I due the same with my students they show more interest in practicing with the training material or practicing the procedure. My students actually like that,it motivates them to due hands on more and they understand more the concept.
Hi Joe- You are wisely letting them use the information that you have just given them in hands on activity which will aid in retention. Great! Best wishes - Susan
I will take students out to lab and have them gather around a training aid with items I just talked about in class. I will then asked questions about a paticular item. This seems to really spark there interest, now they can see what I was talking about and learn from the questions while visually seeing it. It also motivates them for the upcoming lab.
I use a combination of questioning techniques. Sometimes I use a general "toss up" question to the class. Other times, I pose a question by calling on a particular student and then further the discussion by asking what another student thinks about the first response.
Preparing the students ahead of time that questions will be asked. The attention level is higher for students who are expecting to be called upon.
I usually ask questions in between my lectures, so I can get there attention! Questions like " can someone explain me what that means?" or "can someone recall that from another chapter what we discussed?" to make a link between the chapters.
Most of the time I get everyone to participate because everyone knows something until we have the subject well done, sometimes they even have to due a little study case with there partner or in a group.
Hi Kathleen- welcome to ED 103! I'm excited to have an instructor who also teaches online! How do you like it? Do you also teach onground? Best wishes - Susan
In an online environment where there are online discussions, it is great to pose a general question to all learners to engage them. It also opens up the opportunity for them to ask me questions about the particular case study or article. In a "lecture hall" I ask the learners questions concerning the content of the assignments to assist them in thinking more deeply about the issues contained in the assignment. Kathleen
Hi Jason - When students feel that their input is valued theyare much more likely to participate in discussions. Susan
Engaging the students in class discussions is one of my favorite aspects of being a teacher. I find that by creating an environment where the students feel comfortable enough to ask questions, followed by a well supported response from the instructor is always a recipe for success. I also find that the subject material being taught by the instructor must be consistent and follow exactly what the course syllabus and outline describe from the first day of class. I also think that the instructor must portray a high level of expertise when leading class discussions. I also feel that asking the students what their point of view is on certain topics helps to give them a level of confidence that will provide them with a solid foundation for their futures in the industry.
In culinary kitchen labs, I have the class broken down into 3-5 production groups, depending on class size. I have found that when you pose questions and then allow time for group discussion, then have the group report their results, more students get involved. The less aggresive and vocal students are more likely to speak within their smaller production group, and the more vocal students are more than happy to report the group responses to the class as a whole
Hi Ray - What a great idea! You ar eobviously a very caring instructor. Best wishes - Susan
Using wait time is a technique that works well. Another technique I like to try is- If I have a quiet/shy student I sometimes will question him/her during a one on one situation during production in my lab type class. I'll ask the question again at the end of class during review and call on that student to answer it. Since the student has had a chance to 'reherse and refine' their answer with the instructor, other otherwise quiet students start to take part in any discussions that ensue.
I ask for their own family background belief system.
I ask if anyone has visited this particular country so that we can get inspired of their stories.
Sometimes if all else fails i tell them that their partipation is part of their daily grade.
In culinary, somedays they have no questions of need so i will call on them individually and tell the entire class the process and techniques involved in making a particular dish...........works everytime and usually get lots of questions
Hi Jim - Welcome to ED 103! You are obviously a very empathetic instructor. You care about how your students are feeling in your classroom. Students who feel comfortable and cared about are obviously more likely to do well. Keep up the good work! Best wishes - Susan
Good questioning techniques require one to not make the student feel like they are on the spot and feel intimidated, but feel good that they can answer a question. Start off asking questions you know they can answer, get them warmed up, then ask questions that you think are relavent. Another way to get the questioning going is to have the students ask each other questions, this can get let you know what they know, or would like to know.
Hi Peter - Welcome to ED 103! Almost everyobne enjoys talking about their own experiences so that is an excellent way to get everyone involved in the discussion! Best wishes! Susan
Real life and fun experiences makes this topic easier to get to. As a Chef Instructor, most people have tried their hands at cooking, so using that guideline and making it a good/bad personal experience scenario, I usually find that it breaks the ice and gets them ALL sharing their experiences, which opens up the forum for the rest of the class.It is not about right or wrong, but about sharing and participating.
Sharing a real story or event to my students directly related to the material, I find out students become more interested. At the same time, I usually get more students' responses to my questions in this situation.
Today as we were making potato salad I didn't specify whether or not we would make our own mayonnaise. We had made fresh mayo a week ago and I had explained that our purpose of making mayo was to understand the "emulsion" process; not to put major commercial manufacturers out of business.
I "fished " around a bit for questions and fairly quickly one of the students asked if they should prepare mayonnaise. It gave me an opportunity to reiterate past info and clarified the question for everyone.
