Carolyn Rose

Just as conversation is the cornerstone of my research, it is also a center piece in my
teaching. As a notable example, many of the ideas that form the foundation for the
collaborative research on classroom discourse my group conducts are at the heart of my
own classroom teaching. While leading class discussions was a challenge for me when I
first began my teaching career, I have continued to work to put into practice the
methodologies that research has proven effective, and now the classroom discussions that
come out in my own courses are what I most look forward to as an instructor. I believe it
is this emphasis on lively class discussion that is largely responsible for the steady
increase in teaching scores I have earned over my years of teaching.
What fascinates me most about studying the role of conversation in learning is that new
ideas may be created when exchanging alternative viewpoints. The new ideas that
emerge through conversation may draw from the differing perspectives of the participants
but nevertheless be distinct from the ideas that existed in any of their minds prior to the
interaction. The research literature on group learning provides strong evidence that the
success of such interactions between students depends upon the ability of the instructor to
facilitate this process. The instructor creates opportunities for learning by meeting the
students on their own path and offering the support necessary to draw out the students’
differing perspectives and ideas. In the midst of this conversation, the instructor is well
situated to present the content of the course in a way that is seen by students as relevant
to meeting their own goals. In creating an environment where students see their
involvement in a course as a means to move forward on their own path, the instructor has
the opportunity to play the role of a mentor who comes along side students to offer
experience and wisdom and to help them navigate the maze that is before them. That
investment of the instructor in individual students yields the greatest increase when it is
internalized by the students and then brought back into small group activities and the
whole group discussion. Thus, my philosophy of teaching is to strive for a personal
connection through conversation with and between students.