Making Class Discussion Exciting

February 7, 2020 Author: Read time: 2 min

Graphic of a spotlight on a red background shining onto the words "Faculty Spotlight"

Matthew Backer shares how Packback gets students excited to partake in class discussions

Matthew Backer found students to be more excited by Packback discussions than previous discussion forums because Packback requires students to drive the conversations through their open-ended questions. And not only are students thriving with conversations on Packback, but Backer says they’re bringing those discussions into the classroom to further debate and expand their ideas.

INSTITUTION

Lone Star College- CyFair

DEPARTMENT

Art

COURSE

Art History Survey from Prehistory to Gothic

SIZE

26-30 Students

“Packback has been really a revolution in terms of how discussion works in my class because the students really get excited when they’re able to ask the questions. They ask unconventional questions. They think outside the box. They make connections that I wouldn’t think to make. And those connections inspire other students. And they all sort of feed off one another, this intellectual energy, and it leads to discussions that are more successful than discussions that I’ve seen in my classes before. And that also transfers back into the face-to-face classroom, so that we’re able to have those same kinds of [exciting] conversations, you know, drawing from Packback and bringing it into the classroom. I’m very happy with the way that Packback has influenced my classroom.”