Andy Coe’s Teaching Tips – March

Furman instructors are no strangers to innovative and evidence-based pedagogies. In this month’s “Teaching Tips” story, Andy Coe shares his constructivist approach to creating accessible assignments. Reach out to Andy or the FDC if you’re interested in engaging further with these teaching strategies yourself!

“An effective (and genuinely fun to read) assignment I have developed for a Psychology class on adolescent development asks students to analyze an adolescent character from a book, movie, or TV series using developmental theories we’re studying. Instead of starting with abstract concepts and hoping students connect the dots, I flip the process: students begin with a character they already know and care about, then use theory as a lens to explain that character’s behavior, identity development, or decision-making. 

This approach lowers the cognitive barrier for complex material. Students aren’t stuck trying to invent examples and learn new theory at the same time—they already have rich, concrete evidence to work with. The result is deeper analysis, and more confident use of academic language. I think the same structure could work across disciplines: 

• In the humanities, students might analyze a literary or film character through feminist, postcolonial, or ethical frameworks 

• In the fine arts, a character, performer, or artist can become a case study for themes like identity, expression, power, or audience interpretation.  A Shakesperean sonnet about AI? A jazz song inspired by current events? 

• In STEM, students could explain the physics behind the special powers of their favorite superhero.  Or, analyze decision-making and risk using scenarios from medical dramas. 

Across fields, the goal is the same: use something students already understand as an anchor, so new theories and concepts feel purposeful rather than abstract. When theory helps explain something students care about, it stops being something to memorize and starts becoming something they can use. Familiar content doesn’t dilute rigor—it creates access to it.”