Mini-demos or spot-demos...
When in the lab, I enjoy calling students over for spot demos or short quick demos. This accomplishes two things... you are showing an actual exercise or method as it is occurring and it is brief enough that students can apply it immediately to their current situation in class.
Many students are not able to perform this task as it might have not been applied to their work load that day (different recipe, etc.) The second part is that by showing the class certain techniques during spot demos it also removes them from their current work and are able to see something from another perspective. This might eliminate some misunderstanding or confusion especially if they were about to make that mistake.
~Louis
In the particular field I teach, it is the ONLY way to teach.
Hi Christin,
This is a great example of multi-tasking and taking advantage of the teachable moments that occur. Plus the way you have the class time broken up the attention of the students can be focused on specific topics and then they get to apply what they have learned.
Gary
Often on Baking 110 we break up demo because bread doughs are proofing & we can teach multi tasking.That is going to be a great deal of their time mgnt skills being developed w/ the mini demos of 8-10 min in the lab. also gives us baking time & then final presentation in stages of compleation of the product. teaches them in steps as well.
Hi Mark,
Good way to "read" your students and take advantage of a teachable moment. Spot demos also help the students to see relevancy to what they are learning and doing.
Gary
As a culinary instructor, I find it usefull to use spot demos to revisit the main demonstration. I like to call attention to the entire table of students and repeat a main point which will help them have success and avoid some frustration,
I find that the hands on is a great way to involve the students and help the apply there knowledge.
Hi James,
You have hit upon an educational strategy that is really effective for the career area you teach and the way your students learn best. Keep up the good work.
Gary
while instructing 16 students at a time I find that if I give a general outline of what to do and then have them break up into two man crews to start practicing and then make my rounds to give specific points and do demonstrations of a more technical task for them to do they seem to retain the information better whith the more one on one instruction and then it is easier to keep track of those that need additional help and address and correct the problem imediatly so that they are not developing bad habits.
Hi, Luis,
I agree with you. The revisiting of a technique during student production is useful. Students connect the technique better to their own challenge when they are on the lab floor and have had a first try at a technique. Also, they're right there with equipment and materials to try agin, or may be just about to do that technique when the instructor demonstrates it at a work station. -Gary O. Ackerman
