Rederect the activities to get students attention.
First, I take a look at my transitioning and look for additional ways that I can improve. After that I make sure that I change things up in a positive but firm manner. Smaller group sessions, guest speakers, and any other activities to reengage the students become my priority.
If your class is hands-on you can assign the student a project and as an instructor you can help them one on one with the project. Also asking the student questions about the material and letting them know they have a great idea and to think of the subject in a different presepctive and engage them in a deeper conversation about the material. It can be difficult depending on what is making the student not engaged as others. Sometimes it is bigger than the class and the students have outside activities or problems clouding their focus in class.
In my experience, and as our course material points out, it's a good idea to change the focus and learning style for a while. I prepare a number of worksheets and viewings for class should such a need arise, and I occasionally have students interalize our material for the day and paraphrase it for the class, which ensures maximum participation.
As the old saying goes, "Variety is the spice of life." I remember being miserable as a student when the course devolved into routine. As such, I like to prepare as many learning activities as possible.
Hi Hoang:
Change ups like moving students into small group activity can be successful, but often not even that much re-focusing is needed. Asking students questions as the teacher is lecturing can awaken students focus. Another step is circulating around the room.
One of the best ways is to shift away from the topic and share a story about the work setting. Students like stories. Afterq=wards, retrurn to topic. It's amazing how effective something as simple as a work related story can refocus students attention.
Regards, Barry
I agree. Breaking the students in small groups will reengage them.
Hi Paul:
Humor works great for spontaneous, "in the moment" redirects. Planning a comedy show is obviously over the top. Some teachers are naturally humourous and are able to incorporate that into their lessons - in appropriate doses.
But I think we need to be nartural versions of ourselves, not artificial versions of someone else. So, if humor doesn't work to redirect students, maybe a story, a past work sitaution, or sometimes even changing topic or sequence and moving to another activity.
One sure fire way to gather attention is to relate everything back to the career area the students are studying for. This will re-focus them because it's something they're interesred in.
Regards, Barry
I use humor to redirect learnes
i think making things competitive in class can help because it gives them something to work for. if you have a scavenger hunt and make the prize 5 points extra credit on the next test it will engage them to want to win and give there all.
Barry - I am a motorcycle technician instructor. In most cases the students are focused. The daily challenges I see are the diversity in ages. What I find works best is to use visual aides to pass around during various parts of the presentation, along with personal experiences. This gets their interest in the lecture back on track as well as give them some physical interaction. Asking questions at that point also encourages the learning. Interactive environment.
Sometimes our attention spans just don't do us justice in a class. I find that while taking a few moments to observe my students, its pretty apparent fairly quickly that few are listening and its time to change the direction and metabolism of the class. I find using the words, "Who wants to hear a story" changes the mood immediately and I once again have an engaged classroom.
If I have been standing by the desk using the powerpoint, or just standing in another location, I start moving around the room, ask a questions, turn off the projector, even if you're going to use it again. Doing so catches their attention, maybe give them a quick 5 or 10 minute break if your class length allows. Change it up, sometimes it's as easy as just stop talking and make them start. Ask questions, answer with a question so that they have to continue the discussion.
To get off-task students reengaged, I can stop what I'm doing and do something else... possibly show them an example of what I'm lecturing about on the projector, or take a break, or find a way to get them to play some kind of game. I teach at a game design college, and the students are very receptive to anything game-related or competitive.
Hi Kathleen:
Good! Stories will always help break the dolldrums, and getting students to talk is a much better approach than the teacher giving information.
Regards, Barry
Hi John:
When students feel there is some benefit to them, that'll keep them interested. So, one thing a teacher can do is to stop, tell a story or past situation related to their work setting will help keep them interested. Then, transition back to the topic.
Regards, Barry
Im a relatively new instructor. I am an RN and am teaching MA students in cardiology, medical and surgical asepsis, pediatrics and orthopedics all in 15 days. I have tried almost every idea I have read in this forum and get poor responses. I am at my wits end. I am their last stop before externship and they just want to be done. I have tried lecture, case studies, worksheets, games, role playing, group discussion, experiential, etc etc and they still lose focus! What do you do when you just cant seem to get through????
I find that off-task students dis-engage when they do not see value in the topic being covered. I like to explain why the material is important and how they will be using the information in their selected field. I then assign a short topic to each student and have them lecture or present the material to the class. This gets all students involved and increases the importance of knowing a topic.
In our classes we have a wide range of students. Old, middle aged and young. I walk around the room and listen to their conversations. sometimes this gives me an advantage to find out their real interests which helps me to adapt the lessons to fit their learning paths.
Change my delivery method and go in a different direction.
Give them a case study and let them use the skills they have learned to develop. Allowing students to be more physical in more intersting ways.
When Instructing on the Wall, no student gets left behind, by having students helping students throughout the lesson...
I do maneuver seating in my classroom based upon taking the strong and placing the weak in-between ....therefore there is a way to divert frustration if student feels off-task...
Also, I offer them to come on Fridays "My tutoring Day"...
