Hi Richard:
One way of defining learning is the impartation of information from one individual to another. That said, each instructor needs to feel at ease with themselves and their teaching methods. Students are very accurate barometers as to what is interesting, stimulating, ingaging...and boring. Use your self observational skills to determine what really works for you.
Regards, Barry
Hi Robin:
Many students respond very favorably to PPT. It seems like the younger generation is especially familiar with the technology and "presentation" aspect that PPT's bring to the instructional process.
One way you might try if you feel you want to use the white board more is to have a student (one with good fast print style) stand at the board and transcribe some of your key points. You could give him/her your notes, or just tell her to write such and such. While she writing, you can elaborate on the points being emphasized. You could also experiment with having different students do the writing.
Of course with overheads, the opportunity to write out stuff ahead of time is always an option. But I understand it does have it's limitations.
Regards, Barry
The two methods of delivery that I find works good for me is the PowerPoint hand outs for diagrams. The PowerPoint allows the student to see the main points and for me to explain additional information that they will need or can be of assistance to them. When I use a diagram on a hand out the students can follow the flow and make notes about testing procedures.
The white board is not my most successful delivery tool as I feel that I spend to much of my time with my back to the students. Also, the overhead projectors as the PowerPoint can be used to show a moving flow or diagram.
The methods I most enjoy:
Using the power-point in conjunction with writing supporting information on the white board and tying the two together at the same time. In addition, I enjoying using short quizes that reinforce the lesson of the previous day. The quizes bring up questions and discussions that may not have been addressed the previous day.
The methods I least enjoy:
I mainly can think of one right now and that is continuous lecture. This includes reading directly from the power point without elaborating. I feel that students are not paying to have information read to them. They want to comprehend the information and learn how to apply what they are read and hear to solving the verious types of problems they may run into.
I can project the power point presentation along with information off of our approved web sites on the white board of systems that will support the power point.
Also using the white board will add to the presentations.they work very well togeather.
Old material and Q&A sessions are not that good, at least they don't work for me that well.
One on One learning is very successful.
I think that one group work isn't very successful
Hi Kenneth:
You do cover many important instructional strategies with these techniques. If students feel you really care, they'll be happier about their learning (and more forgiving if mistakes are made too!).
Regards, Barry
I try to balance the power point with lecture reading and experience and try to stop class just to talk about the work they will be doing in the field and what will be expended of them and when we go to lab I show them what we learned in class this way I think I cover all ways of learning and the biggst thing is that you show you care
Hi John:
Great! There is a lot you can do wih PPT and whiteboard. I agree about the boring lecture or reading. One way to break it up is to have students read a section or even read a part of the lecture, then have others in the class comment.
Regards, Barry
Hi Chuck:
Good use of PPT. One way to make Q&A work is to give your students 4-heets of paper with instructions to write "A", "B", "C", and "D" on each peice. Then ask a question and ask the class to choose one of the four choices and hold up their paper. Then you can ask the A group why they chose that answer, and so forth. It's really just a way to ease into having students speak up in class.
Regards, Barry
2 instructional delivery methods are you most successful with, enjoy the most and why?
The most successful would be the using power point and the whiteboard in combination. Using electrical component on the PPT and the have a student start a circuit then have that student call on others. The students get a big bang out of this. At the end and after all corrections have been made we have a working circuit.
2 instructional delivery methods are you least successful with, enjoy the least and why? The least effective way is just to lecture or have them just read over material or answer questions in a book.
In using the PP I feel they slides are only bullet points not the whole enchilada. I will expand what the slide presents and include personal experiance. I also like to give demonstrations to each lab group, I will select one lab to do this with and work with each group showing them and explaining what it is I would like them to learn.
My least succesful has been Q&A sessions. The age group I work with is still afraid of wrong answers and its very hard to get them involved that way
Hi Jeff:
I agree with the bye-be to chalk boards - that dust is truly an environmental hazard. One way to make the flip chart work is to take time before a class to do really good drawings, tables, or lesson points. Then save these for future, multiple uses.
Regards, Barry
I miss the over head because I felt that it was a good idea to draw something on the over head/ or have something already made up to make a point. Then after the point has been made you can empty the over head for further discussion.
Power points are good on a white board back ground and you can black/white it out when you do not want it to distract from your next point... and then continue with another power point.
I have never felt real good about a flip chart because it can get messed up when a lot of instructors using it. But it can be handy for brain storming and discussion sessions.
Chalk boards are filthy. Enough said on that!
Hi Robert:
Regarding the PPT, sometimes using the publisher supplied slides, although professional in apperance, are not as good as instructor made slides. Or, if you use someone else's slide show, there can be information you'd never put in there if it was your own slide. Yes, out of date is really of no benefit to anyone.
Regards, Barry
Hi Salvatore:
You've identified a very effective way of instruction - taht is of telling stories. People like to hear them. Ususally, thet're interesting and can sometimes convey an idea or two that makes sense when a more direct approach would seem more straightforward.
Regards, Barry
Useful instructional delivery for me is a combination of humor and personal experience.
least useful would be powerpoint that has errors or is out of date
I like to use the white board and draw pictures, charts, and scope wave forms and with student input label the different parts and sections of each. Another thing I find affective is when I can use a case study format about a car I've worked on and tell a story revealing part of the information and asking them what they think happened next. One of the things I have to work at is when doing demonstration I really need to remember that I’m not talking to experienced technicians and some of the things I thing of as common knowledge need more attention then I’m giving them.
Hi Adam:
Yeah, there's nothing quite like that AHA moment, eh?
Something you might try regarding Q&A is to have the students prepare questions and assess one another. Then, you can fill in any errors or missing data. Sometimes, students will respond to their peers when they feel reluctant to do so with instructor. Just a suggestion.
Regards, Barry
I think the two I like the best is the hands on lab portion & power point slides. You can see the aha moment when they get it. There are certain things you can do in lab, but with the power point you can show them data that you recorded during certain faults that you can't simulate in lab.
Least favorite is the Q & A, trying to get information from the students is like pulling teeth. The other one is probally watching them work on WBT courses & not getting all the information they can.
