Bridging in-class participation with innovative instruction: use and implications in a Turkish university classroom

Abstract

Student-centred university classrooms not only support student learning but also provide a forum to practise the skills of democratic participation, a particularly important set of skills for citizens in young democracies like Turkey where this study takes place. Yet, often classroom assessment methods do not match these innovative teaching methods and, therefore, do not encourage students to increase and learn from their participation. This paper describes how two professors bridged innovative classroom instruction and student participation through the use of a detailed, written description of in-class participation. They document the changes in their classroom practices and the student responses to these innovations and assessments.