Affective Response - Again, this
is similar to the above exercises, but here you are asking students to
report their reactions to some facet of the course material - i.e.,
to provide an emotional or valuative response to the material. Obviously,
this approach is limited to those subject areas in which such questions
are appropriate (one should not, for instance, inquire into students’ affective
responses to vertebrate taxonomy). However, it can be quite a useful starting
point for courses such as applied ethics, particularly as a precursor to
theoretical analysis. For example, you might ask students what they think
of Dr. Jack Kevorkian's activities, before presenting what various moral
theorists would make of them. By having several views "on the table" before
theory is presented, you can help students to see the material in context
and to explore their own beliefs. It is also a good way to begin a discussion
of evolutionary theory or any other scientific area where the general public
often has views contrary to current scientific thinking, such as paper
vs. plastic packaging or nuclear power generation.