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Presentation short abstract:

When designing classes as teachers, we normally tend to plan every session, fix the literature and assign specific tasks ahead of time. This presentation talks about leaving space for collaborative class design, thus contributing to enable mutual learning.

Presentation long abstract:

Designing classes in Social and Cultural Anthropology usually means for the teacher to set a clear teaching goal, and to design each session including the relevant literature to ensure a smooth trajectory over the course of the semester. Leaving spaces open for students to find their own "take" on the issue, to specify themes of particular interest and to think with the examples they want to elaborate on, might therefore feel like failing to fulfill the teacher's obligation.

In this lightning presentation I will speak about the experience of including students into the design of a class, by being collaborators in decisions about content, format and class proceedings. In line with Tim Ingold's contribution, I argue that students are part of the production of knowledge through the "inspiration and ideas that flow from our dialogue with them" (2008: 89).

Designing classes to provide a basic understanding of the theme, possibilities for readings/films/other media, but leaving space for the students' creative research, design of sessions, group work and suggestions for inviting "experts" to the class might make teachers feel less "in charge", but can result not only in taking in current issues, concerns and personal involvements, but eventually also leading to a deeper and less hierarchical learning curve.

To successfully implement this design in future university courses might also require rethinking the grading system. How can grading become more of an evaluation of personal commitment to the class, contributions to knowledge production and collective learning?