Talking to learn: Why biology students should be talking in classrooms and how to make it happen

Abstract

Student Talk is key to student learning. In addition, the teaching strategies needed to promote student talk are highly accessible to all biology instructors and are applicable to classroom settings of any size. Whether your teaching philosophy is more aligned with a traditional lecture approach or a more active-learning approach, Student Talk is easily integrated into the classroom in as little as 5 min. Together, these ideas suggest that with relatively minimal effort, instructors can promote Student Talk as a regular and expected part of undergraduate biology learning and have a significant impact on student learning. © 2009 by The American Society for Cell Biology.