Why Reflections on Teaching Philosophy Matter: A Call for Contributions
When Gustav Klimt unveiled Philosophy at the Vienna Secession in 1900, the painting didn’t attempt to explain philosophy so much as to evoke the...
Teaching General Education Philosophy Courses to Underprepared College Students
I teach at Central State University (CSU), Ohio’s only state HBCU, where many students are first-generation college students and where most of our students’...
Designing for the struggle
When I create assignment prompts, my instructions explain both the what and the why. I include a brief statement explaining the value the assignment...
Encouraging Students to Reflect
College courses, unlike most high school courses, require students to engage in a good deal of independent learning. What they do outside of class...
Reflections on Teaching Logic
Colleagues and friends of mine know I can often be found (usually after a pint or two!) bemoaning the fact that for a discipline...
The two-draft assignment model
In my philosophy courses, I largely give take-home writing assignments. These are either focused on the course readings (no research required beyond the syllabus)...
What (else) do Students Want from Medical Ethics?
One way to teach Medical Ethics courses is to start with theory and then work through a series of pro/con pieces on abortion, euthanasia,...
Designing the Grade as a Target to Strive For
At the end of the semester, I calculate each of my students’ final grades. Soon, prospective employers or admissions officers will consult these grades...
Understanding Conspiracy Theories with “Fake Plots!”
Making critical thinking fun
In a recent review paper, Alan Bensley concludes that “people who endorse unsubstantiated claims less tend to show better critical thinking...
Failure, Camaraderie, and Shared Embodied Learning
I have taught philosophy in all types of schools, from community colleges to nationally- ranked research universities. I’ve also coached youth cycling (albeit briefly)...