct. Then, two or three students can be selected to calculate the structure on the chalkboard, while the rest of the students do so with paper and pencil. They walk through the formal calculations and compare their answers to the results of the voting at the beginning of the class.
Students are cast as historical actors and respond to questions or make decisions based on what they had learned in class or in lectures. This activity helps students "walk in the shoes" of an important historical figure.
Each student is assigned to a country and asked to represent that country's views in a simulated debate to represent the War Guilt Clause negotiations at Versailles.
In Swedish Aa, Ursula Lindqvist and Suzanne Martin have their students watch a commercial for a major Swedish food chain on YouTube in order to practice helping verbs and adjectives while working on listening comprehension and being exposed to Swedish television.
In Law and American Society, Professor Terry Aladjem sends out an email following each class with information about the next week's class and a link to supplementary materials.
In his freshman seminar "What is College and What is it For?," Dr. Paul Barreira uses an icebreaker that lets students know that there are no right answers and that students should feel comfortable sharing their experiences.
For the third paper of the semester, Jerusha Achterberg has her students do small-group workshops where they read and provide feedback for each other in groups of 2-3.
In her Expos section, Jerusha Achterberg teaches how to clearly describe the methods the will be used in a subsequent paper. This activity was motivated by the fact that students were having trouble writing the methods section in their final paper proposals.
