Then, lead the group through an icebreaker designed to lighten the atmosphere and teach them about each other. We have tried several approaches to this part of the workshop, with varying degrees of success. Our second approach involved facilitating a discussion on good and bad courses. The third format received the best evaluations. First, ask students to draw pictures of learning, either by themselves or in groups of two or three.
Most students understand the answer right away.
They state that the Harvard students and faculty probably have entrenched beliefs, developed at very young ages, about why we have seasons. To extract answers to this question, ask students to discuss the courses where they did learn a lot. Students enjoy talking about these courses, and common themes emerge immediately. The best courses, according to the students, involve activity, either through discussion, group work, or rigorous individual study. They relate the subject matter to what the students already know, and they can apply it to their lives.