DOI: 10.5040/9781350544871.ch-34">
 

Curiosity and creative conversations: Meeting students where they are

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2025

Department/School

History and Philosophy

Publication Title

Innovations in Teaching Philosophy: A Toolkit for the 21st-Century Classroom

Abstract

Cross-listed classes present unique teaching and learning opportunities, especially since they allow for significant variation in student preparedness for the class. Partly due to flagging enrollments, cross-listing is becoming more common. At my own institution, we use cross-listing in the major and MA programs to ensure sufficient enrollment to offer a breadth of classes at the upper level. In addition, like many philosophy programs, we also have students from other programs in our upper-level classes. While this serves budgetary and institutional needs, it can generate some significant teaching and learning puzzles and opportunities, especially ones about how to ensure that the variety of learners are supported in building knowledge and meeting them where they are. My aim here is to share a set of learning activities that I have found both personally rewarding and helpful in addressing the needs of differently prepared students in upper-level philosophy classes. I am currently calling this set of learning activities Creative Conversations, since that is their goal, and the rest of the chapter focuses on offering up the basics for your consideration. I have found Creative Conversations beyond fascinating in revealing students’ ways of engaging the material, revealing their curiosity as well as their prior learning, and enhancing my understanding of my students. I would be critically understating the impact on my own thinking about teaching and philosophy, even if I were to say this teaching and learning activity has been absolutely transformative for me....

Comments

W. J. Koolage is a faculty member in EMU's Department of History and Philosophy.

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DOI: 10.5040/9781350544871.ch-34

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