I ask these students questions, if they consistently do not know the answer I require them to meet me during break or after class.
Most of the time the reason is, "because I am tired". I explain to them how important the knowledge of the class is and reiterate how this will help them in other classes and their career.
Hi Gale,
Students love it when the instructor knows their name. Calling a student by their name is certainly an attention grabber.
Patricia
my usual class size is under 10 students ...i tell them on day one that most of my class will be open discussion..and we start that on day one by learning about each other I really think having an open discussion class keeps everyone attentive...i usually go over topics and then provide some of my on the job experience..then i ask them to provide some of their personal experiences...it seems to work well
I try to capture a student's attention by mentioning his/her name during my lecture or by standing closer to that student. These are only a few suggestions.
Hi Glenn,
I like how you make your students feel like their responses are relevant, and they matter by allowing their answers to be used as good discussion for the course. When students feel like they are contributing to the lecture, they become more attentive.
Patricia
Hi Kim,
Use PowerPoint presentations, have group teaching from students, use guided notes, role play various concepts, and use simulations.
Patricia
I am a new instructor. I am struggling with what to do to make lecture interesting when I found the chapter to be boring or inapplicable myself. What resource materials can I turn to to do something other than lecture in these situations.
Hi Mark,
When students are broken up into smaller work groups they seem to be held more accountable.
Patricia
I think I see what you mean. Require them to use their devices to compare answers as we work on problems or issues in class. We might almost get 2 related discussions going at once.
Break the class up into smaller work groups.
One way to capture their attention is visual aides.
I like the idea of the use-wisely cards. You can also use these as extra credit points for the quiet students. This way it helps the whole class. It limits the talkative students and motivates the quiet student to speak up.
The most contructive approach I have found is to be relevant, have a personal buy in what I am sharing. I incorporate some of the techniques shared that requires their involvement. I put them on the spot but not by humiliating them. I take the input they share then find a way of expanding on it giving them a sense that they have the capacity to be involved in the discussion and that they don't need to have a complete answer. It's all about sharing and I try to force that concept on them all the while trying to maintain a collabrative learning environment.
I capture the attention of inattentive students by sharing a real life work related experience that recently occurred. This example helps recapture their attention and I try to incorporate humor to help make it fun.
Thank you
Hi Dale,
Your institution should really like into a no cell phone policy during class time. I have it at my institution, and it works beautifully. In the workplace, if they are not allowed to text and do not abide by rules, they will be terminated.
Patricia
Hi George,
Keeping students on their toes is a great way to capture attention. I like to do pop quizzes too to force students to stay attentive.
Patricia
Hi Maria,
Generation Y becomes really bored with just lecture. The instructor has to add variety to teaching methods so that students stay engaged. I like to include as much technology with my teaching methods as possible because this is the big wave with Generation Y.
Patricia
Inattentiveness are caused by a variety of things. Some students are tired because they are just coming off work. Some are distracted because of facebook or messages in the cellphones. I tell all of them to put away all these gadgets that are causes distraction and focus on their work. Group work and team groupings often work as oppose to listening to the instructor just talk.
I am sure most of the instructors are trying to get students attention from the first minuete of the class start but sometimes by variety of reasons we are able to see from the distanse that some of them are having a sweet conversation with others, some are looking at their cellphones and etc.,
Honestly, as an instructor it is hard for me to look at someone in the class who is during a very interesting and useful topic are busy with thei stuff.
For different situations I have already diffeerent treatments :sometimes I will stop make a pause then the class is looking at someone who is still talking and show them that is enough stop talking we are here paying a big money to learn.
at a different situation more personally I would call student at break time trying to understand why him or her became so unattentve and many other treatments are there.By the way thse students are making you to be so creative in this kind of situation.
Thank you.
I sometimes pose questions to the class and if the that doesn't work , I directly ask the student what they think about the issue.
