DJ Prof: Reflections on teaching

Abstract

In a short-lived career as a cartoonist for Acoustics Today [Summer 2016], I sketched DJ Prof, an acoustics professor who mixes multiple modes of instruction to engage and excite students. DJ Prof illustrates the concept of active learning, which Freeman et al. called the “preferred empirically validated teaching practice” [PNAS, 2014]. Numerous studies show that active learning courses improve student learning, increase retention rates, and reduce performance gaps in STEM for economically disadvantaged students and females in male-dominated classes. This lecture reflects on my evolution as DJ Prof using examples from acoustic signal processing courses. I will provide a brief overview of the literature on active learning, share a few favorites from my pedagogical playlist, and highlight open questions for the acoustics education community. The session will include interactive exercises. Please bring an open mind, a sense of humor, and a willingness to meet the people sitting near you.