I have found that keeping lectures to a minimum, usually no longer than twenty minutes helps students from engaging in off task activities. I tend to circulate around the room and make frequent eye contact with each student assists in keeping students involved in the lesson.
Performing group activities such as collaborating on a case study or another relevant activity encourages cooperative learning and also helps students remain engaged in the learning process. I've found that the less that down time when transitioning between activities reduces off task behaviors.
I also think that learning each students name and showing an interest in the student as a person can increase motivation and class participation.
Stephanie,
Good strategiy. I think stories, case studies, past experiences, interesting, funny, or amazing events seem to nearly always catch the attention of students who've momentarily lost their focus. Afterwards, back to the lesson.
Barry Westling
I usually get off task students to reengage in the course by relating the class to real life situations. If they are talking about food; I find a way to relate my class to their interest at the time.
Renee,
This sounds like a very interesting method to involve students in their own learning. I'm sure the students enjoy this activity and probably look forward to times it is scheduled.
Barry Westling
I might attempt to get students reengaged in the class by breaking them up into small groups and have them role-play a case study related to the content. All students would be involved in developing a plan for the role-play: I could have some of the students participate in the role play presentation, some act as observers (having to later report back to the group what they observed), and then have everyone in the group discuss what was helpful or not-so-helpful by participating in the role-play group activity (with one reporter from each group sharing their thoughts with the class).
Dawn,
Yes, a little bit of humor can regather everyone and get their focus back to attention. I've stopped in a lesson and told stories that may be humorous or interesting - something that is loosley related to our topic. Then, with that short mental break behind us, we're ready to go back to it.
Barry Westling
Cynthia,
Too, students can feel unprepared, be ill, feel lost, distracted by other things (homelife, financial, family issues, etc.), or not even interested in the class lesson for whatever reason. It's good to have a Plan-B to fall back on in order vto maintain an effective class session.
Barry Westling
Cynthia,
I really like variety in our classrooms. It keeps students interested and helps with keeping them engaged. Even with regularly planned activities, breaking the segments into separte parts during the day is one form of variety without adding something different - just different sequencing.
Barry Westling
Humor is often the most effective way I have found to reengage students. Then the task becomes how to keep them that way. If I feel there is a problem, I will ask the students if they are having difficulty, and they are very good about answering honestly. I immediately change directions. Once we have tried a new approach I will check with them again to see if it is working better for them. If the answer is yes, we continue. If they're still having trouble, we redirect. My current group of students is very professional in behavior, so this approach works quite well.
Students become off-task or disengaged when they do not feel that that they are part of the learning experience. At that point, it is necessary for the instructor to engage the students in the lesson. This can be done by worksheet that has the students apply what they have learned, a case study, or a hands-on activity. This a an instructor's plan B!
Students can become bored with a stagnet, unchanging teaching method. In order to capture student focus, it is necessary to use a variety of methods. Teaching/learning success is more likely if the students experience a variety of teaching methods to accommodate their learning styles and break the boredom.
Rochelle,
This is a good idea. Small group discussions are effective in conveying needed information via peer sharing which, as you say, allows weaker students to blend in a bit easier without attention focused on them. This is also a great way for students to learn in general, whether off task or not.
Barry Westling
I like to use small-group in-class assignments and game-type review sessions to re-engage off-task students. In most cases I've experienced, the off-task students tend to be the same one or two students who are, unfortunately, at an educational disadvantage when they begin the quarter. To deal with the task at-hand of trying to help this type of student gain some sense of success, the small-group and game-type activities help the students to regroup and engage without embarrassing them.
Mitali,
This sounds like a great approach and shows you're thinking about the students level of interest and engagement, while making it a bit fun while you're at it.
Barry Westling
I would break up the class into small groups of 3-4 students and give them a case study or topic to brainstorm/troubleshoot and have them explain and justify why they would choose such options. Also, I may allow them to make a choice out of certain activities like hangman, jeopardy so they can have a fun/interesting time but learn as well.
David,
Yes, these all work great to get and keep the student focus. Sometimes just a little doing something a different way is all that is necessary. Other times, it may take a whole change up to another activity. Night class instructors often have this challenge of keeping their students engaged the whole period, and I've found variety with just little ways of doing something different can recapture the groups attention.
Barry Westling
One can reengage students by introducing change. New tasks, delivery methods, activities, and/or approaches will cause students to refocus their attentions on the objective at hand.
Michael,
If we can personalize instruction, stronger students can work ahead, serve as peer tutors, or just work ahead. Weaker students can get needed attention from their instructors. Most days, I try to have planned "loose time" that I can use to stretch out my instruction if I need to, or use the time for group discussion, summarizing, review, or let student get a head start on homework. The flex time is great fo making adjustments when the class runs longer or shorter than planned.
Barry Westling
One problem with assigning a time to finish is if there are students with varyied abilities. Sufficient time for some may not be enough for others.
Terry,
This is a terrific idea. One cool part of it is the use of peer tutorial. It's interesting that stronger students can convey material to their classmates in way they understand (I call it "student-speak"). Use in a discussion group to assist others who are weaker or having difficulty understanding can be a boost for all: the student recipients, the student mentor, and the instructor.
Barry Westling
