While many teachers enter the profession with the goal of creating a classroom in which both the students and the teacher are energized by the joy of learning, they often encounter obstacles to realizing this vision. In this article, Can Viva Zhao describes the creation and development of an anatomy class designed and led by students. In the course, students were empowered to engage together in relevant learning experiences that required them to solve actual problems medical professionals might encounter. This class could serve as a model for teachers looking for a way to create the kind of classroom where students and teachers are excited about learning.
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