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By Pamela den Ouden and Tanya Helton,
Northern Lights College, British Columbia
Canada
pdenoudn@nlc.bc.ca,thelton@nlc.hc.ca
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Years ago, as a high school graduate applying for a college scholarship,
I (Tanya) tried an innovative research strategy. I was investigating the
case of a Canadian man who was questionably convicted of murder. I
decided to call his mother and ask about the defense's evidence. She
answered all my questions and sent a box of materials that convinced me
of his innocence. I won the scholarship, and years later, after 23 years
in jail, David Milgaard was freed. Now I find my boldness amazing, but I
learned a lesson we've both applied in our teaching. A lot can happen
when you dare to ask an expert.
Instructors do a lot of research, but seldom do we go straight to the
source, even though incorporating innovative sources offers students
memorable learning opportunities. It invites multidisciplinary
involvement, as well. Here are some things we have dared to do:
• Tracked down the writer of an article that was being discussed in an
English course, and asked about his writing process and thesis. Several
email exchanges with the author were shared with the class, bringing a
new and lively dimension to the discussion. The author was invited to
"attend" the class via teleconference, but he had to decline because of
prior commitments.
• Invited local collectors to bring their original "Model T" cars to our
college to discuss assembly line production with students in both an
introductory sociology and a mechanics course.
• Called a local couple who were married in a doughnut shop. They
provided copies of their wedding pictures, which were incorporated into
a PowerPoint presentation on the social life of doughnut shops.
• Held a teleconference with a New York writer of a just-published
true-crime book. The call was teleconferenced with an English class at
one campus and a criminology class at another.
For those who have never before tried such techniques, it may feel
daunting. But our experience has been just the opposite. Few of the
experts and primary sources we've contacted have said no, and most have
given even more than asked of them. Specific strategies we have found
useful include the following:
• Use the Internet and directory assistance. Narrow your search to find
the person's email address or office phone number. It's worth the time
because you contact the person directly. We've found that experts will
respond to a brief email more quickly than to a phone message.
• Be specific. When making arrangements, it's always best to state up
front what kind of information you are looking for. Are you looking for
a guest speaker, responses to a set of questions, a copy of a specific
resource, or personal opinion on an issue? The more specific the
request, the more likely the person will honor your request.• Work
together. If your department doesn't have enough of a budget to cover an
honorarium, see if you can combine with other departments to make it
feasible.
• Think big. Ask multiple experts the same question. You might end up
with a panel!
• Use an intermediary. A publicist at a publishing house or a secretary
can be a powerful ally in prioritizing your request.
• Make the expert accessible to learners. Let students formulate
questions for the expert, as well as encourage them to go directly to
sources by using online contact links such as "Ask an Expert" websites.
• Don't give up. Sometimes you have to find the information or contact
the expert in a different way.
Our students have found these events memorable--the highlight of a
semester course. Follow up with a thank-you card signed by the members
of the class, and publicize your success through your school newsletter,
bulletin board, or Listserv. Dare to ask the expert, and let students
benefit from your boldness.
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Source: The Teaching Professor, August/September 2006, 20(7),
p.1. |
