The "demand side theory" takes a step beyond the typical interpretation
of the Socratic method and shifts responsibility for instruction from
the professor to the student. The professor is then the servant
of the proper demands of the student.
One of the critical issues related to creating Lifting Pedagogy
products is that the quality of the professor must be very high, and if
a computer interface is used, the software has to be of a quality not
seen in any tutoring systems. Both of these issues is addressed
in the business development plans.
Demand side theory is different in all respects
from supply side theory. The best way to get an handle on this is by
contemplating the Socratic
Method and comparing this method to the typical classroom pedagogy.
Demand side students are not prevented from developing new
understandings simply because what is of legitimate interest to the
student is not in the class curriculum. Demand side is about the
art of questioning. Supply side requires that all students learn
the same thing and be tested in the same thing.
In demand side theory, the student is guided in developing an
individualized capability and in
assuming responsibility for knowing what he or she knows and does not
know. This is accomplished using a topic mapping activity
described in Lifting Strategy documents.
A blank paper test is an
individualized composition of topics prepared for presentation by the
student.
Let C = { topics in
the standard curriculum in Chapter }
P =
{ notation, theory, application }
Over time, individual students gather a set of topics and rehearse the
presentation using notation, theory and examples. In the best
form of the testing procedure, the students write, without notes, onto
blank paper what is essentially an essay on the curriculum, complete
with examples. In each lecture, the students are responsible for
"demanding" which topics are to be presented by the professor. In
advanced versions of the pedagogy, the professor may ask individual
students to make the presentation.
The web based support for the topic mapping activity has been partially
worked out, but there are some issues that are under study. One
of these would assist students in developing a hand written exposition
of topics that may be viewed using hand held devices and
computers. These may be co-developed within a class group, and
lead to novel presentations and creativity.
The Lifting Pedagogy product line will develop over time, with initial
products in the form of three or four week workshops, designed to
overcome under-preparation and to learn how to learn from the practices
in the normal college class.