stressing importance of being a professional in their chosen field. quality work and positive attitude are noticed by your employer and co-workers.
I totally agree with that, nothing like hands on experience will help the students. It makes it much easier to explain about something’s if you can show it real-time with hands on; I teach sonography class what a big difference when they see the pathology or anatomy by real time scanning than just telling them how it looks like.
I try to do this, too! I usually teach middle of the road when it comes to content, but it is especially important to me that I show them real life applications and cover material that can be relevant to them later on after the course.
The most important strategy that I employ in my classroom is hands on experience.
You can only discuss a subject for so long than its time to get busy and do it.
There is only so much direction that can be given than its up to the student to practice and perform the tasks at hand and to learn from mistakes and the art of doing the task.
Some students are more capable than others but thru the practice and repitition of doing the task, most should achieve some level of success and comfort in doing the task and doing it correctly
I asses the course content. Then get a feeling of what the students know in a question an answer session. I then plan my lectures, demonstrations, and class speed based on the knowledge an abilities of the students
Thanks for the suggestions. I will implement the suggestion with this week's class session.
Hi Elizabeth,
One of the keys for successful teaching is pacing. Have your class laid out into 10-15 segments of lecture and then activity. This change of pace lets the students refocus their brains on different paths. They are using semantic learning for the lecture and then working memory with the activities with reinforces the semantic or content part of the course. After several of these 10-15 lecture/activity efforts stop and then do a group case study or problem solving project. This will serve to keep the students engaged throughout the four hour class.
Let me know how you make out.
Gary
Hi Mable,
The use of student groups will really help all of the students become involved. This is due to peer pressure from each of the group members for each of them to pitch in and carry their weight and the fact that in small groups even the most shy students will contribute.
Have your small groups come to the front of the classroom and sit behind a table as a panel of experts would. Since you are asking them to become experts in certain topics the panel formal will work well. This way each member of the group can present their part without feeling excessive pressure from being in front of the class. The reason for this is that they are sitting down (less attention on them) behind a table (a barrier between them and the rest of the class) and there are 5 or 6 other people up there with them (helps them with confidence).
Good luck with your groups.
Gary
Hi Mable,
Excellent idea of how to use information you have gained about your students to benefit their growth.
You are going to do well with your classes.
Gary
During my first class, I asked each student how they thought that the course would be helpful to them in their work settings. Some could not state the relevance of the course. I kept notes of what each said and will revisit their information with them throughout the course. I am very lucky that my required text includes a section on "Career Connections." This will allow me to use the information with students to further explain and demonstrate the relevance of the course.
I have finished my first class and sometimes I did experience the phase of students being the "passive spectators." For all of the upcoming lectures, groups were assigned to become the "experts" on certain sections of the text for a specific class. It is an advanced course so I think that I can safely get more interactive 4 hour class session underway.
I have not started my first class yet. I have researched the internet for in-class exercises that are relevant to psychology (intro class), and have searched for and purchased a number of educational DVD's relating to psychology. It is a four hour class and I do not want them to get bored or feel overwhelmed with a four hour lecture. I want my students to leave each class stimulated intellectually and looking forward to our next class meeting.
Some of the courses I've taught are related to fairly complicated computer software. In order for the student to become adept at the software it requires a great deal of hands on experience.
When covering sepcific command processes in the course I have found that based on most of the students experience level it works best to start with a interactive/expository lecture followed by short projects that allow them to apply that particular command process.
Additionally, I remain very active in my field and bring my experiences into the instructional process to demonstrate how they may be using the software when they gain employment.
The number one strategy I use in the classroom to ensure the course content is relevant and applicable to the student learning needs is providing real life learning experiences. Real life learning experiences creates life long learning and the students enjoy being able to discussed what they experienced with others.
I try to keep my own training up to date or even try to learn about new technologies as it relates to the subjects I am teaching. This way I can talk to my students about the way things were when I was there age, show them what they need to do to stay competative in todays market, and how they can apply this information in the work place.
