I also like for them to put things in thier own words, but at the end of class i will give them a simple outline, to make sure if they missed something they have a reference.
Hi Mark,
I agree! The least students have to copy, the more accurate the copying is.
Patricia Scales
we have slides where the student is expected to copy all the information about a component on the board. I have broken this into individual slides so that I can put each point on the board and discuss the important information pertaining to that point while the students fill in the blank. this has greatly increased the number of students filling in this information. they already have most of the infromation, they are just copying bullet points. they seem to make out better picking out key points rather than having to copy large amounts of information.
The college I work with discourages powerpoints but the main issue is the students skills. The students will attempt to write down "word for word" everything on the powerpoint slides even after I tell tem to pick important aspects, write those down, and then to write the example I provide or one they know to help remind them of a concept. I have some students who are unable to grasp the note taking skills and refuse to do anything but write word for word.
Hi Jeffrey,
I fully understand! I did an exercise where I wrote a paragraph on the board, and I had students to simply recopy the paragraph. Out of a class of 20 students only 2 students copied the simple paragraph correctly. Unreal! these students were not listening during a lecture, they had full focus time to copy the paragraph. Imagine if they had to listen and copy all at the same time.
Patricia Scales
Hi Steven,
I have found that often times when students put the notes in their own words, it lets me know if they understand or not. I always like to check when they put notes in their own words. Sometimes they can be a little off base.
Patricia Scales
Rose,
I learned really quickly as a teacher that although it was what I had experienced during college, not all(or that many actually) students are able to focus on the lecture while taking copious notes at the same time. I attended a large university where this was by far the standard method of delivering class but in the smaller school where I teach, it is much easier adn more fruitful to have students interact more during lecture.
This has been best facilitated by the use of lecture handouts that outline and detail SOME but not all of the information I plan on delivering. I utilize strategically placed "blanks" or areas for them to fill in some of the notes from lecture while some of the other information is already given. I reserve this for topics that are highly complex or that relate well to the overall topic and bear some further discussion. These "half-handouts" allow the students to spend most of the time listening and engages them to contemplate, discuss and fill in some areas that I want to highlight. It has worked great and I encourage you to try it out!
Thanks.
JHG
Hi Patricia,
I like the guided notes as well. I use "bullets" and have them complete the notes in their own words. I also stop often and ask questions on the previous bullets we discussed. That way I can make sure there were no misunderstanding and that they got the points I want them to get.
Hi Rose,
I like to use guided notes as well, as a change to handouts and copying off the board. Students tend to enjoy guided notes.
Patricia Scales
