Observation from Don Austin

AP/IB Environmental Science observation, December 8, 2014, 10:30-12:00, Room 209, 15 students
present, 1 absent (McGraw)

Dan,
Thank you for welcoming me to your AP/IB Enviro class this morning. The class began with an
open, informal discussion of a lab report that is due Wednesday. You fielded questions and offered
guidance about what to include in the report.
At 10:40, attention shifted to preparation for the upcoming test, also on Wednesday. The first task
was an elaboration of the demographic transition model that had been previously introduced. Using
a series of graphs showing population pyramids over time, you explained to students how to read
these graphs and what to look for. The complexity of the graphs is significant, so you had to walk
students through the interpretations of the data and point out potential errors. While teacherdirected, this activity was quite interactive. Students asked good questions and offered answers to
yours.
One observation is that 13 of 15 students had their laptops open during the entire lesson. Although
some used the laptop to seek information relevant to the discussion, I wondered whether the device
was an obstacle to participation for certain students (Wohlforth, Damiano, Cohen, Abraham, Li).
Those students were more passive for much of this discussion, and seemed fixed on their screen,
while those who were more active in discussion were looking up more frequently from their screens.
The question is to weigh how much these devices add to the teaching and learning versus what they
may take away from an interactive discussion. This question, by the way, is not limited to the
classroom as these devices increasingly hold our attention all through the day!
At 11:15, you shifted the discussion to a systematic review of the material that will be covered on the
upcoming test. You projected a slide with a detailed outline of material, and you highlighted certain
topics worthy of careful attention. Although there was some nervousness about what to expect on
the test, you communicated to students that they would have the opportunity to show what they
know and to apply their knowledge to answers. You gave examples of ways students could harness
facts in support of an answer, and you reassured them that in most sections of the test there would
be choice. That seemed to comfort students who might be concerned that their mastery of the vast
amount of information to which they have been exposed is still incomplete. Actually, paradoxically,
having the confidence to answer effectively with incomplete knowledge seems to me to be a useful
skill as they enter college. The world they will inhabit is less about content and more about using
that content to solve a problem or answer a complex question.
The atmosphere of your class was relaxed and yet focused. Clearly, you have a natural and easy
rapport with your students. They like and respect you, and they enjoy the class. I hope you take
satisfaction in knowledge that you are a seasoned pro, highly regarded by students and colleagues.
Thank you for all you do here.

Don Austin