Ways to stimulate
Due to the size of my class room, I have the students sitting in rows behind tables, facing the front.
As I lecture, I stand and emphasize points, as I discuss, I wander around the room, and when it is task oriented, the students move to the training area of the class room.
I have found that keeping them moving has assisted the learning process.
I am going to try some colored papers, etc. and see if that helps.
When I lecture I always move around the classroom to engage the students or to keep them focused. I I allow them to get up and participate in the lesson by using large stick iot's to recall information which makes it a game , playiing jepordy with the studets, and they love it!
I also have actual parts to demonstrate what i am teaching and will take them out to the lab during lecture to show ware the part is located and its function.
One thing I've tried that students really like is to ask a question as a review and throw the ball to a student who then has to answer the question. Then that student gets to choose a question for review and throw it to a classmate and do the same. It's as if they are taking a break, stretching, reviewing and having fun at the same time.
Moving about the room does help keep the learners focused. I struggle with time and fitting in all the information I am to cover in an hour and a half so adding visuals to the classroom can be a challenge at times. I do like the suggestion of including the learners help. This can decrease set up and break down time
In lab I like to stay in there the whole time, but allow my students to come and go if needed.
christopher,
this is a great point & one to emphasize to the students, whether they are in a lab project or even in a lecture. The periodic short breaks really help us reengage.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
As an lab assistant in a technical environment, I fully encourage students to take timely breaks to ensure they are refreshed when they return. I stress that fatigue can inhibit the learning process.
As an instructor at a technical school I often take the students to a studio for the first or second half of the class to keep them motivated and alert. It also reminds them of the goal they are trying to achieve.
Charles,
these are all great, inexpensive & easy to do ideas to help keep the attention & engagement.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
i do the same, i try to move around the room to keep the students attention and shift the focus around the room. i use color in the form of white board markers. i usually write in blue, black or green and important points in red.
Tracey,
the movement around the classroom is a great way to get the students engaged & to really include everyone.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I also walk around the classroom to ensure I am engaging the students and find it is also successful to have an interactive classroom. They are encouraged to join in the conversation with personal experiences if a topic is familiar to them.
Technical topic and mecanical topic can be boring. I like to have actual parts, new and defective. This gives the student a chance to see and hold real world parts and as needed identify why a part would not function proberly.
Marcia,
this is a great point & really there are many creative & inexpensive ways that we can incorporate the senses into the classroom.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Using the five senses to stimulate perception is a huge success in the classroom. The use of color gets the emotions involved.Creativity motivates the students own self esteem. Hands-on allows participation and engagement of all students.
James,
yes, we should help our students by having them get up & move every so often, even if that is just some small group or paired discussion.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
