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Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Assessments

What is a good range of "just enough and on target asssessments" for a class?

Content Delivery Online

When teaching an online course it can be difficult to switch up how your content is delivered. You can accomplish this by assigning group projects or introducing different forms of technology like prerecorded messages to your class.

First Impessions - Be Approachable

It is important when you meet your class to let them know right away that you are approachable and there to help and guide them through the class.

When the Text is Choosen for You...

It can be hard to facilitate a class if the text your are using is not one you have choosen. If the text is dry you need to find ways to call out the key topics/learnings for the students to help them get engaged.

Being Consistent and Fair

If you tell your students that late assignments are not accepted you need to follow your rule. As an instructor you will inevitably get a student or four that miss a homework assignment and want to turn it in late. It can be hard to tell someone that you are unable to accept their assignment even though they had some issues but it is the right thing to do.

Course content

How do you choose which material to focus on when you feel certain material is more important that other material when in reality it is all important because the material is inter-connected?

Content Delivery

I teach a traditional class in a college that is geared to more hands on approaches toward tech and fashion. What are some ways I can get students more interested in a class that is very general a broad as far as content without having to dive too deep into the topics. The class is political science and to be honest, a class each term could be taught on each topic in poli sci.

first impressions

On the first day of class, it is obvious who knows who based on who the students sit next to in class. How do you propose to use the influence that the "cliques" have on each other for good performance in the class?

essay tests and short answer.

I have found that a short answer quiz each week allows the business student with some factual content. At Mid-term and at the final I use an essay format to expand their thoughts after a series of short answer quizzes.

CAT's

I am a big believer in CAT's after I used this technique recently.

Students with Learning Challenges

As a professor with dyslexia, I'm particularly sensitive to the ways in which we can modify our instruction to assist students with particular learning challenges. I'm always eager to hear new strategies for helping students. I currently have two students with ADD who have difficult processes all of the requirements of the courses they're in, so for each new assignment, they read the requirements, then rephrase them back to me to be sure they understand what's required of them and ask any questions that have come up. It's helped both students complete their assignments. I'd love to hear any other ideas from instructors who've had experience working with students in this situation

model(Dress code)

Our institution requires a no jean policy along with no hats and no printed shirts. However, in my field of computer graphics a good pair of jeans and a sportcoat or nice shirt with or without print is called for. My question is , should an institution take more consideration of what the dress could in a work enviornment actualy is rather then following its own set of dress codes?

attention

What is the best way to keep a students attention when changing to another type of teaching technique? Especially if leaving the student’s preferred type learning?

Electronics in the Classroom

I have students who want to use laptops in the classroom. Although a good tool, I find that they navigate from the lesson and are checking email, etc. What are standard policies on electronics in the classroom, including cell phones.

Mixing it up

The majority of the learning in my school occurs in a lab setting with students completing graded projects. We do use the classroom to cover theory and business practices. Most of the students are hands on and do not respond well to lectures so I use a white board write out important points while I'm speaking. I also use it to draw diagrams and examples to match the students' handouts. Using questioning has helped tremendously as well. After asking a question I write the various answers on the board and discuss each one with the entire class. In less than a week I have already noticed a large increase in participation.

Using tests in design curriculum

Many designers do not test well and no matter what the format, it can be fairly unsuccessful. Essay and descriptive tests can be more effective when testing student knowledge as well as project outcomes. This is practical evidence of student learning.

Dealing with "that group"

We have all seen it happen, whether we randomly create learning teams, or allow students to form their own groups; eventually “that group” will form. The group that will offer tremendous social interaction, get along well, and be completely off task. This group will look forward to the interaction they have with each other, and will make some headway on the project, but will in many cases provide the weakest outcomes when the project comes due. Or “that group” may take the full opposite approach and take no interaction on their own, and try to assemble a project from pieces done by team members in seclusion. I have personally seen the phenomenon occur in everything from students attending their first class to seniors in their final term. Often as instructors group projects and learning teams signify a reduction in direct contact with students. This should not be the case; even in stepping away from the traditional teaching experience it is important to review milestones and interactions in the group. Often this means re-exerting a sense of purpose, and identifying where issues are occurring. If there are personality conflicts in the group, arbitrating a solution; if there are focus problems, helping the students reestablish their goals; and sometimes just reminding them of deadlines they must meet. It is very common that students feel they are carrying others in the group, but checking frequently on who is responsible for different tasks, and remaining a part of the experience can help the students learn important social skills. In the same way we should never explain away a bad experience by accusing the student of being a poor student, nor should we ever let ”that group” founder without direction.

Not sitting behind a desk

It is so much more effective for an instructor to move around the class and away from the desk because you are connecting more with the students and also you are more accessable to them , they feel like they are able to ask questions and you will have better communication with them.

Developing movement and delivery styles

One thing I have noticed is that delivery styles often have to be tailored to the room and students that a class is held in. We often have instructors who have "favorite rooms" not only for technological reasons but also because we understand how to move within the space and that we have developed a comfort level within the space. I have found that when teaching in a new space if I can get accustomed to the room before delivery it helps me when I have to start teaching. I also try to gage factors like the time of day, level of the student, and type of course to really determine the best way to deliver material as all of these can be keys to engaging a class. A senior level class at 8:00 am is much different than an 8:00 class of freshmen. These strategies have to evolve over the term to provide the best classroom experience.

Tests

I think making the tests is quick and easy. It can be done through a test bank, b ut I usually get my questions from the first few sentences in pertinent paragraphs.