I'm not a big fan of powerpoint. I think it's a great way to put a bunch of people to sleep. There are certainly benefits but it's too passive a way of teaching to me.
I prefer to use bookmarks to actual websites that support my lecture. That way students can get a copy of the bookmarks and explore the topic further themselves on their own time on the internet.
Things like digg.com can help you organize a series of websites in a 'playlist' if you will and share them with others. It's a very good tool.
CR
Hi Julie:
Great! Variety, different media, frequent changes in methods delievery, to me, these keep attention and contribute to the student being engaged and more motivated to participate.
Regards, Barry
Hi Rennie:
Integrating variety multiple senses, and adding creative thinking or thought provoking adjuncts positively contribute to the overall learning experience.
When I read your post, the image of multiple ingredients being combined in a receipe came to mind, with the aroma, taste, and satiation of the finished entree. Fulfilling. Sounds like your class would be fun to participate in.
Regards, Barry
Hi Barry and class,
I select media based upon the subject matter. I try to have a variety of media for each course. I have used flip charts when we have team projects or discussions that require brainstorming sessions - ideas can be placed on the flip charts. I use PPPs when the subject matter is knowledge base and the power point acts as a visual tool for the lecture (less boring than just hearing someone speak). I also have a white board that can be used for special messages or team assignments - or key points for the lesson for the day.
In selecting instructional media for class, I attempt to use the motto - example per concept. For instance, while covering a chapter on the Medieval period, I will play a CD of a modernized Gregorian Chant versus the traditional while they are working on a crossword puzzle on the required vocabulary or key concepts of the content that day. Then, I will play that music back quietly while they are testing. This helps to address learning styles as well as the recall step in the memory process. Too, it is pertinent information and gives them additional exposure to content I may not have time to address in great detail. I may also have a quote on the board from a "thinker" of the day, perhaps a movie clip that shows "daily life" during the period to help the material come alive (i.e. Dangerous Liaisons and the morning "toilette", raising of chandaliers, communication by letter/written word). I also show additional images to help them build visual vocabulary - to teach them WHAT they are looking for and WHAT they would compare as they are quite unfamiliar with most of the content and appropriate approaches to a discussion of that content. (class is Humanities)
Hi Kimberly:
Yeah, we need to be to be focused just as much as the students.
Mixing it up provides variety, which students enjoy, involves diiferent parts of their brain, and stimulates learning and perhaps motivation and interest.
Regards, Barry
I enjoy mixing it up and choosing different methods of media... I get the students involved for example by letting them write on the white board. We sometimes go to the learning resource room to use the internet to look up certain topics. I try to use different methods not only to keep the students interested but also to keep teaching fresh for myself!
Hi Mike:
For your environment this is a great idea. It sounds like it's like a manual version of PPT "reveal" feature where gradually, point by point is revealed as the instructor progresses through their lesson.
I'm done something like that quite a few times. I've thought about taking a photograph of the board as a record of the day's lecture!
Regards, Barry
Hi Alphia:
Amazing! Garnder's multiple intelligencies put into practice (music smart). This sounds like a fun activity. I might wonder if some timid students might feel too shy to try this? Maybe they could be the ones that help with the synchronizing lyrics, while others are the performers. I am impressed.
Regards, Barry
I teach cooking techniques in a kitchen classroom, and the white marker board is our school's media of choice for that environment. I tend to take a two step approach in my use of the board. Before my students arrive, I make a very general ouline of what I am demonstrating and discussing in my lecture,along with a couple bullet points of what the students will be producing during lab. By keeping this brief, when my students arrive, they don't spend much time at all before class begins writing these things down. During my lecture and demonstration is when I go back and bit by bit fill in my general outline with specific pieces of information as I am covering the subject. I find that this works very well for the students' overall comprehension of that particular lesson's subject matter.
I use popular songs to entertain the class, by having them make a rap to the music using the medical term words. This is fun but also challenging, they learn and reatin the words for the exam.They respond to the challenge, and it is a fun way to learn. It works for anatomy.
Hi Chris:
Great! Matching media that can convey the ideas called for in the lessons is creative, more interesting, and will probably contribute to the student paying more attention better because the information is beneficial and ultimately improves their learning.
Regards, Barry
I select media by first identifying what the learning objectives are for a given course and then conducting research into the available media. For example, in my business ethics and the law course I have idenitifed several documentaries that involve specific case studies that we discuss throughout the course. This is another way of presenting the information to the students.
Hi DaVaria:
Very good. If you've earlier posts, you'll notice that PPT seems to work best under the conditions you are describing. PPT is just a tool and should not dominate the class. And reading the slides...no!
I like your tie-in to leraning styles because as you indicate, circulating about while lecturing affords you the opportunity to reach multiple learning types.
Regards, Barry
I enjoy using powerpoint because it allows me to touch on each learning style and show more personality. I get a chance to walk around and do examples with my tactile learners, the visual effects help my visual learners and those who learn best by a traditional lecture are able to listen.
Hi Patricia:
I've found the publisher's slides to be weak, even marginal. They provide plain looking slides and tend to simply summarize the information from the text. I think creating our own slides can be more colorful, informative, and interesting, and therefore, students will pay attention and tend to retain more of the essential content.
Discussion, engaging students, group study, class presenationtions, - these kinds of thinks create better information retention. When students are participating, they are going to learn more and retain more.
Regards, Barry
I use the author's textbook slides although I change a lot of them. In addition, I try to involve all senses if possible. I also think that humor is fun and games. I have great ideas for games and just need time to perfect them.
Hi John:
PPT can be a very powerful tool, but it can just as big of a distraction too. Poorly planned PPT's that don't inform can't compensate by appearing as a big bright image on the screen.
I think the best PPT's are those we create ourselves. have 5-5 main bullet points, a colorful bcakground with contrasting font color, and perhaps some images (photo's, charts, or graphs added for variety.
The worst PPT snafu I've seen is teachers who simply read the slides. It would be better to present a couple of points and then discuss in more detail with the class. I like it when the students get up and discuss points(and the teacher can always fill in missing information. Engaged students retain information better when they participate vs. passively sitting and listening.
Regards, Barry
Hi Darlene:
First off, I agree with you that, although the publisher may have included slides, they rarely are dramatic, colorful, or interesting to students. Sometimes, they're nothing more than dull outlines of chapters.
The answer is to create your own slides allowing you to add your special touch, include the information you want, import photo's, graphs and charts, and design the information to fit your class time or schedule. You can plan summarized bullet points with 4-5 main points per slide, then digress from the PPT and get into more detailed discussion with your class. I'm sure they'll find this is much more interesting than the scenario you described in your post.
Regards, Barry
I work at a technical training school and we have powerpoint slides included with our textbooks. I have tried using them in the past, but have found that the students are not as receptive to them. I find that most of them are wondering off mentally.
Do you have stratergies for keeping them engaged?
