I watch the students to see if they are focusing or not.
I try to incorporate real life experiences as a way making the content and material more understandable to the student. If they can relate the information to their daily lives hopefully they will remember it.
I teach by lecture first via powerpoint, we view a dvd and listen to audio regarding the particular subject we are working on, we have a quiz over the chapter in the form of a game, and then we have skills lab. Therefore, all learning preferences are practiced.
By using different instructional methods.For example,powerpoint lectures,computor activities,showing videos,conducting labs etc
By using examples that are relevant to the specific field of study of your students, without deviating from the course objective, the class focus tends to be maintained and the perception of engagement increases.
Teaching involves more of what we do and how we act in those days of discussions and what is included in our messages. The action verbs that we noted reflect a level of substantive, meaningful engagement in our facilitation that contributes to a learning community in the classroom and better understanding of the course objectives by our students. In fact, teaching requires active facilitation, not passive posting. Connecting with students in the online learning environment implies knowing what the criteria for success are up front. When a faculty member has strong classroom management skills, the students sense that a routine is present and can know what to expect in their online class. This means that discussion questions are posted on time; feedback is presented in a timely and thorough manner and the instructor establishes a presence in the classroom. My strong effective facilitation and meaningful engagement skills with online students allow the students to pull the theories and concepts of the course together and synthesize them into a cogent whole.
Also, central to my role in facilitating discussion is encouraging students to contribute and to actively engage in the discussions, as well. This is a component of teaching the course content – unless I can inspire students to be engaged in the discussions, I cannot effectively teach the course content. The discussion questions are the starting points for student engagement, but my active teaching provides the fuel to keep the discussions progressing throughout the week.
This is a question that I have struggled with. The traditional method for teaching first year law school classes is the Socratic method. I tend to mix in straight up lecturing with more Socratic questions and answers.
I have tried to mix in multimedia and group activities into some of my classes. I've found that this works well for a class like Professional Responsibility--basically ethics for lawyers--but not so well in a class like torts.
So I'm still trying to figure out the best way reaching all the different types of learners in a class of a hundred students.
Hi David,
Good way to help the students with their critical thinking skills. They are being asked to look at both sides of a situation and propose a solution. This is what they will be doing in their careers so the more experience they can get doing it the better they are going to be once they are out working.
Gary
To make course effective it is necessary to get information from relevant course content. For better explanation it's help a lot.
I like to discuss how the topic has been relevant to my experiences. I share both positive and negative experiences which helps show the students how I have learned in the past.
Trying to reach as many learning styles as possible
Hi Rachael,
Good way to show your students through stories and examples how they can be successful in your class. You are doing them a real service because I am sure many of them don't know how to maximize their learning opportunities. By knowing you are supportive of their efforts you are showing them what a professional should be like.
Gary
Most often, for lectures, I try to use powerpoint as I leacture. I also incorporate pictures, diagrams, models, and videos. I try to show the students a skill and then let them practice.
My classroom is an instructional lab that operates through demonstration, lecture and the student production and teacher assessment. This will automatically lend toward auditory and visualization, there is a white board for written word learners and of course, the textbook provided as well as additional reading I will suggest and during the production portion of class tactile learners will be satisfied. In this way all of the learning styles are touched upon at some point and I will always be willing to provide students with any extra assistance they may need.
One of the many benefits of online learning is that students are in control of their learning. That being said, students have many different styles of learning- and it's often hard to meet the needs of every student in the classroom. One of the things I do to accommodate so many different learning preferences is to give them different options. For example, the first live chat I conduct during Unit 1 is very much a course overview, and expectations. For example, I discuss different ways they can access the course information. I tell them what worked for me in college (I always printed out additional information from the course, so I could read and highlight even if I wasn't at my computer.) That may work for them, but I tell them if it doesn't, there are other options, and show them how to access the material from different starting points, so they don't always have to start from the beginning. Although some students prefer to learn in the morning, some mid-afternoon, and some evening, one thing I communicate to ALL students is to schedule time for class. The time the choose is up to them, but if it's not a regular part of their day and week, it's easy to fall behind. Again, I tell them personal stories (what worked for me, what has worked for previous students) and let THEM decide what will work best for them. But if they have more options, and they feel like I am truly and instructor who is guiding their learning process, they are much more likely to be successful in my course.
General orientation of new licensed personnel in our hospital is compsoed of basically 4-day lecture. Once the person is in our department, the novice receives lectures and hands on orientation same day. It is effective. I avail myself even after orientation.
I think the series of mini-lectures is a great tool to use in the classroom setting. I have given students projects to do in groups and it is very interesting to me which style they will complete the project....lecture, visual, demonstration, etc. I also watch the reaction by the class to see which style they respond to best. It's hard sometimes to tell how the class is responding to you as the instructor, but they seem to respond to group projects very honestly.
By making my lecture as exciting as I possible can and having interaction from the class. I ask them for their input on the subject.
I agree with the visulization style of teaching. Many students become bored with lectures unless the instructor can really make the class interesting by being creative.
