I enjoy reading your response. Having students engaged in roleplaying, and identifing five lessons learned at the end of lecture, are excellent ways to enhance learning. Very creative, and I'll use them in my class. Thanks.
I also found that another good tool to enhance student learning is through student case presentation. Students work corroboratively in small teams, and exercise their creativities. In case presentations, they have the opportunity to apply course concepts to a real-world case. They learn not only from me, but their classmates as well.
In an online setting, I use power point, and white board to show graphs, text, equations, ask questions, and check on the attendants if they are following. Frankly, I sometimes run out of ideas on what else to use.
I have looked for ways to show the relevance of my course to the program that my dtudents are enrolled in. I have also incorporated additional projects that have proven to get the students excited about the subject.
These are great ideas. The one area that I struggle with is using videos for online activities. What are some suggestions on how to best use these?
I like to use current events that are going on in the world of CJ. I read the paper everyday and scan the web for current things that are happening and how they were handled. I then present how things were done and if properly done, accent the positive. If not done properly then I explain where mistakes were made.
I have been teaching project management courses for several years no. I have changed the information in my assignment examples and case studies to reflect my students understanding of project management. When teaching project management to engineers and IT professional, I incorporate simulations, MS Project planning activities and scenario base learning modules. This population of students are more technical learners and require the teacher to develop opportunities to where they can use their hard skills in classroom.
Hi Kim,
Good way to "blend" the different deliveries to target the different learning preferences. This way all students will have their learning preferences offered at different times during the course.
Gary
I break up my lecture by integrating case studies, going online and browsing through a website that is related to the lecture material, use interactive clickers with the PPT material with questions and answers which provide instant data to the students on how well they understood the past 15 minutes of material presented. I also ask questions, have students role play, brain storm for solutions when a difficult question is asked by another peer. I find DVD's or weblinks in which I can play 5 - 10 minute videostreams that are related to the topic being discussed for the day. I also have the students at the end of each lecture write down for 5 minutes 5 new things that they learned that day during the lecture. This provides me feedback of areas in which I need to reinforce or change in the future and allows the students to reinforce their newly learned knowledge.
Hi Susan,
Great approach to teaching. Your attitude shows through to your students that you are a caring and supportive instructor. By offering different styles of instructional delivery you are enabling your students to expand their learning abilities and develop skill in working with others.
Gary
As identified in the lecture slides, students learn via different modalities-visual, auditory, tactile. I rely somewhat heavily on lecture format, however, I found that students combining different modalities, when possible, enhances the retention of information. For instance, student learn via reading the textbook, but I could reinforce what is learned using auditory and tactile mode of presentation.
Dr. Meers, I try to evaluate the differences in my students, the first few times we meet. I try to see if they are adapting to my style of teaching, or if I may have to adapt some of my style for the students, so they will understand and learn from me. I sometimes give extra time after class, for those who have questions, or may not have not understood the lesson. I also tell the students who are resisting a different style from what they are used to, that in the working field, they have to learn to adapt to many styles of employers and co-workers. I find teaching very rewarding, when I see my students at the end of the semester, and when I can see how much they have learned and are able to perfom. I then feel that I was successful with my style of teaching.
Susan A. Thompson
Hi Terry,
This is a good way to establish a baseline on your students. I use this same method in my classes and by having the baseline I know how to plan my instructional delivery for that specific group of students.
Gary
One of the techniques I use is to have the students write what they know about the subject and what they want to learn about the subject. This gives me an insight as what the student’s needs are and what I need to do to achieve their needs.
Another technique is an assessment that includes what was covered in a class required prior to taking the class I am instructing. I can get a better understanding of needs to be covered in the early stages of the class to make sure everyone is prepared to add to their previous knowledge base.
I use tutorial PowerPoint’s for difficult tasks, and set-aside time during the online chat for question and answers.
Hi Terrie,
Thank you for the kind words. If we can be of any help to you in the future please let us know.
Gary
Hi Matthew,
Talk about being current and relevant. Your students get the latest and greatest information since you have working in the field just before coming to their classroom. They are very fortunate to have you as their instructor.
Gary
Hi Matthew,
By having students demonstrating procedures and skills to other students it reinforces their own learning while helping others. This is a great strategy for other instructors to use. Thanks for sharing it.
Gary
Since the majority of my classes are online, I use presentations, chat session, discussion postings and outside speakers. I have used a video as well to keep the learner alert during the online sessions. I always motivate the learners to bring work experiences into the course room. This breaks the ice and keeps the discussion flow active.
Sandy Braxton
I like to incorporate different learning styles in each session. We may be talking about sterile gloving and trying to educate the students why sterile gloving is important, how to properly apply sterile gloves without breaking a sterile field, and how to handle sterile objects. We first have a mini-lecture to discuss the why. We circle around to give a demonstration and then break into small groups to practice. The students are able to learn by auditory stimulus, visually, tactile stimulus and by trial and error. Each learner is engaged at some point in a learning style which works for them hopefully enhancing their learning experience and reinforcing learning with further practice.
