I recently watched my 16-year-old daughter work diligently on a history assignment; as she was brainstorming an upcoming debate topic, she would begin to conceptualize an idea, writing down initial thoughts, and then feverishly delete it because it wasn't exactly how she wanted it.
Each session consisted of a review of homework assignments, followed by feedback, rehearsals, information about the upcoming topic and practical skill-training.
I've contemplated this upcoming topic before, but I've never publicly shared my thoughts... until now.
It can be an assignment to find a recent news article relevant to an upcoming unit on evolution, a personal reflection on how cancer has influenced their lives, or a question that requires students to examine their prior knowledge and assumptions about the upcoming topic.
See the NSIG Web site for a list of upcoming topics.
The tactic has worked well for ESPN's Sportscenter, which shows a running feed of upcoming topics, and could bring readers back more during the day.
This was very irritating at first, but I came to expect it and dealt with it firmly and early; on the first day of class, following a brief synopsis of the upcoming topics, I'd announce that any student assigned to my section was free to drop the course or switch sections if they couldn't hack it.
Follow Karl Mathiesen's Facebook page for upcoming topics, suggest issues you want to see interrogated and read commentary from this piece.
Upcoming topics include new takes on the story of Adam and Eve and engineering in early U.S. history.
You are invited to contribute to the course in several other optional but important ways: by contributing links to the library, by suggesting questions to pose about upcoming topics, and/or by creating your own website (server space will be provided).
