Instructional Style
How can you develop and refine your instructional style?
Jose,
This is a great way to see your delivery and get constructive feedback on how to refine your presentation skills. This is something that we all can work on throughout our teaching career.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
One of the ways an instructor can refine his/her instructional style is by recording some of his/her lessons and having another colleague mentor him/her on the style and providing recommendations. The instructor can fine tune his style over time with the gain insight from another professional.
Robert,
Great to hear and I know you are going to have much teaching success with your attitude of wanting to help.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
The video from Harvard Business school really hit home. As a first time instuctor, I have to examine myself and be sure that - even after a full day of work in my field - whether or not I am exuding the excitement about the course content that the students deserve. The discussion of instructional style was very helpful, and I will be on the lookout for opportunities to learn and improve in that area of my teaching.
Early on, I would seek the advice and critique of a respected instructor who have taught this type of class before.
Second, I would invite in-class instructor observations of my actual teaching style and improvements that can be incorporated.
Third, Request feedback from students who have observed me for a full term.
Continually seek instructions, attend courses, webinars, or other online courses that teaches new ways to refine my instruction style.
Hi Shadhi,
Good professional development strategy. This is what instructional growth is all about.
Gary
Hi Shahid,
So true. What are some strategies you use to increase the motivation of your students?
Thanks for your input on this.
Gary
May be a Field trip will help as well
Motivation is a very important key to learning.
IF YOU are in a School settings you should observe other insturctors from other discipline. You can ask to be helper for the class.
I try to develop a style that includes all of the student learning styles so that I can reach as many of the students as possible in the classroom.
I make it a good practice to define the course expectations at the beginning of each class as it applies to past lectures, homework assignments, in class participation, and the next time we meet as a class. I make the students aware of those expectations by placing my agenda on the class board. Students begin to write the agenda, and thereby become interested in the activities and expectations. At the end of class I review the agenda to acknowledge that we covered the expectations.
Hi Kaci,
Good strategies for expanding your professional development. You are going to be able to keep your students more engaged and focused as a result of your following your listed steps.
Gary
I think that I can develop and refine my instructional style by:
1. Being a good role model for my students in my field of work such as dress better, and talk to my co-workers a little better.
2. I should know a little more about my subject matter
3. I should be better organized in what I do.
As a relatively new instructor, I find observing other classes/instructors can help me to refine my instructional style.
Observing as many different styles as possible will allow me to be aware of many different styles and then find the style that works best for me and my class.
Also, it can be helpful to be aware of the latest instructional tools and technology available for use in the classroom. Even for more experienced instructors, it can be good to utilize some new and different tools in class to help keep both yourself as well as your class excited about the topic.
Hi Seth,
Spoken like a true master teacher. Instructors like you help to keep course content fresh and exciting for students. Also, you are able to make adjustments as needed as a result of the notes you have taken and observations you have made.
Keep up the great job that you are doing.
Gary
Although I have a good deal of teaching experience, I find it particularly useful to continually assess each lesson (and each class). Although I have hundreds of files to use for each lesson, none of them are rigid. I always take notes about what parts of the lessons work, and what can be done to clarify more difficult concepts. Keeping myself open to rapport allows me to constantly evolve and tailor my curriculum to the needs of each class.
I have found these kinds of methods particularly helpful as review activities for midterms and finals. Motivating students to become the "experts" on a few topics definitely helps with retention, as I have evidenced on their test scores.
I believe in a student centered approach to teaching. With the right tools, every student can learn and be successful. Students should be able to access materials that appeal to them, that are in the appropriate zone of proximal development, and are developed with the understanding that students have differing learning styles.
An online student should have as much, if not more, access to his/her instructor as a face-to-face student. As an online instructor it is very important for me to be available, to provide timely, useful, constructive feedback that helps my students learn. My students know that they can contact me and have a helpful response within hours. I have Mobile Email and Mobile AIM which helps in this regard.
I like to give my students the opportunity to share their ideas with each other, collaborate and work together. Not only does this reinforce their learning, allow them to respectfully question each other, and think critically about the content, but it also provides them with the communication and team skills needed to excel in today’s professional environment. In the context of Mathematics, given its quantitative nature, this may be more of a challenge, but threaded discussions that allow for exploration of topic applications and connections between new and previous concepts would more than suffice.
