Visual
Visual aid and white board seem to help me get the content across to my students. Them actually seeing something can be the difference in them really getting it.
As I tell my students (interior design graduate students), it does not matter how well you draw, only that you get your point across. You could prick your finger and draw something in blood. As long as someone was able to understand what you are trying to communicate, it is a good drawing. Creepy maybe, but good.
I find how memorable an image is matters more than how good it is when it comes to using images to cement ideas in their heads. You don't want to use anything shocking or offensive, but the stronger the better. Sometimes even non sequitur type images are successful if you can verbally tie them back to the concept. It is fun stuff when you really get into it.
Layout of a classroom is important to help with your visual learners. Seating so that all in the class can see and hear when in lecture and when there is a demonstration for there next activities.
Couldn't agree more Mr. Howard! I also think that it would be more beneficial to the students learning experience if we could utilize power point presentations and maybe have a few models of the projects the students are working on so we would be able to explain things in further detail.
Talking about it and actually seeing make or break the student in being able to understand visually. I like to draw out illustrations to give them an idea of what it is we are discussing
using the white board can be helpful in explaining the function of different lines in blue print reading.
Agreed Mr. James I like to also illustrate on the board to the class. I feel as when I need to explain some thing I can do better by drawling it than using my hands. Well of course we do weld and not finger weld.
Ronald,
this is an excellent point & one I had not thought of. Use the really good sites as examples for lay out.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I have taken hints from facebook and google to use simple layouts with extensive use of warmer colors such as white, blue, and gray.
When my students come to the clinical site and start putting into practice the concepts they have been learning in class, they really grasp what they have been learning. This is where they can use equipment and different modalities to instruct and give therapy to patients.
LOL...Youre right james however some of us are far better artistically on the white boards than myself...Hopefully our institution will soon get us the projectors and powerpoint weve been hearing about for so many years
I like to use them too. I also use visual aids such as pictures of the heart and project them onto the screen during lecture.
James,
yes, & they each have their own purpose which can help the variety of learners that we have.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
