Ethnography Idea

Our ethnography idea has to do with the peer teaching program for the computer science department at TAMU. As Mike and I are peer teachers, we have noticed that only a few students are willing to ask questions from the TA or the peer teacher, and others will only email the peer teacher or TA. We wanted to find out what the qualities were of those that ask questions and what the qualities are of those that just sit and work on their own. The point of this ethnography is to find a way to make everyone comfortable about asking a peer teacher for help and find solutions that might help those that are shy or embarrassed ask questions.

We're going to measure the reactions of students and their demographic qualities based on three different types of peer teaching:

1. We walk around the room actively asking the students if they need help.

2. We sit at a computer for the whole period and wait until students raise their hands or ask us before we get up to help them.

3. A combination, where we walk around just every now and then.

We will also observe and see how many students will look in the textbook or online for answers to their questions before asking a peer teacher. Both Mike and I teach lots of sections of lower-level computer science classes, so we'll have lots of opportunities to observe. Hopefully these observations will help us come up with an idea or innovation to help them.

Idea Name: "Peer Teaching Analysis"

Members: Aaron Loveall, Mike Chenault