In most of your classes there will be an expectation that you raise your hand to answer questions, ask questions when there is something you don’t understand, and share your ideas about the course material. Professors often make participation a certain percentage of your overall grade for a course.
You may be used to a model of education in which the professor gives a lecture while students take notes, without offering comments or asking questions. It is possible to learn a lot this way; however, typically your Ohio State professors will want to hear your voice in class, because they want you to be actively engaged with the course material.
Why participate? There are many reasons!
- Speaking on a topic forces you to think about it more deeply than just listening to someone else speak.
- You will learn to clearly articulate your ideas, in the language of the academic discipline—that is, it will help you learn to speak with authority, like a biologist, or a historian, or an economist, etc.
- You will engage with other people’s ideas—by hearing different voices in class, you are exposed to different perspectives on a topic, and can decide what you agree with and what you do not.
- Your professors and instructors will get to know you. An instructor who knows you, and knows you are actively showing interest in the subject of his or her course, will view your work more favorably.
- You have the opportunity to get your questions answered. Never hesitate to ask a question in class—if you’re unclear on something, chances are, others students are, too!
- What other reasons can you think of?
It is normal to feel nervous at first about speaking in class. The Office of International Affairs advisor, Caroline Omolesky, relates her experiences speaking in class while studying in a new country.