Bill,
I tend to use a combination of both informal and formal techniques, in order to gage the student's knowledge of the subject. From my experience, they seem to be more candid when the instructor just begins with general questions about the course.
Tremayne Simpson
Many times I get in the class and start to conversate with the students about the coarse, what they may know about what is ahead and then I talk about my own experience with the coarse topic. I have many coworkers that do the pre test and they say it allows them to size up what the class knows and doesn't know.
I have found that if the class size permits, you can conduct an ice-breaker exercise that will serve two purposes: share in knowledge about each other and learn specifics of a student's experience. The one I usually use is an interview strategy. Pair up the students and give each student a set of interview questions. The pair interviews each other. When you come back together as a whole class, the student introduces h/her partner to the rest of the class based on what they have learned in the interview.
Before I teach a new segment I usually have a discussion with my students about what they already know. I give a pre-assessment as well. This gives me a better understanding of where they are coming from, their prior knowledge base and which pieces of the lesson I can either breeze through or spend more time on.
Have an open discussion when reviewing the syllabus & expectations of the course,give a survey or ask them to write about their knowledge/expectations first day of class.
Prior to presenting a specific topic, I quickly survey the class and allow a few students to share their experience with the topic at hand.
This allows students to share something that they are familiar in order to transition into the topic of the day.
The other students who have not been exposed to the content are able to learn valuable information from their peers that will give them a little more perspective into the subject rather than just facing it "blindly".
Hi Tremayne,
I usually give my students bunch of large textile swatches and ask them to group them according to their skill on the first day of class. They then have to present as a group why they grouped them so. It gives me great insight as to how much or how little my students understand textiles , the topic they are in class to learn
During the first class, I take a slight spin on the ice breaker. The course that I teach is typically one of the first classes that students take, so they are new to the school and it's pretty obvious that there is nervousness in the room. Recognizing that some people are uncomfortable talking about themselves,I ask that they to turn to the student sitting next to them and interview one another, using very similar questions to the ones posted in these modules. Then I ask each student to introduce one another to the class and tell the class what they learned about their new friend. I think this serves several purposes - 1) Reinforces active listening skills. 2) Reduces anxiety. By taking the heat off of the shyer students who feel awkward talking about themselves,they must focus on what the other person is saying so they can present this information to the class. 3) Discovery that there are more similarities than differences among people. Since these are returning students of all ages and backgrounds, many feel alone and are concerned about how they fit in. They are often relieved to hear that many share the same concerns. 4) Establish friendships. Talking to one another helps students feel more comfortable and students often bond on common ground. 5) Builds social skills. This is a useful strategy when people are in situations where they don't know others. By reaching out and learning to ask relevant questions about someone, students learn how to network. 5) It's fun. Inevitably, this exercise brings to light some amazing stories about the fascinating journey of peoples' lives!
Ice breakers not only help with get to know you activities but also can help you see if anyone has any experience at all. I teach in a Medical Assisting program and when we have ice breakers we can establish if anyone has any experience as a caregiver or nurses aid. This information helps to determine who is starting with a little more knowledge then others.
For the first class, i would go around and ask students about their backgrounds,work experiences.
Through homework and quizzes. Giving specific assignments can identify this.
I have used a questionnaire to get to know the students and their background knowledge in the past.
I like the idea of the pre-test or quiz to find out prior knowledge base. I am going to use this with my next class to help me assess their knowledge and how much they know.
I find that a discussion about what they are going to learn and how they can use their current skills to be sucessfull helps.
I begin each new class with the assignment, "getting to know you, a letter to your instructor". The students are requested to write me a letter introducing themselves and answering questions such as; what are your interests, goals, what made you choose this class, what do you hope to learn from the class, strengths and areas that need encouragement. The students seem very receptive to the letter and usually go into great detail which helps me to understand their perspectives and needs.
You can give them a "pre-test" to learn what they know and don't know. I thought this will be a good idea to pre-test, for instance, Anatomy of the urinary tract before a course in genitourinary disorders.
I use a pre-test, especially if they have come from a basic class and now are taking an advanced class in the same topic.
It helps them to see what they should remember, know, have learned, and what they will need to re-visit in terms of application of the software they might be using.
I also go around the room and we introduce ourselves to one another, even if I have had the same students before in other courses. It gives them a chance to define their reasons for being in the class, and what they hope to garner from the material.
Jeanette,
This is an excellent ice breaker activity. It gives the students an opportunity to experience proper networking techniques and handling clients.
Tremayne Simpson
Jeanette,
This is an excellent ice breaker activity. It gives the students an opportunity to experience proper networking techniques and handling clients.
Tremayne Simpson
I have the students interview each other and write down information on a card as if they were a potential client. It is a lot of fun because they introduce each other to the class and I myself will sit with a student and be interviewed. Great ice-breaker too.
I also love the PreTest idea! As a matter of fact, I am giving my students one today. It is the best way I can determine what objectives/skills they remember from their 2 previous courses. Although they are at many different learning levels (within the same class), it is amazing to see that more times than not the have trouble remembering the same content. I then make sure I review those concepts with them before beginning my course.
