Comments on: Classroom interaction styles: is egalitarian irreverence the most effective approach? http://www.complich8.net/archives/309 complacence is the enemy Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:22:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pat http://www.complich8.net/archives/309/comment-page-1#comment-964 Pat Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:46:38 +0000 http://www.complich8.net/archives/309#comment-964 I would simply say that asking questions is the cornerstone of learning. It's a basic feedback problem - the more information you receive from the source of knowledge in the form of comparisons between his input and your understanding of the subject matter, the better you are at obtaining a more precise understanding of the subject matter. In the large lecture halls the professor does not have the time to teach everything the university tells him he must teach and answer questions in a back-and-forth fashion. That's what I call open-loop learning. Closing the loop in such a setting requires TA's/RA's, self-study, etc., and can lead to learning, but is not as gratifying as real-time closed loop learning, the second scenario you present. Therefore, I think it's not a matter of respect or whatnot ... it's just your personal preference. And it's cool you found it. I would simply say that asking questions is the cornerstone of learning. It’s a basic feedback problem – the more information you receive from the source of knowledge in the form of comparisons between his input and your understanding of the subject matter, the better you are at obtaining a more precise understanding of the subject matter. In the large lecture halls the professor does not have the time to teach everything the university tells him he must teach and answer questions in a back-and-forth fashion. That’s what I call open-loop learning. Closing the loop in such a setting requires TA’s/RA’s, self-study, etc., and can lead to learning, but is not as gratifying as real-time closed loop learning, the second scenario you present.

Therefore, I think it’s not a matter of respect or whatnot … it’s just your personal preference. And it’s cool you found it.

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