Kai Chang mentioned this for the third time over noodles yesterday, so I’m glad he finally blogged this brilliant technique of one of his college professors:
“Now I know some of you have already heard of me, but for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar, let me explain how I teach. Between today until the class right before finals, it is my intention to work into each of my lectures … one lie. Your job, as students, among other things, is to try and catch me in the Lie of the Day.”
At the end of each class the students anxiously reviewed their lecture notes to see if they could spot the lie.
I can’t think of a better way to impart the life lesson: “Think critically. Even if it comes from an expert”.
Kai’s post made it to the top of reddit, #6 currently with 707 votes 🙂
What a great story about a fantastic technique. What’s interesting is if students don’t catch the lie and commit it to memory as a truth, and the professor includes relevant test questions that receive the lie as a response, it’s quite diagnostic for the professor as to who was and wasn’t paying close enough attention.
Or, it helps the professor identify students with different learning styles, etc.