Lowman's Model Goes to the Movies

Allen C. Estes, United States Military Academy
Ronald W. Welch, United States Military Academy

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© 2006 ASEE.

NOTE: At the time of publication, the author Allen Estes was affiliated with the United States Military Academy - West Point, NY. Currently, August 2008, he is Head and Professor of Architectural Engineering at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo.

Abstract

Lowman’s Two Dimensional Model for teaching effectiveness has been included in the seminar on Teaching and Learning for the past seven years in the ExCEEd Teaching Workshops. The two dimensional model describes nine different classifications of teachers that range low to high performance in the areas of intellectual excitement and interpersonal rapport. Participant feedback has consistently indicated that the model would be easier to understand if it included examples of teachers in these various categories. This paper uses Lowman’s model to categorize teachers from television and the movies and provide familiar examples that will personalize and aid in the understanding of this well-known model that defines effective teaching. Be advised that this paper contains direct quotes from movies that contain strong language which some may find offensive.