I would try to incorporate valid memory research into the classroom to try and provide the best student learning environment possible. The student must be able to remember and learn from their daily activities and information, but they certainly are learning a lot form a variety of classes at one time. The instructor should be able to effective help students more easily match and learn concepts.
I use backward-chaining intuitively from time to time. The lesson has convinced me that learners would benefit if i used it much more consistently. In my programming classes specifically, i find students not seeing the big picture and how it makes it difficult for them to remain motivated to learn the details that lead to the final product.
I'm definitely going to do more review of techniques which always seems to slip through even though they actually perform them. I'm also going to try and overview for them before we start so that they now where they are going, and support that with peripheral materials.
Hi Oliver!
I have always that self esteem is directly tied to positive learning outcomes. Self esteem is about positive self thoughts.
As I reflect on many of the responses by course participants, I am beginning to identify a handful of tried and proven educational process.
Self worth
Group process
Eye contact
Student and instructor learning from each other
as well as others
But isn't it interesting that these are about communication skills.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I teach a fashion history class covering western history to Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. I find by relaying the information and tying it with a bit of the contemporary they identify with adds a connection to the memory. For example, "Don't kill the messager" a phrase we use today comes from an Anient Greek story that caused change in dress. Students tend to remember the stories and trivia and relate them to the garments in discussion.
I will try to incorporate more important information into beginnings of class for more retention.
I find the material interesting with regards to the Pygmalion effect. I have always thought positive thinking improves results. The information chunking idea is good and I will more than likely use this line of thinking. More happy thoughts
Since I am administration and rarely get to teach anymore, I'll use this information to assit our instructors. We routinely run pilot courses and evaluate them. our evaluation plans are much more detailed and complicated than those discribed in this course, but several techniques such as chunking, memory theory and backwords chaining pertain to what we do. When we develop evaluation plans these are already considered, but will be reviewed with the instructors, institutional effectiveness department and curriculum developers to improve our products.
I am going to only use positive ideas and words in tomorrows class to see what the outcome is.
Great approach Ron!
When instructors establish high expectations of students, success typically follows. I have found the most difficult student can often be the most successful because someone has believed in them.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
Hi Duffy!
Indeed, repetition is a key to learning and retaining information. Do you have some special techniques that you use in your classroom to help your students maximize retention?
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
Backwards chaining is a great concept that I will implement in the classroom
I think the Pygmalion Effect is one of the strongest concepts that we can utilize. I have worked with students for a good while now, and it is important to point out that you understand how difficult a subject can be but that you are there to help them make it through. I have had the opportunity to point this out in both my classes and in new student orientations and it reinforces the drive to complete the course. By acknowledging that achieving a goal can be hard, and pointing out the highpoints along the way, you are helping them set themselves up for success, and giving them a baseline to work from. This makes it easy to coach students through exercises and projects because you have already established that relationship from the beginning.
i agree - irony come across as sarcasm and is a poor way to deliver information. the information conveyed in the course ought to be interesting enough without dressing it up as something edgy.
memory comes from experience and the student's retention of information requires exposure to that information multiple times during any course. memory research supports this: repetition aids memory.
I have learned that many of my procedures are in line with memory research. However, learning more about the theory will inspire me to emphasize those procedures. I will re-think how I use primacy and recency in class. I will do more with uniqueness to keep things fresh.
I like the idea of front loading the most important material first, and crafting the class time to create learning/memory opportunities for the various learning styles. Being more aware of my word choices will also help. I remember in grad school one of our professors had a saying: "Don't be ironic. Students don't get it." I have seen the wisdom of this advice even with younger, edgier students. A little irony goes a very long way. Students are strangely sensitive and irony can trigger the reptilian response in seconds flat.
My students tend to always forget at least one element of the projects or assignments, so I will make sure that I have as many visuals as i can to assist them. Maybe have colors that may assist and make when we are having work time, let soft calming classical or jazz music play as I repeat what is needed before they leave for the day. when I was in school my professor told me that smell triggers memories but I have to see what I can do about that
I will try to give the most important information in the beginning of class then repeat it at the end. I will try the method where I teach in reverse. I teach drawing so I would take students to the Museum and show them drawings and talk about the things in the drawings I expect to see in their drawings.
Good morning Vinita!
I like your idea of group quizzes. Would you please provide a little more detail on how you make this work?
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
I do hold group quizzes in the beginning of the class. I keep changing the group members. This way everybody reads before hand. I also tell them to introduce themselves.
Story telling brings in primacy during my lectures.
I tell them jokes related to the subject. It makes learning much easier. I have clip art, which is good for visual learner.
I will introduce many things to improve my way of teaching.
