Getting student feedback and having them to let me know how they think the lessons are being taught. If we are going too fast let me know or too slow. Students want to learn at their own pace but at an acceptable rate. We do not know this unless we ask for their opinions so we can improve ourselves.
Video taped It's a great idea, I did it once when I attended to college and Its incredible the mistake and errors I got in the class. I'm going to do it again ;)
To develop my instructional style I have attended several Professional Development Courses. I have grown as an educator, by listening and following advise from experienced professors. I believe in reflecting daily on the overall planning, delivery, and results of every lesson. It is imperative that I learn from my successful lessons, as well as from the failures.
Fortunately, the school automatically sends out end-of-course surveys to my students. This feedback has been very helpful. Since our online sessions are quite short (only five weeks) I find that I am continually improving my communications and content, to some extent based on student feedback. I am also looking into screencasting options to better deliver critiques on assignments. If there is a CEE course that covers this, I would want to know about it. Thanks!
Richard,
I have video taped my lessons a few times and I have found that it really helps me as well. It helps you see the good and the bad. It has helped me grow as an instructor. It is one thing to have someone give you feedback on your lessons. It is another thing to watch it for yourself first hand. It really makes a difference.
Knowledge is key (or king!). I like to read things like industry magazines or books written concerning the subject I instruct to obtain new ideas and keep up on the latest trends. Things like this I can pass on to my students and it helps start pertinant dialog about the subject at hand.
I also like the idea of videotaping a class session. As embarrassing as it may be, I think it really helps to see both the good and bad in your instructing style.
Well, I think that not only reading and participating on campus program to improve my skill will help but work shops and involved in others outside the facility also help to improve my techniques in class.
I have found that I, too, must present material in different formats. This includes creating PowerPoints that summarize important concepts from the text. It also includes choosing professional essays for the students to read. Some are in the text and I find others on the web. You need to choose materials that are at the correct level of difficulty for the students.
Since I teach English composition classes, effective modeling is important, especially in developing a working thesis or topic sentence.
Finally, creating clear and concise rubrics helps the students know what is expected in their compositions.
Steve Zeigler
I totally agree with you. You have to make the content relevant to the lives of our students. They have to see the connection to their real world. Does anyone have any great tips to share on how to do this?
I think a good way to accomplish this goal is to stay up to date on the newest research in our field. Another way is to attend workshops and trainings. We also learn so much from other professionals. It is great to have indepth conversations with other faculty members. Open communication is key. We need to remember that we are a team and that there isn't competition to keep our ideas to ourselves. Everyone's main goal should be student achievement.
From a technical point of view I try to stay up to date on the latest in my field by reading appropriate periodicals. Additionally I reguarly surf the internet for articles that reflect current thinking.
My individual style remains basically the same but I find myself adjusting my delivary based upon the makeup of my class. Some classes do better with a more formal approach and some require a less formal approach. Either way the content must be up to date.
I agree with Robert, have the same issues.
Hi Luis,
I commend you for you willingness to stay current and reflect the content of your field in a way that appeals to today's students. This is the sign of a truly commented professional educator. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Jennifer,
Way to go with your professional development. You are current so you can share the most current trends, techniques and equipment with your students. This is what being a quality instructor is all about.
Gary
I have been teaching for 30 years and changing my instructional style according with the new developments in the field. I try to use new technologies and platforms to improve the results of my teching
I have added on-line exercises (from competent sources) as additional alternatives to solidify their understanding of the course content. It serves as a quasi "hands-on" environment for purely academic modules.
I keep in touch with colleague's that work in the surgical environment. This will allow me inside information so that I may teach my students all new items in the field. I also subscribe to a magazine geared toward the profession I teach.
Mixing things up is never a bad idea. You can go above and beyond when thinking of ways to improve your teaching skills. Even with just the simple way of waiting after class if anyone has a question that they were too embarrassed to ask during lecture.
Hi Joseph,
The Socratic method is a great strategy to use to pull the thinking out of students. This method causes them to think which is one of the reasons they are in school, though many of them don't think so.
Gary
I'd like to teach a class using just the socratic method. I trid it once for a short class and it was very difficult. However i became a more interactive instructor as a result of the attempt.
