Hi Dominic,
What tips do you utilize that are different to get your students excited and involved about the course?
Patricia
These are excellent tips!
I use power point that I have added many pictures that relate to the the subject matter. The pictures have really been great because it gets them excited about seeing things that they have never seen before.
I ask them
1. Why they're in school in the first place, and then
2. Why they think this course is important -- and I usually get at least a few saying "because it's required," which is a great opportunity to talk about why we have requirements; and then
3. To help come up with reasons that what's covered in the course is going to help them
It's a great first day getting to know you exercise, and it helps get them into what the course is about.
I focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. Many times students come in confused and nervous. Show them the opportunities that the knowledge of the content is going to offer in the future. That creates excitement.
Real-world examples, anecdotes, and skill application are key motivators. I also use unlikely sources--tell them to look out the window and use something they can see as a discussion point relating to topic material. I find ways to introduce material which will be memorable as an inciting incident or trigger.
I like to relate and link the information in the course to other courses and to real life examples. When students see that there is greater value than what they thought in learning the material, it motivates them to go deeper and have "buy-in."
Hi Trina,
1) Share practical experience pertaining to a topic
2) Explain to them fully how they would benefit from the course in the workplace
3) Take students on a field trip applicable to a lesson(s)
How do you go about getting students excited about course content?
Patricia
How would you go about getting students excited about course content. List at least three examples.
Hi Sarah,
What a great way to get students motivated, and it is directly applicable to the lesson. Students get it whenever tangibility is related to content.
Patricia
I use assignments where students need to bring something to class that relates to the content for a particular class. Sometimes that something is an article, adverticement, commercial (youtube), sales encounter, product they have or any number of things. Since I mostly teach marketing classes, most students can easily find relavant things and it personalizes the content.
Hi Tim,
I tell my students we will work as hard as we play, and we will play hard. Incorporating fun while working is a great combination. I find my students to be very productive while having fun.
Patricia
Hi Lucy,
Theory is good and students need it, but whenever the course can be put into practical perspective students tend to develop a great sense of excitement.
Patricia
Hi Nicole,
What do you do as an instructor to get your students excited to get involved?
Patricia
ask the students to get involved, ask them their input on the course materials
I think the more work experiences you can share with the students the more real and less theoretical the material becomes. It helps the student realize the significance and relavence of the msterial
I use examples of where the course content has helped myself and others succeed in the workplace, and let htem know we will work hard but have fun as well.
Hi Lindsay,
Too much of anything can become borain. Students love and enjoy variation in teaching methods. We need to mix things up to keep our students excited.
Patricia
Agreed!
As a new instructor I have noticed this helps so much. Power Point is sometimes necessary, but can be boring. I tried to mix up my tone last week in class and I could tell it made a big difference!
Getting students excited about course content is sometimes a little difficult when you are teaching microsoft office applications. The first thing I try and do is keep the atmosphere light. Computer programs can be difficult to learn for some students, so keeping it light works out well. I read a quote somewhere from one of the pioneers of the modern computer, I don't know if it was Gates or Jobs, but it was said that without a killer app their little computer would be worthless. This is true with any device, electronic or otherwise. So one of my first goals is to find the killer app that will make the students eyes light up.This could be different for each student, but it is a necessity to keep them interested. Can you keep everybody interested? No, but then you have a challange to keep yourself interested. What do you do to keep your students engaged?
