Appropriate use of questioning techniques stimulates thinking, encourages interaction, increases opportunities to clarify and explore new lines of thinking and understanding.
Time/task management of the total learning activity period is crucial. Mixing up the agenda, ensuring critical content is covered yet sprinkling the session with several different activities to keep the overall activity fresh and engaging. I prefer 10 - 15 minute segments with directed activity (Housekeeping, Announcements, Assignment Explanations, Mini-Lecture, Q&A, etc. ). It keeps everyone on-track and focused.
Hi Jennifer,
I agree with you about helping students to see the relevancy and application of what they are learning. Content can be shared through the mini-lectures but they need to be provided with activities that lets them apply what they are learning. This is how skill is developed and knowledge expanded.
Gary
I agree with mini-lectures to get through the chapters, but I would think that using what we have read/learned is much more effective and engages the students in their learning. I feel that lecture is the same-old and students lose interest. They can read the chapters but by being involved with the lecture/activities it will keep them more excited to learn.
Strategies in my mind for keeping students in learning is by if i can shorten my lectures and make it some kind of exciting. One of the most factor of not getting students attention or no participation or those long lectures, reading and not using other material to show students.
Several others have mentioned about vary the presentation method but I also feel that the students have to be involved. I have found that adult learners want to play a bigger role in the learning process. They also feel a need to reinfoce what they learn through different methods. I very often have them research a topic on-line after a mini-lecture to find examples of what the presented material covered.
Hi Jantez,
What are some of the strategies you use to keep your students engaged in the learning process?
Gary
Keepins students can be difficult. However, if they are included as a part of the process of learning they will be engaged. I use short lectudres and ask students to work in small groups to explain information we are discussing or have read.
There are various strategies for keeping students engaged. One strategy is stopping frequently and checking in with the students. Along with that, asking them to answer questions or work through a problem shows if they are following the lecture and learning the material. When I can, I tie the lecture directly to a particular student (e.g., if we are discussing an activity relevant to a business owner, I'll ask a student who is a business owner to comment on that topic).
Varying strategies for maintaing student interest and attention.
Hi Jeff,
These sound like very good ideas for keeping students engaged in the learning process. As you say your options are limited when teaching online, but I see you are still bringing creativity and innovation to your instruction.
Gary
I teach online with a presentation. As such, my options are limited. But I try to include the following techniques to keep people engaged. These techniques include proper definitions of techniques, real world examples, many examples of math problems with all steps shown, use of animation to keep the preso lively. I also include elements of math history to break it up a little. I also use humor to keep people engaged. Variety seems to be quite effective.
Randomly I will request from a student to share a personal experience related to the topic at hand. This method requires them to focus and allows them to feel the "team player" emotion during class time.
Hi Courtney,
Spoken like a great instructor. You know what works with your students and how to keep them engaged in the process of learning. I know your students enjoy your classes and having you as an instructor.
Gary
Hi Juan,
This is a great approach to the classroom. You are offering change of pace, variety and inspiration to your students. These are essential if you are going to keep them focused on the course and what their career goals are.
Gary
Hi Jason,
Taking your approach to the classroom makes it a lot easier to be an instructor. Students like variety as you know so by bringing it to them you are helping them to be more engaged and excited about their studies.
Gary
In my experience it is apparent that not only, eye-contact with each student, as well as "not sitting" during lecture but more so expressing my personal/professional experiences on the topic is affective. Students seem to retain and I see the "eyes light up" with some new understanding for them from hearing my experiences. I think this is more interesting by being an "application" and of course I can "adlib" my own comedy into it as well, which always helps the students relax and see that I'm a regular person like them.
"Lighthearted self-deprecation mixed with obvious mastery of your topic is a good combo, I have found"
I have found that too, although I could have never describe it so accurately!
I also know that When appropriate, a dash of irony and/or linking lecture material with current events can work wonders too.
I teach music and music software. My students are, obviously, big music enthusiasts. One of the most effective ways of keeping them engaged is to relate the topic I'm teaching with a well known album or band. For example: "This is what U2 used in their latest album". They are thrilled by the fact that they learning the the very same tools and techniques that some of the people they admire.
Generally, I've also found that having at least two problem-solving situations per class will keep them interested and focused. Students usually like challenge, and in my trade there is room for countless problematic situations (misbehaving software, mismatching cables, settings and calibration of components, etc.). By being able to solve these problems, the students feel and are empowered to operate their equipment more efficiently.
When it comes to deliver lectures, after a 10-15 minutes of exposing the material, I sum it up in a brief paragraph and/or graphic, and then answer and ask a few questions regarding the lecture. Then I tell them we'll move onto the next subject and set the mood by telling them what is about and what will allow them to do. This closure of the lecture allows me to divide my topics clearly and it also allows the students to mentally "catch their breath" before starting to learn a new subject.
I prefer to do more hands-on, out of the box, sorts of exercises. There is absolutely nothing worse (and unfortunately more common) than standing there and reading slides to students.
I find that anything that you can do to shake up the vanilla classroom experience will make things stick better for the students.
Keep students engaged in learning by having different types of interactive learning activities.
