attention span
how long should you try to "hammer" in a subject before you move on
Hi Tiffany - I agree completely. At my college we actually have a Faculty Development Seminar called "Burn the Podium". Best wishes - Susan
Depending on the material I am teaching I can tell when the students start getting that look and even some of the chapters bore me but this is when I have to challenge myself and find a way of making it fun and easy to learn. I do a lot of activities during class that will have them get up and move around. I try to give them short bursts of information. In cosmetology it is a little easier to keep the students attention because I can do theory and demonstate at the same time. As an instructor we don't just stand in front of a class and talk..we have to challenge ourselves to motivate and educate and do whatever we have to do to make sure our students learn the information so they can apply it in the field in a fun and exciting but structured way. And if you believe it and have a true passion for it...so will your students.
I think because of the different learning styles of students, some are going to get and some are not. However, your style of teaching to reflect a little bit of everybody's personality and then you will know just how much extra time the students who did not get the information needs.
I have this problem repeatedly. I have problems with students getting off topic also.
This is similar to my approach as well. I frequently will have lecture with PPT for visual and later a real-life video followed by demonstration and activity. It seems to keep the students interest as well as prevent boredom in the classroom.
Wow! One of my fears as well, but now that I have been reassured in relation to the amount of times people need to hear things, I will certainly look at things differently.
Hi Junior- Thanks for your post to the forum. you are definitely "mixing it up" which keeps your students from "zoning". Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
My approach is lecturing for 30 minutes, then having group discussion concerning the material. If that does not work, then I present the material again in a different manner, but then I add some of the learning points I gained from the small group discussion.
Hi Dave - Thanks for your post to the forum. Thanks also for a good reminder that we must constantly re-evaluate our instruction. If they are not "getting" it, we need to re-think how we are presenting "it". Reminds me of that famous expression - "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Never "hammer" a concept. If it is a concept that must be learned before moving on in the lesson plan then the teacher should assess the entire class on the concept and determine if it should be approached with a different delivery or if it should be managed by tutoring.
Hi Heidi-Jo- Thanks for your post to the forum. Too many faculty have only one delivery style - Lecture! As you mention, students really cannot absorb information delivered in that manner for extended periods of time. The answer? Make sure that your lesson plans contain exercises that will allow your students to move! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I totally agree Heidi-Jo. We had a conference last week and even as adults our minds started going else-where after 20 minutes. In response to the first post-to me you have to get to know each classmate and what their learning style is like. When you are going over one topic, make sure you get the info across in different ways. Not to make it take the entire class for one piece of information...but to try different avenues when lecturing. I also agree with everyone that the teacher needs to pull the students that need more help and ask them what way teaching method would be suit their needs.
The students should only sit for 20 minutes before getting up to move and "wake up their brain"
Hi Brian - Thanks for your post to the forum. You are doing a terrific job at getting your students involved in active learning. Having them do some research prior to engaging them in discussion makes them more confident to participate. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
To keep my students engaged I will introduce a topic and have them do quick on-line research, then we discuss in an open forum what they found. This really puts them in the middle of the learning.
I have heard some of my younger students (18-22 years) complain of being bored. However, when they take exams, they truly were not grasping the concepts. I took this as a perfect opportunity to give the lecture on listening, note taking, and actively participating in the lecture discussions.
I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD BE BRIEF AND TO THE POINT. MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE IS CLEAR AND CONSISTENT. MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE POINT WHERE IT ALLOWS THEM TO ASK WHAT THEY FEEL ARE NECESSARY QUESTIONS.
Hi Jay - excellent point! Unless a lecturer is absolutely riveting, hours of lecture can be awful. Varying delivery methods also makes things more interesting for faculty. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Most adult attention spans only last about 20 minutes.
So, at that point you might want to change your instruction method in order to vary your delivery method and keep everyone interested until all the students have mastered the topic at hand.
