As a professor of college students,what is most effective,Authoritative or Democratic style of teaching?

Question

As a professor of college students,what is most effective,Authoritative or Democratic style of teaching?

Answer 1

It depends what you want to accomplish.  If you just want to impart information an authoritarian style and lecturing works just fine.  If you truly want your students to understand the material you need to use a variety of teaching styles to encourage your students to learn and use the new information.  Group work may cause problems for some students but almost all future employment dictates that they be able to function in a group.  Make it even more democratic and allow them to do peer reviews for the members in their groups.  This will cut down on the one member in the group who elects to do nothing.  A format I have used is first (Authoritarian) set the groundwork and introduce the material.  Then introduce the project.  Let them run with it but lead the race and keep tabs on what's going on.  The students who want to learn will and will gain a better understanding because they have used the new information.

Answer 2

Hmm excellent question. I taught college students myself for a short period of time. The probel with democratic-style teaching is that there will always be a few people in every class who will try to take advantage of the teacher if possible. Humans are not generally a friendly bunch in any group. They will exploit weaknesses. So, I would say a friendly approach with democratic tenancies combined with authoritarianism when students show significant disrespect to the teacher or other students (which will happen in a democratic-style class. It's the nature of people).

Answer 3

I always worked to the principle that the teacher is a student who has travelled a little farther along the road. It worked well for well nigh half a century now.