Participation in the Classroom

Taking part in the classroom is not only accepted but also expected of students in many courses. Some professors base part of the final grade on the student' s taking part in orally. Although there are formal lectures during which the student has a passive role （i. e. listening and taking notes）， many courses are organized around classroom discussions， student questions， and informal lectures. In graduate seminars the professor has a"managing" role and the students make presentations and lead discussions. The students do the actual teaching in these seminars.

　　A professor's teaching style is another factor that determines the degree and type of student participation. Some professors prefer to control discussion， while others prefer to guide the class without dominating it. Many professors encourage students to question and challenge their ideas. Students who make opinions that are different from the professor's point of view should be prepared to support their positions.

　　In the teaching of science and mathematics， the dominant mode of instruction is generally traditional， with teachers presenting formal lectures and students taking notes. However， new educational trends have emerged in the humanities and social sciences in the past two decades. Students in education， sociology， and psychology classes， for example， are often required to solve problems in groups， design projects，make presentations， and examine case studies. Since some college or university courses are" practical" rather than theoretical， they stress"doing" and engagement.