Time Management
It is so important to have extra information when there is extra time. Taking advantage of all time alloted is important even if it is down time to reflect on information received.
I think the idea of creating a folder with additional activities, particularly ones that are relevant to several classes, is terrific. We have a book shelf in our clinical/lab classroom and it would be a perfect spot to put an 'activity folder'. One of the challenges I have encountered is when I am proficiency testing (one on one: instructor to student) and the rest of the class has finished practicing their skills or completed an assignment I asked them to do. It is at that point when 'restlessness' sets in and the structure of my class begins to 'fall apart'. Having an 'activity folder' to turn to would certainly be an advantage to me when this situation arises. I think I will bring up your "activity folder" suggestion at our next clinical meeting and we can begin to pool our thoughts and ideas and create an invaluable tool to keep the class enrolled while we, the instructors, are skills testing with other students.
I have this happen occasionally in class and something that I like to do is have my students depending on what the lesson was on either, have them call local businesses or potential employers and give them a few questions to ask them that pertain to class, or I give each student a piece of paper and have them write what they learned in class and how they are going to apply it to their future in the industry.
Having multiple resources available helps in many ways. If you have extra time left over in class you will have something to fill that time that is also educational. Having multiple resources available also helps you to enlist their different learning styles and at times to stretch their not preferred learning style.
I have some stuff lined up as far as extra material, just in case, but I find that most times, I don't even need it. It's the very few times that, despite my best efforts, the class is completely unresponsive, there are few to no questions or discussion moments in class, and the material I have lined up is not enough. What is an appropriate action I can take in a situation like that?
Having multiple resources available.....internet, videos, related reading materials or even group discussion, are all useful in time managing classroom learning.
I agree. In fact, my colleagues and I have put together a large folder of activities that are relevant to a number of classes in our program. If we have extra time to fill we can all fall back on this a bit and use eachothers ideas for these situations.
