Hi Susan,
Once students can establish there is a relationship to the material and their career choice the interest really sparks.
Patricia
I think it would be appropriate to first speak one on one with inattentive students and get them to explain their objection for taking the course. A lot can be discovered using interpersonal communication.
I try with relating the material to their career choice and including their assessment of the material.
I like to take students on field trips as well, one time we went on a field trip, and the next chapter made all of the information more true to life, because they were able to envision the entire server room and not just one rack server that was pictured in the book.
I find that sometimes a short story or a funny joke will engage students, especially if it is something very relevant to their focus area.
I call on them and ask them to read a paragraph or two from the book or read from the PowerPoint slides I am presenting.
I use many techniques to keep students interested in the material. I point out the relevancy of the material to either their careers or personal lives. I try to use different teaching methods to address the different ways in which people learn, including plenty of visuals, models and props, small group exercises, new forms of technology and games. Because most of our students are very young, I cater to short attention spans by breaking lecture into 15 minute chunks followed by an activity that reinforces lecture.
I agree! Students are so interested in things that flash before them, just putting your lecture info into a brightly colored powerpoint seems to turn on their thinking caps!
Hi Francis,
Mixture is good. I love the use of a question/answer session. The session keeps students on their toes.
Patricia
Hi Jody,
Breaks are important. We want to work them hard, but we need to play hard as well. You get more from students by giving them small breaks.
Patricia
Hi Susan,
I like the idea of the bell ringer. How do you use it to capture attention? I am just thinking, simply ring it.
Patricia
Hi Willis,
Students can quickly tell when you have a love for the profession/subject. Excitement shows from the instructor, which in turn rubs off on the students.
Patricia
Hi Gregory,
Variety is good! This generation of students get really interested whenever technology is involved. I also like talking about the money they will make every opportunity I get to generate excitement.
Patricia
To the extent that I can, I try to bring in technology to my classroom. Modern students have a knack for interactive online material. It also just mixes things up a bit.
I try to convey the passion and fascination I have for the subject I am teaching.Learning has no chance in a climate where knowledge and its pursuit are not taken seriously
Hi Emily,
Absolutely! The course should be challenging enough to make the students think and work hard, but it shouldn't be too difficult so that students are unable to understand.
Patricia
I try to use various media, use of a bell ringer, small and large group discussion relative to the real world.
Ways an instructor can capture the students attention is by taking the time to prepare for your lecture/demo by looking at the course content to see if the delivery is too difficult or easy. Students should be challenged but you also don't want to go over their heads.
I usually make a point of calling on them during the class. I also like to have them explain what we are doing with our computers in class and how that relates to working.
These students frustrate me. I don't understand why they want to pay for a class and then not pay attention. If I'm paying for mu classes, I want to get my monies worth.
I have many years of experience in the field, so I try to relate stories to our class discussions. I find most students like the stories and I try to relate why what we are trying to learn is important in "real life". I am also trying to break up lecturing by doing more group activiites and small breaks more often.
