From Dr. Schmitt:

Over time, I've come to view teaching and learning as a shared journey on which my students and I embark each semester. I am the subject matter expert responsible for providing information and guidance, setting expectations, and assessing how well students meet those expectations. My students are responsible for much hard work, including preparing in advance for class, participating in class activities, and doing out-of-class assignments, regardless of whether or not they are graded. There is only so much that can be conveyed in \(50\) minutes, and my own personal experience and educational research agree that students get far less out of a \(50\)-minute lecture than their professors hope. Thus, I have chosen to take an approach that is more work both for you and for me but has been shown to produce better results. During class you will work on a carefully chosen series of problems designed to build the mathematical knowledge and experience you need to succeed. These problems will be done in a collaborative, small group setting where you can grapple with and truly understand the material. I'll be there to support, guide, and correct misconceptions. Sure, I could expect you to do this alone outside of class, but over time I've realized a few things about working in groups. As a student, I usually understood something better when I went over it with classmates, even if I was the one who thought I understood it completely and explained it to a peer. As a researcher, I am more productive and effective when I collaborate. Friends in industry report that teams are increasingly used to produce the best results. Furthermore, having me there to help in the early stages ensures that we're traveling together on this journey.

-Dr. Karl Schmitt

Modified with permission from Dr. Mitchel Keller at Washington & Lee University