Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Mistakes made when selecting course content

Jonathan, Classes do run smoother when students possess the necessary prior learning to begin the next level of study. Sometimes a brief pretest can help identify where the class is at as a whole Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Student learning outcomes

Brian, In a simple way, individualized instruction and attention will yield better student performance. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Role of instructor personality in delivery selection

Jonathan, I've found students like stories, and as long as there is an applicable point, stories are a great way to convey course information. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Organized and prepared to teach

Jonathan, Most students have a need for order and structure in the classroom. It provides guidance, and assists with personal planning. Solid preparation and good classroom organization by the instructor will contribute to the foundation that leads to better student outcomes. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Using senses in learning

Asha , Practical application through demonstration does really help students learn, understand, and remember. The use of senses contributes to this, and any time we can incorporate senses in the instructional plan, that's a good thing, and we should look for for opportunities to integrate senses into our daily lessons whenever possible. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Reasons for evaluating students

Stephanie, Exactly. Students need to have feedback from their instructor, even if some of that feedback reflects poor performance. With information, we can provide time for students to make needed corrections. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Informing students of status in course

Sue, Right. Students want and need guidance. Sharing grade and point information throughout the course, along with helpful suggestions conveys to the students their instructor cares about their learning and successfulness in the course. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Informing students of status in course

Kimberly, Sharing pertinent grade and performance data is vital to providing guidance to students, with recognition of great work, and suggestions for additional work or study may be needed. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Awarding extra credit

Namisha, Right. If we want to provide and measure learning, extra credit can skew those results. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Awarding extra credit

Namisha, I'm not fond of extra credit, but recognize some instructors choose to award some. I feel it usually does not contribute to learning, but helps raise poor grades. Maybe that's OK in some classes. Barry Westling